radiomike7

I was referring to the RE experience with both Constructor types. A good friend of mine drove the 20 ton version and at one time in his unit, 6 out of 8 vehicles were U/S with broken gearboxes. L W Vass had a mountain of almost new faulty Constructor 'boxes which on inspection had failed due to incorrect assembly and substandard parts. I should know as I bought many of them to liberate parts to keep dozens of other Scammells on the road, as Bernard and others will confirm.:-D You have to remember that this gearbox was designed in the late 1920s and was being pushed to the limit and beyond when asked to cope with 200bhp engines and greater speeds. And don't get me started on the subject of Explorer/Constructor rear propshafts or 630 petrol engines... Mike

Sorry Andy, but we never took any pics of it and I don't know if David has any other than the one his son took when we unloaded it using my Martian cargo. As I mentioned previously, it was sold to a recovery outfit close to Market Deeping and may still be there. Mike

Tractor, 30 ton, GS, semi-trailer, 6x6, Scammell Constructor to give it's proper name. One of fifty odd used by RE for plant and exactly the same as my old one 83BL02. Their main claim to fame was breaking gearboxes, not bridges. Mike

Are you sure it was a snowplough and not a 'convoy route clearance device'? Joking aside, mine too was a FFSP version based at RAF Kinloss. Mike

LOL! Ok, for your next trick, we need a pic of David Crouch's mobile crane lifting the girders onto the truck that took them to Dorset.... Is the load the short girders? Mike

Certainly was, I drive past there most days on the Bedford bypass. There are two of them, shed 1 and shed 2, one seems to be in a better condition than the other. Mike

TM413 - yet another piece of history rescued by Peter Court. I remember him dragging it back to his yard with his 240 ton Contractor many years ago. When in service it was usually pulled/pushed by no less than 3 Pickfords 6x6 Constructors until the 2 Supers arrived. Mike

Glad it has gone to a good home. There are 2 b/w pics of it on the CCMV site taken soon after I bought it for a staggering £1250 + vat back in 1985 - those were the days. Even got it delivered foc! :-D Noticed it still has the braced Militant 1 mirror arms I knocked up for it. Mike

Oh, here is another pic (forum crash victim) of Scammell man Peter Court and his dogs, Sammy and (?) standing in front of "AVONHILL", an ex 30T tractor unit and one of his favourites. He fitted the lift arms off a giant wheel loader as a spade - the biggest spade I've seen! Now that brings back memories - Peter donated the fifth wheel mounting bracket from this one to complete mine, and a 35t Crusader donated its fifth wheel. I ended up selling it to David Crouch as a flatpack kit including 11 brand new tyres, but he sold it on to a recovery operator in Market Deeping once he had finished it. Does anyone know where it is now? Chassis was 9281, Military reg was 83BL02. I think you will find Avonhill was Peter's company name. Mike

Hi Bernard Good to hear from you and pleased you managed to rebuild your 'box using the new Constructor parts that I was saving for a rainy day. Strangely enough, my old ex RAF Explorer GSU 510 has just surfaced after going into hiding for many years. See: http://markpeacocklr.co.uk/forecourt/others.htm Mike

Andy If you bar the winch drum round you will find a large hole which is used to drop a hoist chain or cable from a beam or overhead gantry. Box can then be removed from below. Book time to remove a gearbox is 4 man hours, but we managed it in less never having done one before and despite both of us being sparkies! Mike