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Oxford Diecast 76MH020

LNER Scammell Mechanical Horse Flatbed

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
Era 6 (1967 to 1972) British Rail Blue (Pre-TOPS)

Manufacturer description

This is a great 00 scale (9.9cm in length) release for our period model railway enthusiasts taking us back to the days when Scammell vehicles in railway goods yards were an integral part of the scene. This latest Oxford release is painted in early LNER livery of dark blue, white lettering and red trim, registered BGF 195.

It was LNER in fact who had approached the Napier & Sons Company in the early 1930s when they were looking for a mechanical replacement for horses for local haulage purposes. At the same time, they valued the flexibility of changing the wagons and the physical versatility associated with horses. Napier came up with a tractor unit with an easily detached articulated trailer. It had one central front wheel to the cab with a double set behind on the cab chassis. The trailer in turn featured a further double set towards the rear. In 1933, Scammell Lorries Ltd bought the three-wheeled tractor design from Napier and developed the famous Mechanical Horse. The concept lasted until 1968 and included the equally famous Scammell Scarab. The Mechanical Horse came either as 3 ton or 6 ton, depending on the load required and was able to turn through 360 degrees in under 20 ft with a 16ft trailer. It was powered by a 1125cc Scammell side-valve petrol engine; the vehicle had an average speed of about 20mph and a fuel consumption of 10-20 mpg.

The Scammell Mechanical Horse proved invaluable to railway companies in particular but it found favour with other hauliers and even the Armed Forces. When it ceased production in 1968, nearly 30,000 had been made in its 35 year history but only around 120 across its three variants are thought to exist today.

Our 1:76 scale model appears as a flatbed, complete with its timber coloured planking, just waiting for a suitable cargo of pallets, sacks of coal, girders or any other 1:76 scale load you want moving from your railway depot. It is an unmissable stocking filler for the railway enthusiast in your household during the festive season ahead!

Catalogue listing

Model details

Oxford Diecast LNER Scammell Mechanical Horse Flatbed is a 00‑scale model (approximately 9.9 cm long) produced by Oxford Diecast. The model is finished in pristine condition and dressed in the early LNER garter blue livery, with white lettering and red trim, and bears the registration BGF 195. It carries the manufacturer part number 76MH020 and represents the British Railways early crest period.

The subject of the model is the Scammell Mechanical Horse, a three‑wheeled tractor unit with a detachable articulated trailer originally developed in the early 1930s after LNER approached Napier & Sons for a mechanical replacement for horses. Scammell Lorries Ltd acquired the design in 1933 and produced the vehicle in 3‑ton and 6‑ton versions until production ended in 1968, with around 30 000 units built and an estimated 120 surviving examples.

In this 1:76 scale rendition the Mechanical Horse is presented as a flatbed fitted with timber‑coloured planking, ready to carry typical railway‑yard loads such as pallets, coal sacks or girders. The model is intended for period model railway enthusiasts and is marketed as a suitable festive‑season gift for collectors.