AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Steamers for Active Service.

29th October 1914
Page 8
Page 8, 29th October 1914 — Steamers for Active Service.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

How G. Scamrnell and Nephew, Ltd., Prepared a Number of Fully-.equipped Columns of Foden Wagons for Active Service.

About the middle of last month we became aware of the decision of the military authorities to take immediate advantage.of the special .13ervices which eoisld be rendered by steam wagons as distinct from the atiopted.types of petrol lorries. There is no need fort us, on the present occasion, again to traverse the circumstances which have surrounded the various decisions of the

Government in regard to the types of mechanical-haulage vehicles with which it has experimented, and which it has finally adopted for standard service.

The steamer, especially in its tractor form, has been thoroughly tested by the War Department in past years. Fleets of steam wagons have been used with effect in connection with transport columns during British Army manceuvres. Approximately seven weeks ago, as we have said, the Government in its present emergency decided that there was very special work upon which columns of an accepted type Df steam wagon could be very profitably employed. In view of the universal employment of the Foden wagon, and its admitted predominance in respect of type in the steam-wagon world generally, it was not surprising that the choice for these first columns fell on that make of VP.hick. It is of particular and individual interest in this connection that G. Scammell and Nephew, Ltd., a very old-established company of whose association with the commercial-vehicle world we have always kept our readers well informed, was quickly asked by the Government, at very short notice, to take in hand the organization of several complete columns of Foden steam wagons with stores, equipfre.et and personnel.

1320 On a certain September Saturday, at 1 p.m., Mr. Alan H. Scammell, the managing director of the concern, was summoned to the War Office and asked to provide by the following Tuesday 28 five-ton Fodens, six trailers, and all the necessary stores and equipment, including the fitting up of a travelling workshop complete with its own electric-driving and lighting outfit. The whole column was to be so organized as to be a self-contained unit capable of maintaining itself for some months under full war-service conditions, and the personnel to consist of one officer, three sergeants, five corporals, eight Ilance-corporals, sixty drivers, five artificers, two boilermakers, two smiths, two wheelers, two orderlies, and one cook.

It says much for the organization of this concern.; as well as for the personal initiative and energy of Mr. A. 11. Scammell himself, when we record that the whole of these wagons were collected from various sources, inspected, overhauled where necessary, painted, and generally fitted out for war service within the time named, and this included the fitting up of the workshop wagon, which is the subject of a special illustration herewith. Moreover, the whole of the men required were provided and enlisted in the A.S.C., and equipped with uniforms by the authorities within the same time ; that is to say, this fiyst column was completely organized and ready for service 34 days after the first intimation of its requirement by the War Department.

So successful was this piece of work, that shortly afterwards the War Department made another re. quisition to the same company or 31 five-ton. Fodens, fitted out and equipped . exactly as the first column, and in addition an extra 1009-gallon fast. rubber-tired tankwagon, equipped with a quick-acting pump, for water supply to the column, had to be provided. The whole of this was again ready in little more time than the first column took to equip.

Shortly after, a third batch was ordered, consisting of 10 fivetonners and four three-tonners, complete with all men, and this column was organized and sent away between a certain Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and the following Saturday morning at 6 a.m. At the time of writing, a fourth column of 31 was being organized in a simi

lar prompt marine4:s Scam/lien's can indeed lay claim to a. word of praise from us for the remarkable promptitude with which it was able


comments powered by Disqus