Heavy Haulage Scene

[lankyphil]

I'm looking to put a heavy haulage scene on my layout (to be). I'm thinking of a long girder on two bogies being pulled and pushed, the rear unit being there to steer the rear bogie. I intend to place them trying to manouveur the load around a tight spot.

 

Now for the questions;

 

I really like Scammells, so I'm thinking of having the ensemble pulled by an Explorer and pushed by a Pioneer. Does anyone know any kits, apart from the BW Models Explorer recovery and the Airfix Pioneer Tank transporter of either unit?

 

Or, does anyone know when the Constructor/Super Constructor/Junior Constructor came into service (I'm modelling late 50s early 60s in 4mm)? I know Langley do models of those, but they seem pricey?

 

Cheers

 

Phil

[77philg]

I think the Junior constructor 1957 super constructor 1958 phil

[Arthur]

Was the Explorer ever built as anything other than a recovery tractor for the military? I'm not sure you would have seen, at that time, one used as a civilian heavy haulage tractor. Even later, when sold off by the military, they would have been more likely used as recovery vehicles.

 

Arthur

 

 

[frisby]

The Scammell Constructor was launched at the Commercial Motor Show of 1952.

[Fat Controller]

This site might have some inspirational photos for you:-

http://ccmv.fotopic.net/c841738.html

[PhilJ W]

Take a look at Matador models. They make kits to produce a 'civvy' version of the Airfix Scammell. >>

matadormodels.co.uk

The kit is available mail order £5.50. There is also other useful models such as the Foden with low loader.

[lankyphil]

Was the Explorer ever built as anything other than a recovery tractor for the military? I'm not sure you would have seen, at that time, one used as a civilian heavy haulage tractor. Even later, when sold off by the military, they would have been more likely used as recovery vehicles.

 

Arthur

 

 

 

I've been handed a book called 'Hauling Heavyweights' through Dad, and it seems Pickfords took a few on, but they gutted the rear body and in a few cases completely rebuilt it to be faired in closer to the wheels etc.

[Arthur]

I've been handed a book called 'Hauling Heavyweights' through Dad, and it seems Pickfords took a few on, but they gutted the rear body and in a few cases completely rebuilt it to be faired in closer to the wheels etc.

That's interesting. Would that have been by the early 1960's? The Explorer was new in 1951, would any have been sold off by then?

 

I've been looking at the Explorer's history. Virtually all were built as recovery vehicles for the British Army with a few for the RAF. Some were sold overseas, four to New Zealand had Constructor style cabs.   The RAF had nine drawbar tractors, like jibless recovery versions but with a shortened steel body.  It was offered as a civilian drawbar tractor but few were made and probably none went new to the U.K. as the Constructor was available, as Frisby said, in 1952. 

 

The 6 x 4 Junior Constructor appeared in the mid fifties and the Super Constructor in 1956.  Initially just a higher powered Constructor, later versions had different suspensions, and gearboxes and it complemented rather than suceeded the Constructor.

 

 

The other, non Scammell, heavy haulage option for the late fifties/early sixties is the Diamond T. Used extensively by both Pickfords and Wynns, Matchbox did a kit.

 

Arthur

[Arthur]

Not a great photo but here's a Scammell, probably a Junior Constructor, delivering a ladle to The Steel Company of Wales' Margam works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lankyphil]

That's interesting. Would that have been by the early 1960's? The Explorer was new in 1951, would any have been sold off by then?

 

These are the pictures that I've found (Well, the descriptions, not the photos, for obvious reasons)

 

- 8th March 1050, E W Rudd's AJD140, a Scammell R100 (Gun Tractor version of a Pioneer) hauling a Stator load

- Roughly 1957, Pickfords MLC810, a Scammell Pioneer hauling a 68T generator

- Roughly 1960, all Hills of Botley, an Explorer (TOT297) double heading a Pioneer (KXT872) haulling a dragline with another Pioneer pushing. (TOT 297 looks like an ex-RAF version).

- August 1951, Pickfords Pioneer (Possibly an ex Tank Transporter as it has a crew cab and a longer frame) loading up with a Ransome & Rapier W90 excavator base.

- 1962, Hill of Botley were moving a 54RB, pulled by a Constructor and pushed by an Explorer, an ex RAF version, possibly TOT 297.

- 1955, Pickfords moved a 140ft long vessel with 3 Pioneers, all have crew cabs and look like they could be ex tank transporter tractors.

 

These are all from Hauling Heavyweights by Bob Tuck, I'm fairly sure I read that Pickfords had coach builders rebuild all the cabs and rear bodies of their Pioneers.

[Arthur]

 Looking through some of my own books, Hills Explorer, TOT 297, also appears in another of Bob Tucks books, 'A Road Transport Heritage'. In one photo it's hauling a section of concrete flyover, assisted at the rear by a pale blue Constuctor. The other image shows it assisting ahead one of Sunter's Rotinoff Super Atlantic tractors, hauling a 300t vessel en route to Fawley, with Sunter's Foden 100 tonner pushing at the rear. Amazing.

 

It's body is similar, though not identical, to the RAF drawbar tractors. On the RAF tractors the body is of similar size and proportions but is mounted a good foot higher, well clear of the tyres, and has just a long, cranked, steel mudflap, not the shaped mudguard that the Hills vehicle has. So I guess it could be a modified RAF version or a re-built army wrecker.

 

Hills scrapped it in 1972. 

 

Arthur

[jcb 3c]

Cracking bit of colour film showing two Scammell Constructors delivering the locomotive 'Royal Scot ' to Butlins Skegness -

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=1595

[multivac]

If you like Scammells and Heavy Haulage have a look at the Langley Models website.

 

They also have huge Crane trailers for that load.

[Steve K]

Corgi have done quite a few Scammell sets in their "Trackside" range. I have an untouched pair of "Wynns" Contractors with a generator load which I was thinking of selling (not that that's a hint or anything, but I must get around to sticking something in the "classified" section...!). They're quite nice models to my eyes.

[Schubert]

Hi Phil,

 

the following books may be of help:

 

Moving Mountains(Patrick Stephens ltd 1983)

Mountain Movers(Patrick Stephens Ltd 1984)

Mammoth Trucks (Osprey 1985)

Hauling Heavyweights (Patrick Stephens Ltd 1986)

and

 

The supertrucks of Scammell published by Fitzjames press 1987

 

All written by Bob Tuck.

 

Bob was a motorcycle copper in Teesside at a time when heavy industry was in its heyday and abnormal loads were a regular occurrence, hence the large collection of photo's.

 

hope this helps

 

Al