Scammell Collection

Scrap books of newspaper cuttings relating to Scammell commercial vehicles.

Open to bone fide researchers. By appointment only.

The Scammell Company was an offshoot of a coachbuilding and repair company called G. Scammell & Nephew Ltd. of Spitalfields, London, which dated back to 1837. Scammell lorries did not come into production until 1921, when the Company exhibited its first articulated combination with a 7.5 ton payload rating at the Olympia Motor Show. With the interest this generated, leading to increased sales, Scammell moved to new works at Tolpits Lane, Watford. Scammell Lorries Ltd. was formed on 1 July 1922, nine months after the display of the prototype at the Motor Show. Articulated and rigid 8-wheeled lorries accounted for a substantial proportion of Scammell's output for nearly 40 years. In 1927 they introduced the 6-wheeler Pioneer (World War II British Army 30 ton tank transporter), an off-road heavy haulage tractor with an astonishing cross-country performance. A new series of diesel-engined maximum payload general cargo vehicles were designed in this period, but development was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. In 1949/50 the Pioneer was redesigned for civilian use and re-named the Mountaineer. The Highwayman Tractor was introduced in the mid-1950's. Shortly after setting up the Watford factory, Scammell took on a young engineer named Oliver D. North. Amongst other designs, he developed the Mechanical Horse, which was launched in 1933. The name Mechanical Horse was given because it was designed to hitch up to drays, carts and wagons that were originally drawn by horses. With increasing motor traffic in the 1930's it was difficult for horses to negotiate the busy streets. The Mechanical Horse was much speedier, easier to manoeuvre and it was economical. Railway Companies had been searching for a vehicle to replace the horse-drawn carriage since the 1920's, and the Mechanical Horse was used widely by British Railways until the 1970's. It coupled and uncoupled automatically with trailers, and was unique in that its single front wheel could turn 360 degrees, making it highly manoeuvrable. The design remained unchanged until the late 1940's when the tractor section was redesigned, creating the Scarab. Production of the Scarab ceased in 1967 and was replaced by the Townsman which had a glass-fibre cab designed by Giovanni Michelotte. The Townsman was sold mainly to British Rail and Royal Mail, and production ended in 1968. Scammell blazed an innovative trail, but post war foreign competition and rationalisation of the UK manufacturers led to the Company being absorbed by the Leyland Group in 1955, although Scammell carried on as Leyland's 'Special Vehicle Division'. Scammell's trailer division was sold to York Trailers in 1976. In 1980 the Crusader was launched, but although it was developed by Scammell it was badged as a Leyland Truck. Scammell continued building heavy vehicles during the 1980's, but following the acquisition of Leyland by DAF Trucks in 1987, the plant closed in 1988.