Mail barrow tractors

themiller · 24 Nov 2019

I'm trying to find any information relating to the small 4-wheeled barrow tractors that used to be seen at larger stations. The ones that I mean used to have internal combustion engines, rear wheels larger than front wheels, pneumatic tyres and a 'claw' tow hitch for hauling the barrows which preceded the BRUTES. All the ones that I saw were road registered so that they could travel between the station and the post sorting office on the public highway. I've tried the Post Office museum in London but have drawn a blank. The nearest I've been able to turn up is the Mercury Model 10F which is/was used at airports for hauling case trolleys. Thanks in advance.

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David57 · 24 Nov 2019

Wernt a lot battery, charged up when quiet, made by Harbilt in Market Harborough?...............

themiller · 24 Nov 2019

David57 said:
Wernt a lot battery, charged up when quiet, made by Harbilt in Market Harborough?...............

Some were electric at the same time but the ones that I’m interested in are either petrol or diesel, but thanks for replying.

John Webb · 25 Nov 2019

I recall that the 1930s film "Night Mail" has a few shots of such vehicles in use incidental to the loading/unloading of the train, particularly at its Crewe stop.
A look at the picture collection available via the National Railway Museum's website might provide some information as well?

themiller · 25 Nov 2019

John Webb said:
I recall that the 1930s film "Night Mail" has a few shots of such vehicles in use incidental to the loading/unloading of the train, particularly at its Crewe stop.
A look at the picture collection available via the National Railway Museum's website might provide some information as well?

Thanks, John. I bought a copy because I thought I remembered that but they were battery electric ones that I saw in the clip. Perhaps I’d dozed off and missed them - I’ll review that resource again.

John Webb · 25 Nov 2019

themiller said:
Thanks, John. I bought a copy because I thought I remembered that but they were battery electric ones that I saw in the clip. Perhaps I’d dozed off and missed them - I’ll review that resource again.

I couldn't remember what type they were - quite likely they were the battery-electric type.

essexjohn · 25 Nov 2019

I commented on your enquiry about these two years ago but you didn't bother to return to that thread.

randyrippley · 25 Nov 2019

are you thinking of the three-wheel Scammel Mechanical Horse /Scarab and similar Karrier Cob?
Most parcels handling stations had those for trips to the post office and around the station yard

theres a society devoted to them at http://www.mechanical-horse-club.org.uk/Scammells.htm

themiller · 25 Nov 2019

randyrippley said:
are you thinking of the three-wheel Scammel Mechanical Horse /Scarab and similar Karrier Cob?
Most parcels handling stations had those for trips to the post office and around the station yard

theres a society devoted to them at http://www.mechanical-horse-club.org.uk/Scammells.htm

No. The one that I’m looking for are similar to the one in the photo in post #1.

themiller · 25 Nov 2019

essexjohn said:
I commented on your enquiry about these two years ago but you didn't bother to return to that thread.

Sorry about that. I never got any notifications of replies so I thought that no-one had read it or there was no further info so it just got lost among other topics.

Clarence Yard · 25 Nov 2019

It would help if you could specify which major stations you are talking about. Most London stations had battery electric tow tractors pre-war, the LNER favouring the “Greenbat” design. Self propelled I/C tractors were mainly for outside work.

The road registration was for all self powered vehicles which operated over “roads where the public had access”, i.e. including private roads in the station environs that they worked over. At KX every tow tractor and platform sweeper were plated. They were nil tax classed.

In the 1970’s at KX the Royal Mail was handled by Royal Mail tractors (Lansing Bagnall) hauling red wooden barrows. BR worked the parcels and mails using their own tractors (Reliance Mercury) hauling BRUTE’s or blue wooden barrows, the latter used for papers and mags.

The tractors didn’t wander away from those environs of KX station. All the mails, parcels and mags for loading arrived by van, the GPO in their own red vans. Obviously at some major stations there could be the opportunity for a fair bit of GPO/BR demarcation!

randyrippley · 25 Nov 2019

how about these?

this one is apparently "The Scott, electronically controlled parcels tractor, 1961"

larger image at http://www.rail.co.uk/images/476/or...-electonically-controlled-parcels-tractor.jpg

not sure what this one is

themiller · 26 Nov 2019

Clarence Yard said:
It would help if you could specify which major stations you are talking about. Most London stations had battery electric tow tractors pre-war, the LNER favouring the “Greenbat” design. Self propelled I/C tractors were mainly for outside work.

The road registration was for all self powered vehicles which operated over “roads where the public had access”, i.e. including private roads in the station environs that they worked over. At KX every tow tractor and platform sweeper were plated. They were nil tax classed.

In the 1970’s at KX the Royal Mail was handled by Royal Mail tractors (Lansing Bagnall) hauling red wooden barrows. BR worked the parcels and mails using their own tractors (Reliance Mercury) hauling BRUTE’s or blue wooden barrows, the latter used for papers and mags.

The tractors didn’t wander away from those environs of KX station. All the mails, parcels and mags for loading arrived by van, the GPO in their own red vans. Obviously at some major stations there could be the opportunity for a fair bit of GPO/BR demarcation!

As I remember, it wouldn't be any of the London stations where I saw them as I never went down there. More likely to have been Edinburgh, Newcastle, Crewe, Derby, Birmingham, York, Bristol, Plymouth as they're the main ones that I went through when I was in the Navy but I can't recall which it would have been because I was either under the influence or trying hard to stay awake.

themiller · 26 Nov 2019

randyrippley said:
how about these?

this one is apparently "The Scott, electronically controlled parcels tractor, 1961"

larger image at http://www.rail.co.uk/images/476/or...-electonically-controlled-parcels-tractor.jpg

not sure what this one is

Interesting photos, thanks, but both are 3-wheeled and the second one is electric. Looking at the second one, it seems to have anti-rollover features at the front corners in case corners were taken too fast or power applied too quickly when turning.

Llanigraham · 26 Nov 2019

Spoke to someone at the local classic car club today (he's got a 3 wheeled Mechanical Horse) and he thought some stations had small Lister tractors

Clarence Yard · 26 Nov 2019

Now that is a possibility. Lister did do a range of small powered equipment and were I/C, rather than electric.

GusB · 26 Nov 2019

Bachmann-Scenecraft-44-539-Platform-Tractor-Units681.jpg

@themiller Is this the sort of thing you meant? It's only a photo of a model, but it's all I could find via Google image search other than a TrainSim screenshot. I vaguely remember this sort of thing from my childhood, although I can't recall exactly where I saw them.

Cowley · 26 Nov 2019

GusB said:
@themiller Is this the sort of thing you meant? It's only a photo of a model, but it's all I could find via Google image search other than a TrainSim screenshot. I vaguely remember this sort of thing from my childhood, although I can't recall exactly where I saw them.

Can you do me one in N gauge?

Clarence Yard · 26 Nov 2019

That’s a Lansing three wheeled tow truck, battery powered. We used to have four of those on the parcels bank at KXFT.

Three wheelers were actually banned at several locations because of the turnover risk. The four wheelers were the standard kit at several main stations. The RM (Reliance Mercury) 2500 truck was a familiar sight at many London termini in the 1970’s and 1980’s and they were superseded by Hamech-Ransome trucks which, after the papers & parcels traffic went, were snaffled up by Travellers Fare.

themiller · 27 Nov 2019

GusB said:
@themiller Is this the sort of thing you meant? It's only a photo of a model, but it's all I could find via Google image search other than a TrainSim screenshot. I vaguely remember this sort of thing from my childhood, although I can't recall exactly where I saw them.

No, that's a 3-wheeled electric tug. The one I'm after information on is 4-wheeled and has an internal combustion engine as in post#1. Thanks for the picture though - it's just how I remember that type which came later if I remember correctly.

Mail barrow tractors

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