ferretfixer

So, we MIGHT get to see Thomas the 'Tank' Engine after all?...........

I felt I had to take it into Protective Custody Tony!........... :angel:

I will have to have a Chat with the Space Alien's that land in my Garden every night. They may well have some helpful technology to assist with finding this Fabled 'Article'........:angel: Now, I had better put the cork back in that Bottle of Teachers whisky.............:red:

UPDATE! STOP PRESS!....New Photo's Emerge!..... [ATTACH=CONFIG]107492[/ATTACH]

So THAT'S how they protected all the Pies that went to the Whermacht equivalent of the N.A.F.F.I..............

Nice Photo! But is it a GERMAN Manufactured train. Or a Polish one?

Well, No Hitler Diaries, or Trucks loaded with gold in Lakes. have been located for a few years, so I guess it's about time we had a another 'Good Story' in the News! Yep, we are well overdue some tales of Former Nazi loot!.....:laugh: Human nature being what it is. I guess we would all pretty much like this to be true. But Reality is somewhat different! :-X As the war has long ended. IF & I stress IF. this story just happens to be true. Then anyone who was connected with the train. May well be long dead/ killed in Action / Executed / Murdered to prevent them from taking action/passing the info on. To preserve security Etc. We all know what certain sections of the Third Reich were like!......:undecided: It is likely a fable/ Tale Fairy story. BUT, wouldn't it be very interesting if it were True?.................:red: As an aside, in my view. There wouldn't be 'Gun Turrets' on this Fabled train. In Reality, there WOULD be quad mounted 20mm Flak gun's on Rail flat Cars. Manufacturing a 'Specific' type of Armoured Train, would have drawn attention that would have been unwanted!............Jut my own thought's on this topic!....:angel:

Main News last night, had a spokesman. Who stated that some kind of Ground Radar scans had been taken. & He had seen himself. That indeed a Train with Armour (Plated I should assume) fitted. And Guns mounted (AA One would assume) also, Was in the Tunnel. He also stated that He had seen platforms & other sideings in the scans. They are not rushing into this find. because of the alleged contents (IE:Gold) on board. The train may very well be protected By Booby traps. If it is there, then I assume the Military Ordanance Disposal teams will go in to clear it. And knowing Squaddies having been one myself. Im sure that some small 'Souvieners' will disappear also!.......:angel: I guess we will have to wait & see, what unfolds. If anything?...................

Hi Steve. And that is why this Forum is so good. There is a wealth of information available. & the Generous assistance & Help freely given by most members. Is one of the most valuable resources available! No one can know everything, & with those who can contribute snippets here & there. The Puzzle can often be solved fairly easily.......:-X This forum is used by Members from all over the World. Can you imagine how Daunting it might seem. When you have a Vehicle on the other side of the world. With no access to information at all, on it. It that particular country? help passed on here, can make the difference between completing what might seem an impossible task. And discovering that it was not as difficult as it first seemed. Plus, you get the Enourmous bonus. Of making new friends!....

In British Service, in some theatre's. Dependant on the length of time & how hard the vehicles were used. It was in some cases deemed uneconomical to ship the Vehicles / Equipment's back to the UK. So they were 'Gifted' to that country. It would have cost more to ship back than the cost of a Major overhaul. & they might have been at the end of their planned Life Expectancy. In Afganistan / Iraq. There are 'tales' of vehicles being 'disabled'. And then simply buried in the sand to 'dispose' of them!...............Now, where did I put my Shovel?...............:-X

And another thing easily noticed is. There are a LOT of external fittings missing. Which probably explains why the later Pattern of lights are fitted to this Ferret. Better astheticly to fit lights, than no lights at all. As the appropriate fittings are not on this ferret. it would indicate the difficulty in sourcing them. As well as the problem of finding the correct pattern of lights to go on it. Such a shame this specimen was not put under a covered shelter. It COULD have been then easily kept as a running Example. :embarrassed: The plate on the front hull that Pekka mentioned. MAY possibly have been a Raised mount for a brass dedication plate? Not uncommon on Museum Vehicles in some cases.

Hello Steve, Glad to have been able to help. :angel: I myself, on differing topics. Have had assistance from other Forum Members in the past & recently. I like to think We are all kindred spirits on here. And shared CORRECT Knowledge, can only add to the pleasure (& safety in some cases!) Of Our chosen hobby! :cheesy: I am Happy to contribute as do others. & I certainly enjoy reading some of the Posts / Articles on our Forum also.

If your plates are the same as the ones in Chris's pictures. Then they are the correct types. If Not, I need to some pic's of yours to ID. Notice the rear plate in the shot supplied by Chris. Of another MK.I Ferret. Notice the Oval headed bolt at the rear of it? THAT is the blanking bolt used to keep water out. When no mounting plate at all is fitted. Mike.

Have had another look at your photo's, & a rethink. A VERY easy modification without altering your mount at all. Could be effected like this: Turn up a spigot to the diameter of the hole in the bottom of your yoke mount. Make it a slightly tight drive fit, so it can be easily removed at a later time if required. then, turn down the lower section for approx. 2" in length as a 'shoulder'. Then below this for approx. 3" turn to suit the diameter of the holes in your top Armour. IIRC it is approx. 1" dia. Overall length of your adaptor would be approx. 7.5" Long. A three shouldered spigot basicaly! The whole mount with then simply drop in the mounting hole on either side as required. And you have not altered your mount at all! Easy & solves your problem. Not accurate, but it would do the job you want it to. :angel:

That is the LMG Mount for the 7.62mm Weapon. The BREN mount is pretty much the same, but. Without the empty case catcher box & the tin work case deflector shield underneath. If you can imagine your yoke with the large diameter round short 'Spigot' at the bottom. Then NOT having the large round section, but where is DIRECTLY welded to the yoke. A smaller diameter approx. 2" long. And then on the end of that spigot, a longer length approx. 3" long. THAT, would be the BREN mount. The approx. "3 long section would be the diameter of the holes I mentioned earlier. on either side of the top armour plate. IRRC I THINK that it was 1" Dia? You will notice, there is also a hole at the rear (It MAY have a screwed plug in it. To prevent the ingress of water) This is so the mount can be lifted out of the front armour. & dropped in the rear hole, to enable rearwards firing. Hope this helps you?

Chris's mounting plates accept the GPMG Mount. Or the much LATER LMG mount which both have the same bottom wide 'spigot' to drop into the mounting plate holes. as in the photo. You see the hole much further back at the rear of the overhead Armour plate that everything sits on? Well, there is one on either side. THAT is where the long thin 'spigot' of the original BREN mount fit's. They also accept the MG Mount for the Browning .30" Cal MG. The one with the folding 'Arm'. The Bren mount is VERY similar to the LMG version. But differs in that the spigot is thinner. & the empty case deflector Shield on the LMG version. Is not fitted to the BREN version. Hope this helps you somewhat?

I have dealt with Arthur Baraclough myself personally. I found him to be a decent & straightforward chap. He is a Straight talking Yorshireman & a Businessman. & is in it to make Money. but is not a rip off merchant. You will always get a fair deal & He is Honest & Helpful. If possible, try to talk to him on the phone to explain exactly what it is you require. He will do his best to assist. & you cant ask more than that, can you? I have no connection to the Firm/ owner. Other than purchasing goods from Him.

Short answer is No. ONLY when you come to sell it. The current Law demands that the purchaser must have a 'Defence in Law' to buy it. IE: Be a member of a Re-Enactment group, A Member of HM.Armed Forces, Or a representative of a Theatrical Agency for stage/ film work. There is a little more to it, but that is the salient points you need to be aware of. You require NO paperwork to hold this replica as your own property.

No.5 was also used on Centurion Tanks, Saladin A/C's as well as MK.I Ferrets. :angel:

I had exactly the same problem with the very first ferret I owned Privately. There is no other way round this problem. Than to remove the tank & get it cleaned PROPERLY!........... I tried removing all the pipes & soaked them in tricoetheline.= Didnt work! I tried an agreesive brush restorer. = It didn't work! I tried thinners. = it didn't work either! I had partial success with the brush restorer. & a Flexi steel cable with a copper bristle brush. BUT, you NEVER get the pipes completely clean of the gunk. you THINK it's all up and running ok. BUT, as you drive the vehicle. Small particles of the gunk. Break away from the inner walls of the pipes. & like dust, slowly fill the bottom of the carb float bowl! This makes it harder to rev & accelerate. As the dust is sucked up under the jets, & inhibits correct operation! I cleaned my carb out quite a few times I can tell you! (I now know the 40 NNIP carb inside out!) The ONLY solution was to remove the Tank & take it to a firm who repaired radiators, Relined brake shoes & Repaired petrol tanks. This was in Hove, East Sussex/ They HAD to completely kill ANY fumes in the tank. By washing it out with a special solution. They then cut a 'U' patch in each side of the tank. Peeled the sections back, so access by hand could be obtained. The tank interior was scraped completely clean. It was then relined by 'Tinning', (Soft soldering all the interior) The open sections pushed back & seam welded back to position. (Reheated after welding, in the areas where welding had taken place. To re run solder over those areas, where it had melted during welding.) the tank was pressure tested to see if there were any leaks (None at all!) & resprayed in red lead primer. I sprayed it silver over the red lead & refitted the tank in my ferret. I had NO further Fuel issues during my ownership. (4 years plus) Petrol over a long period of time, breaks down into it's natural state if left. IE: It reverts back to crude it would appear! THIS is what blocks all the pipes & filter Etc. I only had ONE side of the fuel pipe blocked. As it had only been left with the tap open over time. From the feed pipe of the left side of the Tank. (Looking forward from the rear) up to the filter it was blocked with the gunk. The filter saved it from going from the filter pipe to the carb! & the RHS tank feed pipe was clear. Just MY experience on this topic. Hope it might help you?........:undecided:

Ok, Dug the Model out & took some pics. It is approx. 2'.6"" long, made from plywood & sheet metal. Each track link is movable & cast from alliminium with a steel track pin. I am not entirely sure, but I THINK the hull top MAY have been originally made in Perspex? As some of the interior panels are also in the material. Also, the interior detailing of sliding mapboards & folding seats etc. Would not be seen, if it were a dense/ wood top. I am going to make the parts in wood & metal to match the exterior. Ensuring that the Top Hull is removable to view the interior detail. It is very dusty inside & need a good clean with a soft bristle brush! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pic's? [ATTACH=CONFIG]106566[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106567[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106568[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106569[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106570[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106571[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106572[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106573[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]106574[/ATTACH]

Six Magazines.

2 Pdr Guns are VERY thin on the ground, as you may well be aware! Rob Nixon is your man. He has a worldwide network on contacts for Arty spares! :cheesy: I remember the Late Mike Hoffman, who was a VERY Good friend of Mine. Had a Daimler A/C that had no Breech block. He went to Shrivenham to take dimentions & Photo's of the parts he required. And made them. This MAY be your only possibility, manufacture. If Rob isn't able to help?...........:embarrassed: Im sure thy will accommodate you if you enquire? Just a Suggestion.

Some interesting Pic's there. Thanks for sharing. I never had time to get over to the DDR Border Display Myself. I Really wanted to see inside the Diorama, what they had constructed. Never mind, perhaps next year?......:undecided:

Thank You VERY Much indeed! That does clarify a lot of things on the MK.I I will attempt to dig the Model out of the back of my Comm's Trailer today, for some pics! :-X Nice looking Rapier Trailer in the background as well! Much nice aesthetically looking than Mine! :red: Cheers! Mike.