i dont know if some of these questions still exist. i passed my test in 1882. one of the questions i was asked at the end of the test was. what is a scammel coupling. and yes i do know what it is. please add on.
There was no Scammel in 1882 
footprint:
. i passed my test in 1882. .
That would make you 151 if you passed your test at 21 
well done Sir on acquiring a “ripe old age” you must have seen some changes
That old and still found his Way into computing 
You can do courses at the local library …Computing for the over 100s
We wind you up 
Did ya notice?
sorry 1982. yes theres lots of winde ups on here.
footprint:
sorry 1982. yes theres lots of winde ups on here.
Dont beleive ya…you could just be saying that
toowise:
footprint:
sorry 1982. yes theres lots of winde ups on here.Dont beleive ya…you could just be saying that
Half past four . . pardon.
I passed my HGV test in 1975 and never got that question.
I think Scammel coupling became obsolete quite a few years ago but it was actually a brilliant ‘British’ invention, shame the whole world never adapted that system.
When I drove for Fed Ex some of the trailers had an amazing anti jacknife system involving a turning fithwheel plate and kingpin concealing a large drum brake behind the kingpin and a wedge behind the pin, when you applied the brakes hard the kinkpin brake worked too and stopped the trailer from turning or jacknifing. The system saved many an accident but it was a Fed Ex only idea and I never saw it again.
I remember a Hope anti jacknife system, but how it worked?
Immigrant:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37322606@N08/4684487059/
Is this muckaways Flickr account??
We still had a couple of scammell coupling trailers in the early 80’s, we ran them behind a little Albion chieftan unit to take mini subframes into Longbridge. Bloody awful things I thought, I never trusted them !
but it was actually a brilliant ‘British’ invention, shame the whole world never adapted that system
trailers used to fall off the back of the unit regularly.
The scammel coupling was a good idea, but the only reason why I see it wasnt developed further is probably the usual reason ££, Why would a company want to make a drivers life more easier 
at a cost to the comapany
PinkLadyTrucker:
The scammel coupling was a good idea, but the only reason why I see it wasnt developed further is probably the usual reason ££, Why would a company want to make a drivers life more easier
Probably its biggest drawback was that it couldn’t handle anything much above 22t gross weight.
The loads we carried on them were only about 3-4t and they felt dodgy at that !
Trev_H:
PinkLadyTrucker:
The scammel coupling was a good idea, but the only reason why I see it wasnt developed further is probably the usual reason ££, Why would a company want to make a drivers life more easierProbably its biggest drawback was that it couldn’t handle anything much above 22t gross weight.
The loads we carried on them were only about 3-4t and they felt dodgy at that !
At the time it was developed that would of been the max gross weight, but if it was continued to be developed to today’s standards, that probably it may of been able to handle more, and probably felt less dodgy, just as I stated, why spend loads of ££ on something thats easier such as Winding legs and making the driver do more, which for many drivers is the only exercise they will get during their working day
Yes, I agree winding legs in this day and age does seem an old fashioned idea but I guess its the cheapest and most reliable option so changes are resisted.
because the legs were central to the body of the trailer they were also unstable when loading uncoupled.
they also needed more maintenance then a fifth wheel system .