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Scammell Contractor dimensioned drawings


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Hi Guys,

I have a scale modelling project in the planning stages. I want to make an Aussie Vietnam-era tank transport combination in 1:25 scale. I have the Tamiya Cent that I will build and modify to Aus spec, and I may have a source for drawings for the trailer and dolly.

What I have been unable to find are a good set (or even a single one!) of dimensioned technical drawings of a Leyland / Scammell Contractor. I have heaps of photos of one in a museum here, but no drawings.

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction where I might source such drawings? I have been combing the web looking for years.

 

You can find my pics, and many other MV walkaround galleries, on my website: grubby-fingers-aircraft-illustration.com.

 

I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Kind regards,

Graeme (Grubby Fingers) Molineux.

 

centph_25.JPG

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I always wondered that myself, Mike. That is such a long way up off the ground. Why not a well-deck or low-loader configuration?

From memory, the main trailer pivot is pretty much over the dolly bogie, so very little load on the fifth wheel at all. Except for the weight of the enormous dolly itself, of course!

 

Actually, it is a fair wayforward of the bogie centre, so there would be significant weight on the tractor fifthwheel.

leyland_scammell_contractor_tank_transporter_walkaround113.jpg

Edited by Graeme Molineux
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4 hours ago, radiomike7 said:

Why the crazy twin trailer, the load bed is far too high and very little of the weight is placed over the 5th wheel?

Here is another one which I suspect you are familiar with:

2bridge5aa.jpg

It isn't a twin trailer but a Jeep Dolly that attaches to the fifth wheel of the tractor unit and has another fifth wheel on the dolly that the trailer attaches to. Jeep Dollies are quite commonly used in heavy haulage. Their main purpose is to spread the weight over more axles therefore reducing the load on each wheel.

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Dear All,

As far as I can see this is a really dumb design of tank transporter developed to meet equally foolish civilian heavy haulage regulations.. No doubt the prevailing regulations provide for low axle weights and a wide spread.  It would be fine for wide open roads of Australia or North America but absolutely hopeless in many parts of the world.  What happens if in a tactical situation you need to reverse and turn around?

John

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On 1/18/2019 at 4:25 PM, johnwardle said:

It isn't a twin trailer but a Jeep Dolly that attaches to the fifth wheel of the tractor unit and has another fifth wheel on the dolly that the trailer attaches to. Jeep Dollies are quite commonly used in heavy haulage. Their main purpose is to spread the weight over more axles therefore reducing the load on each wheel.

The typical single and twin axle Jeep Dollies as used by heavy hauliers are used to supplement the tractor rear axles, not to be the main load carriers.

As John has written, it could be that regulations in Australia require such a set up, perhaps Graeme knows the answer.

Out of interest here are a couple of developement vehicles under test and an illustrated list of Contractor parts for Graeme to be getting on with.  The rear bogie in all cases is the 30 ton version as opposed to the heavier 40 ton.

Scan0007.jpg

Scan0008.jpg

Scan0009.jpg

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Nice pics, Mike. I can omly speculate ast to why it was set up like this. I know our load/length laws were different than elsewhere, thus the SAR Kenworth. Obviously you can quite easily carry a Cent using just 18 tyres, you don't need the 50 of the Aus Army setup! It might even have been to lower the ground pressure for a level of off-road ability.

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21 hours ago, Graeme Molineux said:

Nice pics, Mike. I can omly speculate ast to why it was set up like this. I know our load/length laws were different than elsewhere, thus the SAR Kenworth. Obviously you can quite easily carry a Cent using just 18 tyres, you don't need the 50 of the Aus Army setup! It might even have been to lower the ground pressure for a level of off-road ability.

The Sankey 60 ton, Dyson 50 ton and the later Commander trailers all had 8 in line rear axles giving a total tyre count of 26.  Needless to say, whenever there was a tyre problem it was always one of the inside ones.....

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7 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said:

The photo in the following link will show you more of Aussie heavy haulage trailer configuration.

https://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/wide-load-tips-turning-corner-in-small-town/3620245/#/3

Yes, similar concept but note how much closer to the tractor the second fifth wheel is mounted.

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Yes the axles of the jeep dolly are closer to the Contractor but it is still a dumb set up.  Firstly because it looks as if the trailer is mounted onto the jeep dolly by means of a double oscillating fifth wheel but the jeep dolly is also mounted the same way.  That is why the unit is still on its feet but the trailer is over. Secondly because of the axle spacing arrangement is so daft.

It is a good thing that our UK Department for Transport is far more sensible and our heavy haulage regulations work well.

John

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  • 2 months later...

I'm not sure that is fully to scale, the six vehicles depicted are all to different unspecified scales and other than assuming the tyres are 12.00x24, the bogie being a 30 ton and the chassis rails are 12" deep it would be difficult to scale the rest. It could be done but there are other unknowns such as the width of the chassis and cross member positions.

Scan0010.jpg

Edited by radiomike7
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1 hour ago, Graeme Molineux said:

Thanks for the brochure imfo. MUGAF, but I am seeing just an image, not a PDF. Is there something I need to do to see it as a PDF? Thanks for your pic, too, Radiomike7. That shows the subtlety of the cab form that I am after.

 

MUGAF posted an image of the front cover of the brochure I took the scan from.

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