I saw one of the Scammels around Birmingham in the early 90’s with a sheeted flat and nearly fell out of my cab,i couldn’t believe what i was seeing.
Then very soon after there was an article in one of the truck mags about the Harrison operation.
IIRC they had four or five Scammels on the road at that time,running steel to the Midlands.
Anyone remember,or better still have,the magazine?
Davnic:
I saw one of the Scammels around Birmingham in the early 90’s with a sheeted flat and nearly fell out of my cab,i couldn’t believe what i was seeing.
Then very soon after there was an article in one of the truck mags about the Harrison operation.
IIRC they had four or five Scammels on the road at that time,running steel to the Midlands.
Anyone remember,or better still have,the magazine?
I’ve seen the article – but have no copy of my own unfortunately
lots of pictures that I’ve collected here – I took lots when I visited the yard in April this year.
flickr.com/groups/1105081@N22/
The Scammell are not entirely what they seem – noisy and uncomfortable but not as slow as you’d think – Harrison had put in Gardner 180s and high ratio difs – they certainly are not slow!
When you say “the whole fleet is scattered around the yard”,how many wagons did they run at their peak?
Did they keep everything they ran,even when it came to the end of its working life?How many lorries are in the yard?
In the fifth photo,of the Scammel interior.If a metal steering wheel and total lack of driver comforts weren’t enough,the piece of metal frame sticking out of the drivers seat would surely make a days driving uncomfortable.
Davnic:
When you say “the whole fleet is scattered around the yard”,how many wagons did they run at their peak?
Did they keep everything they ran,even when it came to the end of its working life?How many lorries are in the yard?In the fifth photo,of the Scammel interior.If a metal steering wheel and total lack of driver comforts weren’t enough,the piece of metal frame sticking out of the drivers seat would surely make a days driving uncomfortable.
They had a fleet of 22 Scammell Rigid 8’s - some dating from the late 30’s. The kept these in use 'til the late 60’s early 70’s - even then some of the Rigid 8’s had put in 30 years service with Harrisons.
When the laws changed to favour articulation they bought the Highwayman units as with their wheelbase they could maximise their payload within 32 ton GVW.
The Rigid 8’s were parked up. They haven’t sold any of them -
There are at least 4 parked up in the main yard - the rest are at Peter Harrisons house – doubled stacked for convenience!
They had/have at least 15 Highwaymn units on the road – they had a similar number of shortwheelbase ones for spares and for their Gardner conversion kits (the Leyland 680’s are pieces of cr@p - to quote PEter HArrison)
They flirted with big FOden S80’s and bought four - all were signwritten - 3 were put to work - one was not registered - it’s the one in my pic above- at the back - about 100 miles on the clocks - from 30 years of shifing to different positions around the yard.
The S80’s that were worked had a small milaege though – they were thirstier than the Scammells and they started to run out of work at that time! They ran into difficulties with the local steel industry – I’ve heard one or two conflicting views on them regarding them breaking a strike and getting partially blackballed – I may be wrong on this though -
They had a few Scammell HAndyman units in the 60;s too – the ones with the original pre- Michelotti cabs –
IN the 80’s / 90’s they bought some ERF B and C series units too. ALthough the Highwayman units were still used.
To my knowledge - all they have sold over the years is one of the Foden S80’s - this is now on the rally scene, one or two of the ERF B and C series, one of the Handyman units and two of the Highwayman units…
They are currently restoring one of the Rigid 8’s -
wow !,fantastic 