Cuthbertson Tracked Land Rovers

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Category: Tracked and Half Tracked

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 17:15

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Around 1958, this strange looking vehicle conversion was launched by James A Cuthbertson, of Biggar, in Scotland. It was designed to go further in adverse off-road conditions than the conventional Land Rover.

Series I Cuthbertson.

In most cases, a standard Series II long wheelbase Land Rover minus its wheels was dropped onto a sub-frame, and a track fixed around bogeys at each corner with a sprocket that replaces the Land Rover’s road wheels. The front tracks are steerable in the conventional way, the tracks turn as a whole for steering - aided by substantial power steering driven from the engine crankshaft pulley. However when 4-wheel drive is engaged, each track is powered at each corner with a different motion. This stops the side to side scrubbing of tracks when turning which tends to happen on conventional tracked vehicles.

The main advantage of this conversion was that it greatly reduced the ground pressure, making it ideal for marshy and wet ground. The main problem was that it was poor at climbing 'steps' (i.e.. banks) or over obstacles because they lack the front "ramp" of typical tank tracks. The tracks would tend to spin if the Rover hit a steep bank whilst traversing marshy land. The height was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Ground clearance was increased, but stability was reduced. Of the estimated 15 examples made, the last of these is thought to have been built around 1972.

The company continues to manufacture special vehicles, building snowploughs and road gritters.

Watch some video on Cuthbertsons and Road/Railers

(Left) Lix Toll Land Rover's Cuthbertson tracked Land Rover.
(Right) Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon has an example of the Cuthbertson.

(Left) Another view of the Gaydon Cuthbertson.
(Right) A closer view of the track arrangement, lower wheels are rubber,
with a plastic cover on the tyre walls.

Cuthbertson under test.

Clearer view of the Cuthbertson mechanicals.

Clearer view of the Cuthbertson mechanicals.

Lix Toll's Cuthbertson - Picture by Brian Murdoch.

A close up of the tracks on the Lix Toll Cuthbertson - Picture Brian Murdoch.

RAF Bomb Disposal Cuthbertson.

Cuthbertson Lightweight.

This version of the Cuthbertson tracked design was used by an RAF bomb disposal team based at RAF Orfordness, in the 1980's.

Cuthbertson Lightweight.

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