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Scottorn Bushmaster one-ton powered axle trailer

Scottorn Trailers · United Kingdom · 1963–1976

A Land Rover-approved trailer whose axle is driven from the vehicle's centre power take-off through a modified transfer box and propeller shaft, so a Series IIA 88 or 109 becomes a 6x6. The chassis (9 cwt) takes cargo, military bodies, 200-gallon tanks, generators, welders or compressors; the 1964 brochure shows a Bushmaster tanker on test with 1,600 cross-country and 1,650 road miles.

SourcesMore trailers
Scottorn Bushmaster one-ton powered axle trailer
Hermen Vlothuizen brochure archive · all-rights-reserved · source
1963–1976MADE—PERIOD PRICEVery rareRARITY4LAND ROVER MODELS3SOURCES

Description

A Land Rover-approved trailer whose axle is driven from the vehicle's centre power take-off through a modified transfer box and propeller shaft, so a Series IIA 88 or 109 becomes a 6x6. The chassis (9 cwt) takes cargo, military bodies, 200-gallon tanks, generators, welders or compressors; the 1964 brochure shows a Bushmaster tanker on test with 1,600 cross-country and 1,650 road miles.

Requires the Land Rover centre power take-off (Rover part 261835) plus Scottorn's transfer box kit.

Rarity. Approved by the Rover Company but sold in small numbers; the MoD chose the Rubery Owen system for the 101 instead, and the Luxembourg Army trialled one in 1976 (EXO 384) then bought 30 unpowered trailers. Production figures unknown.

Record: 3 sources; designation recorded; no price recorded.

Specification

MAKERScottorn Ltd, Victor Works, Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey, United Kingdom
DESIGNATION / PARTBushmaster One Ton Powered Axle Trailer
MADE1963–1976
RARITYVery rare — Approved by the Rover Company but sold in small numbers; the MoD chose the Rubery Owen system for the 101 instead, and the Luxembourg Army trialled one in 1976 (EXO 384) then bought 30 unpowered trailers. Production figures unknown.
PAYLOAD1 ton
UNLADEN9 cwt (chassis only)
LENGTH9 ft 7 in
WIDTH5 ft 2 in
HEIGHT3 ft 2 in
CHASSISwelded 3 x 1.5 in rolled steel channel; 3 in eye-bolt coupling with over-run and parking brake; drawbar bolted and removable for shipping
AXLE109 in Land Rover rear axle with free-wheel hubs
SUSPENSIONstandard Land Rover semi-elliptic springs with Aeon rubber hollow spring assistance, variable-rate dampers
TYRES7.50 x 16
TRANSMISSIONshaft from vehicle to intermediate double thrust bearing on the front cross member, then a standard Land Rover propeller shaft to the differential
VEHICLE CONVERSIONcentre PTO to main gearbox; modified transfer box forward of the rear crossmember with splined output above the floor; tow jaw on rear crossmember; supplied as a kit except the centre PTO
FITTINGStwo stop/tail lights with reflectors, flashers, registration and trailer plates; brown chromate primer finish
BROCHUREScottorn leaflet, AA Technical Library stamp 14 Dec 1964

Fitment

Requires the Land Rover centre power take-off (Rover part 261835) plus Scottorn's transfer box kit.

Variants

Bushmaster tanker1963-1964

200-gallon tank body shown on the brochure test vehicle 6063 UE.

Scottorn one-ton powered trailer for 101 FCc.1972-1976

Scottorn's design was trialled against the Rubery Owen powered trailer for the 101 Forward Control and not adopted (lrfaq.org).

Imagery

Scottorn Bushmaster one-ton powered axle trailer
all-rights-reserved · Hermen Vlothuizen brochure archive · landrover.vlothuizen.nl · reference only, not reproduced under licence
Scottorn Bushmaster one-ton powered axle trailer
all-rights-reserved · Hermen Vlothuizen brochure archive (specification page) · landrover.vlothuizen.nl · reference only, not reproduced under licence

Sources

landrover.vlothuizen.nl/show/list/7041-1.htmllrfaq.org/FC/FAQ.FC.powertrailer.htmltheautopian.com/british-engineers-designed-a-trailer-that-could-tow-itself-over-50-years-ago/Every source above was fetched and read when the record was made.