Armament 3 twin 4 in. turrets with 300 rounds per gun. Horse power 800 h.p. with fuel for 24 hours. Total weight 300 tons. Armour 3 in. Diameter of wheels 40 ft. Tread of main wheels 13 ft. 4 in. Tread of steering wheels 5 ft. O in. Overall length 100 ft. Overall width 80 ft. Overall height 46 ft. Clearance 17 ft. Top speed on good going 8 miles per hour. Top speed on bad going 4 miles per hour.
The cross-country qualities of the machine it was considered would prove good. It could not be bogged in any ground passable by cavalry; it could pass over water obstacles having good banks and from 20 ft. to 30 ft. width of waterway; it could ford waterways 15 ft. deep if the bottoms were good, and negotiate isolated obstacles up to 20 ft. high. Small obstacles such as banks, ditches, bridges, trenches, wire entanglements, and ordinary woodland it could roll over easily.
Mr. D’Eyncourt considered this proposal, but coming to the conclusion that the machine would weigh more than 1,000 tons, it became apparent to him that its construction was not a practical proposition.
Mr. D’Eyncourt pointed this out to Mr. Churchill and suggested that Major Hetherington’s machine should be replaced by one of a smaller and less ambitious type. To this Mr. Churchill agreed, and to deal with this question a “Landships Committee” was formed consisting of the following gentlemen:
_Members._ Major HETHERINGTON, Colonel DUMBLE, Mr. DALE BUSSELL (appointed later).
_Secretary_ (appointed later). Lieutenant STERN.
Prior to the formation of this Committee another proposal had been set on foot. About November 14, 1914, Mr. Diplock of the Pedrail Company had put forward certain suggestions for the use of the pedrail for the transportation of heavy guns and war material over rough ground. After interviewing Lord Kitchener, who saw no utility in the suggestion, Mr. Diplock was referred to the Admiralty and there saw Mr. Churchill, who, taking up the matter with interest, suggested that a one-ton truck should be brought to the Horse Guards Parade for his inspection. Major Hetherington undertook to arrange this, and on February 12, 1915, a demonstration of the Pedrail machine took place.
This so impressed Mr. Churchill that he decided that a pedrail armoured car should be built.