Johann Marsbar Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 Was looking for something in the loft here this morning and came across a booklet published by Guy Motors in 1948 celebrating their first 34 years of trading. One of the highlighted vehicles that they had produced was this road-rail tractor designed for shunting and constructed in 1923. Would make an interesting modelling subject.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 Hmm. I can't see that contraption as likely to attract many sales. If you wanted only to shunt rail vehicles, you'd get a loco. If you wanted to carry goods on the highway you'd buy a van or lorry that had some load carrying capabilty - that thing would need to pull a trailer. If you want to convert from one mode to the other, you've got to prat about coupling to a bogie. I doubt the railway infrastructure would react well to those rear wheels running over rail chairs, any pointwork or point rodding, and if it caught on signal wires where they burrow under the track I could even see it causing wrong-side signal indications. Inadequate as a road vehicle & inadequate as a rail vehicle, it combines disadvantages of both forms of transport. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann Marsbar Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 7 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said: Hmm. I can't see that contraption as likely to attract many sales. If you wanted only to shunt rail vehicles, you'd get a loco. If you wanted to carry goods on the highway you'd buy a van or lorry that had some load carrying capabilty - that thing would need to pull a trailer. If you want to convert from one mode to the other, you've got to prat about coupling to a bogie. I doubt the railway infrastructure would react well to those rear wheels running over rail chairs, any pointwork or point rodding, and if it caught on signal wires where they burrow under the track I could even see it causing wrong-side signal indications. Inadequate as a road vehicle & inadequate as a rail vehicle, it combines disadvantages of both forms of transport. Perhaps they had heard about these..... http://prr.railfan.net/RubberTiredSwitchers.html 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 At least the first one didn't have solid tyres! Suitable for paved areas (tram track set into the carriageway rather than conventional railway track) The others seem to have grooves in the wheel which should mean they follow the rails and don't ride over rail chairs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann Marsbar Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 (edited) I'm guessing the Guy one was aimed at use in areas of paved track as well - docksides, factories - rather than conventional goods yards. It must have been trialled somewhere after they built it, so I might have a trawl of the internet to se if it gets mentioned anywhere. EDIT: Well this explains what it actually was all about...... http://dave-mills.yolasite.com/stronach-dutton-road-rail.php Edited October 11, 2021 by Johann Marsbar Extra info added 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted October 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2021 23 minutes ago, Johann Marsbar said: Perhaps they had heard about these..... http://prr.railfan.net/RubberTiredSwitchers.html Thanks for that. A fascinating collection of pictures. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Smeeton Posted October 11, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 11, 2021 This should appeal to @Stubby47 with his penchant for unusual prototypes. Question is, what gauge will he use? Regards Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherplanet Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Sorry I'm late to spotting this thread. The upper photo is relatively common (for an almost unheard of prototype). It can be found in a few modern sources including the book by RG Cash, which includes the original photo with the background of the factory still intact, as well as this modified version. Guy motors and RoadRails both used it in their publicity materials. Guy seem to have been very proud of a vehicle which seems to have been quite troublesome to a number of its owners. The second picture is much rarer, there is one copy from a website about Guy. It's the only one I have seen that shows the engine to any level of detail. Although Commercial Motor magazine archives have some reasonable pictures of other aspects of the drive train. I presume there are no other pictures of it in the booklet? As with most old photos, there are very few good quality images of the rear / rear quarter and none of the cab interior. Oh, and It ran on 2ft gauge track Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann Marsbar Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 1 hour ago, otherplanet said: The second picture is much rarer, there is one copy from a website about Guy. It's the only one I have seen that shows the engine to any level of detail. Although Commercial Motor magazine archives have some reasonable pictures of other aspects of the drive train. I presume there are no other pictures of it in the booklet? The booklet just had the one page detailing the vehicle with those two photos and nothing else. I've passed it on to someone else now, but there was also mention of a battery-electric refuse collection vehicle that I didn't know anything about either..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherplanet Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 (edited) Oh well, thanks anyway. That's an interesting prototype, it could make a nice model, I wonder if they made more of them than they made roadrail tractors. I see a commonality between your booklet and the content of the website. http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Transport/commercial/Guy/guyhistory2.htm Edited January 12, 2022 by otherplanet Forgot to start with a thankyou Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johann Marsbar Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 7 minutes ago, otherplanet said: Oh well, thanks anyway. That's an interesting prototype, it could make a nice model, I wonder if they made more of them than they made roadrail tractors. I see a commonality between your booklet and the content of the website. http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Transport/commercial/Guy/guyhistory2.htm Given where Guy Motors were based, I would have thought that Birmingham Corporation would be a potential market for any electric refuse vehicle that they produced, but I couldn't find any mention of it being trialled there in the Birmingham Electric Dustcarts book that was published about 30 years ago. My guess is it was a one-off, attempting to break into the electric delivery vehicle market just as the demand for the larger lorry types was beginning to ebb away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 12, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 11/10/2021 at 16:51, Johann Marsbar said: Perhaps they had heard about these..... http://prr.railfan.net/RubberTiredSwitchers.html Now I see where Range Rover got the idea from for some of their wheels! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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