- Location
- St Ives, Cambridgeshire
- Main postcode district
- PE27
- Nearby (straight line)
- Huntingdon (5 miles), St Neots (11 miles) and Cambridge (12 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A telescopic-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic pit leveller whose front lip slides forward out of the platform, rather than swinging on a hinge, and can be extended by a controlled amount onto the trailer bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm, which lets operators reach over tail lifts, place the lip between pallets and load the last row in a trailer.
Why do sites in St Ives choose this?
Where docks in St Ives have deep bumpers that hold trailers away from the edge, a telescopic lip can bridge a gap a swing lip would struggle to cover. Before recommending a lip extension for a dock in St Ives, we record the trailers that actually arrive, including tail lifts and rear overhangs.
A container-handling operation in St Ives can benefit from a telescopic lip, as container floors and chassis heights vary more than standard trailers.
A single contact at Loading Bay Doors handles your project in St Ives from start to finish. The free site survey and fixed written quote come first, with no obligation to proceed. We then book the installation for times that suit the operation, including out of hours by arrangement, and manage the specialist engineers on site. At the end we commission and test the equipment, walk your team through it and provide the documentation.
Can a telescopic leveller replace a swing-lip unit in the same pit?
Often yes, a telescopic-lip leveller can replace a swing-lip unit in the same pit, provided the pit is square and deep enough and the edge steel is in good condition. Some telescopic units need a little more depth for the lip mechanism, so we measure carefully at survey.
A typical installation:
- The bay is closed and the old leveller isolated, lifted out and removed.
- The pit is cleaned and measured, and any edge steel repairs carried out.
- The new unit is set in, levelled and fixed to the pit steel.
- The power pack, control panel and lip controls are connected and interlocks wired.
- The platform and lip are tested through their full travel.
You will need to provide a clear bay, access for lifting equipment and a suitable power supply, typically three-phase. Installation commonly takes one to two working days per bay once the pit is ready.
How far should a telescopic lip extend?
A telescopic lip should extend far enough to reach clear bed space on every trailer you load, including over tail lifts, while still leaving a secure overlap on the bed. Telescopic lips commonly extend 500 to 1,000 mm.
- Around 500 mm: suits fleets without tail lifts that need precise placement and end loading.
- Up to around 1,000 mm: reaches over folded tail lifts and across the larger gap left where deep bumpers hold trailers back from the dock edge.
- Platform length: should match the lip, as a long reach on a short platform can leave steep gradients.
- Lip width: full-width lips suit most work, while narrower or tapered lips help with smaller vehicles.
We record the rear details of the trailers you receive, including tail lift depth and bumper projection, then recommend the shortest extension that covers them all. A longer lip than you need adds cost and weight without benefit.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
Options to discuss
Insulated cold store version
An insulated platform with perimeter seals for chilled and frozen docks, often paired with an inflatable shelter and an insulated dock door.
Automatic return control
A single button that withdraws the lip and lowers the platform to its stored position, reducing the risk of a trailer leaving with the lip still out.
Regulations and approvals in England
Lift tables and dock lifts in St Ives may fall under LOLER, with thorough examination at least every 12 months, or every 6 months where people are lifted. It depends on the equipment and how it is used, and your insurer or competent person will confirm. Dock levellers are usually treated as work equipment under PUWER. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about telescopic-lip dock levellers in St Ives
Is VAT included in your guide prices for telescopic-lip dock levellers?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Cambridgeshire as everywhere else: for telescopic-lip dock levellers, it is £6,800 to £11,800 per leveller, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Is the site survey in St Ives free?
Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in St Ives?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
Is a telescopic lip slower to operate?
Slightly, because the lip is extended as a separate movement rather than swinging out as the platform rises. In practice the difference is small, and automatic sequences can raise the platform and extend the lip in one action, then return both at the end of loading.
What overlap should the lip have on the trailer bed?
The lip should rest on the trailer bed with the overlap the manufacturer specifies, so it cannot slip off as the trailer moves under load. Extending further than needed adds no benefit. We show dock staff what a correct overlap looks like at handover.
Telescopic-lip dock levellers near St Ives
Nearby places we cover, measured from St Ives, include Huntingdon (5 miles), St Neots (11 miles) and Cambridge (12 miles). Ask if your own town is missing.
Other loading bay services in St Ives
Full guide to telescopic-lip dock levellers · Everything we do in St Ives
Phone us to discuss your loading bay in St Ives, or start with the online quote tool if you prefer to send details first.