Roadless Traction Ltd
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Roadless traction Ltd Was founded in 1919 by Colonel Phillip Henry Johnson a Brilliant engineer, to exploit the Tracks that he had worked on during the First World War. Between 1925 and the 1950s Roadless built crawler and half track conversions tractors based on several makes of tractor. From 1953 company built 4-wd conversions based on Ford tractors, as well as some other makes, from the 1960 till 1983 when they went into liquidation. The firm was revived for a short time but then th new owners also went bust and tractor production ended.
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[edit] History
The Roadless company was founded in 1919 by a group of Army officers lead by Colonel Phillip H Johnson, with Captain Edward Lionel Firth, Captain G. John Rackham, Captain Oscar Styles Penn, Lieutenant Shaw and Fredrick Lamb. They were all involved in designing tracked systems for the army during the war.
[edit] Colonel P. H. Johnson
Johnson was born in 1877, and educated at King Edward VI School Birmingham, before studying engineering art 'Durham College of Science' in Newcastle. He then served an apprenticeship in various ship building and engineering firms. He tried to Enlist in the Army in 1899 for the Boar war but was rejected for poor Eye sight. So travelled to South Africa and managed to get seconded to the 48th Steam transport Corp. of the Royal Engineers for his steam experience. Here he met up with a Lieutenant-Colonel Crompton who also had an interest in engineering. The Corp had Forty-Six traction engines (41 being Fowlers). When the War ended he was taken on by Fowlers and returned home to Leeds. For Fowlers he worked in R&D and travelled to India as sale representative. In 1915 he returned home and was attached to the Ministry of Munitions were he then got involved in tank design and was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Army Service Corps.
[edit] To be continued
To be continued ..... Roadless produced / Sold 7915 4-wd Axle conversions or axle & transfer drive kits before their demise in 1983.
[edit] The End of Roadless Traction
Roadless went bust in March 1983 and the remaining stock was taken over and several tractors built from parts sold as Jewelltrac built by L F Jewell Ltd a west country Ford Dealer. See L F Jewell for details of models built.
[edit] Kelland take over
In 1985 Kellands Group a local distributor of construction machinery bought L F Jewell Ltd out. But Kelland's then went bust in 1991.
[edit] Agrosave
Roadless was then sold off to Roger Haynes a local farmer & contractor from Evesham, with a long association with Roadless as tester. He then carried on the parts supply business as Agrosave before retiring and selling it to Dave Pantry in 1996.
In 1996 Dave Pantry of Haxey , nr Doncaster bought the remaining Roadless parts stock and the documentation ( parts lists, plans etc) from Agrosave. Dave had been a Roadless fan for years and is a well known Combine Harvester breaker as well as Farmer.
In 2007 this operation was sold to John Bownes Ltd of Cheshire, a tractor dealer and the last official Roadless dealer appointed back in 1982 just before Roadless collapsed.
[edit] Roadless Tractors Ltd
A new subsidiary company was formed by John Bownes Ltd for the Roadless Spares operation, in 2007. This operation holds an extensive stock of original parts.
[edit] Roadless Traction Conversion Kits
Roadless produced kits of parts for other manufactures/converters and dealers to convert older tractors to 4-wd or to fit larger engines (mainly 6-cylinders).
- Roadless supplied 4-wd kits to International for the IH B-450, IH B-614, and the IH 634 (which County also supplied a kit for).
- They supplied the firm of JJ Thomas with a Kit for fitting 6-cylinder engines on the Ford 5000 and later 7600, 7700 and 6600 tractors.
[edit] Models Produced
The main models produced by Roadless are listed with production figures for the tractors.[1] Lots of 'Specials' and prototypes were also built during the 60 years of Roadless innovation and production of off road transportation systems.
- please add missing models
- Roadless Track system
- Metal B1 - 2ton, B2 - 3 ton, B3 - 6 ton, B4 - 10 ton, C - 15 ton capacity
- Rubber jointed Type E3, Type J , and Type H (heavy duty)
- Roadless DG Half-tracks - various types
- Roadless Fordson half-track - DG4 tracks
- Roadless Fordson - Equal wheeled conversion (not 4-wheel drive)
- Roadless Wheelbarrow - tracked wheelbarrow
- Roadless type J17 - Crawler conversion of Fordson Major (photo at side)
- Roadless Case DE-X - Tracked Case
- Roadless Case L - Tracked Case
- 4-wd Conversions of tractors
- Roadless Major - 1956-64 Both Power & Super (2947 built)
- Roadless Dexta - 1960-64 78 built (inc Selene Kits)
- Roadless Super Six
- Roadless Ploughmaster 6/4 - 1962-64 260 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 6/2 - 1961-64 23 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 45 - 1966-72 45 built Selene supplied conversion
- Roadless Ploughmaster 65 - 1964-68 1000 built Ford 5000 engine
- Roadless Ploughmaster 75 - 1968-75 1188 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 78 - 1975-83 356 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 80 - 1967-68 24 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 90 - 1965-99 127 built
- Roadless Ploughmaster 78S - 198?-8? <10 built (last one built now owned by John Bownes collection)
- Roadless 94T - 1971-75 146 built based on Ford 7000
- Roadless 95 - 1966-74 214 built
- Roadless 98 - 1975-82 150 built
- Roadless 105 - 1974-77 34 built, 104 bhp
- Roadless 115 - 1968-75 182 built
- Roadless 118 - 1976-82 91 built
- Roadless 120 - 1971-51 51 built
- Roadless 780 - 1979-81 12 built
- Roadless 980 - 1979-89 16 built
- Roadless 7804 - prototype ( a copy has been built by a Roadless collector)
- Roadless 9804 - 198? built by Jewell after collapse of Roadless company
- International
- International B450
- International B614 - 1968-1968 50 built
- International 634 - Kit supplied to IH
- Others
- Roadless 700 Loading Shovel - 1968 based on the Ploughmaster 65 fitted with a Brockhouse torque converter and a loader by Steelfab of Cardiff. One was built on a 65 tractor then 6 more were based on the Ploughmaster 75 built for Israel between 1969 and 1972. The original prototype survives in preservation & has appeared a a few Rallies. (Do you have a photo of it to add ?)
- Roadless 109 Forest Rover - Rare conversion with only 20 examples believed built. 2 are still in existence FUD 815C, ex Hydrology institute and HBW 956D (was in Scotland)[2]
- Roadless track and half-track sets used on a variety of vehicles from the 1920's including a steam tractor and steam wagons. several different prototypes built for military use.
[edit] Collecting
Roadless are popular with collectors and some models are quite rare as so few were built. Below is a list of some of the survivors. (please list by axle number if known)
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[edit] Carrington Roadless event
Over 70 Roadless tractors gathered at Carrington in June 2008 for the biggest gathering of this marque, held in the UK.
[edit] Roadless 90 Event
To Commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Marque an event was held in Lincolnshire nr Scopwick. The event aimed to gather as many Roadless tractors as possible together with a target of 90. The event managed to gather 93 tractors, most of which worked in the fields as well. Some very rare tractors were brought to the event by enthusiastic owners & collectors.
A list of most of the tractors present will be added to the Roadless 90 page soon.
- please add the missing ones if you can or owners details etc (each tractor can have its own page to add its history in more detail).
[edit] Roadless Parts
For all parts requirements the current business of Roadless Tractors Ltd, a Subsidiary of John Bownes Ltd, can supply original parts or have them manufactured for any non stock items to the original drawings. They also hold the complete Roadless archive with the original build cards for these tractors and Axle conversion Kits.
[edit] See also
- List of Tractor Manufacturers
- Bray - Built various machines based on Ford skid units.
- County - Builder of 4-wd tractors (mainly equal wheel sized)
- Doe - Dealer and tractor converters
- EVA - Belgium based 4-wd converter
- Ford - supplier of skid units and engine
- Fordson Super Major
- L F Jewell - Took over Roadless and then built & sold some as Jewelltrac
- JJ Thomas - Banbury based converter of Ford 5000
- John Bownes Ltd - Current Roadless spares supplier
- Northrop - Taken over by Bray, built a 4-wd High hp pivot steer tractor
- Selene - Italian importer and 4-wd Converter.
- Ford and Fordson Association - Club includes Roadless owners
- Shows and Meets - List of events for all marques of vintage tractors and plant, plus related events.
- Clubs Listing
[edit] References
- Classic Tractor Magazine various issues
- Tractor & Machinery Magazine various issues
- Old Tractor Magazine various issues
- The Roadless story By Stuart Gibbard, ISBN 0-85236-344-3
- Ford Tractor Conversions, by Stuart Gibbard,
[edit] Web Links
Official Roadless Parts Supplier :- http://www.roadless.co.uk/
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