Special 6-tonners for the L.C.C.
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Interesting Vehicles which are Equipped with Power-operated Cranes
MHE latest additions to the London County Council fleet of commercial vehicles are two special Albion 6-tanners which have been built for the use of the tramways department. The machines embody a good deal of special equipment.
Each of them consists of a standard 6-ton lorry, with the body shortened at the front end, so as to leave a space immediately behind the driver's cab. This space is occupied by a poweroperated crane which is designed to handle a load of 1 ton at a radius of 6 ft., and to swing 110 degrees to each side of its normal position. Each machine has three substantial bolsters and is capable of lifting and transporting eight 45-ft. rails weighing approxitnately 15 cwt. each, or 6 tons of sand, ballast, stone setts or other permanentway Material.
There are several interesting features concerning the crane equipment. The drive is taken from the third .wheel of the gearbox by a sliding pinion (conbolted by a lever in the driver's cab) on a shaft mounted longitudinally above the gearbox.
A roller chain transfers the power to a shaft which has at its front enda control box lying immediately behind the driver's seat. The box contains friction clutches which control the direction of rotation of the secondary shaft; which, in turn, drives the winch through the medium of worm gearing. The clutches are controlled from the cab by a single lever, which also releases a brake operating on the secondary shaft whenever either of the clutches is engaged.
An exceptionally sturdy bumper with two towing hooks is mounted at the front end of each lorry, and there is a spring-loaded drawbar at the rear so that the machines can be employed for the removal, by towing or pushing, of vehicles which may have become die abled on the council's tramway tracks, thereby disorganizing the tramways System.
The chassis which is used for these vehicles is the 25-70 h.p. 6-tonner made by Albion Motors, Ltd., Scotstoun, Glasgow. This model was introduced at the beginning of the year and will be exhibited for the first time at the forthcoming commercial-vehicle Show at Olympia. The Albion forward-control design combines the features of compactness and accessibility and it is highly suitable for operation in cm. gested places.