Australian Automobiles - The Ivan Hoffmann Collection

This web-site presents the Ivan Hoffmann Collection of research materials about Australian Automobiles - clippings, brochures, diagrams, photos, articles etc., from early days until more recent. It qualifies as Australian if one or more components - body/engine/chassis were either prototype, designed, built, assembled, manufactured or made for use, only in Australia, (we also adopted a few New Zealand cars as Australian!). THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION - SO COME AGAIN SOON.

Showing posts with label AEC Road Train. Show all posts

Friday, December 29, 2023

AEC Road Train

AEC Road Train was built for Australia by the British (Leyland Motors together with Associated Equipment Company (AEC)) from 1930 until 1934. It was part of a British scheme of making heavy transportation available in remote regions in it's colonies.

Before automobiles, "outback" (ie central) Australia used horse-drawn drays else Afghan cameleers with their camels. The AEC Road Train consisted of an eight-wheel drive tractor with two eight-wheeled trailers. For good maneuverability the first and last axles on the tractor steered in opposite directions and the trailers were self-tracking, enabling all the wheels to use the same set of wheel-tracks.

Designer: British Overseas Mechanical Transport Committee

Truck: 8-wheel x 8-wheel plus 2x eight-wheeled trailers

Width: 2.3m Length: 21.8m

Wheelbase: 4.27m Track: 1.8m approx.

Turning radius: 9m Unladen weight: 8,000kg

Engine: AEC 6-cylinder diesel, 8.85 litre, 97kw (130ph)

Bore 115mm Stroke: 142mm

Transmission: 4-speed manual, 3-speed transfer case

Steering: first & fourth axles steer in opposite directions

Suspension: live axles, leaf springs

Brakes: strongest at rear, decreasing in power to front

Wikipedia also has information on the AEC Road Train AEC Roadtrain - Wikipedia

Transport the old way.
National Library of Australia

15/10/1929 The Queensland Motorist

Northern Territory Information Service

The original Road Train used in Central Australia by the
Department of the Interior was an AEC Diesel and,
as seen towed three or four short-wheelbase trailers
November 1948 Truck and Bus Transportation (1932)