AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

British Vehicles for Trans-desert Service

4th February 1938
Page 11
Page 11, 4th February 1938 — British Vehicles for Trans-desert 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?

Number of Interesting F eah2res Included in Specification of Thornycroft Oilers for Service in Northern Iraq

/A

A N order for 11 Amazon rigid sixwheeled cross-country vehicles has recently been completed by John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., for the Iraqi State Railways, through the Crown Agents for the Colonies. These units form part of a large contract for both goods and passenger vehicles for transdesert service in Northern Iraq, and the specification includes many interesting features.

In the first place, the chassis has a mean wheelbase of 16 ft. 6 ins., the power unit being a Gardner 6LW-type six-cylindered oil engine, developing 100 b.h.p. The drive is taken through a single-plate clutch and a main gearbox having four forward speeds, to twin fully floating axles, incorporating the well-known Thornycroft patented system of rear-axle suspension, which permits 9 ins, difference in driving-axle levels without distortion of the frame members.

For the more difficult'cross-country routes, an auxiliary gearbox is provided, by means of which a further reduction of 1.5 to the main gear ratios is effected.

Other details in the specification include left-hand controls, a tropicaltype radiator with a 15-gallon reserve cooling-water tank, an oil-bath air cleaner, front and re.ar towing hooks, a front buitiper and 11.25-20-in, single low-pressure tyre equipment. Thorny croft leaf-spring drawbar gear is fitted.

The driVer's cab is of the double-roof type, so as to .ohtain the maximum cooling for the interior, with a fourpiece windscreen having both top glasSes adjustable, drop windows in the door, a large sliding window at the rear and a ventilator' in the roof.

The open fixed-sided body has inside dimensions of 19 ft, 9 ins. long, 6 ft. 9 ins, wide and sides and tailboard 3 ft. 4 ins. deep. The floor, which incorporates wheel-arches, is made of hardwood and there are six detachable hoop-sticks With a tarpaulin cover which extends to the bottom edge of the sides; this sheet is arranged to roll up to the centre of the hoop-sticks. A hinged flap on the tailboard acts as either a step or as an'occasional seat.

Each of these. vehicles will tow a Brockhouse 6-ton overseas-type fourwheeled trailer, equipped with similar wheels and tyres to those on the tractor. In the same way, similar open fixed-sided bodieS have been fitted to these trailers, the inside dimensions being 14 ft. long, 6 ft. 8 ins. wide and sides and tailboard 3 ft. 4 ins. deep.

Trailer brake gear with a vacuum servo is provided, with piping connecting up to the " break-away " connection on the tractor chassis. Additionally, a parking brake for operation by hand, when the trailer is disconnected from the tractor; is utilized. In all, 16 of these trailers have been ,built to this order.