Jump to content

Recommended Posts

As a follow on to the 'Sherman spotted on the A12' thread where I mentioned an M10 going the other way, this thread is about said M10 as the owner has asked me to post some pics and info.

 

I first heard about the M10 many years ago but only knew it was in a childrens playground, somewhere in Yorkshire. I did not follow it up at the time as I had other things to think about...

 

It cropped up in conversation again at Stoneleigh 2001 and I managed to get a location. Strangely enough, I was asked at the same show if I wanted to buy a 6046 Detroit twinset, the correct engine for the M10. I decided it must be fate so said yes!

 

I eventually tracked down the owners, it was in a private trading estate, but they were not willing to sell it, nor the Windsor carrier it sat next to. I asked again every few months or so always to be told ''no thanks''.

 

Out of the blue around October, I was asked if I was still interested as they had decided to sell after all. I put in an offer for the pair which was accepted and I became the proud owner of one tired M10 and a slightly more tired Windsor carrier!

boston spa.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 373
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Transport was easy to sort out, the hard part was the insistence of the owners that I would have to crane the vehicles out and to do this the road, which was a public road, would have to be closed for the duration of the lift.... Amazingly, everyone concerned, the Police, the Highways Agency and the crane man were all for it and apart from a very early start one Sunday in November, it all went smoothly.

 

The following pictures are not the best quality but show the size of crane required!

loaded.jpg

loading.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow... all we get in the playgrounds round here is dog poo!

 

how complete is the M10? any internals... looks tidy

has the carrier suffered much for its exposure to the elements? (and more importantly) exposure to little fingers who could probably strip it to its component parts give half a chance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both the M10 and the carrier had been completely stripped before going into the playground, they had even cut the back out to allow the little darlings inside. Later, it was sealed up to prevent access, it's a pity that hadn't been done originally as then it would have been more complete.

 

Right place, right time Rob, as is so often the case in this game! I bought both vehicles with the intention of restoring the M10. However, my circumstances changed a little and I decided to sell, still having a Cromwell to restore.

P1010004.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks fairly solid in there to me. Is the transmission block at the front okay?

will it be an addition to the Barrell armoured column...

Oh and how big are the access hatches ... and when can i have a go in it?

and can i have it cause its rusty an' that and you don't really want it

 

swop you it for a pug 406... erm dodge... erm 5 year old kid (keeps her room tidy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All will be revealed tomorrow, as I have most of the pics on my office pooter.....

 

But for now, the gearbox was gone but the rest of the transmission was ok, I've sold it so it's unlikely it will be mine ever again (unless I win the lottery), hatches are Bodge size, much bigger than my Sherman, the owner intends bringing it to A&E......

and no. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:) looks to be a good project for the new owner , by twinset I take it this is similar to Crawfords machine that was made to pull a plough with two Detroit diesels ,,

We've used Helmsly cranes before on a job down Skipton and seem to be canny lads , looks a good size crane , will the M10 be over 30 ton

Edited by phil munga
more to add
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Adrian has started the M10 restoration thread, I have some pictures to contribute. Starting with the M10 in the field, Adrian getting the M75 out to move it into the yard, and finishing with a period car someone turned up in.

HPIM1647.jpg

HPIM1654.jpg

HPIM1657.jpg

HPIM1661.jpg

HPIM1664.jpg

HPIM1666.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:) looks to be a good project for the new owner , by twinset I take it this is similar to Crawfords machine that was made to pull a plough with two Detroit diesels ,,

We've used Helmsly cranes before on a job down Skipton and seem to be canny lads , looks a good size crane , will the M10 be over 30 ton

 

Yes Phil, the M10 was based on an M4A2 chassis which is what Crawfords run.

 

I was impressed with Helmsly's, they were a lot cheaper and more helpful than others I had tried!

 

The M10 goes 29 ton when finished, roughly the same as a Sherman gun tank. The hull is much thinner but the turret is very heavy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We seem to have leapt forwards a bit now but....

 

I spent a few years trying to find parts for the M10 as well as restore the Sherman and apart from the engines referred to earlier, I had not found a great deal. There is not a lot in an M10 but major componants missing were mantlet, hatches and engine decking. I had aquired radiators, fan cowls, header tanks and filter panel as well as a few smaller items but it was still a long way off a complete package.

 

I found out about three M10s on a range in Scotland and apart from the hatches and mantlet, these would give me most of what I needed. I found a mantlet on another range and hatches in Holland. Unfortunately, the latter were sold on despite being promised to me!

 

At this point, I decided not to proceed and sold the project on with all the contact details for recovery of the other parts.

 

The new owner decided to have us restore all the damaged and missing parts on the vehicle and make new internal parts, reusing whatever original material we could.

 

As Tony posted earlier, I used my M75 to put the M10 in the yard prior to beginning the work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just about everything on the floor with the exception of the front engine mounts had to be replaced along with engine deck outer support angles and the missing rear plate sections. Fortunately, the upper rear hull plate had been refitted, albeit not very well but at least it was original.

 

The rear plates were typically cut out when the engines were removed.

front floor.jpg

m10 lh tank.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As well as all the internal work, the exterior needed a lot of parts making. All lifting eyes, light guards, brackets and any small projections that were easy to remove had been!

 

Light guards are no problem, we've made many sets of these before but the lifting eyes werea bigger job. Originally cast with an integral pad for welding on, the pads remained behind on the hull. We removed these and made new assemblies by fabrication.

 

Together with all of the stowage brackets and tow hook support, the fitting of these parts helped to make the exterior rather better looking.

P2280009.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slightly off topic, but given the intensley cramped nature of the engine bays in tanks do you ever find old dropped tools and such when you're removing panels/engines that have rattled their way to the bottom over the years?

 

You do occasionally find things. Some vehicle are more prone than others. I remember taking the remains of an engine and gearbox from a Cromwell on a range and there were three header tank filler caps on the floor! There is only one on a vehicle so I assume there was a particularly clumsy fitter on that one!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Adrian,

 

After seeing the pictures of the work you did on the RAM for a client I was hoping on similar pictures of the M10.....and there they are. It's really fascinating to see these old pieces of armor come back to life. I am still hoping to see your M4A4 with my own eyes one day, but I have to say that I can get pretty enthusiastic about the RAM Kangaroo and Achilles as well.

 

You don't happen to have some pictures of your Cromwell online? (although I think we got a sneak-peak of it in the background of one of the M10 pictures) Didn't it come from a mine in the Czech republic? (I think we talked about it on MLU???)

 

Alex

 

p.s. The Windsor also seems to be quite a rare beasty these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...