A restored Unipower Tractor
Universal Power Drives was a British truck manufacturer which branded its trucks with the Unipower marque.
History
Universal Power Drives was founded in 1934 with a factory in Perivale and its head office in Aldwych, London. During the 1930s, 40s and 50s it specialised in producing 4x4 forestry logging trucks. In 1972 it launched the 4x4 Unipower Invader suited to fire-fighting and construction use.
In January 1966 they exhibited a sports car, the Unipower GT at the Racing Car Show. Another car they produced was the Quasar-Unipower which was built in 1967 and 1968.
In 1977 the company was acquired by AC Cars and production was moved to Thames Ditton, Surrey.
In 1988 the company started a new enterprise in Watford to provide continuity of support for Scammell trucks following the closure of the Rover Group (formerly British Leyland) owned Scammell plant that year.
In the 1980s it launched the C-series heavy-haulage tractor and a range of military trucks.
Alvis plc acquired the company in 1994 and named their new subsidiary Alvis Unipower Limited, the trucks began to be branded as Alvis-Unipower.
Following their elimination from the bidding process for the Ministry of Defence Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) project, Alvis announced their intention to seek a new owner for Alvis Unipower[1].
Model Range
- Unipower Forester
- Unipower Hannibal
- Unipower S24 - updated Scammell/Leyland S24
- Unipower M series - 8x8 Tank transporter rebuilt and sold to ALE for Heavy Haulage
Preservation
A few of these machines appear on the Show circuit at Classic Commercial and Vintage vehicle shows. A few examples are still in occasional use on farms and estates or with forestry contractors.
- Unipower Forester HHT 937 - 1942
- Unipower Forester OVS 888 - 1946
- Unipower Forester MBJ 540 - 1952
- Unipower Forester VRT 699 - 1957
- Unipower Hannibal LBN 640 - 1952 photo above
- Unipower Hannibal NBJ 661 - 1952
- Unipower Hannibal SUR 717 - ?
- Unipower Hannibal RKN 513 - ?
- Unipower Hannibal GPN 139 - 1952
- Unipower Hannibal JAP 854 - 1954
- Unipower Hannibal TKL 115 - 1954
- Unipower Hannibal CAH 978B - 195?
- Unipower Hannibal GAR 130K - 1956
- Unipower Hannibal LNH 255 - 1959
| Registration No. | Make-Model or type no | Build-Year | Engine-Make/Type | Weight/class | Chassis/Body type | Owner (if known) |
Photo | Were seen/Featured | Other info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HHT 937 | Unipower Forester | 1942 | Engine | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | Owner ? | 
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| OVS 888 | Unipower Forester | 1946 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| MBJ 540 | Unipower Forester | 1952 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| VRT 699 | Unipower Forester | 1957 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| LBN 640 | Unipower Hannibal | 1952 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | photo above |
| NBJ 661 | Unipower Hannibal | 1952 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| SUR 717 | Unipower Forester | Year | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? | 
|
At ? | Misc info | |
| RKN 513 | Unipower Hannibal | Year | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| GPN 139 | Unipower Hannibal | 1952 | Engine | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| JAP 854 | Unipower Hannibal | 1954 | 5LW | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | S.E.Davis &son LTD. |
|
150px]] | Astwood Bank | Misc info |
| TKL 115 | Unipower Hannibal | 1954 | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| CAH 978B | Unipower Hannibal | 195? | Engine | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| GAR 130K | Unipower Hannibal | 1956 | Engine | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | Owner ? | 
|
At St.Albans Steam Rally | Misc info | |
| LNH 255 | Unipower Hannibal | 1959 | Engine ? | Wight/Class | Timber tractor | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
|
|
||||||||||
| Reg no. | Make | Year | Engine | Wight/Class | Type | Owner ? |
|
150px]] | At ? | Misc info |
| Please add any truck with known reg or serial no. with Photo if possible. | ||||||||||
| Create a page (link) for an individual truck by linking the reg or serial number using reg number or serial number in the relevant column. Then once saved click the red link to start the new page and add info on that truck. | ||||||||||
See also
- Commercial vehicles
- Heavy Haulage
- List of Heavy Haulage Contractors
- Alvis - one time owner
- Alvis-Unipower - later name of company
- Leyland Trucks
- Scammell
- Thornycroft
References / sources
- ↑ Alvis Plc (1999-10-15). Alvis plc To Seek New Owner For Unipower. Alvis plc.
- Peter J. Davies (2000). The World Encyclopedia of Trucks. Lorenz Books. ISBN 0-7548-0518-2.
External links
- Classic Commercial Motor Vehicles.net - Unipower photos
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This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Unipower. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia |