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What's happened to BLH21?
Page 83
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I was very interested to read Tony Wilding's article about this year's HCVC London' Brighton Rally (CM, May 10).
The photograph of the 1927 Scammell 100-ton tractive unit brought back memories of a similar vehicle which I used to see regularly about 11 years ago. This vehicle was registered BLH21 and was in the Pickfords fleet. At the time I saw it. it was employed on a regular task of transporting 3ft 6in gauge diesel-electric locomotives from Stockton-onTees to, I think, Liverpool docks. The locos comprised a large order for Western Australia Government Railways, and were being built by Metro-Vickers Beyer-Peacock at their temporary works in Stockton.
The complete vehicle comprised the tractive unit and a very long low-loading semitrailer with a four-wheeled solid-tyred bogie. I think that the tractor and trailer were built as a matched outfit. As far as I can remember, the reason for resurrecting this vehicle was because it was the only one with a sufficiently low bed to carry these particular locomotives, which were completely rigid and of a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement.
I have often wondered what became of this old Scammell as I never saw it again. Perhaps some of your readers would be interested, and may know of its ultimate fate. LEO DAVIES, Swinton, Lancs.