texfit

Hello Richard, Thank you for your reply, I am aware of all of what you indicate and I have even written to the Transport Hall of Fame on two occasions without any response. From the archives of Commercial Motor and The Engineer I have found plenty of information, photographs and drawings of the Tractor and Trailers, can post all of this if it is of interest. Having found the front cover of the AEC Brochure I was wondering if anyone has the rest of it.! who might copy it for me. Regards, John..

Greetings All, I'm sure I have introduced my self before and posted images of WW2 Scammells fittes with spare wheel rack on top of the off side side lockers. I'm not ex service, I spent my working life in the Textile Industry as an engineer and or room manager. My interests are Heavy Trucks and Heavy Lift Cranes, my hobby is building models of the same, and so to the question. Do any of you know anything about the AEC 8 X 8 Overseas Tractor and its two Dyson 8 Wheel Trailers built in 1934 ?. In particular does anyone have access to the brochure, the front cover shown below. Best Regards, John R Hornsby..

I thought as an Oldham Lad I would add to this thread, the heavy load on its cross Pennine journey was at the time the heaviest moved by road. The year is 1954 and the load, part of a hydraulis press, weighed in at 185 tons, complete with the trailer it grossed 245 tons, the trailer by the way, known as 'The Abortion' is the one in use in the parade ground at the Great Dorset Show. Five Diamond T's pulled and pushed their way across the Pennines from the River Don Works of English Steel, Sheffield to Liverpool Docks. As well as the trailer I understand that at least two of the T's survive in preservation, EGG 160 and GLU 654. The picture is taken on the A62 about two miles out of Deph heading up towards Oldham, today there is a brew hut on a layby on the bend, it would have been a welcome site back then!. I'm quite sure that the 'layby' was the original bend and the road has been altered. The Markham 'Taps' where transported by Chris Miller's from Chestefield to Dinorwig in Snowdonia for use in the 'Electric Mountain' project. A Hydro Electric Power Station, the power station itself is located deep inside the mountain ElidirFawr . Headed up by 'Bonzo Bear' the 'taps' where carried on a Cometto five bed five traler assisted by Miller's 6 x 4 Volvo, ballested with a lump of concrete!. a picture of the oufit passing through Delph is attached. The big challenge for the Miller Crew was inching their loads deep into the mountain, almost a mile, round acute corners and down 1 in 10 gradients. Mentioned previously are the Pubs enroute, on the Yorkshire side of Standedge is The Great Western with Redbrook Reservoir opposite, I learned to sale there as a kid, next on the Lancashire side of Standedge is The Flating Light, now a private dwelling and the derilict pub on the way down to Delph was the Horse and Jockey, closed in the early 90's and ravaged by fire in 1997. I took a trip out the other day and took a few pics, I hope its allowable as I have posted them as well :-). Regards, John.

852 Reme movements.

Hi All, Glad you liked the pictures, and yes the spare wheel carrier was my Dads idea and the canvas tops to the lockers, a bit of early H&S, it gave a better grip for muddy boots!. The spare wheel rig was knocked up when and if materials and time where available, I think the two Scammells next to the Ward Le France have not had them fitted. I checked with Brian Baxter at the REME Museum and the late Mike Thomas of the Scammell Register and there is no official record of the rig. I am in the process of sorting several interesting items out, they are all going to the REME Museum at Arborfield, one item in particular has been described as 'The most comprehensive record of any recovery unit in wartime, anywhere'. It is a list of movement of my Dads unit, from leaving Eastbourne 03-07-44 to 03-05-45, detailing where the unit was and where they stayed, by country and buildings. I attatch a re-written copy for you chaps, I'm sure Brian won't mind. I have found a few other vehicle pictures, two show a mangled truck, it ran up a tree killing the driver, my Dads pal, the last one of a Citroen Saloon is marked our prize! Regards, John R Hornsby.

Hi All, As a way of introduction I thought I would share some pictures I found in my late Fathers effects. He was in the REME (Captain) during the advance through Europe towards the end of WW2, the pictures are of his unit billeted somewhere in Europe. Six of the pictures show the method of lifting the spare wheel from its location atop the vehicle using kit carried on board. As for myself I don't own a vehicle, I love all things Scammell, Heavy Haulage and Big Cranes, I build models of trucks and cranes. Hope the pictures are of interest. Regards, John.

Hi All, Don't own a vehicle, love Scammells and Big stuff, build 1/16 Scale Model Trucks and Cranes. John.