The publication of this picture of a Scammell ‘Pioneer’ driving up the wall has once again proved how we can learn through sharing.
The image was the 25th item in our ‘history of Watford in 50 objects’ series with Watford Museum and it illustrated one of the town’s finest engineering achievements, the Scammell lorry.
The picture was captioned ‘Mr Pugh, designer of the Scammell ‘Pioneer’, driving himself up the wall in 1929’ and it prompted Stuart Bird to contact us with more information about the people in the picture and the history of the truck.
Stuart, a Scammell enthusiast for 30 years and a member of the Scammell Register, told us the the man ‘driving himself up the wall’ was in fact named Dougie Baker.
Also in the picture are, left to right, Eddie Dennis, Cecil King and a test driver named Mr Mansfield.
Read more: The Scammell lorry - one of Watford's finest engineering achievements
Stuart said: “This is quite a famous photograph as it shows the prototype 6x6 Pioneer, which was originally designed by Oliver Dansen North.
“This vehicle was originally designed as a 6x4 for use in the British Empire oilfields to carry large oilfield pipes but then was developed to work with the War Department as an artillery tractor, recovery and then tank transporter. It was eventually named Pioneer.”
The vehicle is pictured climbing the main factory building in Tolpits Lane in January 1929.
Stuart added: “Of further interest is the fact that until it was developed, the area around Tolpits Lane comprised of a series of large gravel pits and very rough ground.
“When Scammell developed the Pioneer, to test its cross country ability they were taken from the main factory and the vehicles were tested around the local area.”
The front cover of John Fadelle's book
John Fadelle, a former Scammell employee, has recently written a book on the complete history of Scammell.
Scammell Lorries Limited – An insider’s history of the company and its products - includes the very early days of the company, outlines the development of all the models and concludes with the closing of the factory in 1988.
Stuart said it is now considered by many Scammell enthusiasts to be the definitive book on the company.
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