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In the background of British films and television programmes of the 1950s and 1960s such as The Ladykillers, The Baron or the Look at Life travelogues you will often see a three-wheeled delivery vehicle in the distinctive red and cream livery of British Railways. The Scammell Scarab was often employed as a brewers’ dray or in the armed forces but its most famous customer was BR who at that time still offered a road delivery service for goods. It is a concept that now seems as remote as the idea of trains not grinding to a halt at the first sign of a fallen leaf…

The concept for the Scarab dates back to the early 1930s when railway companies were planning to phase out horse-drawn wagons. In 1934 the Scarab “Mechanical Horse” boasted automatic trailer coupling and an incredible turning circle that made it ideal for delivery work in narrow Victorian streets. However, as the engine was offset to the left of the cabin, there was a high centre of gravity and road manners that varied depending on which direction you turned.

When Scammell launched the Scarab replacement in 1948, many drivers breathed a sigh of relief that the power plant was now mounted behind the cabin. As with its predecessor the front wheel t was capable of 360 degree turns - ‘No corner is too awkward and no street is too narrow for the versatile Scammell’ claimed the advertisement. The new model was sold in 3 ton and 6 ton forms and power for both versions was from the well-known Scammell 2,099cc unit, with a Perkins diesel option from 1959 onwards.

The standard equipment on the Scarab included a windscreen wiper and a self-starter although the morning routine included priming the dynamo via the starting handle. “Climate control” mainly consisted the opening driver’s windshield although in winter the rear-mounted radiator at least produced large amounts of heat. One item that was lacking was a spare wheel and as for the top speed, 30 mph was more than enough for urban delivery work.

In 1962, Scammell unveiled the Scarab-4, a fascinating hybrid of the Scarab with the Standard Atlas van, the idea being that would have the manoeuvrability of the older vehicle with the stability of four wheels and a more comfortable cab. As it was, fewer than 100 were built as the Scarab appeared indestructible and by the mid-1960s they were starting to display a new yellow paint scheme but many rail parcel depots were now closing as BR was now focused on its new Freightliner Division.

Production continued until 1967 and the Scammell was employed by railway depots until the early 1970s.  Only 60 are believed to survive today and for a sight of the Scarab in its heyday, the 1964 documentary Lost Stolen Damaged is a reminder of the days of when villains would try to hijack Scammells in a mocked-up police Humber Hawk. And of a time when a Scarab would trundle across London, with a Woodbine-smoking railwayman at the helm -