The Design and Development of Heavy Haulage Vehicles

Abstract

The regular transportation of heavy loads under off-the-road conditions was made possible with the advent of the six-wheeled type of heavy haulage vehicle. The development of the six-wheeler in Great Britain began in 1923 and the author was responsible for the design and development of the first prototype vehicle. This paper shows in detail the design and development of the latest and largest British six-wheeler to date and some of the possibilities of this versatile type of vehicle which carries heavier loads than are normally carried on made-up roads, over rough ground and desert country under tropical conditions at relatively high speeds. The development of this vehicle was to meet the specific requirements of the Iraq Petroleum Company in laying their 550 miles of pipe-line from the Mediterranean to Kirkuk in Iraq, which task was completed six months ahead of schedule.