Wigan Album

The scammells I remember them well when I worked at Howich Loco Works from 1959 to 1968

As Rev Long implies, in his comment on the station photo,these have become highly sought after collectors items.

A look on Google 'Images' reveals some wonderful restorations of both Scarabs, and Mechanical Horses.

I presume this is where the "Range" shop is now located ?

Used to unload wagons here when I worked at Conroy Bros, fruiterers in the late 1960's in the summer holidays. We used to offload the chilled banana hanks which arrived from Cardiff Docks by train, having been brought to this country from the West Indies etc., by boat. We then had to hang them in the warming rooms in the cellars in warehouse in Hope Street near the old bus station, to ripen. There were all sorts of creepy crawlies lurking in the dark corners of the wagon having woken from their chilled slumbers, nobody ever wanted to have to take the last hank of bananas out !!!!

Is it the goods yard where MFI was built afterwards?

Would this be the goods yard off Chapel Lane where The Range is now, I remember going there at one time to pick some crates of crockery up whilst working at the Co-op.

Correct - this is where Range now stands.

Ken....I worked at Horwich Loco from 1948 to 1953 I remember the three wheeled run abouts were they called Lister's??

Some photos of the predecessor of the Scarabs here:

http://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7705

Was this one of the Leyland-built Scammells?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLp9kXJp_M4&list=PL1B110B40019443F8&NR=1&feature=endscreen

Not Leyland built AP, The Scammell Scarabs were built in Watford. Leyland Motors was the parent company from 1955, BL built the Scammell HGVs ie, Routeman, Andyman and crusader range to name afew. These Scarabs were designed in the late 1940s to work in small areas ie, railway and post office yards. The front wheel had a turning circle of 360 degrees which made them ideal for the job above.

Sorry Colin, the reference was not to the Scarabs, it was a cheeky opportunity to post a link to the Military Scammell, which appeared in the film 'Brazi'!

Yes, I have mentioned the Scarab's maneuverability,in the Scammell comments on the 'NW Station Photograph'

These vehicles had their own " Scammell Automatic Coupling "
(operated from within the cab) which I think was patented.

I used to drive one of these Scammells at this very yard from 1959 to 1965 The registration was AJP100.
I delivered goods around one half of the town
Starting at Lennons Super market which was the old Hippodrome and ending at the Coop
in Standishgate.
I could drive into the Weind and spin round and drive out, no need to reverse.
On warm days used to buy a bottle of lemonade and call at Moorfields brewrey in Millgate where there was always
a barrel on tap you could make yourself a shandy.
The advent of road transport killed the railways. thats why I left after ten years
what a waste.
Still its all in a life happy days so they say.