B series

 The Montgomery Bridge is an impressive structure and there must be hundreds of Bailey bridge panel sections used because it appears to be 12 panels across bridge width, and it is a long bridge. I wonder how many years this bridge was in use?

At war end there must have been so many bridges that needed rebuilding, and until that happened some other ideas were tried to facilitate either crossing rivers or transporting cargo along waterways. Somewhere I have photos taken in Germany or Holland in 1945 showing barges / ferries powered by British army Ford / Willys 4x4 vehicles using the drive from rear axles to power propellers, or if I remember correctly 3 vehicles with rear wheels driving a large paddle wheel arrangement. I guess the barges and vehicles would have been modified by the RE.

This picture, which I understand was taken semi recently of a vehicle being loaded and hopefully going to good home. It was sent to me requesting identification, but I am not sure what it is or was.

Chassis looks WWII 15cwt cargo or maybe a FAT (but no winch parts visible in photo), and maybe CMP related, but the cab & bulkhead I cannot place. The roof overhang is unusual.  I am tending towards the bulkhead being original, and the enclosed cab is "home made"  from flat steel sheet and maybe a cut down Land Rover hard top for a roof. The tyres look in good condition, matching tread and period. It is frustrating that I do not have a better picture, or any other info.  Ignore the orange part, I think is a part of a Haib type loading crane.

Thank you Richard for your very quick reply, almost like you had the part number in your head and needed no time for research.

As I have a B40, B60 & B81 I guess I should continue to keep this item in my stores.

Many thanks,

B series

I have had a small ex army package in my workshop for years, and this afternoon I decided to open it up and see what it contained. 

Label details:

Simms Motor Units Ltd

LV6/MT4/ SS / LA82991   Coil, Field

6/veh/416

May 1953 EH(Service Dept) Ltd

Perfectly preserved after 68 years in storage

I assume applicable to a Simms starter motor, generator or maybe a magneto.  Does anybody know which vehicle type this part relates to?  

Many thanks,

To all those who have replied to me with assistance, many thanks.

This morning I have received a copy that I purchased vis that well know sales site.  It has taken years to obtain a copy, but it looks like it was worth the wait.

radiomike,

 FV2842 that is type.  I purchased two of these trailers ( 45FJ11 & 46FJ48) via Witham SV tender.

They were both unused condition, one stacked on top of the other. Not a scratch on the painted load area or lashing eyes, and new tyres. I seem to remember that the WABCO ABS had been added as part of an upgrade program.  Nice trailers if you have a suitable towing vehicle and a use for such a trailer.

The  Trailer, 3 Tonne, 2 wheeled, Bridge components was fitted with air brakes and a WABCO ABS system, I don't have the FV number to hand. Usually towed behind a Bedford MJ, or Leyland Daf 4x4 or sometimes FV432.

I have not seen this style of coach on a Ford Thames chassis before, I don't know who the bodybuilder was, but I have to say that windscreen is just wrong.....

and I am sure I can see the top half of a double dekker bus in there somewhere. Would this be late 1950's?

I bet the american's had a few interesting comments about English vehicles when this was delivered.

Here is a nice example of a RAF military spec with a blue hood. Note this vehicle is fitted with both Warner and NATO trailer connectors, so that might date production or DIS.

Not sure what this vehicle is doing, but the communication equipment looks commercial rather than military. Is V/38 related to the V bomber force?

Hi Richard

Just seen your post.  I have a Warner connector lead.  

Cable, Jumper, 5 ft,  LV6/MT4 WR3315,  It is NOS, in unopened packet.

Not sure if this would be the item you are looking for.

I don't need it for my Champ, as I do not have an early trailer.

B Series

Not sure if it is of interest to readers but on a well known auction site I currently have listed the follow user handbooks, I am not a dealer, just having a covid related clear out of duplicate publications.

User hand book 12282  Generating set, AC, 3 1/2 kVA, 230v, single phase, No1 Mk1, Mk1/1, Mk2 issued July 1962.

Coventry Climax engine can be mounted in a 1 Ton Cargo trailer.

User handbook 13965, Generator set, AC, 500VA, 240v, single phase, 50c/s, No2 Mk2  issued 1964

Villiers engine Mk12/1, with Arthur Lyon A6L generator.

This Humber is related to a Med Regt RA and the BEF France 1940.  I think the lorry in the background is a Crossley, maybe a recovery vehicle or maybe not. It has some poles or tubes mounted on some large brackets mounted across the radiator and other items lower down. But my question is why does it have a civilian registration number as it appears to have arm of service markings ? I assume the Humber registration was military and has been censored although I would have thought it would have has a service number on the bonnet. Maybe it was an impressed vehicle and the civilian numbers on the front plate have been removed. Looks like a cold and wet day.

Crane 6 Ton Lattice Jib,  a Jones KL66,  ERM  25 BY 57     looking good in green and pictorial markings. I don't know where this was taken, looks like shipping/port crane in background and a warm day.

Same crane loading onto maybe a military ramped lighter, In the background on the lighter, I think a 10 Ton workshop,  maybe an Thornycroft towing a 4 wheeled generator trailer. And another crane truck but on a truck without a divided cab, so not sure what type that is.

AEC 6x6 with Jones KL66 Crane with Lattice jib mounted ERM 00DY01. This vehicle looks fairly new and unused, so maybe these photos was taken around 1960. Could they be in Hong Kong or Malay?

Anyway some nice pictures to look at.

That is a nice Ferret!

I have a service book about living and serving in Aden written for british solders and their families. Quite a challanging posting in the 1950/60's

I dont know about pre 1969 but it has certainly travelled around a bit since 1969

Various locations around BAOR

Vehicle Depot Luggershall UK

1978 British Army Training Area Suffield (BATUS) Canada

Returned to Luggershall

1983 Vehicle depot Cyprus

1984 Western Sovereign Base Area  W(SBA), Akrotiri  Cyprus

Returned to Luggershall

and sold to Joe Hunts & Sons I guess from VD Luggershall.

B series

Hi Rosumberg,

I would assume the mass x ray trailer would be painted "RAF Blue" with white text. Someone more expert than me could tell you the name of the colour. I dont know how many trailers were converted into mass x ray equipment, I dont know why the RAF converted trailers, the army used three Leyland Beavers around 1956 for the same or very similar purpose. 

B series

Hi Rosumberg,

The video below is of the RAF Coronation review at RAF Oldiham in 1953.

At 5.31 in the video there is a good view of a mobile mass X ray trailer on display maybe the one in your photo. Also at 5.39 shown on display is a RAF mobile class room constructed on a 2 wheeled semi trailer (83AU34).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haEe5KfxvUg

Hi Rosumberg,

The video below is of the RAF Coronation review at RAF Oldiham in 1953.

At 5.31 in the video there is a good view of a mobile mass X ray trailer on display maybe the one in your photo. Also at 5.39 shown on display is a RAF mobile class room constructed on a 2 wheeled semi trailer (83AU34).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haEe5KfxvUg

My 1953 Austin K9 originally built as a GS Cargo, but converted with a unfitted house / Radio body,  and held in reserve stocks until disposal has a similar WR number. 

I purchased this vehicle from a Ruddington auction in 1980, and it still has some white stenciled lettering on the passenger windscreen, which was a common practice at the time.

Hello John,

Shipping via Hermes will be £8.00 so that will be £48.00 in total.

You could send payment to my Paypal account which is my email address xxxx and let me know when you have sent payment I will get them off to you.

If you cannot make payment to paypal, maybe send a cheque payable to Xxxx

Bixley xxxxx

01953 xxxxx

Hello John,

I would be happy with £20 each, plus postage.

They are 3kg each, so Hermes would be best, but I cannot give you an estimate because I dont know your post code.

B series 

I have had these parts in storage for years, ex US army I think from the 1940 /50's era.  This afternoon I have removed the cosmoline from one valve and open the U/J box to photograph.

Four valves, covered in cosmoline, marked EATON   and IN (I assume that means inlet).

Dimentions  OD 50.8mm / 2",  Length 121.8mm / 4.5",  Stem dia 9.5 / 3/8",  Collett dia 6.4mm / 1/4"

Would be good to know which vehicle or maybe aircraft these would be used on.

Also in storage with the valves, but might not be for the same vehicle.

Two Joints for propeller shafts. Both new old stock, ex USA or British stores, with wax protection.

Made by Spicer USA, they are intended to be welded into a propeller shaft tube that has an internal dia of 72.3mm. 4 mounting 10.9mm holes on a 95mm PCD.

I dont like scrapping good parts, but if it is not known what they can be used on they are difficult to find a person who can make use of them.

Regards

B series

Thank you tanknutuk for this information and photos.

I have not seen this design of fire tender before, there seems to be quite a few of them constructed. I don't think the army or RAF used this design. 

There are other vehicles with similar registrations in the Ruddington catalogues e.g. Ruddington sale 80 has a Fordson 3 Ton 6x4 Landmark (airfield identification) truck JUV561 and two Greenbat electric trucks with MLM745 & MLM747 registrations. Maybe the fire tenders and these other vehicles  are ex Ministry of Aviation or similar.

On a related subject, in the Ruddingtom catalogue (sale 64 July 1962) I currently have listed on a well known auction site there are vehicles listed as Humber Fire Tender 4x4 with registrations MLM 686, JUV 835 & JUV 839, and I have seen the same vehicle descriptions in other Ruddington catalogues of the early 1960's.

I assume these vehicles would be ex Civil Defence or AFS, but do not know what type of vehicles these are, may be because my interest covers military vehicles and not Civil Defence/AFS.

I have never seen a 1950's FV1600 type fire tender in use with Civil Defence / AFS, so I assume these fire tenders are based on the WWII era Humber heavy Utility 4x4?  Does anyone know?  These does seem to have been quite a few of them constructed.

I have never seen a picture of a Humber fire tender 4x4, but maybe I have missed them.

Next Ruddington catalogue I will be listing is sale number 80  October 1965.

Regards,

B series.

Re: interest in postwar vehicle sales

If anyone is collecting old WD/ OSDD Ruddington catalogues, I have been selling my duplicates over lock down.  I currently have sale no 64 from July 1962 listed for the next few days on a well known auction site.

B series

That's interesting!  That must be the historical display Regt.  I would like a look around their vehicle stores depot.