Farewell to a transport titan
WITH the passing of Maurice Hudson on November 6, 2020, the heritage commercials community has lost a distinguished champion. In the 1970s, Maurice became the custodian of one of the Britain’s most valuable transport artefacts, the Scammell Hundred Tonner registration number KD 9168.
The only two built entered service in 1930. They were the world’s first-ever road going motor vehicles capable of moving a load of 100 tons. KD 9168 is the only one of the pair restored to full running order and is in pristine condition.
Rather than be garaged out of sight, so that this supreme example of Scammell engineering ingenuity could be seen by historic vehicle enthusiasts and the general public, for many years up to 2018, Maurice loaned KD 9168 as a star exhibit at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland, Lancashire.
Maurice Hudson was a larger than life character with great personal presence. He established the family-run general haulage and metals reclamation business in 1968. An amateur boxer in his time, his interest in heavy transport was boosted when he did National Service in the Army, during which time he became a tank transporter driving instructor. A Rolls-royce enthusiast, in the past he also owned a classic Foden and Scammell.
Well respected in his local community of Dudley, Maurice Hudson was a committed supporter of local and national charities. During the past two years, long-term illness did not stop him displaying the Hundred Tonner at local charity fund raiser events.
KD 9168 was in many ways emblematic of the man. Fittingly, it was present at his funeral, on a low-loader hauled by the family business’s latest Scania tractor unit. As well as being highly appropriate, this went some way to compensating for the lockdown restrictions on attendance.
Maurice Hudson was two years or so younger than the Scammell, and born in the year it was re-engined with a Gardner 6LW six-cylinder diesel. (2021 marks the ninetieth anniversary of LW Series’ introduction).
KD 9168 was custom-built by Scammell, specifically to meet the heavy-lift performance requirements of MRS/ Edward Box of Liverpool, which at the time was one of Britain’s foremost heavy haulage contractors.
Regrettably, the invited appearance by KD 9168 at the 2020 Great Dorset Steam Fair did not take place due to Covid-19 forcing the event’s cancellation. However, the Hudson family plan to show the Scammell at selected events in 2021, if feasible.