Great War truck

It is 20 past ten and i have just got home. Up at 3:45 this morning and been on the go since then. Feeling totally shattered now i must say. Great to see so many friendly faces, Catweazle, ChrisG, Snapper, Runflat as well as Old Bill and Minesweeper who i drove up and back of course. We left London in the FWD at 7:15 and missed our target of arriving in Brighton by mid day as we actually arrived at 3:20. We were the last to arrive and were too late for judging (not that that worried me of course). But as we pulled into Madeira Drive we got lots of shouts of "well done", applause and such from the large crowd that had gathered. This was so much better than any trophy. It was really quite moving. Didnt have much time to look at the other MV's, but the restortions were all stunningly good. A great day out, but due to a couple of incidents we nearly didnt make it at all. I will tell you all about it all tomorrow. Tim (too)

Totally agree with all your posts there Clive. It must be remebered that the Bart Vanderveen Challenge Shield is made to the individual who is felt to have contributed most to the military vehicle preservation movement. HMVF won for being what it is and the potential that it has in bringing together such a like minded group of individuals in such a way. The future potential of HMVF with this sort of readership and members was not lost on Pat. Of course forums are going to upset groups as people can write what they want and they certainly have done on here. I will be voting for the "G" to win it for this year. Tim (too)

Actually it was my daughter who found it and she also wants it for her bath, or maybe two. Tim (too)

Very interesting website. A WW2 GMC fire engine was up on E-Bay a while back. I wish that i had taken more notice of it now. It would be great fun at a show. Tim (too)

Interesting that. Before i read the book I never knew that France was so close to a succesful military coup. I was given an old Giles cartoon book many years ago. It had a strange cartoon which i never understood. It showed a column of French legionnaires marching in to a fort with the caption "Well there goes our two weeks in Paris then". Murrays book explained that very well. I saw some French Algerian war vehicles and reenactors at W&P some years back. I wish that i had taken more notice of them. Tim (too).

Here is the whole route. We plan is to leave Crystal Palace at 7:40 we will be travelling through the following locations: Thornton Heath Pond, Purley Cross, Coulsdon, Merthsam Village, Redhill, Earlswood Common, Horley, Broadfield Stadium (half way halt), Handcross, Cuckfield, Ansty, Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Clayton Hill, Patcham Village, Preston Park, Madeira Drive in Brighton. Total journey 53.2 miles. Do take some photos of us on the road, because as i will be on it i wont have the opportunity. See you there and pray for sunshine, although not too much of course or we will have a fuel problem. Tim (too)

Not far away is Leominster where i was today. In the museum archive i came across some photos of a surviving WW2 US hospital and details of a campaign to save it. The hospital was handed over to the British at the end of the war and then used to house DP's. When the photos were taken (1990's) the hospital was complete and very original. sad to say that it has now all been flattened for a new housing estate. Tim (too)

There are some fabulous looking machines there, many of which i dont recognise at all. So thanks for posting. Interesting that the bus enthusiasts are such fanatics, even more so than us. But viva la difference! Restoring a bus is i think much harder than an MV, because you have to get the body work and paint just right, otherwise it will look awful. Then you have to keep the thing looking shiny as well. Tim (too)

Just finished reading the excellent book Legionnaire, which is the true story of a Brit in the FFL. Brilliant book with some very interesting photos. A very complicated and bloody campaign. You can see why the French were reluctant to get involved in any more foreign wars after that. Interesting to read that the Arabs were mostly using WW2 german weapons and that the legion had a large number of WW2 German veterans serving in it at that time. One of many interesting anecdotes was that a legionnaire deserted after a couple of weeks service and was picked up about 15 years later back in France. They sent him back to Africa to do his five years. Must have been very hard for him. Tim (too)

I normally climb in through the door next to the sponson. It is a WW1 thing. Tim (too)

I like the French tracked one. Great for going in straight lines, but thats about it. Tim (too)

Steve I think you missunderstood that post. Look at Rob's first post. Usually there is something at Detling. We took the FWD once, but it was an expensive hike out. Tim (too)

On Sunday 3rd of May we are taking our FWD Model B on the London to Brighton run. Joining us will be another US WW1 FWD Model B, a civilian McCurd lorry (which although a civilian is of the same type used by the ASC during the war) and pershings Doughboys the WW1 US Army Living History Unit. We will be leaving South terrace car park at Crystal Palace at 7:40 and should be at Madeira drive for around mid day (hopefully). It will be interesting to have two US military scheme Model B FWD's together. Something not seen in this country for a very long time. This will be the longest journey undertaken by either of these FWD's since their restoration. Wish us luck. Tim (too)

Yes, the last one i bought was £1. Interesting that they are described as "genuine military issue". I would certainly pay more for a civilian one. Tim (too)

I'snt £14.95 for a genuine "military issue" Bren magazine a tad expensive. The last one i bought was a lot less than that. Otherwise an interesting magazine as usual. Tim (too)

Then, back to the pedals (which i had painted earlier), which we slid onto the bar: and which we then bolted on to the sub frame. The sub frame came off a different Dennis than the chassis we are restoring, so unsuprisingly the holes didnt line up. However, with a bit of jiggery we managed to get everything in place then tighten up the bolts a little at a time to pull it all into place. Then it was a case of assembling the rest of the brake linkage and making new arms to replace the old ones. As the old arms were incomplete we had to calculate how long they should have been. Hopefully they should be alright, but if not we can always shorten them. As you can see we found some original oilers. Finally, on one of the rotten arms was the return spring bracket. I got this off by getting it hot and belting it. It cleaned up a treat and put it on to the new arms: Another small step completed. Now, i just need to paint up the nuts and bolts and try not to drip paint over everything we have already assembled.

I have managed to spend some time with Tony on the Dennis. We finished off riveting the brake linings to the shoes. I really managed to wack myself across the knuckles with a hammer much to Tonys amusement. Once finished we assembled them and they looked like this We then slid the shoes onto the arms on the back of the gearbox and connected them together. Then it was a case of starting to put the linkage together.

Hi Jack Well there seems to be about 3 or 4 Nash Quads that i know currently under restoration. They may be able to exchange spare parts with you. What condition are yours in and are you missing any major components? Can you post some photos please? Thanks Tim (too)

Results are not yet posted. Give it a few more days. Tim (too)

Well it was a Priest, but looks like it was converted into a Kangaroo. This was done to a number of them after Normandy when the Priests were generally withdrawn, but there was a need for armoured personnel carriers. If it is one i would say that it was probably a unique survivor. Tim (too)

Not sure if Marcus is being ironic or not. It could have suffered in translation. However, he has got a Diamond T which in my mind makes him a thoroughly good bloke. If he wants to say what he thinks and why, in French then i will translate it for him. Just to nail my colours to the mast i think it fine for kids to learn about guns responsibly. If they see what they can do and the damage they can cause it engenders a certain level of responsibility. What i hate to see is kids running around shows with deacs or air softs shooting at each other and passers by. Disgusting behaviour for which i blame the parents. I am sure none of the kids of HMVF members do this, but go to Beltring and it goes on. On another matter, i think any anti-French sentiment should be left out of the forum full stop. There is no place for it in this "The Friendly Forum". If you disagree with an opinion you should not have a go at the whole nation. Tim (too)

We have had our good set of pedals sand blasted, and they have come up a treat: The shaft they came off is not so good though, so we need to get the worn pedals of the good shaft and put the good pedals on it. As everything is stuck up solid, I feel the need for some extreme heat and pressure coming on: Tim (too)

This unique German U Boat was recently rediscovered having been hidden in the St Nazaire U Boat pens since the end of the war. It is seen leaving the pens for the first time in 65 years. Tim (too)

Donation made. You will enjoy it, if you can get over the utter terror of the leaning back over the edge thing. I did it with a 7 storey building in Oxford. It was great fun. The best bit was when I went between pillars and there was nothing to kick back on. Just floating (well descending) at a great rate of knots. Tim (too)