As ever Biglorryblog's anorak army has lept into the breach! Having asked you in an earlier blog 'What was the difference between a Scammell S24 and a Leyland Roadtrain?', Richard Stanier (a BLB regular and keeper of the flame) tells me: "You raise a good point. Basically the Scammell was a heavier duty vehicle in a range designed for 30-44 tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight, and 50-300 tonnes Gross Combination Weight. The Scammell S24 was always a 6-wheeler in either 6x4 or 6x6 configuration with a Cummins NTE 350 engine.
However, the Leyland was available as a 4x2 or 6x4 vehicle in range designed for 19-65 tonnes, and was again powered by a 14-litre Cummins, but this time the NHC 250 or NTE 290. You are absolutely right that the Landtrains were built by Guy, and these were the last lorries to leave the Fallings Park Factory. Just to tie up the Leyland-Guy-Scammell theme, Guy also built some of the last Crusaders on behalf of the Watford Company.
Meanwhile, here's a picture from my favourite Kiwi Rod Simmonds of a very well-preserved and hard-working Scammell S24 running in New Zealand. And talking of pictures.....click through for a little story involving the young Biglorryblog.
Richard signs off by saying: "I have attached a photo of the less common 4x2 Landtrain." And straightaway yours truly thought. Eh up! I know that picture...because I took it! When I was a callow youth and the 'junior' Commercial Motor photographer to the late great Dick Ross I spent a day at the Army's Bagshot Heath test track with Bill Brock driving this Leyland Landtrain. And this was one of the pictures I took. Bill later went to Kenya to drive a Landtrain in its proper working environment in a trip organised by Leyland Trucks. (Back then it was all very adhoc turn up and have a go back---only somehow I can't see it happening like that today!) So thanks Richard for re-kindling that memory. It's amazing how a black and white picture of a Surrey cross country track can be made to look like a third-world country!