a work colegue mentioned a scammel iron horse today and wondered what one was
i thought it might of been one of the tree wheel tugs used on large railway stations to pull parcel and luggage trucks would i be correct ?
Yes that’s right Latique, known better as the Mechanical Horse but the same thing and a very useful tool especially for the rail companies. Cheers Franky.
I believe these were the fore-runner of the Scarab. Not a clue what engine was in them but I’m guessing at something like a Perkins P3? No doubt someone will let us know.
Retired Old ■■■■:
I believe these were the fore-runner of the Scarab. Not a clue what engine was in them but I’m guessing at something like a Perkins P3? No doubt someone will let us know.
hi. I worked on these scammels years ago, they had four cylinder side valve engines in them,the engine was in the cab on these , and the engine was behind the cab on the scarab.
cheers
Retired Old ■■■■:
I believe these were the fore-runner of the Scarab. Not a clue what engine was in them but I’m guessing at something like a Perkins P3? No doubt someone will let us know.
Originally they were powered by Scammell’s own design of 4-cyl petrol engine. Only the very last ones were diesel powered. Does anyone know if the Scammell petrol engine was manufactured in-house or were they built under licence elsewhere?
When they were moved about solo you didn’t have to try too hard to be able to put one on it’s side. In fact it was easy, I know, I was only a kid, school holidays and all that, there I was on the “passenger seat” and suddenly were were the wrong way up. No damage to us or the Scammell, back on it’s feet and carried on working.
gingerfold:
Retired Old ■■■■:
I believe these were the fore-runner of the Scarab. Not a clue what engine was in them but I’m guessing at something like a Perkins P3? No doubt someone will let us know.Originally they were powered by Scammell’s own design of 4-cyl petrol engine. Only the very last ones were diesel powered. Does anyone know if the Scammell petrol engine was manufactured in-house or were they built under licence elsewhere?
Silly suggestion- Ford 8?
Retired Old ■■■■:
gingerfold:
Retired Old ■■■■:
I believe these were the fore-runner of the Scarab. Not a clue what engine was in them but I’m guessing at something like a Perkins P3? No doubt someone will let us know.Originally they were powered by Scammell’s own design of 4-cyl petrol engine. Only the very last ones were diesel powered. Does anyone know if the Scammell petrol engine was manufactured in-house or were they built under licence elsewhere?
Silly suggestion- Ford 8?
Well they certainly ressembled the old side valve Fords , Plus they were magneto ignition, No starter motor just the old handle & The choke sticking out the front of the cab on the nearside, With the fuel tank inside the cab & it was gravity fed to engine so one had to remember to turn the tap off when you parked up, Happy Days , Regards Larry.
Here’s one, c/w handle, currently at the Birmingham motor museum, now at Aldridge. (well it was last year!) 
Scammell made their own petrol engines, I had one on a fire pump.
Pete.
BigG-Unit:
Here’s one, c/w handle, currently at the Birmingham motor museum, now at Aldridge. (well it was last year!)0[/quote Nice photo, This is a 1936 Model & a 3 Tonner of course, The one I drove was a 6 Tonner Reg, 1944, JVK 44 Plus Baxter had GPT 540, Which was a 1946
I used to look after one for a coal merchants, whittle bros,blackburn.had a 4 cyl perkins in it.never any problems,great to manoeuvre down back alleys for deliveries.the guy swore by it and only got rid of it because when the h.g.v. testing stations opened they could not test a three wheeled vehicle over the pits.that was the end of these vehicles. 
shirtbox2003:
I used to look after one for a coal merchants, whittle bros,blackburn.had a 4 cyl perkins in it.never any problems,great to manoeuvre down back alleys for deliveries.the guy swore by it and only got rid of it because when the h.g.v. testing stations opened they could not test a three wheeled vehicle over the pits.that was the end of these vehicles.
This one you mention would have been the Scarab Model, Of course just as manourverable as the Mech/Horse with a bit more comfort, At least they had a starter button to get them going, Talking of the testing stations, These old Scammell Scarabs didn’t have any brakes on the front wheel so I don’t think they would have come up to the specified requirements at the Testing Station anyway, They could have been tested It only meant that they would have to reverse over the pit & then stopwhen required to do so by the Tester, Plus their lights were probabley below the legal requirements to, I drove a Scarab sometimes in the early 60s Reg 569 HBB, I used to pull loads from the Newcastle Quay into the Depot for transhipping at night, But mind you the old Mech/Horse was the better of the two for pulling 14/15 ton along the Quay, Only a few hundred yards mind you but they were trouble free, Regards Larry
Lawrence Dunbar:
shirtbox2003:
I used to look after one for a coal merchants, whittle bros,blackburn.had a 4 cyl perkins in it.never any problems,great to manoeuvre down back alleys for deliveries.the guy swore by it and only got rid of it because when the h.g.v. testing stations opened they could not test a three wheeled vehicle over the pits.that was the end of these vehicles.This one you mention would have been the Scarab Model, Of course just as manourverable as the Mech/Horse with a bit more comfort, At least they had a starter button to get them going, Talking of the testing stations, These old Scammell Scarabs didn’t have any brakes on the front wheel so I don’t think they would have come up to the specified requirements at the Testing Station anyway, They could have been tested It only meant that they would have to reverse over the pit & then stopwhen required to do so by the Tester, Plus their lights were probabley below the legal requirements to, I drove a Scarab sometimes in the early 60s Reg 569 HBB, I used to pull loads from the Newcastle Quay into the Depot for transhipping at night, But mind you the old Mech/Horse was the better of the two for pulling 14/15 ton along the Quay, Only a few hundred yards mind you but they were trouble free, Regards Larry
The regular driver of 569.HBB, Was the late Geordie Fearns, A real nice bloke who took a pride is his work, The other one Baxter had was 173 LVK, Driven by Arthur Lancaster, I don’t know if he is still about as I haven’t seen him for years, The last time I saw him he was driving for Charlie Sheperd, We were staying in the same digs in London, Happy Bloody Long Gone Days Eh, Regards Larry.
windrush:
Scammell made their own petrol engines, I had one on a fire pump.Pete.
I remember Coventry Climax engines on fire pumps.
God but I feel old 
Retired Old ■■■■:
windrush:
Scammell made their own petrol engines, I had one on a fire pump.Pete.
I remember Coventry Climax engines on fire pumps.
God but I feel old
Yes, they were later developed for use in the Hillman Imp. The one I had was a single cylinder side valve unit, still plenty around on the rallyfield.
Pete.
This Mechanical Horse was photographed by Arthur Ingram in Page Street, London SW1 on 25th August 1950. Over 63 years later Arthur remains in good health and is still out there photographing lorries.
Some 25 years later he photographed this Tennant Bros. liveried example of the Mechanical Horse’s replacement, the Scarab, on internal work at a brewery in Sheffield.
Hiya i,ve got a photo of Stoke station i need to look out, in the picture you can count 47 Scarabs around the yard
and god knows how many of the single axle trailers they pulled
John
I often wonder how they managed to stop, with no front brake and that Heath Robinson coupling for the trailer. I’m guessing there was no such thing as an emergency stop?
I don’t think that they went fast enough to need an emergency stop.