Vehicles capable of operating on both ground and cantilevered support and to their tracks

A vehicle configured to operate in a first mode in a cantilevered manner from a left side of the vehicle;

• in a second mode in a cantilevered manner from a right side of the vehicle;
• and in a third mode in which the vehicle is supported from beneath in a non-cantilevered manner, the vehicle comprising:
• a left lower support wheel on the left side of the vehicle configured to engage with a left lower running surface beneath the left lower support wheel for supporting the vehicle from beneath;
• a right lower support wheel on the right side of the vehicle configured to engage with a right lower running surface beneath the right lower support wheel for supporting the vehicle from beneath;
• a left upper cantilever wheel assembly on the left side of the vehicle having:
• an engaged position wherein it is configured to bear against a left upper guide surface located proximate the left side of the vehicle;
• and a retracted position for disengagement from the left upper guide surface;
• a right upper cantilever wheel assembly on the right side of the vehicle having:
• an engaged position wherein it is configured to bear against a right upper guide surface located proximate the right side of the vehicle;
• and a retracted position for disengagement from the right upper guide surface;
• a left lower cantilever wheel assembly on the left side of the vehicle having:
• an engaged position wherein it is configured to bear against a left lower guide surface located proximate the left side of the vehicle;
• and a retracted position for disengagement from the left lower guide surface;
• a right lower cantilever wheel assembly on the right side of the vehicle having:
• an engaged position wherein it is configured to bear against a right lower guide surface located proximate the right side of the vehicle;
• and a retracted position for disengagement from the right lower guide surface;
• wherein the left and right lower cantilever wheel assemblies translate substantially vertically between deployed and retracted positions;
• wherein the left and right upper cantilever wheel assemblies translate substantially horizontally between deployed and retracted positions;
• wherein on operation of the vehicle in the first mode:
• the left lower support wheel is configured to engage with the left lower running surface;
• the left upper cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• and the left lower cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• and the right lower support wheel is unengaged from any running surface;
• wherein on operation of the vehicle in the second mode:
• the right lower support wheel is configured to engage with the right lower running surface;
• the right upper cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• and the right lower cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• and the left lower support wheel is unengaged from any running surface;
• wherein on operation of the vehicle in the third mode:
• the left lower support wheel is configured to engage with the left lower running surface;
• the right lower support wheel is configured to engage with the right lower running surface;
• the left lower cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• and the right lower cantilever wheel assembly is in its engaged position;
• whereby, in the third mode, at a junction providing both first and second mode route options, selection between a left route option having a left upper guide surface and a right route option having a right upper guide surface is effected:
• for left route selection, by adopting:
• the engaged position of the left upper cantilever wheel assembly;
• the engaged position of the left lower cantilever wheel assembly;
• the disengaged position of the right upper cantilever wheel assembly;
• and
• for right route selection, by adopting:
• the engaged position of the right upper cantilever wheel assembly;
• the engaged position of the right lower cantilever wheel assembly;
• the disengaged position of the left upper cantilever wheel assembly.