British Heavy Haulage.

On looking at these pictures for about the third time, I noticed a roof-mounted air-conditioner on the Sunters Scammell. Why? are they worried the temperature will exceed 20 degrees Centigrade or are they set on heating only?

Probably like most pommy trucks it was cheaper to put in aircon than try to insulate and seal the thousand gaps and holes in the firewall and floor leaking hot engine air into the cab. I would imagine the heavy haulage blokes would be roasting at the walking pace of progression and hours spent idling or backing and filling to get around obstacle or waiting for them to be cleared.

The LAD , or "vistaview" cab as it was called when first introduced in the early 60's was reasonably air tight, depending on what engine cover arrangement you had. Not much room inside then though and barely enough room between steering wheel and windscreen for a set of knuckles. The Leyland Comet and Dodges used a short door version. A number of these Scammells were taken to the oil states for the building of major port facilities which might explain the air con.

Clearing a London bomb site in 1964

It's amazing to me that they were still using those solid tyred floats for that long. I guess, if they still did the job and had done, so why not.

Hi cobbadog ,Eddie stobart was set up in Carlisle in the early sixties as farm transport that grew into one of the UKs largest transport companies with depot and logistic sites all across the country , He was apparently quite a strict man to work for and all drivers had to wear shirt and ties at all times when on duty ,there is a TV series that was around and it showed what it was like to work there .he sponsored a rally team with Ford and i not sure if Colin Mcrae was one of the drivers. The naming of each truck was a idea he took from another Carlisle company of Robsons border transport that had been doing this since the fifties. The transport company that your thinking of that used to transport all the bands around the UK and Europe was Edwin Shirley trucking ,bright yellow and purple livery that really stood out . There is a video on U Tube about Siddle C Cook which was shot by him of some of the operations and loads that he shifted ,with a line up of the fleet in the yard he mentions the Guy invincible as state of the art vehicle with locking doors , a heater and a plug for an electric shaver for the driver .

Wee Allis it has been mentioned before but many Australian councils still used those small solid tyre track rollers of WW2 Bren Gun Carriers right up into the 60's for their work and even footpath roller trailers. I can well remember them in both Melbourne and Southport Qld.

SMore



Destination Windscale




Pickfords Heavy Haulage Brochure



Pickfords Heavy Haulage



Pickfords Scammell



Pickfords Scammell

cya

I watch the series on tv with the Stobart trucks all wrapped up in company logo travel all around the UK. I cant remember how long agao I saw the Stobart Rally car out here nor the driver at the time but it was right at the end of the tv series I think.