robin craig

Very "bulled" up gun isnt it? R

Dear Zero-Two-Five, is that Matador from Harris one that would have worked in the area in the late sixties? My first MV sighting was a timber Matador near Splaynes Green just north of Fletching. I attribute my love of MVs from that beast R

Joel, Off road driving is becoming just all about speed these days and hence the problem. Most civies just drive flat out everywhere. No time to smell the Roses if you know what I mean. Military vehicles were designed to do a job and supported by a maintenance hierarchy. In private hands WE do all the maintenance that is subsequent to the abuse. Reduce the abuse and you reduce the maintenance and expenditure. Basic off road driving is a simple set of building blocks based on the understanding of the 3 envelopes described above. Learn and make mistakes and learn again, no real rocket science. Robin

Joel, The collection that I manage has one of only 10 Mk 2A machines produced. What are they like you ask. The most common problem is people drive them way too fast off road to the point of being abusive. As they rely on the tyres alone for suspension "give" they are firm to drive. The vehicle pitches up and down more and more violently the faster they are pushed, this is not a design flaw but one of the operators lack of skill. I have found that the driver should maintain pressure away from themselves at all times, as the skid steer braking which is actuated by pulling one side of the handle bars towards you, come on fairly easily. What happens is as you go over a bump one has a natural tendency to flex you arms which will brake one side. Frankly, as Mr Smith, a driving instructor many moons ago used to say, there are 3 envelopes during vehicle or equipment operation, the driver's ability, the vehicle's ability and that of the terrain. Break one of those envelopes and you are in trouble. There is a need for speed exhibited by some people that is beyond comprehension. We held a "ride and drive" event over a year ago, and while instructing a guest I told him to slow down repeated and then told him to stop, many times, in a louder and louder voice. He didn't, and as a result he hit a tree a knackered a tie rod end. Sadly the balance of his bank account was not indexed to his brain cells otherwise he would have been a genius. He got off the machine and slagged it off something rotten in front of his mates, until I had enough and asked him where he had received his licence from. Our Supacat is road registered (long story, all legal) and is driven occasionally on the road at full speed. It is a vehicle that is extraordinarily competant but has to be understood. At speed one should be careful with trailers, we had 2 FLPT and a Sankey daisy chained together and at higher speed a whip was induced to the Sankey at the back, again, lack of driver skill, as he didn't use his mirrors once. I was ahead of him in the convoy and watched this happen in my wing mirror. I slowed my speed down which slowed him down and sorted it out. I did review mirror operation with him afterwards. As far as sheer grunt pulling power it is a superb bit of kit, we tow a single axle water tanker with ease fully loaded. See picture attached. If driven with respect it is an awesome and very capable vehicle. The picture of it on the trailer was at time of purchase, the other was at a show. What else do you want to know? R

I'm thinking Dunsfold might have theirs road registered. Are you looking at that one? R

Tank Museum informed. R

That FR 5294 doesnt exist over here according to my parts guy. Are you sure you have the correct number? Happy to supply them at cost if you get the right number R

I understand that the chances of this prototype vehicle staying in one piece are slim to nothing. According to sources I have, the company that rebuilds the Bulldog gearboxes is looking to buy this one as a core for rebuilding. If so that will be the only item they will take. The hull will go for scrap in a heartbeat. The cost of a new gearbox is way higher than what is being asked on the website, so either a collector will get a rare vehicle or it will evaporate. Money talks, cash is King, history is nothing. Someone should talk to the Tank Museum at Bovington ASAP and see if they can come up with the cash or its likely to be sold. Failing that maybe we on HMVF should raid the coffee fund tin and buy it, Jack can chip in too, that way he will have a ride for Beltring! Robin

And my father knew Lloyd George? R

Has no one else noticed this one for sale? In the vehicles section for sale http://www.marcusglenn.com/ Stock number MG 10810 notice anything? R

Could one not have the original copied and then have a qualified person sign on them "true copy' and sign and seal stamp them. We use a "commissioner of oaths" to do such a function. Usually costs around $10 to $20 depending on who you know. I get affidavits done all the time giving me legal status to act on behalf of others for certain matters and it is a commissioner of oaths who witnesses the signature of the person granting me that power, they then countersign and stamp or emboss the document with their official seal. Its been a while since I lived in the UK so i'm a bit out of touch with your systems. R

Congratulations on being granted the paperwork for the gun. Truly envious to be able to own a complete vehicle with the gun intact. It does however boggle the mind on smoke grenade dischargers and who can or can't have them. Best of luck with the rest of the restoration. R

Ah yes Richard, its all the wonders of the world wide intraweb thingy isnt it!! If you didnt go posting on those foreign forums Richard we would never have known! PS has the fire brigade returned to station yet? R

Does it have good pressure ie feels normal when you actuate but just slow coming back? If it is soft on actuation I would say it is air. The lines are longer than a normal car and you may have a bleed issue. my 2 cents worth R

Richard, I think we shall need to call the Fire Brigade and have them on standby today when you light the candles on your cake wont we? I think the rumour has it that you are 60 today! A Very Happy Birthday Richard and thanks for your input and advice Robin

I have always liked the look of them. They can drive easily on the road and might leak less than a Land Rover when it rains! I heard that one may come to roost near here possibly in the coming months. R

Pardon me for sticking my big nose in, but I can't help but ask you Dan, as a representative of the UK heavy MV contingent, why you guys use web straps instead of chains for securing an object like that? I see one of your straps runs through the drive sprocket, so you have fabric over an edge. I'm very curious as I see loads of UK pictures with vehicles secured with Spanset or other straps. While we do use rated straps but only with the metal terminations onto a "hard point" not through something. R

pm sent

Gordon, that has to be one of the coolest "function first form second" designs I have seen in a long time. Never seen one before. R

I collect that kind of stuff but not at that price! Yes it is rare, very rare, in 3 years ive only seen one other go through ebay. I bought a dark blue version of the same trailer for around twenty quid, under value. The seller had no idea what he or she was selling and had listed it wrong which is how I found it. R

This item sold for an amazing price, I highly doubt based on a pound for pound basis any of your trailers could make this kind of money. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140548940239&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_961 R

Thanks for that info gents. You must realise that being a postwar devotee I'm ignorant of your track issue. So is it appearance or driveability that causes you to replace those sprockets? I'm keen to understand your woes. R

Just curious about your new sprockets, will you be using new track? The wisdom in cmmercial track applications is that the track ie chain and sprocket get changed at the same time otherwise one wears the other out. What say you? R

Gents, I thought I would chime in as someone who shares a slightly different perspective. Im a military vehicle enthisiast at heart. I have done some re-enactment / living history stuff, being a member of a WW2 MP group, but that phase has passed. The last W & P show I went to was back in about 2000 or 2003, its all dimly in the past now. Several things were obvious back then. 1 In such a large gathering public order control was on a "self dscipline" basis. Marshals all but evaporated at dusk 2 Even then the living history groups were present and you could see it would only get bigger as the event would have two sides to its make up because of it. 3 The "organisation" of areas / pitches was a free for all even then. 4 Coming from overseas we only would have a few days to be there, and as such we were prepared to muck in with whom so ever we could cadge a dry spot from and chip in for food if it was centrally catered. 5 in my humble opinion, even then W & P would either get too big for itself and self destruct or there will be a fatality that will close it down. I know that as far as I can remember there has already been one fatality at the event and that was a living history attendee. 6 Its the only show of its kind in the world at the moment and its draw is huge but with the current economy if there is a clash between the factions it may the time that a living hisory show of its own will evolve out of natural progression. 7 For my part the opportunity to sit and chat with people who share kindred interests and look at their kit is what it was all about for me. Now where is Sean Connors in his pinny with the bacon sarnis and where is Tony Knott and his tribe? If you werent there you wont understand this bit! Robin

Matt, While im flattered, dont rely as to what I do as guidance, its what I do as an expedient measure not what I would do if vehicles were mine and what I would do if I had the cash. First off all the vehicles would be in dry vermin proof storage, with in slab heating set at 5 degrees C for the winter and circulating fans for all seasons. Also no windows so no UV degradation of paint and tyres. But it aint so at the moment. Making do with what I have. R