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10 CWT Mortar trailer - X5441349


OzH

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I've been looking for a British trailer for my 43 MB for a year or so was happy to take delivery of one a week or so ago

Some of you may recognise it from Ian L's posts from when he recovered the trailer a few years ago, Ian kindly sold it on to me...

It is, I believe, a 10 CWT Mortar trailer, it still has its original tag and a faint outline of white lettering on the front right panel, indicating that it is X5441349 built as a Mortar trailer but, probably post war, converted to a GS trailer having the rear tailboard and electrics fitted. Not sure which maker, so if anyone can help with that, I'd appreciate it

The tailboard is missing which isn't an issue as I plan to take it back to wartime configuration, and, you may notice, most of the wood has rotted out so will be brushing up on my carpentry skills!

Building a patio and working full time during lock down so it will be slow progress, but will post updates as I can

A request though please? Does anyone have a copy of the maintenance manual that they could copy/share with me please? email a scan or if you have a spare one I could borrow/purchase, please drop me a PM, it would be much appreciated?

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Great project.  Could you do me a huge favour and send me some measurements of the skid assemblies mounted on the back of the front gate, that’s the wood and the metal strips.  They are missing on my mortar trailer.

Thanks,

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4 hours ago, ajmac said:

Great project.  Could you do me a huge favour and send me some measurements of the skid assemblies mounted on the back of the front gate, that’s the wood and the metal strips.  They are missing on my mortar trailer.

Thanks,

I'll have a look later today or tonight, but no problem, yes

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15 hours ago, Richard Farrant said:

The maker of the trailer was Transport Engineering Co.

Hi Richard, thanks for this, not that I doubt you for a second, but I'd be interested how to work this out?

Thanks

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Electrics, I've not decided yet what to do about the lights, I understand that these were produced without lights, but were moded either in the field or post war. So, do I leave it "light less" or restore the later mod?

What I believe to be the original mod or post war junction box, switch are convoy light are all present, though a bit worse for wear, I believe the latter is the Lucas type rather than the more common Butler, but unfortunately, the stop/tail light did not make it but the attachment point is there

I don't have the 3 mystery attachments on mine

Hitch is the early block type that Ian recovered separately, definitely looks the part. Note the hole in the draw bar for the lighting cable.

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4 hours ago, OzH said:

Hi Richard, thanks for this, not that I doubt you for a second, but I'd be interested how to work this out?

Thanks

Hi,

The letters TEG are on your data plate and looking at the Chilwell census number list, it confirms the maker as Transport Engineering Co. I believe they were located in South London, I have seen an address for mid 1930's which is the Old Kent Road.

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30 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said:

Hi,

The letters TEG are on your data plate and looking at the Chilwell census number list, it confirms the maker as Transport Engineering Co. I believe they were located in South London, I have seen an address for mid 1930's which is the Old Kent Road.

Great stuff, thanks Richard

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14 hours ago, ajmac said:

Great project.  Could you do me a huge favour and send me some measurements of the skid assemblies mounted on the back of the front gate, that’s the wood and the metal strips.  They are missing on my mortar trailer.

Thanks,

Here you go, this should do..

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Front (tail)gate is in working order, be it, with the majority of the wood, is rotten through, what I did notice is the latch pins differ, one has the twisted "jack chain" and a D ring that fits well against the sides, the other, more regular chain with a circular ring holding on the peg, this could be original, but I would guess one has been changed at some point. Any trailer owners know which is correct?

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Most, if not all the wood is rotted through, but what I did find are the drilled holes down each sides for attaching, either the mortar kit or bomb stowage, some of these are open, straight through, some seem to be filled, this could be muck and dirt over time or were filled unless needed, again, anyone know what the score is here?

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Both support legs are present, one has a domed top end, the other open, I have seen both in the manuals and on restored examples, so plan to unseize the rear one and just try to straighten them up

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So cleared the rotten bed off and started on the driver side boards

With the bed removed I noticed pre-drilled holes on second crossmember, would this be standard so the chassis can be used for mortar or GS trailers?20200520_210908.thumb.jpg.afa7dbe2883dbc86b48aac6a1d5811f6.jpg

 

Also, you'll notice on the third cross member two huge coach bolts.. a bit random, I assume these were repairs

I had spotted the white X number before but only when I was working on getting the coach bolts out did I notice some yellow, looks like B 5??20200521_195932.thumb.jpg.8e186377d0504ae7efa7f4974677ced0.jpg20200521_195930.thumb.jpg.3547a26bb92fd6c2e90584eba694dfac.jpg

The tongue of the tongue and groove is remarkably well d, lasted 70+ years!

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If came predrilled for the GS, you would need more, one each for the individual floorboards to be fixed to that second crossmember. Also as the front boards for the GS line up with the front edge of that crossmember, the holes would be offset to the rear.

 

Edited by simon king
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Managed a few hours over the last weeknights and over the weekend getting the woodwork removed.

Managed to undo some bolts but the majority either sheared or I had to cut off. Those that did undo are beyond use, very badly corroded.. no surprise really!

Managed to get one of the mudguards off, these have the attachment points welded to the bed uprights and a variety of hex bolts, countersunk and round headed screws holding on the guards. Any advice on what they should be attached with?

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The rear support let came off with little trouble. Of interest, it had a square plate between the clamp and the trailer chassis, the front one (which won't budge) does not. Any thoughts why?

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Some clean up and un-seizing will be required!

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Edited by OzH
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  • 1 month later...

I've been doing bits and pieces on the trailer where I can

Got the brake drums off with little problem, the grease has done a pretty good job of keeping the bearings and shaft in good nick

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Great weather last weekend and I actually had time on my hands so got on with some work on the trailer

Started to clear off paint and surface rust with a wire wheel on a grinder

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Big nasty rusty plate on the underside

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Surgically removed the plate and found more..

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Chopped all that out and started adding new good metal

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And a nice clean new plate added

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Not the neatest welding but should do the job..!

More to do on the upper side front

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All cut out ready for fabricating incerts..

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I finished welding the top during the week

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Over the weekend I painted the right side, flipped the chassis over it in its rig (sounds easy doesn't it!), cleaned and painted the left side

Once that was done, I hoisted it up again and dismantled the jig so the chassis is back on stands ready to re-assembly

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The rig was then dismantled, I now have a load of kindling..!

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Loads of parts prepped ready for re-assembly

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Doing this single handedly and had a few hairy moments flipping the chassis over and getting off the rig.. but should be fairly smooth from here... famous last words!! 

Edited by OzH
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