Big Willy goes East
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AN ex-WD Scammell recovery vehicle is heading out to Turkey to provide a rescue service for trucks which get stuck, turn over, fall off a mountain or are otherwise prevented from continuing their journey to the Middle East.
Based at Erzincan—about 700km east of Ankara—the Scammell is to be operated by Cotton Trucking International, of 13ackchurch Lane, London, with two .ex-REME sergeants as the crew. Erzincan was chosen as it lies between the two mountain ranges which have caused the most trouble to operators and is conveniently placed for the dreaded Tahir.
The Scammell, nicknamed by Graham Montgomerie "Big Willy" was built in 1960 and was originally employed recovering tanks. The diesel engine pr oduces 201kw (270bhp) which, with a six speed gearbox and transfer box, should allow the Scammell to climb a 1 in 21 with a dead weight of around 30 tons on tow.
Top speed of the outfit is around 61km/h (38mph) and the crew, who left England last Sunday, reckon to take 12 days to reach Ankara. Two-way radio is fitted to enable the driver to keep in verbal contact with his colleague operating the winch and a walkietalkie with a one-mile radius is included for good measure.
The truck can winch up to 150 tons on a two-to-one pull and over 275m (900ft) of cable is carried on board in case somebody goes down the side of a mountain. The original WD specification required the Scammell to be able to negotiate a six-foot deep ford, so that contingency is also catered for.
An " ex-portable " Honda 250v generator is carried to provide power for the in-cab night heater and for the searchlights which allow a recovery operation to be carried out at night. I described the generator as " ex-portable " because it is welded to the chassis to prevent theft !
Because that particular region of Turkey is notorious for its extremes of temperature, the Scammell has been modified to cope with arctictype conditions. The lube oil specification has been changed and the radiator is filled with 100 per cent glycol.
Fuel pipes and the battery box are all well insulated and the exhaust pipe has been re routed under the fuel tank to prevent waxing. Combat tracks are being carried to convert the truck into a half-track for soft going.
" Willy's " first trip will last until the end of the summer when it will return home for a refit. It is then hoped to improve the crew's accommodation but this could be difficult if any drastic modifications are required—the cab is made of armour plate !
The Scammell was chosen as Cotton Trucking could not get a " civilian" vehicle which was up to the job. To prepare it for the specialist application has taken two fitters about five weeks. Oxy-acetylene and arc welding equipment is being included and transhipping loads can be carried out via the crane.
The objective of the operation is not merely to recover trucks but also to effect necessary repairs All operations will be directed via the office of Cotton Trucking International in London, telex 887791, to a communications centre in Ankara which the Scammells crew contacts every 24 hours,