The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Discuss tractors here
User avatar

Topic author
FOWLER MAN
Posts: 2358
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:28 pm
Real name: fred evans
Has thanked: 1295 times
Been thanked: 1111 times
Flag: Wales

The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #1 by FOWLER MAN » Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:56 pm

Hi,
Following some interest in Roadless running gear in my recent post where I mentioned the Ransomes and Rapier crawler tractor I have done some research and this is what I was able to find out.

Roadless Traction Ltd. was started by Phillip Henry Johnson in 1919. He had at some stage worked for Fowlers so it's no surprise that the first example of Roadless tracks I could find was the steam powered Fowler Snaketrack from1920.
Image
There were several examples of IC engined crawlers from established manufacturers of steam engines. Below is one from "Garret." The one pictured has a Barford and Perkins engine but later models were fitted with Gardner units.
Image
And a single cylinder Marshall.
Image
The Ransomes RT 50.
Image
A Case.
Image
And a couple of Fordsons.
Image
Image
Roadless running gear was fitted to the Ranomes MG and Bristol tractors too.
Image
Image


essexpete
Posts: 4059
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:43 am
Real name: essexpete
Has thanked: 849 times
Been thanked: 680 times

Re: The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #2 by essexpete » Fri Jan 08, 2016 1:18 am

Thanks Fred!


Jeremy Rowland
Moderator
Posts: 8667
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:36 pm
Real name: Jeremy Rowland
Has thanked: 1867 times
Been thanked: 1688 times

Re: The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #3 by Jeremy Rowland » Fri Jan 08, 2016 8:58 am

Great stuff Fred :thumbup:

Jeremy


Stormin
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:44 pm
Real name: Norman
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 15 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #4 by Stormin » Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:14 pm

Some great pictures Fred.
I'm wondering if the large diameter drive wheels are a result of the lack of track flexibility. Certainly the tracks seem to be hogging rather than sagging over the top of the return rollers. It could also to be to try and match the road speeds to the original tractors wheels and not necessitate a change in gearing.


hair bear
Posts: 983
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:14 pm
Real name: Rob
Location: Hampshire
Has thanked: 190 times
Been thanked: 278 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #5 by hair bear » Sun Nov 07, 2021 2:04 pm

Only just found this thread, so I'll add my pic (not that much of the running gear is visible!). I have the brass plate off the back somewhere that gives the track patent numbers on it. 1938.

Image
If a LandRover doesn't leak oil, it's run out.


prairie
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:32 am
Real name: Roger Haynes
Been thanked: 1 time
Flag: Canada

Re: The Early Days of Roadless Traction.

Post #6 by prairie » Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:08 pm

To add to this post, Col Johnson was involved in the designing of the first tanks in WW1. During the early 1990's, I had the privilege of owning original drawing's of Roadless going back to 1919, there being over 20,000 drawings. Col Johnson is also mentioned at the Tank museum at Bovington, and was designing flexible tacks in the early years, also rubber tracks in the 1920's. The drawings were certainly there, an english company way ahead of its time


Return to “Tractors”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests