Tomo.T

Ok Gavin, Please give me a bell. Cheers, Tomo.

Yes please Gavin. I would like to buy the extinguisher. Please see my private messages. Tomo.

There are three pages of these pictures on Jeff Vincent's WW1 page see here; https://www.vincents.org.uk/ngg_tag/ww1/nggallery/thumbnails/page/1 Clicking on images will produce a larger image with better resolution. Tomo

Recently discovered photos of a Works Parade of mainly Thornycroft J type lorries in Worting Rd., Basingstoke, soon after the Armistice was declared. These pictures and more were discovered gathering dust in a family archive and are now being donated to Hampshire Museums trust, where it is hoped they will be on public display for the Centenary. Many thanks are due to Jeff Vincent for donating these pictures and permitting my posting some on here. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Lest we forget.

pm sent.

How many cylinders ?? Looks like 4.

Tony, Having investigated the price of replacing 4 inch concave mirrors recently. I was shocked to hear they would be in excess of £1000 each. The short answer is don't risk it ! Tomo

Fair enough. My concerns from the pictures, would be as follows; Apart from the driver's 'box', there is no crew protection, not even a shield for the gunner. The extra weight is causing overheating problems, leading to the bonnets being left open and exposure of the radiators and engines. The headlamps are completely unprotected. None of this of course, detracts from the bravery of the poor sods who had to go to war in these !

It is highly likely that both versions are correct. These 'Armoured Cars' are exactly that, with hastily added armour plate fitted to large touring car chassis of the period, which were either commandeered, or donated to the RND. The term' stop gap' springs to mind and the effectiveness of these vehicles must have been doubtful at best ?

Another clip here. The same vehicle is also described as an "Admiralty Talbot" in another picture.

This was a fantastic spectacle. Perhaps we should do another for the armistice in November? How about Salisbury Cathedral as a venue ???

Steve, Just a small point, if you were intending to paint the sump in service colour as original. The paint will not adhere over silicon and will 'siss' or fish eye in that area. Just saying. Tomo

It's a very nice WD one, but glass and mirror are cracked.

Hi Tim, I think we may have one of those headlamps, bought at a recent auction. Unfortunately it is missing its label. Could you tell us the makers name please ? Tomo

Ben thanks for posting this interesting document. It must be noted that this was by no means a complete list of the vehicles laid up at Kempton Park, this was more a snapshot of the lorries surplus to requirements and offered for sale at that time. Most of them are early models and of unusual types. For instance there are no J type Thornycrofts listed at all. Also previously mentioned no Albions either. Current models were, I suggest, being retained for spares or repair and the vast majority of these were moved to waste ground at Iver ( near Slough) to clear the racecourse after the personal intervention of HRH King George V. Tomo

Thanks for the input. I like the idea that the name might be a tongue in cheek reference to the fierce cone clutch. Having driven one of these, I can completely understand why that might be the case ! It is also possible that 'Lena' was the wife of the driver of course. Tomo

Had these sent from Adam Brown recently. All are of the same well used vehicle, ( note bent brush bar ) in service at the end of the War. The group of veteran ( Survivors?) are all wearing Boer war medal ribbons and are a mixture of ASC and RA personnel. Service chevrons indicate a date not before 1918. Sadly there are no other details or location recorded. The name LENA appears on the top radiator tank, the WD No. 51517 on the bonnet side and a GR logo on the cab side. I suspect the pictures may have been taken in Germany post war. Anyone care to comment further?

Hi Errol, Nice find, I'm sure you will find AEC experts to help identify your remains. In the meantime I will chuck in my two pennyworth, which is the brush bar and towing hooks mark this out as ex military and WW1 era. Magneto is in the standard position by the sound of it. Can you post more pics of the engine please?. Regards Tomo.

Hi Steve, Looking at your pics above, your front mudguards appear to follow the radius of the wheels. From the original pictures this was not the case and there should be a straighter section at the rear. This only applies to the fronts, and the rears are as shown. I am unable to illustrate this atm. but you might want to have another look before finishing the brackets ? Tomo

Thanks Mike, I spotted these but the 19 tooth section needs a split clamp arrangement to attach to the shaft. I don't think there is enough meat on the casting to provide this ? Tomo

On the subject of starting aids, I recently swooped on an original impulse coupling, still attached to a Simms SR4 X on eBay. The asking price was horrendous but after some serious haggling (and no other bids !) I managed to cop the lot for a realistic sum. Unfortunately, the mag armature has 'semi toasted' sometime in the past and the bearings are completely knackered but there are many good parts to be harvested. The prize find is the impulse unit, marked 'Type X' and apparently in good working order. I will add some pics. One puzzling thing is the apparent lack of any means of lubrication for this item. Later versions show an oiling tower with a sprung lid, but there is nothing on this one. I am now looking for a 19/20 tooth Simms rubber vernier coupling and a 19 tooth backing plate with clamp, to complete the ensemble. All this is required for a new Thornycroft J Type project, recently acquired from Australia of which more later. Tomo

I would guess that's from a towed trailer. It has the standard subsidy wheel bearings which were common to all makes in ww1. Not sure about the maker though.

Can you show hubs and axle ?

Standard block is Helvetica medium or Gill sans.

Steve, Here is some good Solex info, it's for 30 MOV but basically the same. Hope it helps.http://www.vintage-car-profiles.com/fail/solex-1/