Brute Trucks

[lincolnshire]

Any Brute Trucks still in use on the railway system anywhere then?

I did find two the other week trying to go on there holidays at Gatwick Airport South Terminal. They didn,t manage to get away as they where filled with barrier tapes stands for creating queueing lines for passengers.

So any other to be spotted when out and about? another remnant of Red Star parcel service.

 

[RichmondCommu]

That takes me back. Places like Birmingham New Street used to be full of them, ideal for a young 'spotter and his mates to sit down and have a natter. Your jeans used to get filthy though!

 

[40129]

I remember there used to be signs towards the ends of the platforms at New Street stating: "Brutes not to be left un-attended beyond this point"

 

[Mugby]

British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment

It's not correct to suggest that they are remnants of Red Star Parcels Service, they pre-dated Red Star by quite some years. They were used for all manner of station work (not just parcels) all of which has, sadly, disappeared from todays privatised railway.

As you say, there may be odd ones still around but immobile, in fact I don't imagine any of the tractor units which used to pull them still exist.

 

[lincolnshire]

British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment

It's not correct to suggest that they are remnants of Red Star Parcels Service, they pre-dated Red Star by quite some years. They were used for all manner of station work (not just parcels) all of which has, sadly, disappeared from todays privatised railway.

As you say, there may be odd ones still around but immobile, in fact I don't imagine any of the tractor units which used to pull them still exist.

Yes I know they pre-dated Red Star , but when some one had put the post about Red Star I thought I would add this thread as they went together.
Yes I can remember we had travelling brutes which went in the vans everyday taking and bringing parcels and others that used to come out of the parcel office to collect the loose parcels off the parcel train.
They was very well made things that could stand some heavy wear and tear and made to last.

 

[47271]

I'm pretty certain that a year or so ago when I was waiting for a train at Doncaster I noticed a faded but very legible BR era sign making reference to BRUTE loading or handling. It was on a wall facing one of the platforms, possibly alongside a doorway that could have loaded directly onto vans. It's very likely still there if anyone has a strong interest in going to look at it.

 

[QueensCurve]

British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment

It's not correct to suggest that they are remnants of Red Star Parcels Service, they pre-dated Red Star by quite some years. They were used for all manner of station work (not just parcels) all of which has, sadly, disappeared from todays privatised railway.

As you say, there may be odd ones still around but immobile, in fact I don't imagine any of the tractor units which used to pull them still exist.

I miss the BRUTEs. It is only recently it suddenly dawned on me they aren't around any more.

 

[lincolnshire]

I'm pretty certain that a year or so ago when I was waiting for a train at Doncaster I noticed a faded but very legible BR era sign making reference to BRUTE loading or handling. It was on a wall facing one of the platforms, possibly alongside a doorway that could have loaded directly onto vans. It's very likely still there if anyone has a strong interest in going to look at it.

You was waiting for your train on Platform 1 near where the gents toilet used to be near the buffet area. There used to be a drawbridge like on a castle that dropped down from the parcel office onto platform 1 so they could push the Brutes across it directly into the parcel office. This then saved them been taken down the lift pushed along the subway and up the lift to the front of the station and then pushed into the parcel office from this side of the station. As at this time there would still be a good quantity of mail still travelling on trains and the lift and subway would be needed for this and parcels from 4 to 8 platforms to come via the subway. Parts of the counter balance weight pulley system can still be seen attached to the wall either side of the doorway which still remains when looking from the platform. It might have been removed when the overhead line arrived and maybe even the re-signalling of the station.
If it was still in use today think of the instructions for use and signalling interlocking etc. etc. it would be a nightmare.

Another bit of history of the parcel service by B.R.

 

[furnessvale]

I miss the BRUTEs. It is only recently it suddenly dawned on me they aren't around any more.

Hideously noisy things when a string was being tugged down a passenger platform. Guaranteed to lower the image of rail as a "modern form of transport" in the ears of anyone the sound was inflicted upon.

On the other hand, a string of GPO owned platform barrows was a silky smooth thing of beauty!

 

[matchmaker]

Showing my advanced years here, but does anybody remember the Scammell Mechanical Horse?

 

[theblackwatch]

That takes me back. Places like Birmingham New Street used to be full of them, ideal for a young 'spotter and his mates to sit down and have a natter. Your jeans used to get filthy though!

Indeed, one of them was an ideal 'office' for the day. Put all your bags at the back, and room for 2 or 3 of you to sit at the front. Happy days....

 

[Ash Bridge]

Showing my advanced years here, but does anybody remember the Scammell Mechanical Horse?

Is a Scammell Scareb one of the same thing or does the Mechanical Horse predate it?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That takes me back. Places like Birmingham New Street used to be full of them, ideal for a young 'spotter and his mates to sit down and have a natter. Your jeans used to get filthy though!

Indeed, one of them was an ideal 'office' for the day. Put all your bags at the back, and room for 2 or 3 of you to sit at the front. Happy days....

Indeed, I can relate to all that too back in my youth

 

[furnessvale]

Is a Scammell Scareb one of the same thing or does the Mechanical Horse predate it?

The Mechanical Horse was superceded by the Scarab which in turn was replaced by the Townsman.

All were fitted with Scammell automatic couplings of either 3 or 6 tons capacity.

I currently own a Bedford TA3 tractor unit fitted with a 6 ton coupling which I believe to be one of only 3 in the UK (complete unit, not just the coupling of which there are more).

 

[Clarence Yard]

living in West Watford in the 1960's, I certainly remember Scammells three wheelers and all their other products! Professionally speaking, I only saw two in service. Both were internal movement only Scarabs, one at KXFT, used by NCL in the Granary and the other at St Neots for moving the NCL fashion flow trailers. Both were still in use in 1980 but I don't know for how long afterwards.

Back to station tractors, KX, Liv.St, St Pancras and Paddington at least were equipped in the 1970's with Reliance Mercury four wheel electric tow trucks. They had an 'interesting' electronic control system that could make the truck stand on its rear wheels when you took power. They could also set off on their own.

We had 7, later 8, of these at KX, maintained in the little truck house over the road from the suburban station. Overhauls were done at the ODM workshop in the old steam shed at Hornsey. After FP closed several of their former staff worked at the ODM and Deltic racehorse names started to appear on them!

In the mid 1980's they were being superseded by the larger Hamech Ransome type. A couple of these, in grey livery, seem to be still in use at Euston for catering stores work.

 

[D1009]

My memory of BRUTEs was at Paddington in the last days of the D1000s, when I used to use them as a support for the camera at night, so you could take time exposures without using a tripod. When you got the BRUTE into the right place, the level bit above the brake handle usually gave an excellent position.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I haven't seen any of the larger BRUTEs for a while, but there are quite a few of a smaller variety on Newport station quite often.

The W H Smith's shop on platforms two and three uses one a day to transport the papers from the car park to the platform early in the morning. There could be a couple by the shop at any given time, as they don't always use the same one.

There are a couple of types of Mechanical Horses in museums around the country. One example is at the Bury Museum of Transport next to the East Lancashire Railway which has a couple of types, and I have seen them elsewhere.

 

[lincolnshire]

living in West Watford in the 1960's, I certainly remember Scammells three wheelers and all their other products! Professionally speaking, I only saw two in service. Both were internal movement only Scarabs, one at KXFT, used by NCL in the Granary and the other at St Neots for moving the NCL fashion flow trailers. Both were still in use in 1980 but I don't know for how long afterwards.

Scamell three wheelers, yes can also remember these in use, we also had a battery driven versions with a coupling which was used for moving trailers about in the warehouse at Hull which was also 3 wheelers and you had to stand up to drive them as there was no seat. just used for internal trailer shunting.
When they was withdrawn some was sold on to fish merchant,s on Grimsby Docks for transporting fish boxes round the docks on there private roads.

Back to station tractors, KX, Liv.St, St Pancras and Paddington at least were equipped in the 1970's with Reliance Mercury four wheel electric tow trucks. They had an 'interesting' electronic control system that could make the truck stand on its rear wheels when you took power. They could also set off on their own.

We had 7, later 8, of these at KX, maintained in the little truck house over the road from the suburban station. Overhauls were done at the ODM workshop in the old steam shed at Hornsey. After FP closed several of their former staff worked at the ODM and Deltic racehorse names started to appear on them!

At Hull we had some very old Greenwood and Batley battery trucks made in Leeds that transported the barrows and later the brutes around the station platforms, they gave very good service and was even used at times with a barrow to act as Father Christmas sleigh pulled by the truck across the station concourse at the opening of the Christmas Tree on the station, a big event in them days with the Lord Mayor carrying out the honour.One still survives preserved in the Transport Museum in High Street in Hull in the railway section.
These was later replaced by some smaller battery trucks.

Grimsby Town station also had one to move the brutes.

Scunthorpe had a second hand Harbuilt electric barrow in later years which came from Chesterfield.

All these items was maintained by the ODM staff in them days and not by a set of outside contractors all taking money outside of the company as is the case these days.



In the mid 1980's they were being superseded by the larger Hamech Ransome type. A couple of these, in grey livery, seem to be still in use at Euston for catering stores work.

They all seem to be new versions used these days at Kings Cross to load the catering supplies
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I haven't seen any of the larger BRUTEs for a while, but there are quite a few of a smaller variety on Newport station quite often.

The W H Smith's shop on platforms two and three uses one a day to transport the papers from the car park to the platform early in the morning. There could be a couple by the shop at any given time, as they don't always use the same one.

There are a couple of types of Mechanical Horses in museums around the country. One example is at the Bury Museum of Transport next to the East Lancashire Railway which has a couple of types, and I have seen them elsewhere.

I think you will find that the W.H Smiths are metal cages on wheels for the newspaper deliveries to leave the newspapers in a secure place accessible to road traffic before the shops open and a place to collect the returned not sold papers in a secure cage which is then transport on the wheels to the shop when it opens. Hull has some at the top of the car park behind the former travel centre ( now the toilets and waiting room).

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I think you will find that the W.H Smiths are metal cages on wheels for the newspaper deliveries to leave the newspapers in a secure place accessible to road traffic before the shops open and a place to collect the returned not sold papers in a secure cage which is then transport on the wheels to the shop when it opens. Hull has some at the top of the car park behind the former travel centre ( now the toilets and waiting room).

Ah, so they're not BRUTEs then?

They do look like them, hence my mistake - thanks!

 

[lincolnshire]

Ah, so they're not BRUTEs then?

They do look like them, hence my mistake - thanks!

You can,t mistake BRUTES as they are definitely brutes if they hurt you as there big well made things that you don,t want running over your foot.

Each had solid wheels with a rubber tyre on, front ones swivelled and back ones was fixed at the front there was a handle that lifted the spring loaded pin to join them together for towing and it also was used to put the brakes on. Some had cable brakes and later ones had hydraulic ones if I remember correctly. On the back was a like a towing eye for the next one to join onto and it would fold down underneath. So your towing tractor unit had a special coupling on the back of it at the right height for coupling onto the brute for towing, am not sure how many loaded brutes you was suppose to pull round the platforms but sometimes it looked like a long string of them.

It was another job that the ODM maintained them and repaired them, we had a welder who used to reweld the side mesh when it came away and straight them out when they had been fighting with one another and new mesh panels would be put on and them repainted back in there standard Blue colour.
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Just been looking at the thread Future of Newhaven Marine.

If you look at JHurcum hashtag 26 pictures that he has posted and the 11th picture you will see a modified Brute truck used as an Emergency Supply Store.


Its had its mess sides replaced with steel plates and has had steel plate doors fitted to the front, but its an original Brute truck.