Richard Peskett Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Having read in various threads of the re-emergance of vehicles released from Ireland in the early 1960s ( Lancia and Rolls-Royce) another has been recently bought by a West Midlands collector. Arriving here from Ireland in about 1962 it has rarely been seen in public since. Registered YI 6249 it was new in 1927 and fitted with the standard workshop body of WW1 period. It is assumed that at the time there were many of these bodies surplus and probably in 'as new' condition. A very similar body is on show at Duxford. The body is in very good sound original condition but unfortunately lacks all its machinery etc, any leads on this will be much appreciated. Richard Peskett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Do you have any more photos of this? Interested to know what engine is in this . For 1927 I assume a Ricardo head 36/40 hp engine and the tyres being 24". Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 I like that. A lot. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 This vehicle is mentioned in Karl Martin's book Irish Army Vehicles - Transport & Armour since 1922: Leyland subsidy A type S5X4... In late 1941, the Army fitted modern electric lighting and replaced the original solid tyres with 9.00 x 20 pneumatic ones. This lorry was attached to Base Workshops, Clancy Barracks until 1962. It was then bought and preserved by the vehicle collector Ralph Ferrie, who was at one time a distributor for Leyland and Albion trucks in the British Midlands. It's now moved to a new home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 What a corker! And what is the other chassis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Peskett Posted September 30, 2010 Author Share Posted September 30, 2010 A couple of points raised, herewith replies. The lorry is fitted with 40 x 8 tyres/wheel assemblies and I would think it has been on these since conversion from solids, ( on 900 x 20s it would be somewhat 'squat') We have a similar 'civillian' version 50 serial nos. different originally supplied to Reids brewery, Newcastle and that was on pneumatics from new ( see Commercial Motor 26/6/1929 ). The engine is non detachable head type, I suspect these were used up on this order along with the 'new' secondhand body. The Reids lorry has the more up to date detachable head engine. I would also think the electric lighting would have been fitted from new in 1927 although the side lights are Lucas 720 'oil' with dual electric / oil fitments, this was common on many commercial vehicles mid/late 1920s. The lorry has done very little work and we have acopy of the original record sheet from Dublin , will publish more photographs in due course. The other chassis is a Daimler 'CC' of 1913, complete except engine and steering box, anybody has a 40hp sleeve valve Daimler engine tucked away we will be very pleased to hear, it is similar to the slightly later engine fitted to the 'Y' type . Richard Peskett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 The War Office specified Drummond machine tools for the WW1 mobile workshops. Somewhere I'm sure I've got a list of the kit included. There were lathes, milling machines, pillar drills, forges and every type of hand tool that would be needed. Electrical power was usually provided by a 4 cylinder Austin engine, or sometimes from the lorry engine with a belt to the dynamo. The original idea of a single cylinder stationary engine to provide power was soon discontinued as the vibration caused the men to slowly vibrate towards the edge of the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cel Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Were the machine tools all electrically powered or did they also use the hand operated ones? I have a small treadle type Drummond lathe. Are there any preserved examples of these mobile workshops, or pictures available? Thanks, Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 (edited) Here is a view of the inside of a RFC Leyland workshop Flat bed Drummond Lathe with Grad Start How many engineers does it take to operate a lathe? oh they must be actors! Equipment electrically driven! Tom Edited October 4, 2010 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cel Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Fabulous! So what I can see is a forge, a grinding stone (?), drill press and the Drummond lathe. Would be nice to recreate a workshop on my Peugeot but I am not sure whether these were used for this purpose. I guess I'll better have it running first before making further plans! Thanks for posting Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 That really is a great looking and interesting lorry. As lathe manufacturers always stress the importance of solid mounting and precise setting up, I wonder how accurate that one would be mounted in that way, but I suppose any lathe in the middle of nowhere was better that none? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelingdave Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Hello all, this will be my first post on this forum. As you might guess from the user name I am a steam bloke. Very interested in this thread, are these workshop bodies rare as I have one up the yard in good condition (as found). It has a build date of 1918 on the Leyland plate and body number E 86. The chassis with it is not original and has been chucked under at some point. The back wheels on the chassis are the Y spoke pattern, which to me look Foden, but it can't be a steamer as the chassis is not strong enough and it has a worm diff on it. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Any chance of a picture - and is the "diff" still in the axle? Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelingdave Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 The diff is still in the axle and it has only a small amount of play in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Great! So unusual to find the "diff" still in these old back axles - they are usually the first thing taken out when a chassis is used for other purposes. I can't identify that one but there are plenty of chaps on this forum who will! Watch this space! If only it was a Thorny "J"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 How very interesting. I will have to give the axle some thought. The workshop body looks quite like this one: which survives at Duxford. They have i understand a Leyland chassis to put it on. Do the sides of yours open in the middle? I cant quite tell from your photo. I cant think of any other survivors, but there may well be. Steve tells me that in the magazine "Model Engineer" from the 1920's a reader had one of these in his garden for his workshop. I guess sold off as surplus at the end of the war and bought quite cheaply it made a great workshop. Fantastic to see another survivor. Do you have a photo of the data plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Wow! I'm stunned to see another workshop body - but I guess their usefulness means the probability of survival must always have been quite high. As far as I'm aware there are now three survivors - the one at the start of this string, the one at Duxford ( ) and this 'new' one - which needs to be mounted on a Leyland RAF type pronto! At first sight the wheels on this mystery chassis look Dennis like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 (edited) This is really quite exciting, Are there sufficient RAF Leylands around to fit these to? I had an identical flat bed Drummond and I am trying to remember who and where it when to! Tom Edited October 5, 2010 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Quote (Are there sufficient RAF Leylands around to fit these to?) Ask Mike Sutcliffe! Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelingdave Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Thanks for posting the pictures of the Duxford body. I was looking at mine the other day and wondering what the upright post was for. Now I know. I will try to sort out the photo of the makers plate. The sides are hinged in the middle in fact it is identical to the Duxford one from what I can tell. The colour even looks right given that it has faded over the years. Mine has a door at the back instead of a tail gate. I also found the remains of the ladder whilst clearing out the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Some history here http://www.historicroadways.co.uk/s-006.htm Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 One has to assume this was originally collected to become a galley for behind a traction engine or roller. The chassis would appear to be from a light weight Vulcan.The Diff shape and spring mounts match to one known in NZ. Bearing cap being tapered also provides a further clue. AEC and Dennis had similar spoke pattern as a Y, however the spokes tend to be thiner, without the additional web. As for the workshop body, there is a RAF Leyland ( 1916) here waiting for a body to be build upon it. It would be temping to have it freighted over , but then getting old timber through quarantine at this end would become a nightmare. Would not say no to all the steel fittings for it. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Good call on Vulcan. After studying various photos, I concur. I think there will be plenty of Brits keen to see the w/shop stay here though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelingdave Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Maybe I should move this thing on! The more I read the more I realise that this is not my field. I only brought it because it looked interesting and would go well behind the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 I think there will be plenty of Brits keen to see the w/shop stay here though. The other option is to send the Leland RAF to England; install the body, attend a few rallies then repatriate the complete vehicle it back to NZ. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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