The History of Scammell Trucks

Scammell started when the wheelwright, George Scammell of Spitalfields, London made his small business.  Later on when the name of the firm became G Scammell & Nephew, they have been involved in the building and fix of craftsman built carts and vans.  In the early 1900s, they had crafted a substantial business by marketing and retaining Foden steam wagons and compact vans.

The outbreak of war in 1914 introduced alone as a turning stage in highway transport record.  Mechanical transportation was witnessed to do the job, proving its broad probable beyond doubt to such ahead pondering corporations such as Scammell.

George Scammell’s terrific nephew, Lt Col Alfred Scammell was wounded and invalided out of the military and he was in a position to apply the sensible experience he had acquired all through the war and started establishing the articulated 6 wheeler, which commenced manufacturing in 1920.  This car or truck was articulated and its really very low axle bodyweight permitted it to have 7½ ton payload at 12 mph fairly than becoming confined to 5mph.  In 1921, a examination vehicle pulled a load of just below 8 tons up West Hill in Highgate in second equipment and managed 18mph on the flat.

By 1927, Scammell had strengthened their placement by launching its very first cross-place auto that was termed the Pioneer.  It was a 6×4 rigid, which had a walking beam bogie so that any of its four wheels could be raised two toes without dropping traction.  The mobility could be even further improved by adding a pushed entrance axle.

The early 1930s observed the manufacturing of the 3 wheeled ‘Mechanical Horse’, made by Oliver North to swap horses in rail, postal and other shipping apps.  It showcased automatic carriage coupling and the one entrance wheel could be steered by 360 levels.  It was marketed in 3 and 6 ton versions.  A 1125cc aspect valve petrol engine powered the 3 ton model and a 2043cc engine powered the 6 ton.

Scammell ended up leading of the array, highly-priced and built in modest portions.  The melancholy impacted the agency terribly and it was in a weak monetary posture in 1934.  Watford Council experienced served by purchasing a pair of hearth engines, but it was not ample, and it was Shell-Mex that injected capital, but in return, they insisted on a management shake up which noticed Alfred Scammell deprived of his Managing Director write-up.

All through the Next Earth War, Scammell made a large contribution to the war energy by building substantial quantities of tank transporters, gun tractors and major recovery automobiles as perfectly as hearth pumps.

In the late 1940s, Scammell generated the Scarab, which replaced the ‘Mechanical Horse’ the Scarab had equivalent features but experienced a less angular cab and a 2090cc engine in both of those designs as perfectly a diesel edition, which showcased a Perkins engine.

In 1955, Scammell became element of the Leyland Team and this presented prepared obtain to the Leyland engines, gearboxes and axles.  A gradual substitute for the lightweight selection by new types making use of Leyland engines had been the 4×2 Highwayman MU, the Routeman 8 wheeler and a 4×2 ahead handle MU named the Handyman.

The beginning of the 1960s observed the introduction of the new Michelotti developed glass fibre strengthened plastic cab for the Routeman, Handyman and the new twin steer Trunker.

The divisional reorganisation within the Leyland Group experienced resulted in the identify becoming Scammell Motors, and the closure of Transport Tools (Thornycroft) in 1972 resulted in the Thornycroft Nubian variety transferring to Scammell, alongside one another with the LD55 dump truck.

The late 1970s observed a surge in growth and the beginning of the Contractor Mark 2 significant hauler with an 18 litre, 425 hp Cummins engine and computerized gearbox and the initially Commander Tank Transporter for the British Army were created.

Two developments by Leyland Motors at the end of the 1970s benefited Scammell.  Leyland wished to create two new heavy car or truck ranges, the overseas bonneted Landtrain and the Uk forward management Roadtrain that would aspect the new C40 tilt cab.

In check out of Scammell’s abilities, Leyland tasked them with the development of the Landtrain and they were being able to use the exact same taxi and bonnet for the substitution for the Contractor.  The new assortment, the S24 was available in 6×4 and 6×6 formats.  The comprehensive weight range was 40 ton to 200 ton GTW.   Leyland also entrusted the 8 wheeler model of the Roadtrain, named the Constructor 8 to Scammell and this, at past gave Scammell obtain to a modern day tilt cab.  

A army 6×6 edition with a Rolls Royce 350 motor, ZF automated gearbox and Kirkstall axles followed, and this was supplied in 8×6 type to the British Military in 1986 for the hooklift equipped DROPS auto requirement.   In 1987, Scammell realized that the tender for 1522 these kinds of automobiles was profitable, but also that the Leyland Team had been procured by DAF BV of Holland.  

DAF elected to create the DROPS and chosen S26 autos at the Leyland Plant and prepared to near the Watford manufacturing unit.  

In July 1988, the Watford factory closed.  The S24 and the Nubian ranges, together with the rights to the Crusader and Commander have been bought to Unipower Ltd, who opened a new plant in West Watford.