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Searching for Information on Mercury FMW Matey Dockyard Slave Truck


FMWMATEY

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Dear all at HMVF

 

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Could you assist me with the following Dorset Made Dockyard Vehicle?

 

 

I am looking for a Handbook and Information about an FMW Engineering Matey Pick up Truck - ( Mercury Truck & Tractor Ltd ) Ex Royal Navy Dockyard Utility Truck Tug shunter. (Possibly called a T3)

 

Or indeed any information about the manufacturing History or service life of these Vehicles. How many were Manufactured? Are there any still in Service? What happened to FMW Engineering? I don't think they are at Ebblake any more.

 

My Truck was Manufactured by FMW Engineering, Ebblake Industrial Estate, Verwood, Dorset Uk.

 

I am looking for a Mechanics Servicing Manual on a Mercury Dennis FMW Engineering Matey Dockyard Slave 2 Tonne Truck. F.M.W.

 

I believe ours is Ex Royal Navy made by FMW in Dorset. Our One has a 1.6 Litre Ford Petrol Engine.

 

I believe the little truck was designed to Carry a 2 Tonne load or to Tow a 4 tonne Trailer Load! Interested also to understand the idea behind the design of the Truck. Its only 4 foot Wide!

 

 

I know its a long shot but I would appreciate any information, Service Manuals or old service photos that you might have.

 

Many thanks,

 

Michael

Co Kildare.

Ireland.

 

P.s. The Attached Photos Above are not of my Actual Vehicle. I found those photos on the Web and I wish to Credit the owners and to acknowledge that they are not mine!

 

This is My one. I hope to restore it to Navy Colours.

 

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Matey 713.jpg

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I owned one of these trucks for a number of years, in fact I liked it somuch kept buying it back and owned it three times! It was built in 1978 and had‘Series 3’ on a badge on the front. The FMW I had was fitted with a 1300 ford Xflow, which was painted duck egg green/blue would have most likely been an MODexchange unit. It had a standard ford Cortina four speed gearbox that ran to amassive double reduction rear axle that looked like it may have come from afork lift truck. The steering column and wheel were early Transit.

I know that FMW built at least up to a series 5 and the latest one Iever saw which I believe was at Holyhead port was registered on a civilian ‘V’plate, making it about 1980.

I saw another FMW offered for sale years ago and phoned the vendor toask about it. He told me that it had a three cylinder Perkins Diesel mated to athree speed automatic gearbox.

There also used to be one in use on Eastbourne Pier with the number plate‘STEVE’!

I was told that FMW did not manufacture mechanical parts, rather theyraided the parts bins of other manufacturers, (usually Ford) to build theirvehicles. FMW apparently used to constructmany larger parts for Mercury towards the end of their life and when Mercurywent under FMW simply constructed complete vehicles and put their name on them.This was told to me by the chap I purchased my FMW from so I can’t vouch forthe accuracy of this claim but as the owner of a Mercury truck, (google CSJ 655)I can confirm that there is a striking family resemblance between the two vehiclesmechanically.

I gather the ford petrol engine vehicles were favoured for use in ‘quietareas’ such as military hospitals etc.

All a bit rambling, I’m afraid but hope some of this is of some use toyou.

With best wishes,

Adrian

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Michael,

 

These trucks were, as you say, works trucks, which means they weren't really designed for use on the road but to ferry goods and equipment around large industrial sites; hence the size and width, as they might need to go in and out of places not really designed for road traffic.

 

I've also seen these things on large hospital etc. sites being used for moving rubbish bins, gardening gear and all sorts.

 

As you say they were designed to tow a substantial trailer load and I've seen these pulling a gaggle of two or three trailers. The trailers were also made by FMW and looked just like the body of the truck mounted on a two axle four wheel trailer chassis of the same width.

 

A lot of these were cast in the 1990s as the large dockyards and establishments were re-organised and reduced in size and I can recall the trucks and trailers coming through the MoD vehicle auctions.

 

I can't recall, but don't they use the Ford crossflow engine? If so, and it's the 711M block, I'd imagine that's the most valuable part of them these days! A useful thing to have for museums etc. though.

 

FMW are long gone; I think they were taken over by one of the handling equipment companies, possibly Manitou, but I couldn't swear to it.

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Adrian, Many Thanks for your Assistance and Interest . M

 

 

 

I owned one of these trucks for a number of years, in fact I liked it somuch kept buying it back and owned it three times! It was built in 1978 and had‘Series 3’ on a badge on the front. The FMW I had was fitted with a 1300 ford Xflow, which was painted duck egg green/blue would have most likely been an MODexchange unit. It had a standard ford Cortina four speed gearbox that ran to amassive double reduction rear axle that looked like it may have come from afork lift truck. The steering column and wheel were early Transit.

I know that FMW built at least up to a series 5 and the latest one Iever saw which I believe was at Holyhead port was registered on a civilian ‘V’plate, making it about 1980.

I saw another FMW offered for sale years ago and phoned the vendor toask about it. He told me that it had a three cylinder Perkins Diesel mated to athree speed automatic gearbox.

There also used to be one in use on Eastbourne Pier with the number plate‘STEVE’!

I was told that FMW did not manufacture mechanical parts, rather theyraided the parts bins of other manufacturers, (usually Ford) to build theirvehicles. FMW apparently used to constructmany larger parts for Mercury towards the end of their life and when Mercurywent under FMW simply constructed complete vehicles and put their name on them.This was told to me by the chap I purchased my FMW from so I can’t vouch forthe accuracy of this claim but as the owner of a Mercury truck, (google CSJ 655)I can confirm that there is a striking family resemblance between the two vehiclesmechanically.

I gather the ford petrol engine vehicles were favoured for use in ‘quietareas’ such as military hospitals etc.

All a bit rambling, I’m afraid but hope some of this is of some use toyou.

With best wishes,

Adrian

 

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Many thanks Sean!

 

 

Michael,

 

These trucks were, as you say, works trucks, which means they weren't really designed for use on the road but to ferry goods and equipment around large industrial sites; hence the size and width, as they might need to go in and out of places not really designed for road traffic.

 

I've also seen these things on large hospital etc. sites being used for moving rubbish bins, gardening gear and all sorts.

 

As you say they were designed to tow a substantial trailer load and I've seen these pulling a gaggle of two or three trailers. The trailers were also made by FMW and looked just like the body of the truck mounted on a two axle four wheel trailer chassis of the same width.

 

A lot of these were cast in the 1990s as the large dockyards and establishments were re-organised and reduced in size and I can recall the trucks and trailers coming through the MoD vehicle auctions.

 

I can't recall, but don't they use the Ford crossflow engine? If so, and it's the 711M block, I'd imagine that's the most valuable part of them these days! A useful thing to have for museums etc. though.

 

FMW are long gone; I think they were taken over by one of the handling equipment companies, possibly Manitou, but I couldn't swear to it.

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Happened across one of these in a, I think, 'reclaimation' yard let's call it in Dorset recently.

Looked to be in fair condition in RN blue and apparently a diesel, I can't recall if it had civvy plates or not. I believe it can be for sale.

If anyone is interested I can pm details. Not connected to it in any way apart from thinking it needs a good home!

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Hi Thanks for your Interest!

 

 

Happened across one of these in a, I think, 'reclaimation' yard let's call it in Dorset recently.

Looked to be in fair condition in RN blue and apparently a diesel, I can't recall if it had civvy plates or not. I believe it can be for sale.

If anyone is interested I can pm details. Not connected to it in any way apart from thinking it needs a good home!

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