Mechanical Horse

In their way, they changed the history of road haulage and for the most part have been seen as a small element of British road transport, but the three-wheel tractor made a huge contribution to the economical and effective haulage of road freight. Mike & Julie Blenkinsop look at their history and meet a man who doesn’t miss that fourth wheel!

- Mike & Julie Blenkinsop

In Victorian and Edwardian England, local cartage was dominated by a four legged equine animal until the 1930s, when it was replaced by its petrol powered successor, the ‘Mechanical Horse’.

It must have been the marketing name of the decade; to come up with a suitable description which epitomises the actions of the device, but also a name that would trip off the tongue for nearly a century. The term ‘Mechanical Horse’ deserved an award.

For a glimpse into the world of three wheeled truck ownership, we met up with David Warren, his wife Alison, his kids, Matthew and Adam, and his parents, at the annual road run known as the Tyne Tees. The run, the biggest single gathering of commercial vehicles in the north east of England, starts from Stockton-on-Tees on the first Sunday morning of June, passing through rural parts of Durham and ending up at South Shields a few hours later; it was in Bent’s Park that we caught up with the family, deck chairs placed, enjoying the blue sky and gentle North Sea breeze.

David has had his Scammell Scarab for 13 years. Although the plate would lead you to believe that it was born in 1964, it hides its age well, as it is really a 1958 model despite its 1964 suffix ‘B’ plate. It had spent its early life in the protected environment of the Leyland factory, working as a shunter. It acted as a ‘gopher’ running around the interior, picking up trailers and distributing them around the factory.