newsletter-april-200.. - The Scammell Register

April 2007
The Scammell Register
Founder and Past President
Founder Members
Mr W H T Bromidge
Mr D Hillier of Dorset
Mr D Hogan of Cornwall
Mr M Pugh of Somerset
Mr P Bambury of Somerset
The late Mr R D Griffin
President
Secretary
David Walker
Lower Priory Farm, Clamp Hill, Stanmore,
Middx, HA7 3JJ
Tel 0208 420 6513 (days)
Mobile 07860 959878 (evening/weekends)
[email protected]
Committee Chairman
Editor
Mike Thomas
Rushes Farm, Rushes Lane
Asheldham, Essex, CM0 7NY
Tel: 01621 773525
[email protected]
Membership Secretary
Barry Partridge
Lancing Fruit Farm
Old Salts Farm Road
Lancing, Sussex, BN15 8JG
Tel: 01903 753264
Treasurer
Sara Acock
01295 770690
DVLA Officer
Chris Jones
07748 982138
[email protected]
Merchandising Officer
Carol Cooper
01905 355532
[email protected]
Publicity Officer
Brian Carter
01444 400337
[email protected]
Spares Officer
Roger Mortimore
07802 241777
[email protected]
Vehicle Co-ordinator
David Spain
07774 841967
[email protected]
Committee Members
Parry Davis
01948 880870
[email protected]
Frank Edwards
07860 846787
David Hillier
01935 873073
Dave Thorne
01305 261544
Life Members
Mr F Bone of Watford
Mr J A C Kimp of Kidderminster
Mr D Hillier of Dorset
Mr G Rees of Watford
Mr P Frost of London
Mrs S Acock of Warwickshire
Mr W H T Bromidge of Devon
Honorary Member
Major P B Widdows
Membership fees are due on the 1st January each year and should be sent to the Membership Secretary
at the above address. Please make all cheques or postal orders payable to The Scammell Register.
Website www.scammellregister.co.uk
Editorial
Welcome to the second Newsletter of the four planned for 2007. Unfortunately, I got
well behind schedule with this issue, mainly because of huge pressures in the “day
job” - I need to win the lottery, retire and devote my time to Scammell!! I guess I’m
not alone in wishing for that. As I type this, the last page, I’ve only got a week of
April left, so if you didn’t get this until early May, please accept my apologies.
As you’ll see, John Fadelle has done sterling work with part 4 of the history, this
time on the 100 Tonner. I had originally planned to split it over two issues, but
decided it needed to be told in a single instalment. Brian Carter has done a nice
article - almost a profile - based around a most entertaining and interesting talk and
slideshow he gave at the last meeting, for which I am very grateful. I’ve had some
interesting follow up from last time, including Mick Green regarding the 5th wheel
Sherpa and various articles and snippets from my “regulars”, including Alan Jackson,
Stan Wass, Jim Wells and Parry Davis. Paul Hammond has sent an “international”
report from New Zealand, with a lovely photo of a Scammell still at work - see
centre page spread. Bill Watkinson has produced a second “where are they now”,
but comments that he had little feedback and no answers on his last queries. Come
on, someone out there must have some information!
Following on from the Scammell Front which I scanned last time, Sue has kindly
typed up an article on WW2 tank transporters which gives a great insight into life in
the desert. There is a report and colour photos on the extensive work carried out on
the display lorry - it looks brilliant and is a credit to the team who worked so hard. I
hope you’ll all have the opportunity to visit it this year. Please remember our appeal
for Members to “man” it - we really need your help!
As you’ll see in Committee Business, we are having some difficulty finding a venue
for the next meeting - any ideas? I was delighted by the response to the
questionnaires - over 100 received to date. Overall, Members seem content with how
things are going in the Register, which is great. However, there are lots of positive
suggestions for improvements. We may not be able to do them all - but we’ll do
what we can! As far as the Newsletter is concerned, most readers like the Member
Profile and there were suggestions for new material including articles on models,
details of companies recommended as having useful products and services, more in
depth articles, including technical details, details of restorations and problem solving.
One person even wanted page 3 girls!! No chance - the photo in July 2005 is as close
as you’ll get in this publication! But seriously, I’d love to include a wider variety of
information, but I just need it! If you want, I’ll edit what you send, I’ll write it from
brief notes, I (with “my” team, to whom thanks as always) will do the typing, I’ll
scan photos - so please send me some information - don’t leave it all to the few
regulars, whose efforts I really appreciate. The Newsletter is only as good as the
information I receive, so please help me to improve it further.
I hope to see many of you at rallies or at the next meeting.
Happy Scammelling to you all!
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Secretary’s Notes
I must say thanks for all the positive feed back and comments I have had. I know
quite a few of you anyway, but I will try to get to know as many of you as I can in
the fullness of time. Please, if you are at a show come and visit the Register
exhibition unit and introduce yourself. We don’t bite, but we may try to tempt you
with the new merchandise! Carol has excelled in what she is doing and there are a
variety of new lines, as shown in the enclosed sheet.
Thanks also for taking the trouble to fill in the questionnaire, I know some of you
have felt uneasy answering some of the questions but we really do appreciate the
feed back. If you didn’t that’s not a problem, questionnaires can be tedious but as the
majority of you did fill them in this gives us a good view about the direction we need
to go in. About 75% of renewals sent the forms back. Anyone who still has to return
theirs please don’t feel embarrassed - it’s OK to leave some of it blank. If you aren’t
sure or don’t have a view either way just leave it blank too. Just by sending it back
means you do care about what we are all trying to do for the Register.
We would like to advertise events. If there are shows you go to that some Scammell
lorries attend then why not let us know and maybe others will come. If you go to a
show then why not submit a write up to Mike and we can include it in the Newsletter.
Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, Mike will sort it out. I don’t worry! As a
poster at my old work proclaimed “when I started here I cudnt even spell engineer
and now I are one!!!” It’s even worse than that in fact as my spell checker keeps
correcting it! But you know what I mean!
What else is going on? We have been to Donnington and met up with lots of you.
We gave out lots of membership forms too! Perhaps we will get to over 300
members this year. My thanks to Jonathan Pye and Chris Hawkins for helping Dave
Spain and myself look after the stand. We were mobbed at some times, its great to
see so many new faces and old ones too. We do need help at events, don’t be shy,
just an hour of your time is enough, we may even let you buy a round of teas or beer
or donuts what ever you fancy!! No, but seriously, technically you all own a part of
the lorry and you are interested in Scammells so what better qualification to help.
Make a note in your diaries of the events the exhibition is going to, lets see all of you
this year.
There are some interesting lorries about. I thought the days of people undertaking
major restoration was possibly over but we have a group of new members and some
long standing members undertaking very ambitious jobs some on rare machines too,
so good luck. You know who you are and we all look forward to seeing the finished
article. I hope the Register can help you even if it’s only to keep the enthusiasm
going. Its great stuff it really is!
With regard to DVLA queries I know Chris is very much under pressure with his day
job so, anyone waiting for feedback please allow him time to get a good case
together for you. It really isn’t an open and shut case retaining registrations
especially on vehicles built before 1965! The DVLA will be keeping a close eye on
him as he is a “new boy”. We as an organisation cannot submit any information that
cannot be backed up with facts. We do now have other areas that we can find this
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information but it takes time. I won’t say too much as I know Chris will be
submitting an item relating to this.
So! Any more news? We hope to announce the new venue for the AGM in
November. I know it may be a controversial choice but at the end of the day some of
you will have to travel further and some will be closer. Believe me it isn’t an easy
choice and we won’t be able to keep everyone happy so we apologise if some of you
are put off coming. We may make it a movable venue so if you have a place near
you that can accommodate 60 to 80 people and provide lunch for between £15 to £20
per head let me know.
Well that’s about it for the moment. Hope to see a few of you out and about this
season. See you then.
All the best,
David kindly sent me this photograph with the caption “Do you think I am mad?”
Well, what can I say!!!!!
I asked David for some further information and this is what he said.
The unit at the front is the one I have advertised in this Newsletter. It probably needs
an additional donor vehicle to give you a chassis but it’s the standard chassis and
should have a cab similar to the Showtrac but the narrow version. The remains of the
cab are a later 1950’s design. It is very rare which is why I chose to save it.
The second one is a chain drive ballast tractor which by some miracle is complete
apart from a pair of wheels. It started life with Fisher Renwick as a unit but appears
to have been converted using factory fittings. The design of the rear end springing is
quite different between the units and ballast tractors. It is 1930. Not sure when I will
start on it - probably next year! Wish us luck!
I think you’ll need it!! Hopefully someone else will take on the other restoration.
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Scammell Snippets
Mystery Tractor Unit
by Mick Green
Having seen the photos at the back of the last Newsletter, Mick rang me to say he
wasn’t surprised I didn’t recognise the lorry as it was a “one off” which he had sold.
He was unsure of the destination - certainly Africa and, he thought, Ghana or
Nigeria. Mick told me that it was quite common to develop a dumper chassis for
other uses. In this case, a Sherpa dumper chassis was used to satisfy the request for a
heavy duty tractor for use with a Dyson low loader semi-trailer. Mick also
confirmed that the production line photo was of Sherpa dump trucks.
Sherpas
by Tony Billings
The scene (p.36 in last Newsletter) of RH cab Sherpas and Highwayman chassis
under construction is absolutely typical and brought me much pleasure as I recognise
some of the fitters. It has been most interesting to read articles by my ex-colleagues
(and still friends) such as Chris Sawyer, John Fadelle, Neil Ratcliffe, Jack Burnell
and Alan Jackson.
The Good Old Days - Driving a Handyman
by Stan Wass
On reading the report from Neil Ratcliffe in the January issue of the Newsletter, with
a photo of the Contractors being loaded at London Docks I was reminded that, about
that time, I was driving a Scammell Handyman for Castle Bros who had the contract
for carrying steel for Dunlop and Ranken of Leeds. The night loaders had broken the
drivers side window on my Scammell. As I was delivering steel around the south of
England, Jack Castle told me to call in at Scammells at Watford to get a new side
window. While the storeman was looking for a side window I asked if I could have a
look in the works. There were two production lines at Scammells and on one it had
Scammell on the front and on the other it had Leyland. I asked why this was and was
told one line was for Israel and the other was for the Egyptian army and they did not
want the same name on the front of their vehicles. That would be about 1967.
By the way, the storeman at Scammell could not find me a side window. So going
along the A4 towards Bristol, I saw a small coach works so I pulled up into a lay-by
and walked back to the works. The manager said he could make me a new window
so dropping the trailer at the lay-by, I drove the unit back to the coach works. They
took the door off and made me a perfectly fitted window. The Scammell Handyman
had side windows without winders and the windows were supposed to stop in any
position when setting up or down. When they got worn they didn’t always stop when
pulled down and dropped right down. Well the window the coachworks made me
was a perfect fit and stopped in any position. The manager gave me a card and told
me to inform other drivers where they could get any window for any kind of truck
made at his coachworks. I then carried on towards Bristol. My driving time was up
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when I was nearing Bristol (driving time in those days was any time 10, 11, 12
hours). Looking over to my left, I spotted a lorry park so I pulled on and enquired
where the transport digs were. I was told it was one of the best transport digs in that
area as when one stopped there each driver got a free ticket to the club next door
where there was a strip show every night. Some of the old drivers who get the
Scammell Newsletter may remember the transport digs which gave a free ticket to
the next door club. So I stopped there but next morning the smell of bacon and eggs
for my breakfast made me feel sick. I had a bit too much to drink at the club.
Pulling myself up into my Scammell, I didn’t set off for a couple of hours until I felt
a bit better.
My Scammell Handyman had a Leyland 680 engine, Scammell gear box and
Scammell rear axle. I believe the ones after 1965 had a Leyland gearbox and rear
axle. It was a C reg 1965. The Scammell gearbox and rear axles were almost
unbreakable and the Gardner diesel engine was one of the best. An unusual thing
was the speedo was anticlockwise.
I was in transport for 50 years starting in 1942 as a driver’s mate and retiring in 1993.
I believe it was better in those years, getting away from your vehicle and stopping in
transport digs. You could get changed into a better outfit and go down the local with
some of the other drivers, having a good breakfast before getting off in the morning.
Now you see drivers parked all night in lay-bys all over. You are with your vehicle
too much. Get away from it and enjoy your free time!
Those were the days when there was no tacho or mobile phone - not like today where
you can be watched all the time. Once you left your depot you were free. The
managers relied on you to do a fair days work, although you had to ring in every
night to tell them where you were.
Aero Engines
by Alan Jackson
When I read John Fadelle’s article in the January issue of the Newsletter under the
heading “Great War Aero Engines”, I remembered something I was told by Arthur
Puleston in the late 1940s. Arthur was head of Scammell’s Engine Test Department
in those days and had been an aero engine mechanic during the First World War. He
said that the design of the seven litre petrol engine had been greatly influenced by the
proportions of the “green” aero engine. The “green” was a very reliable four cylinder
inline water cooled engine which became very famous when Bert Hinkler made his
flight to Australia in the Avro Baby biplane. I remember wondering how the
Scammell designers obtained details of the “green” and it may be that Scammell and
Nephew assembled them. Just out of interest, I remember seeing a green engine on
display some years ago, probably in the Science Museum in London or at the RAF
Museum in Hendon.
This titbit might lead to one of our historians in a useful path of research.
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Ships of the Desert
by A H Osborn (Reproduced from “The Scammell Front”, May 1944)
This may not be strictly “PC” today but, I think, reflects the mood of the time!
As I passed o’er the desert one starry night
I heard the moan of a soul contrite
I peered around, then drew my breath
For there lay a camel in the throes of death.
Beside it there sat a little old man
He closely resembled old Omar Khayyam
With sobs and sighs his body did shake
I asked, “What’s the matter? You poor old rake.”
He pointed and looking I saw on the track
The last straw had broken his camel’s back
I exclaimed, “Alas, you are in a state,
Your beast of burden is much out of date.”
Then grinning broadly and chewing a fig
I gave the old boy a playful dig.
“The easiest way” I said, “out of your mess
Is to order a camel that starts with an ‘S’ ”
He gazed at me with a mystified stare
Then suddenly threw his fez in the air
For the Scammell’s fame has spread to the East
Where it helped in routing the Nazi beast!
Committee Business
by Mike Thomas, Chairman
The Committee met prior to the Membership meeting in March. Good progress is
being made on a number of fronts, especially the merchandising and refurbishment
of the display lorry - see elsewhere. Those present at the Membership meeting
enjoyed an interesting and amusing talk and slideshow from Brian Carter, for which
we are all grateful. There are only a few specific issues on which to report.
Next Meeting. As reported in the last Newsletter, we can no longer meet at the
Planks in Swindon. The Committee had hoped to hold the next meeting at Gaydon,
but this looks unlikely as a result of costs, lack of a bar and restricted menu choice.
We are therefore looking for alternative venues. If anyone has any suggestions,
please let me know. We’ll publicise the date and venue in the next Newsletter.
DVLA - Correction. In the last issue, I stated, under Committee Notes, DVLA
Officer, (page 6), that the Committee had agreed the DVLA service would be
available to Members only. This was an error on the part of the Committee, for
which I apologise. The DVLA service is designed to assist Scammell owners to
obtain registration numbers, original or age related, from the DVLA and is open to
any Scammell owner. As stated, Members will not be charged a fee, but will be
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expected to meet the expenses associated with the vehicle inspection. Non Members
will be charged £25 plus expenses but may, if they wish, join the Register in which
case they will not be charged the fee. I hope this clarifies the situation. If anyone
has any queries, please contact the DVLA Officer, Chris Jones.
Membership Questionnaire. We had over 100 questionnaires, which is very
pleasing - many thanks if you filled one in. There is lots of useful information to
help the Committee in deciding the way forward. I’m waiting to see if more come in
and plan to publish an analysis of key findings next time.
Red Letters. If you have renewed, many thanks. If not, you will have received a
red letter with this Newsletter and this is your last chance without paying a rejoining
fee. I very much hope you will rejoin. Please send your cheque to Barry, with the
questionnaire if you can. If you aren’t rejoining, I’d very much like to know why as
we try hard to provide what you want from the Register.
Scammell Queries
Mike Thomas
When at the Chatham show, I was approached by John Shearman with a number of
queries which, to an extent, arose from his browsing (and purchasing) Nick
Georgano’s excellent book to aid his research. He had three queries.
1.
Scammell Gritter/Snowploughs
John believed there were eight built, but was looking for confirmation and
further details. Nick’s book provided three photos, some brief information and
stated that seven were built. I think John’s query is largely answered by two
pages from Tony Billings’ book “45 Years of Rigid Eights, 1937 to 1982.”
Tony’s book is superb and was published to coincide with Scammell Motors 60th
anniversary of vehicle production at Watford, on 1 July 1982. Tony’s book,
which he has kindly agreed we can reproduce, contains two pages on the gritters,
which are reproduced overleaf. It confirms that seven were built.
Does anyone have any further information?
2.
Scarab recovery vehicles
John is looking for details of the recovery vehicles which he saw in use in the
Lion Rock tunnel in Hong Kong. He says they appeared to be the same as the
ones which were used in the Dartford Tunnel, one of which is shown on page 63
of Nick’s book.
3.
Routemans Overseas
John saw a number of Routemans with flat bodies and low sides in Indonesia in
1990/1 and wonders why. He says eight wheelers are rare overseas and
especially in that part of the world.
I’m sure someone out there can throw light on these queries - please get in touch and
I’ll pass on and publish the information, Ed
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Why a Scammell?
by Brian Carter
As many of you will now know, I have been elected to the role of Publicity Officer
for the Scammell Register. I am always intrigued by what starts people down a
particular road of interest or hobby. Well Scammells are certainly one of my key
interests along with making scale models and computers. A peculiar mix you may
say but the model making fraternity research their subjects very thoroughly and some
of my more interesting pictures of Military Scammells have come from that source.
Computers allow you to easily correlate information, copy pictures and share
information electronically with people all around the world. The internet is basically
a large library which contains a lot of very interesting Scammell information. So
how did I get started on Scammells?
My earliest recollection of a Scammell was my Father parking a Shell Mex and BP
artic in the lay by opposite our house. I was only 4 or 5 at the time and was intrigued
to watch him reverse it in the lay by and even more fun was getting it out of the end
our road back to the depot. (Some years later I tried to drive a Pioneer artillery
tractor round the same corner and failed abysmally!).
Gradually the Highwayman
got replaced by
Routemans, Handymans
and Trunkers. Dad always
brought me home the
company magazines so that
I could look at the pictures
of new trucks and read the
accompanying articles. As
I got older, I would quite
illegally go with him
during his deliveries whilst
on school holidays or at
weekends and several times went to the driver of the year competition which was
also of interest. At that age, I could not understand how they could position such
large vehicles within ½” of the judging line.
Father retired from Shell in the spring of 1977 and later that same year, I got invited
to help out with a Marshall Steam Roller of 1923 vintage. Obviously to a 14 year
adolescent this was a great adventure and one which I jumped at with both feet.
Although I only started on the steam engine at the end of the ’77 season, stories were
regaled of how this thing only had to see a bit of wet grass and get stuck, a somewhat
overstatement, but I was to see it get stuck a lot of times in late 70’s when it seemed
to rain every weekend. At the end of the ’77 season, I was introduced to the answer
for when the steam roller decided to get stuck - this was a 1945 Scammell Pioneer,
dark blue in colour and with a roof so high I could not see it! The stories of young
lads joining Pickfords or Wynns and not being able to see the top of their new homes
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was very similar for me. So this was going to be my project, restore this big blue
thing!
As with all new projects, you have to start somewhere so tidying up the cab and
painting it was the first job. Sounds simple, but I had never painted much at home
because Father would not trust me with a paint brush in the house. So with
instructions to scrape off the rust and wire brush said area, prime it, rub down the
whole lot, undercoat and top coat it I got started on the cab. Great idea but the first
bit of rust I attacked ended up with a huge chunk falling off the side of the cab!!!!!!
Barry, Help! This was soon sorted out with some newspaper, filler and a lot of
sanding down.
Over several years I restored
most of the Scammell in Amazon
Green and reskinned most of the
cab. She also got given the name
of Dewrance by means of a
railway locomotive name plate
that had been bought in a sale
somewhere along the line.
Hormones starting to play around
and I introduced the Scammell to
a couple of girlfriends and they
did not get along either with the
Scammell or with me!
Whilst this was going on, the trusty AEC Mandator that had been used to move the
roller from show to show was replaced with a nice gleaming Scammell Crusader 4x2
with a Rolls 290 fitted. Pulled well and was a good workhorse but not that
comfortable for the passenger, especially compared to the DAFs and Volvos of the
same era. The Crusader was a good tool and tramped all over Europe delivering
boats to earn its keep and then, when most vehicles are laid up for the weekend, was
coupled to a 4 in line low loader to move the roller around. After some years a
change of ownership of the Crusader meant another tool was needed to move the
steam engine around.
Somewhere an ex-Shell-Mex and
BP Scammell Highwayman artic
was acquired just like the one my
father used to drive. This still had
the Scammell coupling fitted and
trailer braking through the
coupling. During a winter, I
helped to convert this to take a
modern 5th wheel coupling and
paint it up in the same colours as
the Pioneer and steam roller.
Sometimes you look back and
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think “I wouldn’t do that now” as I hand painted the chassis on the Highwayman.
This served well towing the roller around and the Pioneer towing the living van as
well as being on hand to get us out of sticky rallies. The downside to this was I still
was not able to drive either of them! The owner had been trying for a couple of years
to get the Pioneer re-classified as a mobile crane as I was by that time an
impoverished student and could not afford to pay for the HGV training. However,
different people from DVLA said different things and it hit a brick wall. Things
carried on for another couple of years and my life changed dramatically in a very
short time.
Dad announced he was going to sell the family home and retire to the countryside,
so one of my brothers and I bought it. It seemed simpler to move the parents out
than move out myself! Shortly after that I met Christine and after courting for a little
while we announced our engagement with plans for a party in the November and the
wedding the following May. The owner of the steam engine, Pioneer and
Highwayman announced he was selling it all to buy a Foden Steam lorry. And then
the big storm of 1987 hit the South of England and devastated large areas so that
Seven Oaks become 2 Oaks! Trees and properties were blown down or wrecked but
although the sheds were badly damaged the vehicles survived intact! At this point
Christine agreed we should buy the Scammell and postpone our wedding for a couple
of years. So in the course of a year I became engaged to get married and bought a
house and a rather large toy!
We were fortunate enough
to be able to keep the
Pioneer in the same shed
at the previous owner’s
yard as well as benefiting
from his help and advice
which was particularly
helpful when we broke
down on the odd occasion
and even worse, broke the
crank and took the whole
engine out. After a few
years with the Foden
steam lorry he had bought
back his Highwayman but this time with a ballast body and still uses it to go to rallies
today. On the odd occasion he towed us home with this, our poor old Pioneer ran
faster than under its own power.
One problem with your fiancée paying half the purchase price of the Scammell is
they want to drive it! Despite fears and worries, Christine has turned out to be an
excellent driver of the Pioneer and puts many men to shame. The only answer to get
control of my one back was to buy her one of her own. I had always fancied the
R100 Heavy Artillery Tractor but they did not come up very often. I was then told of
one being in a disposal sale at Liphook and made arrangements for the necessary
finance. On the day of the sale this Scammell was looking a bit sorry for itself but
12
eminently restorable and exactly what we fancied. Hopes were high when ours was
the highest bid only to be dashed when the auctioneer said “Sorry reserve not met”.
After the auction I enquired about the reserve to be given a stupid figure and sadly
had to leave the beast there. Incidentally, this was the same auction where Colin
Bridge bought his first Contractor. For several months after the auction I pursued the
Gun Tractor only to finally be told it was sold to an Army Major for a figure lower
that I had offered. I was not a happy chappy!
We kept looking but to no avail (and arguing about who would drive our Scammell)
and then some years later I saw an advert in a military vehicle magazine for a similar
vehicle. Phone calls were made to fix an appointment to see it, the bank was raided
(legitimately) for the cash and off we set in high hopes to see the beast. It turned out
to be the same one but partially restored with all the major work done and most
panels held in place with 1 or 2 screws. A deal was quickly done and we drove it
home the same day. Well most of the way home, as it turned out to have a lift pump
problem and would go 150 yards, need priming again and so on. By about midnight
in the snow, we abandoned it in a lay by and went back the next day with the other
Pioneer and towed it home.
I gave the gun tractor to Christine as a Christmas present and since then we have had
“his and her Scammells”.
So that’s why I like Scammells. Over the next few Newsletters, I’ll try and tell you
about some of the fun we have had with them as well as some embarrassing stories
including how our Membership Secretary took an 11 ton excavator for a swim!
13
Cairo to Tunis on a Scammell
by Driver E A Leach, REME, in “Motor Transport”
(Reproduced from “The Scammell Front”, May 1944)
Over a period of 18 months, during which I travelled from Cairo to Bir Hakeim, was
in the retreat from there to El Alamein, and the glorious advance from Alamein to
Tunis, my “home” was a Scammell tank transporter. We were a small section, a
maximum strength of 40 men, and our vehicles were Scammell transporters and
tractors and Diamond Ts.
Climate Almost Unbearable
Each vehicle had a crew of three men, and among these men were to be found some
who had been on the desert from the start of the North African campaign, and knew
how to combat desert conditions. Apart from the war, climatic conditions were, to
the newcomer, at first almost unbearable and driving a test of endurance.
Our divisional flash, painted on each vehicle, was always a very welcome sight to
those unfortunate occupants of tanks or vehicles which had either been knocked out
or had broken down through mechanical troubles. We were primarily for tank
recovery, but an appeal to our OC always met with sympathy, and the men of “RI”,
some of the original “Desert Rats”, were always popular with other units.
Last Rites
Quite often when we had found our tank it had been abandoned by the crew, but at
times, either during or after a big tank battle, the crew had made their last ride, and
we had the last rites to do before recovering the tank. I think I am correct in saying
that the Recovery Section had one of the finest records on the Western Desert, and I
know that each man gave of his best to maintain that record.
Team-work Important
It was always regarded as the best method of working that each man on the vehicle
performed certain jobs, and thus the three men worked as a team. Each, of course,
took his share of driving and navigating, whilst one travelled sitting outside, on the
alert for marauding aircraft.
Regarding navigation, it should be explained that, as we travelled approximately
5 - 20 miles forward to get to the tank, and then anything up to 100 miles to our own
light repair workshops and invariably on the open and roadless desert, we did all our
own navigation. Our instructions consisted entirely of map references, which we
worked out ourselves on our maps, set our course, and travelled by prismatic or sun
compass. The only other assistance was from prominent and charted landmarks and
glasses.
Many Interruptions
Too often we were under shellfire and harassed by Messerschmitts or Stukas, for
each tank recovered meant another tank against the Axis forces; we often had to do
our work dodging away from the Scammell into the desert (or nearby slit trench) and
making the most of moments between these visits. The value of team-work will be
14
obvious when time is very valuable; it makes all the difference between failure and
success, or possibly worse results for the crew.
Mid-way through the campaign most of our wagons bore many scars from clashes
with aircraft and gunfire, and some faces were missing before we arrived at Tunis.
Mines, too, were always one of the greatest dangers. We carried machine-guns and
were able to hit back if time allowed, but our main concern was to get the tank and
also retain our Scammell.
Size a Drawback
The one great drawback of our transporters was their size. On the desert there is no
cover, no trees to hide under, and we were always regarded as a liability when
leaguered up with other units!
I will endeavour to give an idea of a normal job with one of these transporters.
“You are wanted at the office, Jack,” said the messenger, “there’s a job for you.”
Our corporal (in charge of the Scammell) immediately puts down the book he was
reading and, with a “Make ready to move, chaps,” goes to get his instructions. We
pack away, check for water and fuel, and see all is ready. In a few moments, the
corporal is back, and we study the map and see we have 15 miles to go for the tank
and 65 miles to the workshops.
Crew Baled Out
We arrived at the tank without incident, and whilst the other two were manipulating
the Scammell up to it, I studied the damage to the tank. No crew; they probably
baled out on to another tank during the battle rather than remain in their own, a target
for enemy gunners. This tank had received a direct hit on one track, which was
broken beyond repair. In these cases we always took off the other track and pulled
the tank up on its bogies, thus maintaining an even pull on the winch, and so getting
it up square and safe for carrying.
Whilst I was engaged on this the other two men had made the transporter ready to
take the tank. The big ramps had been lowered, wheel-plates were on, end ramps in
place, the winch rope pulled out and fixed, and all brakes on. Jock was always the
man on the winch - Jack and I kept an eye on each side, he giving the signals and
instructions to Jock.
Up in Seconds
After getting the rope taut all was ready, and I had seen that the tank was out of gear.
Jack’s hand gave the signal and the 30-ton tank slowly moved from its bed of sand.
In a matter of seconds it was up, and we started making ready for departure.
A whine, a shell burst a short distance in our rear. We had been spotted; speed was
the word and we were soon away.
When safely away from that area, we stopped and checked our course for workshops
and then continued. The heat was intense and added to by our engine heat. Our
usual dress was just shorts, and we were bathed in perspiration and flies were soon
irritating us.
15
Speed 5 mph
With the huge load on and the soft sand underneath the transporter was making slow
progress, and 5 mph was our speed. We met various surfaces, soft black sand (often
necessitating our digging out with shovels and the use of sand channels), and then
there would be large areas of boulder-strewn desert, which quite often meant a firstgear crawl up and down these “steps”. As this has a very tiring effect on the driver
and one’s arms feel as though out of their sockets, we each had a turn at the wheel,
and eventually got through it.
Sandstorm
Meanwhile the “spotter” on top gave us the depressing news that a sandstorm was
approaching from the front, so we had to pull up and prepare. Having no windscreen
(previous enemy action) we put on our shirts, goggles and outsize handkerchiefs
round our mouths and noses. These sandstorms can be painful to the skin at times.
Luckily the sandstorm was of short duration, but we would have preferred the storm
when a little later we had to bale out away from the wagon. Two enemy aircraft
returning to their lines had seen us, and came in low to give us a burst. We returned
to the Scammell and found, after a check-up, that the only damage was one ruined
tyre. The spare was soon on, and workshops were reached without further trouble.
Otherwise OK
After delivering the tank we checked our unit’s location and had tea. Being empty
we were able to make good progress home, keeping the Scammell at her maximum
of 15 mph. Upon reaching home we were met by the CO with the query:
“Everything all right, corporal?” “Tank delivered to shops, sir.” And then,
laconically, “We need a new tyre and tube, sir, otherwise OK.” Just another job
done.
16
Kiwi Contractor
by Paul Hammond
Last month (February), whilst on a business trip to New Zealand, I was travelling
south on the east coast road on Southern
Island, when suddenly I saw a Scammell
Crusader 6 x 4 tipper parked next to an
excavator. “OK,” I thought, “nothing to
get excited about.” But after reversing
back to the site and speaking to the
machine operator, it turned out he was the
owner. It was a 6x4 but fitted with a 5th
wheel for other duties; V8 Detroit
powered with a 15 speed Road Ranger
box. It was smart - please note the owners
pride in showing the Built in Britain,
union flag and Morris lubricants adverts!
During our talks he said that if I wanted to see a “real” Scammell, I should head
north for about 100km and I would see a 240 ton Contractor! Say no more, 3 hours
later we pulled into Richard Lewis’ yard in Karamea, which is as far as you can go
on this coastal road, you then hit the Tasmanian Sea! Just as we pulled in, the
Contractor was entering the other gate
after unloading an excavator from his
3-axle trailer. Yes, like the Crusader,
here was another Scammell still
earning its keep!
This was new to Inglewood Motors
NZ in 1971, powered by a Cummins
335 with a 20-speed Spicer box. This
was something else, and in such good
condition. With a chassis no WHV
4382 and the Tasman Sea over the hill,
and Watford sat on the other side of
the world in the Northern Hemisphere,
I thought what on earth was this motor doing here? But that’s another story that only
Richard Lowe could tell. He is a Scammell man through and through and certainly a
candidate for a future “Member Profile”.
After several hours of showing each other photos, and having the best cup of tea in
three weeks supplied by his Scammell addicted wife, I made my way out to the yard
to take a couple of photos of the Contractor, see centre spread in the colour section.
As I said my goodbyes, and left in the car, I turned to take a final look at the old girl.
She sure looked good, but somehow lonely sat down here in the middle of nowhere!
The Register says, “The Legend Lives On” - in this case, it certainly does. I can only
add to this by saying it has to be the “Jewell in the Crown” of New Zealand heavy
haulage.
17
Renovation of the Register Display Lorry
by Mike Thomas
Over a three week period at the end of March, Committee Members, Carol Cooper,
Brian Carter and David Spain, carried out the planned refurbishment of the Register
display lorry. The key aim was to open up the display area, making the lorry look
more welcoming and to provide space for all the lovely new merchandising which
Carol has been sourcing. The work was made much easier by the hospitality offered
by Brian and Christine Carter who not only provided a workshop, but
accommodation for the team! In addition to the Committee, Christine’s Dad,
Andrew, put in an awful lot of work, for which we are all very grateful.
The main tasks included cleaning and painting the inside, sanding and varnishing the
floor, fitting 230 volt AC electrics with circuit breakers, sockets and 2 fluorescent
lamps. Dave wired in a 24V charging supply from the alternator when the lorry is
running and Brian added a 24/12V converter to charge up a battery donated by John
Collins. From this we have 12V fluorescent lights and cigar lighter sockets so people
can charge their mobile phones.
Across the front of the truck, Christine’s dad built a bunk with a lockable storage
area. On top of this, Dave built a fold up table for the merchandise and books - see
colour photo opposite. At the other end, we have a cupboard with 2 drawers and
storage area for the merchandise. The cupboard has a nice counter top (donated by
Roger Mortimore). It is screened from the public area by a fold out display - see
opposite. The majority of the display boards are now fixed so they do not have to be
assembled for every show. We also have some display panels left over for mobile
displays.
The lorry was ready for its debut over Easter weekend when it was at the Chatham
Dockyard Museum. I manned it on the Sunday and must say I was really impressed
by the end result. I think the team achieved all the desired aims and, in my view, the
lorry now provides a far superior display, as shown in the colour photos opposite.
In particular, the superb new range of merchandising can be shown to good effect.
I hope you will all have the opportunity to visit the display during the season. A big
thanks to the team for their hard work on behalf of the Register!
The shows we plan to attend were listed in the last Newsletter. I would still appeal
for volunteers to help man the display lorry. Even if you can only do an hour, please
get in touch with Dave Spain - we really need your help!
18
Above - Edwards’ Highwayman lorries, see following article.
Below - Mystery crew- cab Mountaineer, see “Where are they now?”
Above - Merchandising display in the refurbished Register display lorry.
Below - The display on the rear partition.
Superb Contractor photographed by international correspondent, Paul Hammond, see article on previous pages.
Fairground Scammells at Dingles
by Jim Wells
The September 2006 Fairground Weekend at Dingles Steam Museum in Devon, the
new home of the Fairground Heritage Trust featured several fairground Scammells.
Showtracs Dragon and Gladiator were new to Anderton and Rowland in 1946 and
are still owned by
the firm. They are
normally resident
at Dingles but still
see occasional
service with A&R.
Gladiator is
possibly the only
Showtrac to have
been used every
year since new.
Routeman The Mustang is now owned by the Fairground Heritage Trust, having been
sold with R Edwards & Sons Joy Car Dodgems whose floor plates it carried. The 30
car dodgem track (which is big, even by today’s standards) has been built up, and is
tested and insured for public riders. This picture shows it carrying the track of the
Edwards’s Motor Racing on Tour Brooklands Speedway.
Highwayman
showland
conversions The
Moonraker and
The Enterprise are
owned by
Register member
Frank Edwards,
and pictured by
Keith Hamilton,
in the colour
section opposite.
The Moonraker
was purchased
around 1974 and
was in use when
the family firm of
R Edwards & Sons still travelled. It is the third Scammell to carry the name, the first
two being a chaindrive and a Showtrac conversion (CHK 652) which was sold to the
late Roger Austin. The Enterprise was purchased in the late 1970s when the firm
was travelling and conversion work begun, but it has only recently been completed.
19
Rather than carrying a lighting set - a second engine and dynamo, the dynamos on
these lorries are driven by the main engine via a power take off in Showtrac style,
using parts obtained from Scammell and fitted by the Edwards family. Two sets of
these parts were purchased and used to convert two tractors to Showtracs: CHK 652
mentioned above and FEV 585 Churchill. When these lorries were retired some of
the parts were removed, and were re-used on these Highwayman conversions.
The Rocket, a 45 ton
chaindrive is one of ten
chaindrives sold into
fairground use by Scammell
after the end of WWII. This
one went to the Heal family
of Bristol, and is still owned
by them. Restored over the
winter of 1979/80 it now
lives at Dingles and has
recently been joined by
Charles Heals’s Orton living
wagon. When I visited The
Rocket was parked inside and
was difficult to photograph thanks to Keith Hamilton for permission to use his picture from an earlier visit. A
book on the chaindrives is being researched by showland author Kay Townsend, and
is due to be published later this year.
And finally, Highwayman ballast tractor Illustrious is owned by Register member
Phil Vanstone and is part of his collection of fairground transport. It was new to
Stamps and
subsequent owners
include showmen
Jimmy Rogers and
Mick Goulding who
used it with his
gallopers.
The museum was
closed for the winter,
but re-opened on the
31st March 2007 with
a new name - the
Dingles Fairground
Heritage Centre.
See the Fairground Heritage Trust website (http://www.fairground-heritage.org.uk )
for details.
20
Scammell Showtrac Gathering and Road Run at Dingles
by Bill Bromidge
Bill kindly sent me a brochure for the Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre, Lipton,
Devon (see previous article). They are holding a Scammell Showtrac gathering and
Scammell Vehicles Rally and Road Run on 8 and 9 September, 2007 from 10.30
daily.
For further details see the Trust’s website (www.fairground-heritage.org.uk under
Visit, Special Events), or phone 01566 783425.
Showtrac Tracks – An Update
by Jim Wells
Soon after the last Newsletter was published, fellow member Mike Harris contacted
me with the answer to the query about tracks for Showtracs. It seems that tracks that
fitted over the tyres were available as an option, but may have been little used.
Mike also provided more information on the sale of Showtrac EDL 111 from the
Arnold Brother to the Benson family: he advises that it happened in 1954 (not 1953
as I wrote in a previous article), and that Scammell were not involved in the sale.
Where are they now?
by Bill Watkinson
I was a little disappointed at the response to the article in the January Newsletter, but
I will try again. I actually received one letter, but not about the vehicles I mentioned.
It was from Member Arthur Bax who in the early ’50s worked at 22 BVD at
Laleham, Middlesex. The unit was actually the Central Inspectorate REME, attached
to the Ordnance Corps. The unit received new vehicles from the manufacturers.
He writes, “October 1953, we received a new batch of Explorer recovery vehicles,
included was 92BD18 and 19 direct from Watford with 63 miles on the clock.
92BD18: I did the receipt inspection and kept it for a few days. It was then sent for
issue to a unit. In the last Newsletter (page 16) I see that Kevin Royan has it as a
restoration project. I would be very interested in its progress.
92BD19: After losing 92BD18, I took on 92BD19. At the time we were having
trouble with new winch ropes, so the powers that be decided to retain 92BD19 for
defect investigation. It was used for about 3½ years. She (christened Jemimah)
pulled 50 ton transporters, 20 ton low loaders and various American trailers ie
Rogers transporters and Jahn flat beds, some of these tests were loaded. I would be
very interested to know of the fate of 92BD19.” Can any Member help Arthur?
Now for this times batch of “lost” Scammells.
Mountaineer 4 x 4
There were two 4 x 4 Mountaineers built with crew cabs, one is 437 BTC, both are
believed to be preserved. What registration is the second one and where are they? A
photograph of 437 BTC is shown in the colour section.
21
Highwayman VXD 547
Built with ballast box and
cycle type front wheels for
Pickfords. Photographed at
Thoresby Hall, Notts in the
late ’70s. Where is it now?
Contractor Mk I
PNT 901R
Now here is an interesting
one! Delivered new to
Wrekin Roadways,
transferred to Wynns on
takeover, then sold to Highland Fabricators along with UDU 59W to make way for
the last two Mk II Contractors. It has now been rebuilt into some sort of carrier in a
steel works, as the photograph. Can any Member throw any light on the subject?
Since I started this
article I’ve had a
phone call from
Roger Mortimore
with a couple of
questions. He has 2
ex WD Constructor
6 x 6s. On demob
they worked for
Butterworth Cranes
of Scunthorpe.
Stanley Butterworth
developed the first
mobile tower crane
and used the Constructors on this project. They then went to Sparrows at Bath when
Butterworth Cranes were taken over. From Sparrows they went to Geesons at
Ripley, Derby. Their Meadows engines have been replaced by Leyland 0680s but
who by - can any Member give us more details? As we all know Roger has the one
and only Scammell Samson and tells me that details of Pickfords M1682 (the
Samson Trailer) appear in the Pickfords’ Specification Book. Does anyone have a
copy and can supply a photocopy? A model of Samson is available and it would be
nice to produce a trailer drawing in the Newsletter for the modellers amongst us.
Also if any Member has queries about any Scammell, let me have the details and we
will get them in the Newsletter.
I can be contacted on 01634 260310 or at
4 Sunningdale Drive, Rainham, Kent ME8 9EE
22
“Not What I Thought I Had Bought”
by Parry Davis
Answering an advert in Commercial Motor I ventured to Leeming Bar just off the A1
at the top end of Yorkshire, to view a Junior Constructor which had been converted
into a heavy recovery and had last seen service in the hands of Londonderry Garage
as their heavy recovery vehicle. I
believe that the photo is at
Londonderry taken just after the
vehicle had been converted and
painted. Although the vehicle is
basically complete and in
reasonable condition it does need
full restoration. As norm the ash
framing in the cab has seen much
better days but it is hoped the
restoration of Junior Constructor
chassis number 16854 will start
some time during 2007.
One early task on the vehicle was replacing the starter motor the pinion of which had
totally self destructed and in this I
was ably assisted by my then young
son Thomas, now a muscular 19yr
old but then very much younger.
Hint to parents with bored children:take the engine covers off a
Scammell Constructor, allow
Scammell to swallow infant whole as
seen in the photograph and instruct
infant to remove starter motor. It
works a treat and keeps them quiet
for hours!
When I bought the vehicle, and until recently, I believed I had purchased a converted
Junior Constructor Ballast Tractor. However, I was put in contact with Mr Paul
Hammond, the fount of all knowledge on things Junior Constructor, who surprised
me with the information that chassis number 16854 was not in fact originally built as
a ballast tractor but was 1 of only 2 fifth wheel Junior Constructors produced by the
Company. Originally registered CKG 921B and purchased by Ryan Plant in Cardiff.
The interesting photograph, overleaf, shows CKG 921B with its brand new Crane
trailer attached in the yard at Watford with an elegant quartet of Highwaymen
obviously for Tanker duties in the background.
[See also Register archive photo on page 35. Ed]
23
The vehicle at some stage made its way North of the border and served with
Sutherlands where by the looks of the photo it did not lead a life of idleness but was
“put to work” in a variety of duties.
Although purchased some time ago restoration of this vehicle has been delayed by
the absolute insistence of “She Who Must Be Obeyed” that the restoration of her
house, the equipping of her kitchen etc.etc takes precedence over Scammell
restoration ?!
I am most interested to find out everything I can about the history of this very rare
vehicle, it is my intention to return it to the original livery of Ryan Plant and I would
be most grateful if any readers can tell me the colour of Ryan’s livery and indeed any
other information on the vehicle at any time during its life.
I look forward to a progress report during the year! If anyone has any information,
please let me know and I’ll forward it to Parry and publish it next time. Ed
24
The History of Scammell Lorries, Part 4, 1930
- ‘The World’s Largest Lorry’
by John Fadelle
Scammell had discovered that heavy haulage was a lucrative market; by 1928 the
articulated eight-wheeler with its low-bed carrier with a knock-out four-in-line axle
could carry 25 tons, and a couple of years later this was to be uprated to 40 tons.
However the ‘top end’ of the machinery-carrying market was still in the hands of
operators who used relatively crude drawbar trailers hauled by one, two or even three
steam road locomotives (usually Fowlers) to move the 60 or 70 ton loads (which was
the maximum the railways could handle) from a convenient railhead to the
customer’s door.
Therefore it is not surprising that sooner or later a haulier would ask Scammell to
apply their skills to develop a vehicle which would provide an easier, quicker (and
therefore cheaper) way to move these loads - and those which were too big for the
railway loading gauge. There would be a significant cost and labour saving by not
having to partially strip a large bit of machinery and then reassemble it at the
customer’s premises, maybe somewhere in the distant Empire.
Thus it was that Marston Road Services of Liverpool approached Scammell in 1928,
or thereabouts, to develop a 100 ton transporter which could move such loads
unaided, and, furthermore, avoid many of the operational problems encountered by
the simple trailers currently drawn by road locomotives. A downrated carrier able to
carry 65 tons was also required.
As was his way, rather than just making a bigger version of the articulated eightwheeler, Oliver North took the courageous clean-sheet approach of designing what
became the ‘World’s Largest Lorry’. However, the vehicle was to be articulated and,
unlike the eight-wheeler, the
carrier turntable on the
tractor was to be well
forward of the drive axle to
ensure that the steered axle
load became greater as the
payload increased. The
tractor chassis was a
fabricated, riveted steel box,
20” deep at the rear, with
bays for the engine/gearbox
and final drive.
Sadly, the firm had no alternative but to install the seven litre petrol engine at the
time, even though it was rated at 80 hp (“the ¾” lift camshaft may be required” the
Sales Order noted ominously, anticipating the need for every ounce of power that
could be squeezed out of the engine). The four speed gearbox from the Pioneer was
used, driving to a conventional high-level spiral bevel reduction and differential unit.
However, at the end of each half shaft, instead of a sprocket, was a complex
25
assembly of a transmission brake, two-speed auxiliary gearbox and yet another
differential. This was needed because of yet another of Oliver North’s innovatory
ideas.
The firm had experienced great success on carriers with the ‘four-in-line’ axle
(actually a pair of short oscillating axles side-by-side, see photo on facing page), and
the advantage of these oscillating axles was their ability to follow the cambered
contour of the road. For the 100 tonner, North knew that to transmit the required
high tractive effort the treads of the non-compliant, solid-tyred drive wheels would
have to make, as nearly as possible, flat contact with the road surface. So why not
make a powered version of the ‘four-in-line’? To achieve this, each final drive
differential had two output sprockets, see below, the chains from which powered a
wheel at each end of an oscillating axle.
This arrangement ensured that each of the four wheels transmitted the same amount
of power, even on bends. Each oscillating axle had a basic trailing arm anti-shock
suspension comprising a stack of rubber discs in compression. As road speeds were
to be low (about 3 mph laden in low auxiliary gear and 5 mph light in high auxiliary
gear) this would be adequate, and ensured that the nominal laden ‘axle’ weight of 40
tonnes was reasonably equally split between the four wheels.
The front end was more conventional, the massive front axle having a pair of leaf
springs. The laden axle weight was to be about 8 tons, so in those pre-power assisted
days, steering the solid tyres from lock to lock rapidly at very low road speed (which
is a necessity with heavy haulage) was bound to be problematical for the driver. To
minimise steering wheel load a high-reduction steering box was devised, giving
seven turns lock-to-lock. Hoping that the driver would be able rotate the wheel
rapidly, the designer thoughtfully made the wheel rim as a heavy steel casting so as
to achieve a degree of flywheel effect!
The cab was a larger version of the standard (it was full vehicle width at just under
9 ft). Apart from wrestling with the steering, the driver had to put considerable
thought into braking. The foot pedal, as on the articulated eight-wheeler, controlled
only the transmission drum brakes, but the four 20” drum brakes on the drive axle
were applied by a screw with a horizontal hand-wheel, very much as on a railway
26
locomotive. Apart from parking, this brake was used as a retarder on hills. The
driver however had no control whatsoever over the carrier brakes. The two ratios of
the auxiliary gearboxes, low for 100 ton, and high for 65 ton and unladen operation,
were selected at each gearbox before moving off.
The carrier comprised three ‘modules’. The carrier bed was an intentionally simple
structure of two riveted compound girders, with pinned fork-and-eye connections at
the front and mounting pads for the suspension at the rear, such that beds of varying
length and height could be easily and reasonably cheaply manufactured to suit
various jobs (as indeed they were).
The goose neck was another stiff fabrication and imposed load on the tractor via a
spherical coupling with ‘anti-roll’ rubber springs either side, the imposed load on the
coupling being about 35 tons for a 100 ton payload. The neck was connected to the
carrier bed via a pin and hydraulic triangulating ram either side, giving the 100
tonner its most unique feature. If the load needed to be lowered to get under a low
bridge - or the deck raised to go over a hump bridge - its front end could be adjusted
down 12” or up 15” from its normal running height by manipulating the two rams.
Hydraulic power packs were a thing of the future so the hydraulic rams were
powered by a manual pump on the gooseneck with large-diameter hand wheels
rotated by two of the crew (an easy task if they were accustomed to the steering
wheel loads!)
With 40 tons concentrated over a small area of road it was anticipated that there
would be a risk that the drive axle wheels would occasionally collapse through the
road surface. This was dealt with
by placing packing under the front
ends of the deck girders and
shortening the hydraulic rams by
means of manual adjusting nuts
(the hydraulic rams were singleacting so this could not be carried
out by pumping) until, first, the
carrier weight was taken by the
packing. Further shortening of
the rams lifted the spherical
coupling and therefore raised the
back end of the tractor clear of the
ground (see left). Steel plates,
carried for the purpose, were then placed under the drive wheels, the jacking process
reversed, and the vehicle could make off, hopefully before the highway authorities
noticed! If the same thing happened at the back end of the carrier the packing was
placed under the girders just in front of the rear wheels. The front of the bed was
again lowered by shortening the rams but in this case it had the effect of levering the
back end of the bed - and therefore the rear wheels - upwards. This activity also
enabled the payload to be unloaded without the use of any jacks or mechanical
handling gear. Assuming the load had been mounted on cross-bearers overhanging
the side edges of the deck, when the vehicle reached its final destination packing was
27
driven under the ends of these cross-bearers. The neck rams were shortened, first the
packing took the weight and eventually the front of the bed was lowered to the
ground. Being under no load, the front pins and rams could be released, a pair of
auxiliary wheels fitted to the gooseneck and the tractor and neck ensemble would
trundle to the rear of the carrier and draw it backwards clear of the load.
At the extreme rear end of each of the bed girders was a pedestal mounting for a foreand-aft rocking beam. At the front end of each beam was a short oscillating axle
with a wheel each side but at the rear end the oscillating axle was arranged with a
vertical pivot allowing limited steerability. The ‘inner ends’ of these rear oscillating
axles had ball joints which
were connected to a pair of
drag links which in turn were
connected to a speciallydesigned worm-and-nut
steering box. When the
steersman rotated his wheel,
the steering box pushed one
link and pulled the other,
allowing about 15° of lock
angle in each direction. Unlike
the other manual tasks, it was
said that the ‘nautical type’
wheel could be spun with one
hand as long as vehicle was moving - possibly a P G Hugh touch?
The steering column was hollow and in the centre of the steering wheel was a much
smaller screw handbrake wheel by which the rear steersman could apply the drum
brakes on all 8 carrier wheels by means of cables and compensating levers.
With the rear steersman totally responsible for the carrier braking (with 80 tons on
the fully laden carrier wheels), good communication between the tractor driver and
the rear steersman was essential so an ‘Admiralty pattern’ telephone linked the two.
Over the years the rear steersman was provided with, variously, a simple bench, a
narrow shelter or a full width cab, but all had spring suspension from the carrier
beams, which of course had no suspension whatsoever.
For operation at 65 tons the leading (non-steering) axle was omitted and the ends of
the rocking beams linked up to the girders. Without the non-steering axle the vehicle
had much more manoeuvrability.
The first tractor (chassis no 1428) was delivered to Marston’s Liverpool depot on 20
January 1930 with its 34’6” wheelbase 100 ton carrier 1481. They had also ordered a
48’6” wheelbase 65 ton carrier which was delivered the following day. It would
seem that Marstons had been waiting for the 65 ton carrier, as later that very month it
transported the first of a batch of 14 82-ton steam locomotives from the Vulcan
Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, to Liverpool docks (see below, from Vulcan’s
Heritage). This movement typifies what the 100 tonner became famous for: carrying
out-of-gauge railway stock and attracting media attention.
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Vulcan’s Heritage notes that ‘Newsmen and photographers from the National Press
competed with local reporters for coverage of a story which made front page news’.
It is intriguing that the second tractor (1429) was ordered on the same day as
Marston’s vehicle. They also had consecutive order numbers and identical
specifications, suggesting that the Scammell board may have sanctioned the build of
two vehicles even though only one had actually been ordered at that time (this was a
common practice throughout Scammells’ life as two prototypes do not cost much
more than one to build). However 1429 eventually went to W H Coley of Dartford,
on behalf of the Metallic Ore Reduction Company of St Austell, to tow a mobile
rotary furnace. A special 65 ton single axle carrier was constructed to form the base
of the furnace, but with a simple, fixed, gooseneck. The vehicle was delivered to
Garrett’s of Leiston in February 1930 for installation of their furnace.
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Nothing is recorded of its time as a piece of mobile plant, but within a couple of
years perhaps the furnace was grounded on its carrier girders and the tractor rendered
redundant, as by this time the tractor had been acquired by Pickfords. They obtained
a new 100 ton two-axle carrier to use with it, made by Cranes of Dereham.
(Pickfords must have been impressed by the carrier as they subsequently obtained
from Cranes a drawbar trailer with the Scammell adjustable gooseneck at both ends,
rating it at 120 tons.
Whilst, as far as is known, both 100 tonners did what was asked of them, it soon
became obvious that the 7 litre petrol engine was far too small for operation at over
130 tons GTW (when carrying 100 tons), having to operate flat out most of the time,
consuming a gallon of petrol every ¾ of a mile. Fortunately for Scammell (and,
indeed, many other UK lorry manufacturers) the first generation of automotive diesel
engines appeared at about this time, and the firm had already installed the Gardner
6LW in some lighter vehicles in 1931. Thus, a 6LW conversion by Pelican
Engineering, Leeds, was carried out in 1932 on both 100 tonners. The 6LW being
longer than the petrol engine, the radiator had to be moved forwards and the frames
extended accordingly. The conversion apparently added about 2 tons to the tractor
weight, all of it being over the front axle and therefore making life even more
interesting for the driver who now had a steered axle weight of some 10 tons to deal
with! However this would have reduced the tractor’s propensity to wind itself out
from under the gooseneck under high tractive effort conditions (it is said that the
Pickfords tractor was called ‘Leaping Lena’ because of this tendency). The laden
fuel consumption improved to a welcome 4.2 mpg.
Both vehicles, Marston’s KD9168 and Pickfords’ BLH21 were based in the
industrial North for their entire working lives. In 1936 KD9168 passed to Edward
Box, see above, and in due course it, too, joined the Pickfords fleet. Apart from
30
export railway locomotives, loads included electrical transformers, ship’s engines,
presses, and the SS Berengaria’s 55 ton rudder which was taken from Southampton
to Darlington (this move was reported as a headline on the front page of the News
Chronicle of 23 March 1932).
The heaviest load on record to be
moved by a 100 tonner was an ingot
mould weighing 165 tons which
was moved by Marstons for one
mile between two factories in
Sheffield. The Meccano Magazine,
describing the journey in April
1936, observed that ‘an exciting
moment occurred when a rightangle turn and a slight lump of the
road caused a momentary halt,
during which smoke rose from the
burning surface beneath the
revolving driving wheels’. It is interesting to reflect that with a payload of 165 tons
the GTW was 200 tons; all this was moved by an engine rated at 102 hp, less than the
rating of today’s average car engine. In order to see if a larger engine could be
installed in place of the 6LW, late in the 1930s Evan Davies carried out an
assessment of the gearbox loadings resulting from the use of the Gardner 6L3. This
large 18 litre marine engine generated twice as much torque as the 6LW, so
presumably it was concluded that this would be too much for the existing driveline as
no more was heard of this proposal. This was probably fortunate for the already
hard-pressed driver, as the 6L3 weighed more than four times as much as the 6LW
and would have raised the steered axle laden weight to more than 12 tons!
The tractors remained in service until the mid 1950s, and BLH 21 is seen below
transporting a Vulcan Foundry locomotive en route to the Festival of Britain in 1951.
31
However, the carriers lasted for another decade after that. One of the last jobs for
one of them was to transport, with a dolly to turn it into a drawbar trailer, the
preserved LMS Pacific ‘Duchess of Sutherland’ to Heads of Ayr for display at one of
Butlin’s holiday camps in 1964. Somewhat surprisingly, this elderly trailer was
described as ‘the heaviest available in Scotland’.
Was the 100 tonner a success? Technically, yes. That both vehicles were still in
operation in the early 1950s when modern, well-powered, pneumatically-tyred easyto-drive heavy haulers like the Constructor were available (not to mention ex-WD
Explorers and Diamond Ts) confirms this. As a business prospect it must have been
a financial disaster, as the huge cost of the tooling for the unique complex
transmission alone could never have been recovered by selling just two tractors (at a
selling price of £3,100 each). The company must have been justifiably surprised that
no more orders were received for such an advanced design, and A P Fox, in his
retrospective review of the early years of Scammell does not even mention its
existence!
However, in terms of publicity, the 100 tonner was priceless, establishing Scammell
for all time as the British heavy haulage manufacturer of choice.
To be continued
Since John sent in the superb article, I have had two more 100 Tonner items - Brian
Carter kindly supplied the following nostalgic picture of one of them at work.
Roger Mortimore kindly forwarded the following additional information, supplied by
Bob Whitehead, on the use of the 100 Tonner with the kiln. According to Garrett
records, the kiln was patented by Henry Edwin Coley, of Charter House Square,
London EC1, in July 1929. This is also the postal address of the Zinc Manufacturing
Co Ltd, the Zinc Oxide Co Ltd and the Metallic Ore Reduction Co Ltd, the client
32
who ordered the kiln. As stated in the article, the kiln was built by Garretts of
Leiston. However, according to Bob, they also built the semi trailer carrier, but using
a rear bogey with steering supplied by Scammell, on an order from H E Coley of
Dartford, Kent. This information comes from Geoff Clark, formerly of Scammell.
The kiln on its carrier was delivered to Victoria Wharf, Dartford, then transported by
the 100 Tonner to the East Pool Co Ltd, Carnbrea, Cornwall. A telephone system
was rigged from the tractor to the rear steersman in preparation for a journey
involving 143 driving hours! Bob says the kiln was used to reprocess the waste tips
of the Cornish mines, in the hope of recovering more metal in the period 1930 to
1938.
Third 100 Tonner? Bob has heard a rumour that a third 100 Tonner was in fact
built and went to South America!
If anyone can help with this query or provide any further information on the 100
Tonners, please do get in touch with the Editor. I’ll pass the information to John,
Bob and Roger and publish it in the next Newsletter.
Finally, this montage of tractors, including the 100 Tonner as the centrepiece, is from
the Register archive. Further photos appear on the following pages.
33
34
35
Scammell Mart
For Sale
Explorer - fitted Rolls Royce Diesel - 220 Eagle.
Needs restoring but all the hard work has been done - runs & drives
well but needs some welding on the cab + finishing off - cab int/
wings/ lights/ body wood work/ etc. 6 good tyres + power winch +
power jib.
Faster than a Pioneer & much cheaper to run than a Meadows
petrol.
£3,000 ovno
Please contact Parry Davis 01948 880870
For Sale
Ex Siddle Cook, ex Shell Mex, Scammell 15MU, 1936 (possibly the
earliest example of a shaft drive Scammell six speed known to
exist).
Requires complete restoration. A truly unique restoration job.
Various S cam brake parts for Scammell rear axles all slow but good
for spares.
8 off 1200 by 20 bar grips. Inc some tubes and flaps. Part worn, off
rims. £ Very cheap.
Contact Dave Walker on 07860 959878 days and eves
For Sale
Scammell Junior Constructor Ballast tractor. Ex London Brick.
Reg VXD 528. Requires restoration.
For more details contact Paul Hammond on 0118 984 4003
For Sale
“The Scammell Story”. An A5 book on the company and family
history from 1837. 93 pages with illustrations written by employee
from 1962 to 1987 (Tony Billings), who is also a local and family
history author. £8.00 each inclusive of postage to UK addresses.
Please contact Tony Billings,
37 Camp Road, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 5DX
36
Scammell Mart - 2
For Sale
Register Spares
3 large air cleaners, squarish in shape, maybe Commander? £35 each.
Trunker/Handyman?, doors, one with glass, front panel inc chrome SCA--ELL
(no MMs), engine cover, 2 other panels, steering wheel. £100 the lot.
Contact Roger Mortimore 07802 241777
e-mail [email protected]
For Sale
Scammell Crusader (1974), 4 by 2 recovery, possibly ex unit (looks to be
stretched). Reg KJO 460N (Ch No GHV59051)
Rolls Royce Engine. No V5 and not tested (recovery)
For more info please contact Gareth
Sixty Sixty Coaches (Merthyr Tydfil) on 01443 692060
(www.sixtysixty.co.uk will take you to the company site and look in “Picture
Gallery” the scroll down to “other vehicles”
Wanted
Set of square dashboard gauges for a Highwayman.
For Sale
Ex nuclear flask carrying trailer, 73 tons gross, 13-00 X 20 tyres, 11ft long
stainless steel bed, 9ft wide, looks impressive but is very easy to handle, photos
available. Price £2,400
Contact Roger Mortimore on 07802 241777
or e-mail [email protected]
Wanted
Aluminium/rubber “cush” coupling to connect Gardner 150 engine and six
speed gearbox on MU 20. Needed for restoration project.
Please contact Andy May
01749 840918 after 18.00 or weekends
Wanted
Anything suitable for sale on the Register display lorry - spares, tools, books,
photos, magazines etc.
Please donate anything you can spare to help with the costs of running the
Register Display lorry.
Please contact Roger Mortimore
07802 241777 e-mail [email protected]