Drove one of these for national carriers some time around 1968 out of Abergavenny rail goods yard delivering to Brynmawr, Nantyglo & blaena about 8 miles away up the A465 heads of the valleys road. My usual number of 'call's' was 70 to 80 per day. I have to say that the school kids used to find them quite comical and would point and laugh as I drove by, little gits!
We used the earlier model on town centre refuse collection with a "fish fryer" style body on the trailer, basically the covers on the trailer were curved and rolled back to allow the bins to be tipped into the back, no packing mechanism, but more weight (ash) in the bins back then. Ideal for negotiating terraced houses with back street bins.
I remember them from the 70s the firm i worked for got lots of deliveries via British Rail every day they were quite fast very maneuverable they could turn in very tight circle.they were better than anything on the road since . Just not a good looker .but very competant
My dad used to drive these and the scarab in Blackpool from Talbot road British rail goods yard my favourite was the Morris van with sliding doors and bill boards on its side
Remember the council used these back in the 60s in Rochdale and the railway yard had some too as the the railway yard was 5mins from All saints school C of E infant and juniors i even remember steam trains they were still running thanks for sharing brings back good old memories.
Wonderful. I think that it is beautiful. I remember the Scarab more though. I remember seeing one at the goods yard in Leith Walk, Edinburgh, just opposite McDonald road end. I'd love to see one or two of the trailers fully restored, and see the Townsman dragging them about.
We had D series fords and bedfords with that coupling at National carriers in 1980 being used on cross town work and Boots trailers out of Kings Cross.
A shame to see it stuck in a museum and even worse seeing it arrive on a flat bed. It seems to run fine, why not put it to work around that yard, looks as though it could do with a clear up..
I am trying to obtain the dimensions of the Townsman for oo scale purposes, Corgi Trackside produce a model but it seems to large for 1:76 it is more 1:72 like there Scarabs were so need cab height & width to measure the model?
Indeed. My dad used Bradex from the 1950's with no ill-effects - and I've used it, when necessary - from the 1970's onwards. People come out with such cobblers about addiction/blow your engine up etc. A little flit, "whilst cranking the engine" always worked - and saved clapping out the batteries or the starter motor! People often squirted a load in the air filter and THEN cranked it over - all that was achieved was a locked-up engine... Used properly, it was a godsend.
Delivering all sort of light goods that had been transported to the nearest station or collecting same to be sent by rail to other parts of the UK. Later they just used regular trucks
They were brought in to replace horse-drawn in tight areas. They could carry more and could move in the same areas just as good as a horse could. Think of it as a very early modern European Truck.
Drove one of these for national carriers some time around 1968 out of Abergavenny rail goods yard delivering to Brynmawr, Nantyglo & blaena about 8 miles away up the A465 heads of the valleys road. My usual number of 'call's' was 70 to 80 per day. I have to say that the school kids used to find them quite comical and would point and laugh as I drove by, little gits!
Thanks for your comments Fenrich very interesting to hear about your experiences driving the Scammell take care
We used the earlier model on town centre refuse collection with a "fish fryer" style body on the trailer, basically the covers on the trailer were curved and rolled back to allow the bins to be tipped into the back, no packing mechanism, but more weight (ash) in the bins back then. Ideal for negotiating terraced houses with back street bins.
I remember them from the 70s the firm i worked for got lots of deliveries via British Rail every day they were quite fast very maneuverable they could turn in very tight circle.they were better than anything on the road since . Just not a good looker .but very competant
Thanks for your comments Ron
I remember the Scammell Scarab in Ripon station , a most odd looking truck I thought , I was very young at the time .
Loved these good to drive had 3 years on them
My dad used to drive these and the scarab in Blackpool from Talbot road British rail goods yard my favourite was the Morris van with sliding doors and bill boards on its side
Cody thanks for your comment about when your dad used to drive the scarab in Blackpool
Remember the council used these back in the 60s in Rochdale and the railway yard had some too as the the railway yard was 5mins from All saints school C of E infant and juniors i even remember steam trains they were still running thanks for sharing brings back good old memories.
Wonderful. I think that it is beautiful. I remember the Scarab more though. I remember seeing one at the goods yard in Leith Walk, Edinburgh, just opposite McDonald road end. I'd love to see one or two of the trailers fully restored, and see the Townsman dragging them about.
I should think they're more stable with a trailer behind putting weight on the rear axle of the iron horse (tractor unit).
Used to work on these many years ago,funny layout,engine,gearbox and back axle, no propshaft
Front wheel drive good turning circle
Stupid question for you but can you drive these on your car license or do you need a hgv class 1?
@@greatwesternrailwayadventures They used to be class 4, stopped production in 1968
@@jimmywalker1568 No it wasn't....
I rember seeing loads of these in Oldham in the 70s. You could walk over a long foot bridge that ran over the parcel depo and main lines.
Was it near park road.
In the 1969 TV series 'The Gold Robbers ' the crooks used a National Carriers Townsman & trailer .
Lovely little trucks, thanks.
must have been known as the last vehicle useing the scammell coupling?
A French Company were still using the coupling system (but not Scammel tractors) in 2011.
We had D series fords and bedfords with that coupling at National carriers in 1980 being used on cross town work and Boots trailers out of Kings Cross.
Very good.
Thank you! Cheers!
Would've been nice to see the interior.
Sorry scrap that haha just found you've already uploaded one thanks :)
Dell Boy d like it!
A shame to see it stuck in a museum and even worse seeing it arrive on a flat bed. It seems to run fine, why not put it to work around that yard, looks as though it could do with a clear up..
Adorable!
The Scammell looks like a good design for a Self Driver Robot Version.
One rough-sounding Perkins engine!
Iremeber them down our street 👍👍
Not a Perkins
I am trying to obtain the dimensions of the Townsman for oo scale purposes, Corgi Trackside produce a model but it seems to large for 1:76 it is more 1:72 like there Scarabs were so need cab height & width to measure the model?
Have you any footage of the norwigen guards van that left on Thursday?
Quick shot of ether to get it started up?
Indeed.
My dad used Bradex from the 1950's with no ill-effects - and I've used it, when necessary - from the 1970's onwards.
People come out with such cobblers about addiction/blow your engine up etc.
A little flit, "whilst cranking the engine" always worked - and saved clapping out the batteries or the starter motor!
People often squirted a load in the air filter and THEN cranked it over - all that was achieved was a locked-up engine...
Used properly, it was a godsend.
whats its top cruise speed?
45 to 50 mph
AAAAH SACRILEGE ..the scammel scarab was the original one and only.
There were two earlier versions produced in the 30s to late 40s, and then the 40s to 60s. So which version did you prefer as the 'original'...?
The Napier design was the original in the thirties
But what was it used for?
Delivering all sort of light goods that had been transported to the nearest station or collecting same to be sent by rail to other parts of the UK. Later they just used regular trucks
They were brought in to replace horse-drawn in tight areas. They could carry more and could move in the same areas just as good as a horse could. Think of it as a very early modern European Truck.
Watch this video th-cam.com/video/4yR-5bbFivU/w-d-xo.html
Sturdy as a Robin, I bet.
Robin?
Robin Hood/Cock Robin?
It sounds gie rough and sare worn to me.
It tried to escape
See he had to give her a whiff of easy start to get her going. lethal stuff
Explain why "lethal"!
Absolute nonsense. A little flit - whilst cranking the engine - is fine.
they made it look quite ugly compared to any of the earlier models, but a great solution to freight at the time.
Thanks for your comments Kev take care
the scarab looked better than that townsman not so angular
Used to see these as a kid and from the front they reminded me of those extinct giant dangerous birds....