Richard Peskett

The Daimler at Beamish is certainly from Jack Sparshatt's collection. Its a CJ/CK series. Jack's farther sold it new to Strides, Market Garders at Havant, Hampshire in 1923 and bought it back in 1957. Of general interest regarding the CB 2 ton Daimlers, these were built at the Radford Park factory ,Coventry. First listed in Commercial Motor January 1912 but curiously did not make a public appearance until the Manchester show in March 1914, serial numbers are between 800 and 2899, production finished in April 1917. After August 1914 virtually all went to the WD , exceptions being those released for civillian government contract work . Commercial road vehicles were not built again until 1919 when the CJ/CK series were introduced. Serial numbers ran through until about 4500 ending with the CM in 1924/5. Richard Peskett.

I deliberately left out steam wagons etc., this is entering into another world as you have road haulage tractors / locomotives which towed trailers as well as actual wagons, the number of pre 1914 survivors is numerous. Also omitted are fire engines of which there are probably at least 6 , small car / van convertibles and parcel carriers etc. One 1913 Albion 3 ton has also come to mind. Richard Peskett.

Reference the pre 1914 commercial vehicles, the Daimler at Beamish is a CJ/CK series dating from 1922. Other that survive in private collections are a 1911 Karrier, 1913 Lacre, 1908 Cohendet, 1908 & 1911 Leylands, all of which are complete. There are remains of others including a 1913 Daimler CC and in additioin to these there are of course at least 8 complete buses from this period. Richard Peskett

With acknowledgement to information published by the Leyland Society the following may well apply: serial no. 16387 is a 5/6 ton chassis within the batch 16179 - 16687 built between 10/27 and 9/28. The first vehicle featured may be serial no. 17021 ?, again a similar vehicle from the next batch within 16687 to 17206 built 10/28 to 9/29. World War one 'Subsidy' types or 'RAF' types generally do not have louvers in the top of the bonnet sides. Richard Peskett.

Herewith copy of an advertising card from the Thresher Disinfector Co. mounted on a Foden steam wagon . According to the monthly census of Mechanical Vehicles of the British Empire Forces there were some 98 of these disinfectors 'in stock' at 16th November 1918, by November 1919 there were only 9. Richard Peskett.

Further to previous I have now found in various write ups in 'World's Carriers' late 1928 /1929 that in addition to Dennis also Vulcan, Guy and Albion all used solid spare tyres when using the 33 x 5 and 34 x 7 tyre combination on their 30 cwt. range. Richard Peskett.

Bonnet sides and top, front cross member, rear wheels all point to it being a 3 ton Packard. Richard Peskett.

Probably 1927/8 when the Slough factory introduced the 6 ton 6 x 6 fitted with a Dorman 6.6 litre engine from late 1929 an A.E.C. engine was fitted after their manufacturing agreement with A.E.C. Richard Peskett.

Although not directly connected with the Vulcan, the Dennis 30 cwt model of the late 1920s if fitted with single rear wheels - 34 x 7 , the fronts were 33x 5 as standard a problem arose over the spare to be carried. This was overcome by supplying a disc wheel with solid tyre. Richard Peskett.

Acetylene lamps : generally either self contained ( as Ricks A - Ls are) or with a separate generator which would feed both or more lamps. ( tail lamps do exist but very unusual except on smaller motor cycle sets). Basic ingredients are calcium carbide and water ; the carbide is usually in the lower half and water is released onto it via an adjustable needle valve, this produces actelyne gas, within the lamp there is normally a fish-tail burner, the volume of which is measured in litres ( of gas burnt per hour). The calcium carbide is a gravel/aggregate like white/grey/black substance that once coming into contact with water turns to a whitish powder. The containers will have rubber seals and once the gas has started to be made and used the pressure self regulates the supply of water. An alternate system which is visible on the A - L Ford model 'T' picture is the cylinder of acetylene gas on the running board. More common in the USA one of the major producers sold under the 'Prestolite' name. You exchanged the cylinder when empty at your local agent. ( not very suitable for Western Front use !! ). Hope this is of help. Richard Peskett.

I am pleased this one has created some hard thinking !. A few points from my original which may not be clear on the copy. The steering column is vertical, chassis frame appears to be a rolled section rather than pressed ( very square edges), rear suspension is probably fully floating anchored by the 'perforated ' radius arms, the starting handle folds back under, there is something else on top of the radiator behind the filler neck. Richard Peskett.

A photograph from a collection of Liversidge, coachbuilders, Old Kent Road, London. This lorry is registered in an LP series from 1916 / 16, certainly the WD used some of this series. Would appear to be ex. WD, has live rear drive and could well be of American origin and just been reconditioned post WW1.. Richard Peskett.

Allen-Liversidge were certainly major manufacturers of acetylene lighting for industrial and commercial use in the 1910/30 period including lighting for miners, factories, houses etc. I think I have only seen lamps for commercial vehicles and usually cast aluminium construction. There may be a family connection with Liversidge coachbuilders ( later Glover,Webb & Liversidge) of the Old Kent Road, London, they certainly built truck bodies for the 'A-L' organisation. Photograph herewith of a c.1920 Ford model 'T' . Richard Peskett.

To clarify the manufacturing situation with AEC and Daimler what follows is only a summary, there are variations. In 1909 the London General Omnibus Co. had realised that all the vehicles which had come from a variety of manufactures all had problems and were unsuited for London use. In view of this Frank Searle chief engineer decided to build a vehicle using the best ideas from all the assortment then in use. A flitch plate frame ( wood/steel snandwich ) was used ( taken from the French De Dion chassis). Known as the 'B' these vehicles were built in their own workshops at Walthamstow and by 1914 some 2500 had been produced, intended solely for use by the London General a company The Associated Equipment Co. was set up as a whole owned subsiduary. Overproduction meant some were sold to outside London. Searle moved to Daimler at Coventry in 1911 and by late 1912 a new factory at Radford Park was producing the 'CC', a similar design to the 'B' but with sleeve valve engine, in 1914 a smaller 'CB' model was produced as well as both light and heavy tractors. In 1914 two other models the 'Y' and the 'Daimler B'. all with flitch plate frames and sleeve valve engines, it would seem that these were built at Walthamstow. Daimler lorry production at Coventry ceased in April 1917. The Walthamstow production then continued with the 'Y' type, only a few were built with flitch frames (model YA) and following came the 'YB' and YC' all with pressed steel frames and Tylor engines. Production of these ceased about 1920 and reverted to London bus production ( K, S, etc.) with flitch plate frames again. Daimler continued at Coventry in 1919 with the CJ / CK series again with flitch plate frames and sleeve valve engines until about 1924. Richard Peskett.

Would appear to be a Daimler CB which has been got at. The CB was first listed in July1913 but did not become available until March 1914, built at Radford Park works , Coventry. A small number were sold to civillian customers before August 1914 after which virtually the entire production until April 1917 went to the WD, the exceptions being where required for Government contract work. Rated as 2 ton ( 30 cwt WD ) and fitted RAC rated 22.9 HP sleeve valve engine ( 30 HP) and overhead worm final drive. Serial number should be between 800 and 2899 and should be stamped on the side of the chassis frame somewhere near to where the cab step would be. Vast numbers were sold post WW1 to become lorries,buses and charabancs. Richard Peskett.

Roy's hyperthetical remarks really do not produce any positive answers, in the Daimler car situation if bought to my workshop I would refuse to undertake the work on a moral standing if the car was complete and original , if it was chassis /running units only situation would other options be considered. You may think the originality of military vehicles is somewhat 'muddy waters' , wait until you enter the world of London Buses, you have not started yet !. Time to draw a line under this one - enough said. Richard Peskett.

I totally agree with the last two contributors, Mike has done exactly what we have always done in the past, replace only as really necessary, there is a subtle difference with a military vehicle as to leaving the deterioration of age but correct in removing civillian modifications. A major exception to this is the high survival rate of the A.E.C. 'Matador' , most now being preserved in their final civilian form. At the end of the day it is down to the owner / restorer but also it is most important to record what has been done in the restoration, all our jobs go with a comprehensive work report which we sincerely hope stays with the vehicle for future reference, nevertheless I fear that with most individual / private restorers this is not the case. Again I reiterate the importance of research, it costs no more to get a restoration right than completely wrong. Nothing new with the broken drill bit , recently restoring the bodywork of a 1910 Maudslay car we found similar broken off in some applied beading with a 'new' hole drilled alongside, a totally original car there was no doubt it had been there since 1910 !. Richard Peskett.

A somewhat more complex question than it would seem !. Having been in the restoration business for almost 50 years and carried out restorations for private customers, national and international museums a wide range of opinion is forthcoming. Pitting of metal components generally was not there when new but has come about as part of the vehicles life and history. First question are you restoring the vehicle to 'as new' standard or thoroughly overhauling and preventing further deterioration of its condition ?. Generally our policy is to shot or sand blast most major parts to eliminate rust and therefore further deterioration ( frames, axle casings, brackets and other general ironwork, NOT engines or gearboxes) and apply two coats red oxide asap. It is surprising what defects will be found once an item is blasted !. I also believe it is a great fallacy that these vehicles were perfect when new, evidence gathered over the years has proved to be far from it. Most vehicles built during wartime were built using much unskilled labour. If in blasting a hole appears it was not up to it and needs repairing. We use little filler, an exception being a contract with a major European manufacturer where in their museum the standard of appearance reflects the standard of their current products, hence every thing has to be to perfection, in doing this much of the vehicles originality can be lost. We then move into 'over restoration' or the vehicle even becoming a virtual replica. Cost and economics then come in, we restored the 1915 Daimler 'Y' type lorry for Ronald Harris, possibly one of the most original WW1 existant in the UK, about 80% of the woodwork we saved and conserved rather than replaced but the cost implications are about plus 75%. To summarise, if pitted but sound do not fill, its all part of the vehicles ongoing history and its a question of how much time , money etc. etc. you wish to spend on your project, but please do your research thoroughly, its a part of restoration that costs very little. I believe lead loading as filling started in the 1920s when construction methods of cars became quite different with more presswork and contours joining up hence the necessity for filling , I am sure if modern day fillers were available then they would have been used. Problems from hereon extend into obtaining correct fixings, steel sections ( todays metric is vastly different from our old imperial sizes) paints etc. Richard Peskett.

Commercial Motor , August 13th. 1929 has a comprehensive 4 page illustrated article titled 'A Multi-Wheeler For Any Surface' regarding these vehicles. I will check other sources in due course. Richard Peskett.

With reference to Vintage Commercial / Old Motor Magazine, attached herewith is a list of all issues published. I rate this publication as still the best ever published regarding commercial vehicle history. Old Motor and Vintage Commercial summary.doc Richard Peskett.

A comprehensive article with good illustrations by Bart Vanderveen on these vehicles appears in Vintage Commercial, Vol. 1 , no. 9 , May 1963. Richard Peskett.

A.E.C. / F.W.D. of about 1934, survived at Somerset Lumber Mills, Crewkerne well into the 1960s and then bought for preservation. Now resides at IWM Duxford. A similar vehicles survived with Traylens Amusements in the travelling fun fair business into the early 1960s around south London and although a note was left in the cab about possible interest in preservation of the vehicle it was only found after most of it had already been broken up. Richard Peskett.

Absolutely correct, the tin tray is made up of several parts and the pictures show clearly the design of the flywheel to act as a fan. Richard Peskett.

The problem with the clutch loosing its oil is that there is not a seal around the input shaft at the back end, obviously enough liquid stays in through centrifugal force but heaven help any onlookers who are standing adjacent if you have put too much in , a liberal coating is applied from knees down. Richard Peskett.

The 15 TER does not have a fan, the air being pulled through the radiator by the vaned flywheel ( all cast as one) , also and often missing is the engine under tray which along with the bonnet makes a complete 'tunnel' for the air. The flywheel carries the multi disc clutch which runs in a mixture of oil and paraffin which in turn most does not stay in there for very long although having covered considerable distances in mine it never gave any trouble. Richard Peskett.