4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY TRAILERS · POWERED
PoweredTrailersVery rare

Rubery Owen 1-ton power-driven trailer for the 101 Forward Control

Rubery Owen · United Kingdom · 1967–1974

The powered-axle trailer specified with the Land Rover 101 Forward Control gun tractor, meant to carry a tonne of 105 mm ammunition with the Light Gun towed behind it. Drive comes off the 101's transfer box through two propshafts and a treble-hooks-joint nose coupling into a Salisbury differential identical to the 101's own; braking is an inverted-vacuum system that can be passed on to the gun. Two refurbished prototypes crossed the Sahara with Tom Sheppard's 1975 Joint Services expedition.

SourcesMore trailers
Rubery Owen 1-ton power-driven trailer for the 101 Forward Control
Pete Edgeler, Flickr: 1975 Rubery-Owen prototype powered trailer · all-rights-reserved · source
1967–1974MADE—PERIOD PRICEVery rareRARITY1LAND ROVER MODELS2SOURCES

Description

The powered-axle trailer specified with the Land Rover 101 Forward Control gun tractor, meant to carry a tonne of 105 mm ammunition with the Light Gun towed behind it. Drive comes off the 101's transfer box through two propshafts and a treble-hooks-joint nose coupling into a Salisbury differential identical to the 101's own; braking is an inverted-vacuum system that can be passed on to the gun. Two refurbished prototypes crossed the Sahara with Tom Sheppard's 1975 Joint Services expedition.

Only 101s built with the trailer drive (prototypes 101/FC/1-8 and a few production vehicles such as 95600003A) can power it; it can be towed unpowered by others.

Rarity. Built in pairs as prototypes: at least eight numbered prototypes (No.1 1967, No.5 1971) and a production batch 267957/1-4 (1973); the powered trailer was deleted from the 101 specification on cost (or after a roll-over demonstration) so no series production followed. Survivors at Dunsfold, Gaydon, the former Museum of Army Transport, Australia and the USA.

Record: 2 sources; designation recorded; no price recorded.

Specification

MAKERRubery Owen & Co. Ltd, Research & Development Division (chassis plates also 'Rubery Owen (Warrington) Ltd'), United Kingdom
DESIGNATION / PARTTrailer, 1 Ton, 2W/1L, Power Drive; MoD contract A/TS/WV/7791/AC12AL
MADE1967–1974
RARITYVery rare — Built in pairs as prototypes: at least eight numbered prototypes (No.1 1967, No.5 1971) and a production batch 267957/1-4 (1973); the powered trailer was deleted from the 101 specification on cost (or after a roll-over demonstration) so no series production followed. Survivors at Dunsfold, Gaydon, the former Museum of Army Transport, Australia and the USA.
PAYLOAD1,500 lb (1 ton off-road capacity in the MoD spec)
UNLADEN KG938
WIDTH IN73
LOAD BED LENGTH IN90.36
HEIGHT IN54.5
AXLESalisbury differential, same wheels and tyres as the 101 FC
COUPLINGmale coupler into female receptor in the 101 rear crossmember, held by a perimeter chain; articulated tongue with two universal joints each side of a bearing
DRIVEPTO on the rear of the LT95 transfer box, two propeller shafts joined at a strut, coupling through the rear crossmember
BRAKESinverted vacuum system from the intake manifold, with a vacuum gauge on the 101 dash; vacuum line can be passed to the howitzer
LEGSthree drop legs (some with wheels)
KNOWN VRNS01SP43, 02SP00, 02SP01, 15EN07
TRANS SAHARA 1975prototypes No.1 and No.5 refurbished for the expedition; No.1 abandoned near Port Sudan 16 April 1975 after spring failure

Fitment

Only 101s built with the trailer drive (prototypes 101/FC/1-8 and a few production vehicles such as 95600003A) can power it; it can be towed unpowered by others.

Variants

Prototypes 1-81967-1971

Multi-leaf springs; tail lights vertical on 01SP43 (No.5), horizontal on others.

Production 267957/1-41973

Two-leaf springs like the 101; width 72.5 in, bed 93 in, height 53.75 in.

Imagery

Rubery Owen 1-ton power-driven trailer for the 101 Forward Control
all-rights-reserved · Pete Edgeler, Flickr: 1975 Rubery-Owen prototype powered trailer · flickr.com · reference only, not reproduced under licence

Sources

lrfaq.org/FC/FAQ.FC.powertrailer.htmltheautopian.com/british-engineers-designed-a-trailer-that-could-tow-itself-over-50-years-ago/Every source above was fetched and read when the record was made.