Karrier Bantam

Karrier

Company type	Public (after 1920)
Industry	Automotive, commercial vehicles
Predecessor	Clayton and Co. (Huddersfield) Limited
Founded	1908 in Huddersfield, United Kingdom
Founder	Herbert Fitzroy Clayton
Defunct	Early 1970s (brand discontinued)
Fate	Acquired by Rootes Group in 1934; brand discontinued after Chrysler acquisition
Successor	Rootes Group (as part of Commer division)
Headquarters	Huddersfield , United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Herbert Fitzroy Clayton (founder), Reginald Fitzroy Clayton
Products	Motorized municipal equipment, light commercial vehicles, trolleybuses, buses, trucks, tractors
Number of employees	~700 (1934)

Karrier was a British brand specializing in motorized municipal equipment, light commercial vehicles, and trolleybuses, all manufactured at Karrier Works in Huddersfield by Clayton and Co. (Huddersfield) Limited. The company commenced production in Huddersfield in 1908. In 1920, H.F. Clayton sold the Huddersfield branch of Clayton and Co to the publicly traded Karrier Motors, while the Penistone division remained independent. Clayton & Co Penistone continues to operate today as the Clayton Penistone Group.

The company was known for producing buses and municipal vehicles, with the Karrier 'W' trolleybus being a notable model during World War II.

In 1934, the Rootes Group acquired Karrier, integrating it within Rootes's Commer commercial vehicle division but retaining the Karrier brand. The Karrier name was gradually discontinued in the early 1970s following Chrysler's acquisition of Rootes in 1967.

Clayton and Co

Herbert Fitzroy Clayton (1857–1935), originally a chemicals manufacturer and dyer, established Clayton & Co Huddersfield Limited in 1904 to formalize his engineering ventures. His son, Reginald Fitzroy Clayton (1885–1964), joined the firm in 1908, at which point they began designing and producing Karrier petrol-powered vehicles and charabancs, which became their primary focus.

In 1920, Clayton & Co Huddersfield was sold to the newly established public entity Karrier Motors Limited; however, Clayton & Co Penistone remained a separate business. At that time, their product range included:

• Karrier motor lorries, vans, and charabancs
• Fog signalling devices and detonators (retained by Clayton & Co Penistone)
• Patents covering the Combined Motor Roadsweeper, Sprinkler, and Refuse Collector designed for municipal street cleaning

During the late 1920s, Karrier Motors experienced financial difficulties marked by significant losses. A proposed merger with T.S. Motors Limited (Tilling-Stevens) in 1932 was agreed upon but soon abandoned. By 1933, the company reported heavy losses amid challenging market conditions. In June 1934, Karrier entered receivership but maintained operations during negotiations until its acquisition by Rootes.

Rootes Group

Rootes Securities acquired Karrier in August 1934 through partially owned subsidiaries when workforce numbers had declined to approximately 700 employees. The Huddersfield facility was closed by Rootes, with production relocating to Commer’s Luton factory; meanwhile, trolleybus manufacturing moved to Moorfield Works in Wolverhampton alongside Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles' trolleybus production. Tilling Stevens joined the Rootes Group in 1950.

Dodge (UK)

Dodge Brothers, a prominent American light truck manufacturer, began assembling knock-down kits at Park Royal, London, starting in 1922. After becoming part of Chrysler in 1928, truck manufacturing shifted to Chrysler’s Kew plant. Vehicles produced there were referred to as "Dodge Kews," while American model cars carried the "Chrysler Kews" badge. During World War II, this facility contributed to aircraft assembly as part of the London Aircraft Production Group. In 1965, Dodge truck production merged with Commer and Karrier operations at Dunstable. The former Chrysler plant site now serves as the location for the Public Record Office.

Chrysler Europe

In 1970, Chrysler Europe acquired Rootes Group, a move supported by the British Government to help stabilize the faltering UK automotive sector. The Dodge nameplate became prominent among commercial vehicles during this period. The Dodge 50 Series, originally branded as Chrysler Dodge, continued to carry Karrier Motor Company VIN plates, marking the last use of the Karrier identity.

Peugeot and Renault

Chrysler eventually withdrew from the UK market by selling its operations to Peugeot, which showed minimal enthusiasm for heavy truck production. Subsequently, the manufacturing facility was operated in partnership with Renault Véhicules Industriels (then a division of Renault and now part of Volvo), under the company name Karrier Motors Ltd. Peugeot retains ownership of the Karrier trademark, leaving open the possibility of its revival for future vehicle lines.

Early trucks

Karrier initially equipped its vehicles with engines from J. Tylor and Sons, opting for engine placement beneath the footboards to maximize cargo bed length. By 1910, they had introduced a 25cwt truck featuring a traditional bonneted design. In 1913, Karrier produced a truck approved under the War Office Subsidy Scheme, allowing direct military supply during World War I. Throughout the conflict, they manufactured the "subsidy" 3–4 ton B4 model and continued post-war with this alongside a 5-ton chain-driven B110.

By 1920, Karrier developed proprietary engines installed across their entire range. At that year’s Olympia Commercial Vehicle Show, they presented 4- and 5-ton goods vehicles, a road sweeper, and the Karrier "Superb" char-à-banc. The following year introduced a three-way tipping vehicle and a chassis featuring a forward driver position to increase cargo or passenger space by two feet. In 1922, small-capacity chassis were launched: type C (30cwt) and type CX (2 ton or 14-seat char-à-banc), with the 30cwt model certified under the post-WWI War Department Subsidy Scheme (1922–1935).

Light tractor units

Colt

In 1929, Karrier unveiled the "Colt," a three-wheeled dustcart chassis commissioned by Huddersfield Corporation. By 1930, this evolved into the "Cob" tractor designed specifically to tow road trailers for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

In 1933, Scammell introduced their own Napier-engineered Scammell Mechanical Horse.

The mid-1930s saw expansion of the "Cob" range with the addition of the four-wheeled "Bantam."

Cob

Known as a "mechanical horse," the "Cob" tractor was developed by J Shearman of London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Its compact wheels allowed sharp turning radius and easy navigation through congested streets. When coupled with trailers, its front wheels lifted off the ground, classifying it as an articulated unit. Capable of pulling three tons at speeds up to 18 mph and able to restart on gradients of one-in-eight, production models powered by Jowett engines were showcased at Olympia’s Motor Transport Show, including a four-ton three-wheeled variant named Karrier "Cob" Major.

Ro-Railer

Karrier’s Ro-Railer was an innovative single-deck hybrid bus designed to operate seamlessly on both roadways and railway tracks, intended for servicing rural towns and villages lacking direct rail access. Conceived by J Shearman, road motor engineer for London, Midland and Scottish Railway, it underwent testing by LMS management in January 1931 on the route between Redbourn and Hemel Hempstead.

Despite limited commercial success, Karrier’s road railbus combined bus-like features with rapid transition capability between road and rail modes in as little as two-and-a-half to five minutes. Powered by a six-cylinder engine housed within a Craven-built body, it could reach speeds up to 50 mph. Operational during 1930–31 on the Stratford-on-Avon and Midland joint line, it was later repurposed for hauling track ballast on Scotland’s West Highland Line.

Trolleybuses

Karrier pioneered the British market in 1925 by manufacturing the first three-axle passenger vehicle, enabled by the use of larger pneumatic tyres. The following year, Karrier collaborated with Clough, Smith & Co. Ltd. to develop the 'Karrier-Clough' trolley-omnibus, which Clough continued to distribute until 1933, after which Karrier took over direct sales.

Although Karrier received substantial orders during 1933–34, financial difficulties led to receivership, and in 1934 it was acquired by Humber, becoming part of the Rootes Group. Production of trolleybuses was relocated to Rootes's Sunbeam facility in Wolverhampton and persisted until World War II. During the war, only the W4 model was manufactured, sold under either the Sunbeam or Karrier brands. After the war, production briefly resumed before the trolleybus division was sold to Brockhouse in 1946.

Rootes Group products

In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, certain Karrier models incorporated the Rootes TS3 diesel engine, a two-stroke opposed piston design. Other powerplants utilized included Humber Hawk four-cylinder petrol engines (both L-Head and OHC variants), six-cylinder engines from Humber Super Snipe (L-Head and OHV types), as well as diesel engines from Perkins.

At the Luton facility, only earlier designs of three-wheeler and six-wheel trolleybus chassis were preserved.

Following Rootes’s acquisition of Sunbeam, Karrier’s trolleybus division merged with Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles Limited. In 1946, J. Brockhouse and Co Limited purchased Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles but divested its trolleybus operations to Guy Motors in 1948.

Within Rootes, Karrier trucks were positioned for smaller size categories compared to their sister brand Commer. Their "Bantam" series featured 13-inch wheels while "Gamecock" models had 16-inch wheels to achieve lower loading heights. These vehicles were widely used by local government bodies for tasks such as highway upkeep, refuse collection, and operating street lighting tower wagons. Additionally, Karrier supplied trucks and chassis tailored for airport and airline services including baggage handling, water bowser operations, and toilet servicing.

Lorry or bus chassis

• A/40-110 cwt type (from 1908)
• B/20-110 cwt type (from 1910)
• C type (1922–1934)

  C – 14-seat or 30 cwt (1922, 1924–25)

  CK3 – approximately 3-ton RSC road sweeper-collector vehicles (circa 1937)

  CK6 – approximately 3-ton RSC road sweeper-collector vehicles (circa 1937)

  CX – 40 cwt (1922) public cleansing vehicle

  CY – 40 cwt public cleansing vehicle or 20-seat version (1924–27)

  CY1 (from 1925)

  CY2 – 40 cwt (1928–31) low loader refuse wagon

  Victor – 65 cwt (1932)

  CY3 – hand-operated tipper

  CVR – 50-65 cwt (1930–34) low-loader

  CYR – 60 cwt (1934) low loader refuse wagon

  CYS – 40 cwt

  CWY – 60 cwt (1926–31)

  Protector – 75/80 cwt (1932–34)

  CL – seating for 20 to 29 passengers with a 60 cwt chassis e.g., Norfolk model (1926)

  CY6 – 50 cwt (1926)

  CL4 – seating for 26 to 30 passengers (1927–29)

  CL6 – seating for 30 passengers (1928)

  CV5 – seating for 32 passengers (1928)

  CV6 – six-wheel rigid body with a 65 cwt chassis (from 1926)

  CL R-6WH – seating for 30 passengers (1927)

• K type (forward control) and SK type (side control) models (1922–33)

  K1 – rated at 60/65 cwt or seating between 28 and 45 passengers (1922–23)

  SK1 – rated at 60/65 cwt (1922–23)

  K2 – rated at 70/75/80 cwt (1922–24)

  SK2 – rated at 70/75/80 cwt (1922–24)

  K3 – rated at 60 cwt or seating between 28 and 54 passengers (1922–25)

  SK3 – seating for approximately 33 to 35 passengers (1922–25)

  K4 – rated at 80/90 cwt (1922–27)

  SK4 – rated at 80 cwt (1922–25)

  K5 – rated between100 and110/120 cwt (1922–31)

  SK5 – rated between100 and110 cwt (1922–25)

  Consul – rated at155 cwt (1932–34)

  Carrimore – approximately10 to12 ton capacity e.g., mounted on K5 chassis circa1936

  KL – seating for30 to32 passengers with a five-ton capacity e.g., Stafford model (1926)

  K6 tractor – twelve-ton capacity (1927–31)

  K7 – seven-ton capacity (1928–31)

  KW6 – eight-ton capacity (1929)

  KWR6 – eight to nine-ton capacity (1930–33)

  KWF6 – eight to ten-ton capacity(1930–33)

• J type series(1924–29)

  JH – rated at60/65/70 cwt(1924–27)

  JK – seating for30 to32 passengers with a75 cwt rating e.g., Durham model(1926)

  JKL – available in52 or32 seat configurations(1927–28)

  JKL FC – forward control with32 seats(1929)

• H type - seating for18 to25 passengers or50 cwt rating(1922–25)
• Z type - rated at20/25 cwt(1925–27)

  ZX - thirty-cwt or twenty-seat versions e.g., Devon model(1926–29)

  ZX2 - seating for24 passengers(1927)

• WD - two-ton capacity(1924–26)
• GH4 - rated at80/95cwt(1928–33)

  GH5 FC - forward control models with80/100/120cwt ratings(1929–33)

  Colossus - rated between220 and265cwt(1932–34)

  Falcon - three-ton capacity(1934)

  Defender - five-ton capacity(1934)

  Elector - six-ton capacity(1934)

  Autocrat - six-ton forward drive(1934)

  Democrat - five-ton capacity(1934)

Bus chassis

WL6 rigid 6-wheel chassis, 5-ton capacity, designed for single-deck buses seating 28 or double-deck buses accommodating 54 passengers

DD6 series of bus chassis models produced between 1929 and 1931

WO6 range of bus chassis manufactured during 1929–31

RM6 chassis rated at 100/120 cwt, produced from 1931 to 1932

FM6 chassis with 100/120 cwt capacity, in production from 1931 to 1934

TT tractor chassis with a 12-ton rating, made between 1931 and 1933

Cutter model, a 4-wheel chassis with seating for 20, produced from 1928 to 1932

Coaster, a 4-wheel chassis accommodating 28 passengers, manufactured from 1928 to 1935

Chaser 4, a 4-wheel chassis seating between 26 and 35 passengers, produced from 1928 to 1932

Chaser 6, a model seating 26 passengers, available between 1930 and 1935

Clipper, a 6-wheel chassis with a capacity of 40 seats, produced from 1928 to 1931

Consort, a large 6-wheel chassis seating up to 68 passengers, manufactured from 1928 to 1934

Monitor, a double-deck bus chassis with four wheels and seating for 50 passengers, built between 1929 and 1934

Trolley bus chassis

• Trolley Bus range (from 1935 onward)

  EA3 single-deck trolley bus with four wheels and seating for 32-34 passengers

  E4L light-eight single-deck trolley bus with four wheels and capacity for 32 seats

  E4 single-deck trolley bus with four wheels accommodating 32 passengers

  E4 double-deck trolley bus with four wheels and seating for 56

  E6 Clough six-wheeled double-deck trolley bus seating approximately 60 passengers

  E6A six-wheeled double-deck trolley bus with capacity for around 70 seats

  W4 four-wheeled double-deck trolley bus

Light goods vehicles

• Colt series

  Colt three-wheeled tractor or RSC model rated at two tons (1930–34)

  Colt Major three-wheeled tractor with a four-ton capacity (1930–34)

  Colt models produced between 1937 and 1939

• Cob range

  Cob three-wheeled tractor rated at approximately 50/60 cwt (circa 1930)

  Cob Junior three-wheeled tractor or RSC road sweeper-collector with a four-ton rating (1935–39)

  Cob Major three-wheeled tractor capable of carrying four tons

  Cob Senior three-wheeled tractor or RSC road sweeper-collector rated at six tons (circa 1937)

  Cob Six three-wheeled tractor with a six-ton capacity (1934)

• Gamecock line

  Gamecock E-series six-cylinder models ranging from three to four tons (from 1950 onward)

  Gamecock coach and ambulance versions seating fourteen passengers (from1954 onward)

• Karrier-Walker twelve-seat bus introduced in1958
• Karrier-Dennis ambulance model released in1962
• Ramillies refuse collection vehicle launched in1962
• Karrier ice cream van produced around1962
• Bantam series

  Bantam rated at50cwt (produced during periods spanning1933–34 and1936–40)

  Bantam RSC road sweeper-collector (produced from1933 to1939)

  Bantam F-series vehicles ranging from two to three tons (1948–63)

  Bantam FA-series models rated between three and five tons (1948–63)

  Bantam tractors designed for four to five tons (from1956 onward)

  Bantam tipper truck introduced in1958

  Bantam FB-series three-ton models available from1972 onward

Scale models and die-cast

• Meccano Ltd produced the "Dinky Toys" No.33a "Mechanical horse" model between1935 and1940, approximately 1:48 scale, featuring various trailer options.
• Lesney Products released the "Matchbox" Series No.37 Karrier Bantam two-ton "Coca-Cola lorry" from1956 until1966 in roughly 00 scale.
• Lesney Products also offered the "Matchbox" Series No.38 Karrier Bantam "refuse wagon" model manufactured between1957 and1963 at about 00 scale.
• Corgi produced an assortment of Karrier Bantam replicas including mobile shops, ice cream vans, and delivery vehicles during1957–1967 in approximately O scale (1:44). Additionally, Corgi created a Decca mobile radar unit modeled on the Gamecock.
• De Agostini offers the Gamecock fire appliance HJM349 as a water tender in roughly 00 scale.