REME 245

If the person who I brought the control panel for one of these generators on Sunday at Dallas Autoparts is on this forum, can you send me an e-mail please. I am interested in something else you said you had for sale.

The unit did exist if you google it. The RAC was probably Red over Yellow post-war unless it was the other way round.

The wording on the white strip at the top would have identified the exact unit but unfortunately not much remains. You are looking at a post-war marking with that configeration. RASC would have been red and green during the war.

British Olive drab was not adopted untill early 1944 so for the period your vehicle was manufactured both the canvas and vehicle should in theroy be in one of the brown shades. Others will be able to give you the correct shade. Early war canvas colours seem to have varied including light green. Unless Allied forces now stock it you will probably have difficulty in finding a dealer who manufactuere's in Brown Canvas. To many owners paint their vehicles green what ever the period so there is not the market to make stocking brown canvas worth while.

The Parts List I have for one of these refers to them as ZB.10469 Generating Sets Coventry Climax 4 K.V.A. The Working Instructions also list them as being 4-K.V.A Single Phase, 100 Cycles. They are late war sets (Manual dated April 1944) designed amongst other things to replace the ONAN sets used in QL and Armoured Command Vehicles. They were also manufactured into the 1950's and the only place you are likely to find a date is is on the gauges which may have been changed during post war rebuilds. The one offered on the Stationary Engine Forum recently had a separate plug in control panel to actually regulate the out put, but this one looks like a slightly different model to the one you picture. They are not that rare and and normally atract no more than about £150.00. You don't say if yours is the 3.5 or 4 K.V.A version.

I believe enquiries are being made to see if it was covered under the local Councils Insurance.

The bible on the subject is a book called the 'Sten Machine Carbine'. You can order it through any library but they will make a small charge if they don't have it within your County.

I enquired about the Preston Services Generators some year ago and was quoted a very high price. No doubt why they still have them.

Knowing the model of Coventry Climax Generator would also help.

I meant send them an e-mail and they will send you copies. The information is only contained on two contract cards which will fit on one A4 piece of paper.

Bovington have the Contract cards if you have not seen them.

Thanks for the offer. I was the succesfull bidder when this generator was originally advertised three weeks ago. The deal I agreed with the owner prior to bidding was if I won, he would send me the power cable and the tool box and he was free to relist the rest. Unfortunately having won for twice the price you paid he decided not to answer my e-mails so I never paid. I assume he thought he could get a better price.

You have the 1260 watt version of which I have a couple these myself along with the versions made by Petter and ONAN. I also have spare engines if you need any parts. I need someone to copy the tool box mounted on your frame if you know anyone. The Royal Signals Museum can supply you with a copy of the manual.

I have now had it confirmed that the Villiers version is the Charging Set 1260 watt No.6 and presumably late war as it is not listed on the 1944 EMER.

Having paid more attention to 'Wireless for the Warrior', I note that this set was the standard generator in the Low Power version of the Bedford QL Radio Radio Truck, and the alternative specified for the High Power version. Also specified in the Canadian version. Obviously this example pre-dates this use, but a lot more must have been aquired rhan I originally thought. Strange how rare they appear to be but Coventry Climax Generators replaced most Onan soon after the war and 12 volt generators have limited civilian use. The High Power version normally carried the larger Onan. Chris - I commented on the Petter being obsolete as you said the number 3 was listed as such in your EMER.

Chris I would still suspect that the missing number 2 set is in fact the Villiers version. I think these ONANS were acquired in small numbers early in the war prior to Lend Lease. They are probably therefore very rare but not my main area of interest. Quite why the Petter version should be described as obsolete is strange because this model and the JAP were retained the longest in post-war service. Both of mine were rebuilt during the 1960's. If you do have a picture of the Villiers version I would be interested to see that. I obtained copies of the JAP and Petter version from the Royal Signal Museum. I attached views of the JAP from the manual. I have a spare one of these available for exchange. Neil

Chris I also have examples of the No.5 Jap set and the No.3 Petter Set. What I am trying to confirm is if this set is part of that range or they started the numbering again later in the war. Wireless for the Warrior refers to 5 sets manufactured by JAP, Petter, Villiars, Norman and Douglas. Both of mine date from 1943 when I think this range was introduced. If anyone is doing an early war senerio this set may be available for sale or exchange for another generator in this range. I also have examples of the Power Cable and Panel but I am looking for others (Switch Board Charging 1260 watt No.1 Cat Number ZA 6573). If you or anyone else has manuals or other data for generators in this range I would be interesrting to know. I am particularly interested at the moment in a picture of the Villiers version as I have recently purchased a post war example and I do not know how much the design differs from the war-time version.

Can anyone supply any information on this generator supplied by the British Motor Boat Company via ONAN in the America. I assumed when I saw this generator advertised that it was part of a range of 1260 watt generators manufactured from a round 1943 onwards, but this seems to predate this later range.

Jesse did not have anything on his profile hence my question when I posted my reply.

For someone who actually needs one presumably some where in the low hundreds. Remember if you are in the UK that this is a pressure loading Firearm component and if not deactivated a police officer would be within his rights to arrest and charge you.

If that is the case they must either be prototypes or beyond economic repair. They did not make that many to start off with and they are too good a vehicle to dispose of at this stage.

The Tank Museum were selling originals in their shop for a long time but there were none there on Sunday.

Do a search on Chorehorse and you will find what you want.

"Will that happen when REME closes to go to St. Athan?" I thought this was one of the projects axed in the Defense White Paper.

Normal non-airborne bicycles are not normally that expensive though I note someone is asking a silly price for one on Milweb at the moment. The problem as always everyone then thinks their bicycle is worth the same price and things go crazy. If you want a correct war-time British pattern infantry bike go for a BSA with 28" wheels.