Ballast Tractor - Manufacturers

Manufacturers

Few well-known manufactures produce purpose-built ballast tractors. Most high-volume manufacturers offer heavy duty chassis versions of certain tractor units which enable a ballast box to be fitted. In Europe, manufacturers tend to send some of their products to another company (owned by the parent) to be converted into a special heavy duty version.

Built-to-order machines tend to be the heaviest and most powerful machines designed for one company for a specific purpose. Nicolas Tractomas (France) for example, currently builds 8x8 and 10x10 ultra-heavy-duty tractors for Rotran in South Africa.

Belgium

• MOL

Canada

• Hayes
• Pacific

Czech Republic

• Tatra

France

• Nicolas Tractomas
• PRP
• Willème

Germany

• Faun GmbH
• MAN (OAF)
• Mercedes Benz (Titan)

Italy

• Astra-SIVI (Iveco)

Netherlands

• DAF (GINAF)

Spain

• BTO Trabosa
• TMU

Switzerland

• NAW

UK

• Atkinson Vehicles Ltd
• Foden Trucks
• Rotinoff Motors Ltd, Slough – 35 heavy haulage tractors were built by the company between 1952 and 1959, of which 11 are known to survive.
• Scammell Lorries – Many early examples, now used and seen as showman's vehicles, originally served with the army.
• Thornycroft
• Unipower

• Scammell ballast tractor. Note the front drawbar coupling for pushing heavy loads

• Atkinson ballast tractor

• Three of the 11 surviving Rotinoff Atlantic Ballast Tractors

USA

• Diamond T - Ex-army tank transports were popular post-war with heavy hauliers in the UK.
• Kenworth
• Mack
• White
• Oshkosh Corporation