maximum weight for 3-wheelers in UK

there's a thread over on the panhead and flathead forum by someone trying to register a servicar in the UK, and asking for the weight. This might be a good time to point out that 3-wheelers in UK must be under 8cwt ( 112lb = 1 cwt, 20 cwt = 1 long ton @ 2240 lb, for our colonial cousins ). 3-wheelers exceeding 8cwt are classified as cars and require a car licence, regardless of the configuration.

They seem to have a weight of 855lb, which seems alot to me, and it is under 8cwt... but it's worth bearing in mind. Could someone who is a member there re-post this?

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To clarify that.

You can register 3 wheelers at whatever weight you like in the UK.
There are 3 wheeler lorries.

If you wish to use a 3 wheeler as a motorcycle
for cheap Road Fund Tax
and so you can ride it on a motorcycle lucence

then it's got to be under the weight limit.

And from memory, it can't have an operable reverse gear.

that's correct about the weight. I'm assuming that the servicar owner intends to register it as a "motorcycle, cyclecar or 3-wheeler under 8cwt".

I haven't seen a 3-wheeler lorry for a long while, but those Scammell tugs you used to see at railway stations and goods yards were 3-wheelers.

3-wheelers under 8cwt can have reverse gear, though. Reliants had a reverse gear. Some early versions of the Bond 3-wheeler had the reversible Villiers engine unit, as did the Invacar. The BSA three-wheeler had a reverse gear, and I believe the Morgan F-4 ( fitted with the side-valve Ford engine ) had this feature.

I believe that in fact a 4-wheeler under 8cwt could be registered in this category as a cyclecar, for example a Fraser Nash, but I stand to be corrected on this.