1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152 
Unity's unique wrecker once lifted rockets
Page 58
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
from a special correspondent • Operators who call upon the recovery services provided by Unity Garage of 101, Edgehill Road, Leicester, are sometimes surprised to find the call answered by an unfamiliar type of wrecker. This is not really surprising, since the big Leyland 6 x 6 which is at the top end of Unity's ninevehicle recovery fleet is thought to be unique. Capable of lifting an eight-wheeler bodily, this Leyland was originally designed for the army and was employed to lift rocket missiles.
It can lift 15 tons free load or the same weight for a suspended tow, while a Turner power winch mounted under the deck can provide a 45-ton line pull to front or rear; the crane jib extends hydraulically to give a reach of 20ft and a working height of 20ft.
Weighing 20 tons 16cwt unladen and 25 tons fully kitted out, the vehicle needs no ballast. It is powered by a Rolls-Royce B81 8-cylinder petrol engine developing 176 bhp at 3,750 rpm and it has a governed maximum speed of 35 mph, a fuel consumption of about 3.5 mpg and a working range of 280 miles on a single tankful; the fuel tank holds 98gal.
The vehicle has a main gearbox providing four forward speeds and reverse, and an auxiliary constant-mesh gearbox with three speeds and a power take-off point. This combination provides 12 forward speeds (and three reverse) with overall engine-to-road wheels ratios ranging from 14.93:1 to 190.36:1, while the lowest reverse ratio is 235.66:1. The truck is fitted with air brakes, and an interesting feature is that it has a mechanically operated disc on the transmission as a parking brake and an air-operated hill-holding system that is effective on all six wheels.
How did Unity come to acquire this unusual, and extremely useful, vehicle?
• Through an advertisement in Commercial Motor last autumn, inserted by Lansdowne, of Frating, near Colchester. The wrecker cost Unity about £5,000—compared with its price when new in -1964 of about £22,500. The company had earlier converted a heavy chassis of another make for use on its ultra-heavy recovery work but was faced with the problem that this vehicle would certainly not meet the new braking regulations without extensive modification (it had no front-wheel braW, while an alternative heavy chassis of newer specification
would be extremely expensive to buy and equip as a wrecker. The Leyland provided the right answer at an acceptable price after a great deal of searching.
Unity has made some spectacular recoveries with this unit; and as well as a breakdown service throughout the 24 hours, the firm has a comprehensive workshop service and is noted in the Leicester area for round-the-clock spares availability.