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THE ROAD TO FELTHAM
 

Having already selected three Alvis military vehicles for the road module of Universal Works in Nearly Feltham, a further assessment of the civilian vehicles in both my own collection and that assembled by Ron Brooks yielded some more tarmac-covering options for 1968. Although the best part of five decades ago, the preservation and display of vintage steam road vehicles was already a phenomenon. Likewise, manufacturing industry required the occasional movement of heavy and abnormal loads while most of the private motor cars were still British.

 
Having already selected three Alvis military vehicles for the road module of Universal Works in Nearly Feltham, a further assessment of the civilian vehicles in both my own collection and that assembled by Ron Brooks yielded some more tarmac-covering options for 1968.  Although the best part of five decades ago, the preservation and display of vintage steam road vehicles was already a phenomenon.  Likewise, manufacturing industry required the occasional movement of heavy and abnormal loads while most of the private motor cars were still British.

This article takes a closer look at some of the vehicles - arranged from right to left along the carriageway - that appeared at St Margaret's Hall in April 2011.
 

 

    
 

the MGB was relatively advanced for its time, featuring monocoque construction rather than a separate body and chassis as had been the case with both the MGA and the Triumph TR series, a rival marque despite also being a member of the British Motor Corporation. Monocoque construction reduced both weight and manufacturing costs as well as adding strength. In fact the MGB was one of the first cars to incorporate controlled crumple zones to protect both driver and passenger in crashes up to 30 mph. The MGB's BMC-B series engine was bored out from 1622 to 1798 cc and its 95 bhp could accelerate the Abingdon built car from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds.

  
 

 

    
  Readers with long memories and / or an interest in Bristol Superfreighters might remember MGB 430 from the Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition in October 2006 although on this occasion the 1962 MG replacement for the MGA roadster can be better appreciated among period traffic rather than just being a cross-Channel airborne load. 

Indeed, the MGB was relatively advanced for its time, featuring monocoque construction rather than a separate body and chassis as had been the case with both the MGA and the Triumph TR series, a rival marque despite also being a member of the British Motor Corporation.  Monocoque construction reduced both weight and manufacturing costs as well as adding strength.  In fact the MGB was one of the first cars to incorporate controlled crumple zones to protect both driver and front passenger in crashes up to 30 mph.  The MGB's BMC-B series engine was bored out from 1622 to 1798 cc and its 95 bhp could accelerate the Abingdon built car from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds.

  
 

 

    
 

The first 24 examples of the RML version of the classic London Routemaster double decker bus were created in 1961 by adding a modular section with square windows between the rectangular ones on each deck. As a result, the RML - which was mass produced from 1965 to 1968 - was 30' long as opposed to the 27' 6" of the basic Routemaster and had eight extra seats. 524 RMLs were built - compared to 2 120 RMs - and both featured a cubby hole beneath the rear staircase where the conductor could stand while not collecting fares without obstructing boarding and alighting passengers. The lengthening came with a relaxation of laws governing omnibus dimensions although the RML was initially opposed by trade unions due o the increased conductor workload.
 

 

    
  The first 24 examples of the RML version of the classic London Routemaster double decker bus were created in 1961 by adding a modular section with square windows between the rectangular ones on each deck.  As a result, the RML - which was mass produced from 1965 to 1968 - was 30' long as opposed to the 27' 6" of the basic Routemaster and had eight extra seats.  524 RMLs were built - compared to 2 120 RMs - and both featured a cubby hole beneath the rear staircase where the conductor could stand while not collecting fares without obstructing boarding and alighting passengers.  The lengthening came with a relaxation of laws governing omnibus dimensions although the RML was initially opposed by trade unions due to the increased conductor workload.

This 4mm scale model is a KeilKraft plastic kit rather than a die cast model but happily London Transport markings, number plates destination blinds and suitable advertisements for 1968 were sourced from Rob Collier at the Model Bus Federation rally at Whitton near Twickenham on 12 March 2011 and applied in time for the April 2011 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition.

  
 

 

    
 

This 4mm scale model is a KeilKraft plastic kit rather than a die cast model but happily London Transport markings, number plates destination blinds and suitable advertisements for 1968 were sourced from Rob Collier at the Model Bus Federation rally at Whitton near Twickenham on 12 March 2011 and applied in time for the April 2011 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition.

  
 

 

    
 

London Transport not being my specialised subject, Rob steered me toward decals for the 198 service via Shirley Addiscombe Road, East & West Croydon and Thornton Heath Pond to Thornton Heath Garage.  However, the main destination blind space on the rear of the RML proved slightly too narrow for the full legend, which I then shortened to Thornton Heath.

  
 

 

    
 

London Transport not being my specialised subject, Rob steered me toward decals for the 198 service via Shirley Addiscombe Road, East & West Croydon and Thornton Heath Pond to Thornton Heath Garage. However, the main destination blind space on the rear of the RML proved slightly too narrow for the full legend, which I then shortened to Thornton Heath.

  
 

 

    
  Rob also supplied me with stylised gold London Transport decals for the sides of the lower deck as well as the white legal lettering just behind the nearside front wheel, the Corona drinks and News Of The World advertisements and white decals to go underneath these and make them look as if they are mounted on boards rather than straight on to the metalwork.  However, as I had not specified any advertisements for the front of the RML on either side of the front destination blinds I used some spare fighter aircraft decorations from my decals box to suggest the logo of London Weekend Television, which had just started broadcasting in 1968 and would continue to make and transmit such programmes as "Blind Date", "Gladiators" and "On The Buses" until 2002.  
   

 

  
 

Rob also supplied me with stylised gold London Transport decals for the sides of the lower deck as well as the white legal lettering just behind the nearside front wheel, the Corona drinks and News Of The World advertisements and white decals to go underneath these and make them look as if they are mounted on boards rather than straight on to the metalwork. However, as I had not specified any advertisements for the front of the RML on either side of the front destination blinds I used some spare fighter aircraft decorations from my decals box to suggest the logo of London Weekend Television, which had just started broadcasting in 1968 and would continue to make and transmit such programmes as "Blind Date", "Gladiators" and "On The Buses" until 2002.

  
 

 

    
  A fuller appreciation of the big red London bus can be found with its N gauge likeness on Terminal 1  
 

 

    
 

Abnormal Indivisible Loads in modern traffic were examined in The Buccaneering Mellor Brothers feature elsewhere on this website although the Cornish boiler being hauled by this pair of Scammell 6x4 tractors is slightly narrower and shorter than a Blackburn built jet bomber!

 
 

 

    
 

Under the coach built cab and ballast body, Scammell's 80 Tonner was a development of their 1920s vintage Pioneer, most famously used to power British Army tank transporter lorries during World War II. Indeed, so many "demobbed" Pioneers were absorbed into the post War civilian road transport fleet that the demand for the Watford built 80 Tonner was relatively small.

  
 

 

    
  Abnormal Indivisible Loads in modern traffic were examined in The Buccaneering Mellor Brothers feature elsewhere on this website although the Cornish boiler being hauled by this pair of Scammell 6x4 tractors is slightly narrower and shorter than a Blackburn built jet bomber! 

Under the coach built cab and ballast body, Scammell's 80 Tonner was a development of their 1920s vintage Pioneer, most famously used to power British Army tank transporter lorries during World War II.  Indeed, so many "demobbed" Pioneers were absorbed into the post War civilian road transport fleet that the demand for the Watford built 80 Tonner was relatively small.

With a freewheeling front axle and two powered rear axles, the Scammell Pioneer was fitted with a six speed gear box and  vertical spindle worm drive power take off for the loading winch.  Both of these were powered by a 6 cylinder Gardner diesel engine producing 112 bhp at 1750 rpm.

Unlike both the extendable boom low loader used by Charles Russell to carry the Buccaneer and the two axle tank trailer - seen here supporting a Vickers Armstrong Valentine - the two girders of the swan necked trailer between the Scammell 80 Tonners could be assembled around a load and dismantled once it had been jacked into place at its final destination.  On more advanced trailers of this format - fitted with diesel generator powered hydraulic jacks - hinges in the swan neck itself allowed the load to rise and fall to overcome hump backed bridges and similar vertical obstacles.  Similarly, the rear axles could be independently steered by an operator in a separate cab at the back of the trailer, usually communicating by hands-free telephone with the driver. 

In this case however, a second 80 Tonner pushing the load through a bar coupling could also steer the back axles.  In either case however, motorcycle outriders or similar escort would be required to clear the road ahead of the large object and saws would be carried to cut down any tree branches in the way.

  
 

 

    
 

Caught up in ( literally ) heavy traffic rather than being thoughtlessly parked near a bus stop is this 1960 vintage Austin Healey 3000. However, like the MGB, it was assembled at Abingdon from 1959 to 1967 and a British Motor Corporation product despite the bodies being built by Jensen Motors. Originally launched with a 2912 cc engine, twin SU carburettors and Girling front disc brakes, options included wire wheels, a laminated windscreens, overdrive gearbox, a heater, and an adjustable steering column as well as a hard top and two tone paintwork. The most recognisable of the "big" Healey Models, the 3000 could reach 60 mph in 11.7 seconds from a standing start and had a top speed of 115 mph.

  
 

 

    
  Caught up in ( literally ) heavy traffic rather than being thoughtlessly parked near a bus stop is this 1960 vintage Austin Healey 3000.  However, like the MGB, it was assembled at Abingdon from 1959 to 1967 and a British Motor Corporation product despite the bodies being built by Jensen Motors.  Originally launched with a 2912 cc engine, twin SU carburettors and Girling front disc brakes, options included wire wheels, a laminated windscreens, overdrive gearbox, a heater, and an adjustable steering column as well as a hard top and two tone paintwork.  The most recognisable of the "big" Healey Models, the 3000 could reach 60 mph in 11.7 seconds from a standing start and had a top speed of 115 mph.  
 

 

    
 

Although being rapidly replaced by more modern diesel powered equivalents, steam rollers were still helping to build the M1 motorway at the start of the 1960s and this example features scraper bars to remove tar and other adhesions from the rear rollers to ensure a smooth even rolled surface. Also of note is the single piece roll at the front of the vehicle rather than a two section roll which makes steering easier. The top section of the front of the smokebox is also extended to include the support plate for the bearings for the roller assembly. As such the smokebox door is designed to open downwards rather than sideways.

  
 

 

    
 

The living van being hauled by the steamroller evokes the days before the Second World War when road repairs would be carried out by itinerant road gangs. Today, these gangs, their equipment and methods are often re-created at steam fairs - such as the one held at Toddington in October 2010, pictured below - by enthusiastic living historians, just as the Sealed Knot re-creates battles of the English Civil War. Perhaps the most famous such living van however was owned by the late, great Fred Dibnah and which featured in his final BBC TV series as he drove his traction engine around sites of Britain's industrial heritage.

  
 

 

    
  Although being rapidly replaced by more modern diesel powered equivalents, steam rollers were still helping to build the M1 motorway at the start of the 1960s and this example features scraper bars to remove tar and other adhesions from the rear rollers to ensure a smooth even rolled surface.  Also of note is the single piece roll at the front of the vehicle rather than a two section roll which makes steering easier.  The top section of the front of the smokebox is also extended to include the support plate for the bearings for the roller assembly.  As such the smokebox door is designed to open downwards rather than sideways.

The living van being hauled by the steamroller evokes the days before the Second World War when road repairs would be carried out by itinerant road gangs.  Today, these gangs, their equipment and methods are often re-created at steam fairs - such as the one held at Toddington in October 2010, pictured below - by enthusiastic living historians, just as the Sealed Knot re-creates battles of the English Civil War.  Perhaps the most famous such living van however was owned by the late, great Fred Dibnah and which featured in his final BBC TV series as he drove his traction engine around sites of Britain's industrial heritage.

  
 

 

    
 

The living van being hauled by the steamroller evokes the days before the Second World War when road repairs would be carried out by itinerant road gangs. Today, these gangs, their equipment and methods are often re-created at steam fairs - such as the one held at Toddington in October 2010, pictured below - by enthusiastic living historians, just as the Sealed Knot re-creates battles of the English Civil War. Perhaps the most famous such living van however was owned by the late, great Fred Dibnah and which featured in his final BBC TV series as he drove his traction engine around sites of Britain's industrial heritage.

  
 

 

    
 

Atkinson and Company was founded in Frenchwood, west of central Preston, Lancashire, in 1907 by two of five brothers, Sir Edward Atkinson ( 1880 - 1932 ) and Sir Henry Birch Atkinson ( 1882 -1921 ) with assistance from their brother in law George Hunt ( 1870 -1950 ) who all realised the need for local engineers to repair motor vehicles in and around the administrative capital of Lancashire.

  
 

 

    
 

 

 Although most people were charmed to meet such a charismatic ambassador for Britain's industrial heritage as Fred Dibnah out on the road, the slow speed of traction engines and steam rollers make them largely incompatible with modern internal combustion traffic.  However, steam lorries, such as the six ton 1924 Atkinson Colonial above and Foden C Type below, used compact vertical boilers to deliver the goods on time.

Atkinson and Company was founded in Frenchwood, west of central Preston, Lancashire, in 1907 by two of five brothers, Sir Edward Atkinson ( 1880 - 1932 ) and Sir Henry Birch Atkinson ( 1882 -1921 ) with assistance from their brother in law George Hunt ( 1870 -1950 ) who all realised the need for local engineers to repair motor vehicles in and around the administrative capital of Lancashire.

By 1912, the organisation had moved to premises in Kendal Street and the number of employees had grown to twenty. In the same year a second, smaller repair centre was opened in Freemason’s Row, Liverpool, to cater for the enormous volume of steam road traffic using the docks. Very soon the company became well known in the north of England as quality repairers and many operators brought them new business.

The outbreak of war in 1914 further highlighted the need for road transport to collect and deliver goods beyond the reach of the railway network with demand for steam wagons being particularly high as most manufacturers were busy with munitions production.  Realising this, the Atkinsons designed and built their own four-wheeled steam lorry with a six ton payload at Kendal Street in 1916. 

The new vehicle was an instant success and booming sales beyond the 1918 Armistice led to the Atkinson brothers purchasing a five-acre site of land near their homes in Frenchwood on which they intended to erect a new and enlarged factory, solely designed for the production of steam wagons. Together with the field they also bought the 17th century Frenchwood House, with the intention of using it partly as their offices and partly as their personal quarters. By 1918 the Atkinsons had built up a competent team of engineers and salesmen as well as an enthusiastic and loyal labour force, and were producing wagons competitive in both price and performance.

At this time, new ideas and designs were constantly being tried out while production rose to a peak of some three wagons per week, and the total labour force rose to well over a hundred and fifty.  A vehicle with a Uniflow engine was even exhibited at the Commercial Motor Exhibition at Olympia in October 1920.

However, Sir Henry Atkinson died suddenly in 1921 and consequently the company fell into the hands of his brother Sir Edward who did not appreciate that sales in the mid 1920s were falling due to the hegemony of internal combustion lorries.  Leyland Motors Ltd sold their steam division to Atkinsons in 1926 followed by Mann in 1929, the year in which Atkinsons ceased steam lorry making after 545 units had been built.  As a result the factories at Frenchwood and Freemason's Row closed with Kendal Street staying open for repairs.  Sir Edward Atkinson died in 1932 and a year later the business was sold to London garage owner W.G. Allen who founded Atkinson Lorries (1933) Ltd to make diesel powered heavy goods vehicles.

From 1927 however, Atkinsons had co-operated with Wigan based mine engineers and lorry makers Walker Brothers to create vertical-boilered steam railway locomotive manufacturer Atkinson Walker Wagons Limited.

  
   
 

 

 

  
 

The perfection of a compound traction engine in 1887 gave Foden's a significant technical advantage and helped pave the way for the company's first steam lorries in 1901. These vehicles in turn gave Foden the experience to enter a 3 ton steam lorry for a War Office trial the same year, and although coming second to a Thorneycroft offering Foden steam lorries were to become the most successful and popular in Britain for the next 30 years with such simple and elegant designs as the 6 ton 1920s vintage C Type.

  
 

 

    
  Edwin Foden began as an apprentice of the agricultural equipment manufacturing company Plant and Hancock in 1856 and returned there aged 19 after a spell as an apprentice at the Crewe Works of the London & North Western Railway.  Foden soon became a partner in Plant and Hancock and on the retirement of George Hancock in 1887 the Sandbach, Cheshire, company was renamed Edwin Foden & Sons Ltd.  Its products by then ranged from small stationary steam engines to much larger industrial prime movers with agricultural traction engines having been added to the portfolio in 1880. 

The perfection of a compound traction engine in 1887 gave Foden's a significant technical advantage and helped pave the way for the company's first steam lorries in 1901.  These vehicles in turn gave Foden the experience to enter a 3 ton steam lorry for a War Office trial the same year, and although coming second to a Thorneycroft offering Foden steam lorries were to become the most successful and popular in Britain for the next 30 years with such simple and elegant designs as the 6 ton 1920s vintage C Type.

Indeed, a 1926 Foden C Type named "Britannia" became the first - and so far the only - steam road vehicle to have circumnavigated the globe between 1968 and 1972, visiting places as diverse as Afghanistan, Australia, India and the USA.  Nowadays "Britannia" is preserved in Kent.

  
 

 

    
 

Like the Atkinson and Foden steam lorries pictured above, this model of a Fowler an7 NHP Showman's Road Locomotive was made from a Lancing, Sussex, based Keil Kraft 1/72 scale plastic kit. As such, it makes an interesting comparison with the equivalent offering from Burrells of Thetford, Norfolk and also with the Fowler steam roller seen above at Toddington.

  
 

 

    
 

Like the Atkinson and Foden steam lorries pictured above, this model of a Fowler  an7 NHP Showman's Road Locomotive was made from a Lancing, Sussex, based Keil Kraft 1/72 scale plastic kit.  As such, it makes an interesting comparison with the equivalent offering from Burrells of Thetford, Norfolk and also with the Fowler steam roller seen above at Toddington.

The lined red livery of the model and its legend "Mighty in Strength and Endurance" is taken from an engine was built in September 1920 as a road locomotive of the R3 class, with the works number 15657 and the registration number FX 6661. It was supplied new to F. Barnes Ltd of Portland, Dorset for various duties including hauling heavy blocks of stone from the nearby quarries down to Portland Harbour. 

Later on she was sent back to the Fowler factory for a complete overhaul and conversion to full showman's specification. Once completed she entered fairground service with Mrs H. Oadley of Alfreton, Derbyshire and passed into preservation in 1952 when 'Kitchener' as she was then known was sold to John Crawley, the highly respected steam engine preservationist from Bedfordshire.

In 1962 "Kitchener" starred in the British feature film "The Iron Maiden" a name she has carried ever since.   The film, directed by Gerald Thomas and starring Michael Craig, was in the tradition of 1953's "The Titfield Thunderbolt" ( in which Sid James drove a steamroller ) and also the same year's classic car film "Genevive" starring John Gregson, Dinah Sheridan, Kenneth More and Kay Kendall.  Also of interest were the frequent appearances of a Handley Page Victor bomber masquerading as a new airliner designed by the film's traction engine driving hero.

Mr Crawley sold the newly renamed Iron Maiden on to Mr George Hawkins of Wadebridge, Cornwall who travelled her far and wide to steam rallies all over the country.

In the early 1990s she passed in to the ownership of Dr Tony Marchington who commissioned a restoration and then used her at his own events and on occasion those organised by others. Since being purchased by Graham Atkinson  in 2003 much more additional restoration work has been carried out to keep her in fine shape. Today, she still carries the famous legend 'Mighty In Strength And Endurance' and continues to attract considerable interest both at home and on her travels abroad.

  
 

 

    
 

Bringing up the rear of the traffic is this Classix die cast model of a Ford 100E Squire Estate. First rolled out from Dagenham in 1955, the four seat Squire was a competitor for the Hillman Husky and the relatively compact estate versions of the Austin A30 and A35 and was based on the body shell of the Ford Thames 300E panel van. For this reason it only had two short front doors but was otherwise similar to the Ford Anglia 100E two door and longer Ford Prefect 100E four door saloons. The Anglia - still with the boxy rounded-corner styling before being re-imagined with a reverse angle rear windscreen - Prefect and Squire all shared the same 1172 cc 36 bhp side valve engine and interior trim.

  
 

 

    
  Bringing up the rear of the traffic is this Classix die cast model of a Ford 100E Squire Estate.  First rolled out from Dagenham in 1955, the four seat Squire was a competitor for the Hillman Husky and the relatively compact estate versions of the Austin A30 and A35 and was based on the body shell of the Ford Thames 300E panel van.  For this reason it only had two short front doors but was otherwise similar to the Ford Anglia 100E two door and longer Ford Prefect 100E four door saloons.  The Anglia - still with the boxy rounded-corner styling before being re-imagined with a reverse angle rear windscreen - Prefect and Squire all shared the same 1172 cc 36 bhp side valve engine and interior trim.

The Ford Squire had two rear cupboard-style doors and the rear bench seat could be folded flat to maximise rear load room.  As depicted on the model too, wood trim pieces were screwed to the sides of the vehicle until 1957.  In tests, a Ford Squire (costing £ 668 including optional heater) reached 69.9 mph, 0-50mph in 20.2 seconds but had a fuel consumption of just 35.7 miles per gallon.

Although the last Ford Squire was built in 1959, the mechanically identical 1955 vintage Ford Escort estate- based on the Ford Anglia body and cheaper to buy with a lower trim level - continued in production until 1961.  After this,  from December 1967, the Escort brand was applied applied first to a replacement for the Ford Anglia and then to Ford family saloons sold around the World until 2003.

Ford Squire vans were used by Automobile Association patrols and in the early 1960s were often to be found on Britain's new motorways attending to member's older cars whose engines had blown up due to prolonged use at previously unknown high speeds.