- Location
- Long Eaton, Derbyshire
- Main postcode district
- NG10
- Nearby (straight line)
- Castle Donington (5 miles), Ilkeston (5 miles) and Nottingham (6 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
Dock lights and wheel guides are two simple loading bay aids. A dock light is a lamp, usually LED, on a swing arm beside the dock door that shines into the trailer so forklift drivers can see the load. Wheel guides are steel rails fixed to the yard that steer the rear wheels so the trailer arrives straight and centred on the leveller.
What matters for dock lights and wheel guides in Long Eaton?
Shelters and seals at sites near Long Eaton last longer when wheel guides keep trailers centred, because off-centre parking is a common cause of torn curtains. Parcel and retail distribution operators in Long Eaton that work into the evening rely on good lighting inside trailers once daylight at the dock fades.
A landlord preparing a unit in Long Eaton for re-letting can add dock lights and wheel guides at modest cost to make the bays more practical.
Keeping the dock running is usually the first concern, so we plan around it. After a free survey of your Long Eaton site and a written quote at a fixed price, we agree when each bay can be released and whether any work should happen out of hours. Specialist installation engineers working under our management then fit the equipment, and we test it and hand over the documentation before the bay goes back into use.
What happens on site when dock lights or wheel guides are fitted?
Dock lights are fitted from inside the building and usually leave the bay usable for most of the work, while wheel guides close the bay to vehicles until the anchors have cured.
- Dock lights: the bracket is fixed beside the door, the arm and head fitted, and the supply connected and tested. The circuit is isolated briefly during connection.
- Wheel guides: the yard in front of the bay is coned off, guides are set out, drilled and anchored, and the resin is left to cure before trailers return.
- Concrete bases: where tarmac needs a concrete strip first, the bay stays closed until the concrete has gained enough strength.
We ask you to provide a clear bay, details of the nearest power supply, safe yard access and someone who can manage vehicle movements around the work area. Planning guide installation for a quieter period keeps disruption to a minimum.
Should wheel guides be bolted down or cast in?
Wheel guides are bolted down on an existing sound concrete yard and cast in where new concrete is being laid. Both give a strong fixing; the choice depends on whether the yard is being resurfaced.
- Bolt-down guides: steel tube or channel fixed with resin anchors. Quick to fit to existing bays and easy to replace if damaged.
- Cast-in guides: set into fresh concrete with embedded anchors, suited to new-build docks and conversions.
- Flared entry: an angled lead-in at the yard end catches the wheel early and steers it into line.
- Finish: typically galvanised, or painted yellow and black so drivers can see them in mirrors.
Guides are set out to suit the track width of the trailers you receive, centred on the leveller, and long enough to straighten the trailer before it reaches the bumpers. Tarmac is usually too soft to hold anchors, so a concrete strip or base is laid first. Our guide to choosing dock bumpers and wheel guides covers layout in more depth.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What we look at on site
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Access for deliveries, cranes or lifting equipment during installation
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
Options to discuss
Low-voltage dock light
A swing-arm light fed through a transformer mounted nearby, for sites that prefer a reduced voltage at the lamp head. Same reach and folding action as a mains light.
Cast-in wheel guides
Guides set into new concrete with embedded anchors during yard works, giving a very strong fixing for new-build docks, resurfaced yards and loading bay conversions.
Regulations and approvals in England
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Long Eaton, that means doors meeting regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, equipment maintained under PUWER and suitable safeguards against vehicles driving away too early. We check what applies at survey and design the bay accordingly.
Questions about dock lights and wheel guides in Long Eaton
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Long Eaton site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Long Eaton?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
What details do you need from us to quote for dock lights and wheel guides?
To get started, send the site address in Long Eaton, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
Where should a dock light be mounted?
A dock light is mounted inside the building beside the door opening, high enough to swing over the leveller and into the trailer. It must fold back flat against the wall, clear of the door tracks and the forklift route, so it is not struck when the bay is not in use.
Do wheel guides damage tyres?
Correctly spaced wheel guides should not damage tyres. They are set slightly wider than the trailer track so the tyre only brushes the guide when the trailer is off line, and a flared entry stops tyres hitting the end. Guides that are bent or set too narrow should be corrected.
Dock lights and wheel guides near Long Eaton
The same survey, quote and repair service is available in towns around Long Eaton, such as Castle Donington (5 miles), Ilkeston (5 miles) and Nottingham (6 miles).
Other loading bay services in Long Eaton
Full guide to dock lights and wheel guides · Everything we do in Long Eaton
Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Long Eaton site.