FV1604A

Hi guys, Thought you would like to know about a couple of Austin 'K's needing your help. I am a member of the HCVS and two have appeared for sale in poor condition in their magazine this month, but possibly only useful for spares. One is a sister of the K4 in post113 except it is GXN202; the other is more military as it is a Sun-bodied K6 Airfield crash tender HXA 866 from 1947. Both have been advertised by a Mr Cole from Fireworld, who is thinnning a collection. He can be contacted at admin@fireworld.org.uk or send me a pm for his phone number.Location is Weedon, Northampton, inspection is by appointment only. Save them before they go , even if it is only for spares. Anybody doing so, put a post up for my interest .Thanks. Mike.

Hi, Probably a long shot, but just a thought. If R.A.F. Boulmer was the service centre for the Explorer and there was a missile recovery use involved here, perhaps the missile site on the A69, between Newcastle and Carlisle at Spadeadam was its working area. It would be possible that the Explorer would be pulled in from Boulmer to service/recover rockets on test days at this site. I believe, Blue Steel was tested there! 01BD89 certainly wasn't seen in the Newcastle area in my time there, our local Explorer was 94BD55. Regards to all, Mike

Hi Grunty, Try Ebay 160352397067, three days to run, Regards, Mike.

Hi, Haven't read or heard anything bad about these vehicles. In fact, the general consensus seems to be 'very impressive four-wheel drive cargo'. This one on Ebay has been up-dated (probably by the French Army , but check this) with the diesel motor, which makes it a good buy, if you can get it for the right price;with eight bids chasing it, it may have a way to go yet! The R2087, the Renault equivalent, has cab mountings problems and some rust issues, or so I have been told! There is a field full of them near us at Poitiers in France, so you won't have trouble with bitz, also believe our old friend at RR Services in Ashford does a good line in spares! Good luck Mike

Hi 49HG92, Do you have a first name, Thanks, got your message , I am preparing a suitable response for you. Regards, Mike.

Thanks Tony, These Merlins were really new to me, must keep up to speed!! Thanks Mike.

Hi Tony, Nice pictures, recognise most of the aircraft except the middle pix of ZJ995. What is it,who builds them and when did the RAF get them? Nice shot of it rising over the Oshkosh tankers! Regards, Mike.

Hi, There is a Berna 1939 'totally original' for £7500 in English Commercial Motor magazine next week 22/07/09 similar to the one you posted, should you be looking for one. Regards, Mike.

Hi, Yes,Rosie, Having had a contributor relationship with Ian, I can reiterate that he's a good lad, a good editor and more so, a good communicator, much better than others! regards, Mike.

Hi Will, You have really picked a great truck to restore there and she will be fabulous when she is done. I don’t know whether you are a member of the HCVS, but the Albion WD HD23N workshop was the featured truck last month in the club magazine. Ian Maclean, Registrar of the Albion Clubs did an interesting piece well précis’d down , but containing things I didn’t know about these beautiful vehicles. The cabs were seemingly made by Penman of Dumfries, the workshop bodies by Strachan, and the whole drive train was Albion-built from the EN257C engine to the double-drive rear bogies. He reckons 10 x 23N and one 23S survive. The works pic was of 55BK17.Only a few numbers away from the LWB cargo 55 BK 14 in post 7 Do you know the army census number of yours? Was it from the BK or BL range? The local TA army groups around Newcastle and South Shields had a few of the cargos, Beverley army museum had a nice example of the machinery version, and a few of the house-builders in the Newcastle region bought them straight from auction to use as site huts for ‘the lads’, usually being low-loaded onto the site and removed after the housing estate had been built. Anyway, power to your elbow, it will take time, but keep the image in your mind of how she is going to look when she is on the road. Would be very interested in the census number. Thanks. Mike

Hi Steve, A very big welcome as we have to get a northern contingent organised against all these southerners (sorry guys)! You wouldn't believe how many of them come from Essex, Kent, Sussex and the home counties. You are another very useful and informative member. Personally I am from the other side of the Pennines, but we do share the same TV stations!! have a great time, Mike

Welcome Jasper, You sound like a useful lad to have around. Hope you benefit from the site too; if you still like military vehicles after years working with them, then you won't find a better site.If you want a good idea of the membership have a look at the Neil and Lee 'Stolly' story, now that's dedication! All the best Mike

Hi Scott9643. As someone who mentioned that they are in need of 9-00-20's for your wonderful K9, you could start your collection at Withams on July 13th , lot number 310, one 9.00.20 on wheel. May be a good start for you. One down three to go! Best wishes, Mike

Call that an Explorer, naw,---- this is an Explorer. The secret weapon for REME no-one talked about, the turbo-driven go-faster one-off Scammell. Not sure whether FVRDE had a hand in it, but the idea was to hold all that power in check and to keep the front end from lifting under acceleration. Special sideboards to smooth wind-resistance and a roof aerofoil which doubles as a cargo box if required. The raised hatch on the rear acts as a parachute, deployed from the cab at will, for braking! It didn’t catch on, so, I believe, only one was made. The shape of the sloping exit rear board suggests it was possibly amphibious, too! Mike.:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hi JimH, Lovely truck. I would be in seventh heaven if I had that parked in the backyard, so why the interest in rarity. It's a great British truck, last you will see in this condition. For that money, be very, very, grateful that you have been so lucky to secure it! I had a Bedford RL Cargo for a while and really liked it, it sounded good, I loved the seating arrangement and it did everything demanded of it and would love another one. Even the brilliant 'Fleet Data' people didn't have any data on this one. Yours must have been kept in a special place of its own!! It wasn't on the Marchington list in 1995 (well, at least, I can't find it). However , have to agree the yellow line does nothing for the aesthetics!! Regards, Mike

Nice gesture! Do you have an army number for Thor, always interesting for us 'number crunchers' to check out 'his' background! Great restoration, well done, Mike.

Thanks Tony B for putting up this news item, I would have missed it without your alert. Thanks, well worth watching, good entertainment and fascinating stuff. Decent photography and sorry, I liked the choir and the subtitles! Best wishes, Mike

Hi Rich, Hope the work on 485ELM is going well.When you first posted,I mentioned that I had trouble with the charging circuit on my Q4 personnel carrier, when I had her. I have since found what , I think, is one of the two control boxes I bought for it, back in the nineties.It will be up for sale on HMVF Classifieds in a day or two, so if you find a charging problem and it does seem to be a known problem with the Q4 , you know where to look for a replacement. Regards,Mike.

Hi N.O.S. Yes, it's French. It's a Simca Ford model F569WML/F594WMC (shorter chassis). Era built around 1950-on, but still being used in 2000 at least.I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't some still in service somewhere. Bodywork was flatbed, cargo, wireless house-back,tipper,Number 7 set, tanker, even a helicopter launch pad. 3 to 5 ton depending on use. I think around 10,000 4x2 cargos and 14,000 4x4's were produced. V8 petrol power was, I believe, built in the old Bugatti factory in Alsace. The picture you have shown, has a civilian registration from the Indre et Loire, probably taken at Neuvilly-Pailloux, near Chateauroux, where they often build the bodywork for French military trucks. Neuvilly are currently involved in re-bodying the new generation ex-Berliet GBC8KT into the new shape GLC180 Sherpa. Best wishes, Mike

Anybody remember the open trade agreement?

Well Done Adrian for choosing THE most beautiful of military vehicles to restore. Always been fascinated by the T's, since watching them as a kid, moving around the TA yard in Shipcote, Gateshead. An article of mine is being run soon in one of the trucking magazines on Bekes salvage yard in Paris, which is closing within six months. All vehicles and spares must go by 2010. When we were there, there were racks of parts, some labelled up for the Diamond T 980/981, they seemed to have lots of half shafts. There were three 968/969 in the hedges, but as you say in your text, the cabs are different. Certainly, if you are looking for any more parts or future spares, it is worth sending an e-mail to Gerard Beke in English to ask what he has left for the 980/981. They are nice people to do business with, we had a great afternoon with them, they are almost as interested in the vehicles as we are. Some of the stuff that has gone through that yard is really special, oh, for a Tardis! Numbers,contacts are on Milweb Spares for sale section. Best wishes,Mike.

Hi, Ekawrecker, Yes and No! It is still a mega show in terms of size ,but going back to 2001 (and we have been 8 years on the trot) when we first went, some of the excitement has gone , which I presume is the H&S brigade restricting movement with its attendant insurance implications.Every year there was a defilé (parade) at the end of the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday. This gave us the opportunity to see the vehicles moving and to photograph them (We are there working, not (just!) for pleasure), but this year, no defilé on Saturday! We were too busy, too hot and to be honest,too tired to chase around finding out why!The Federal was one of the few new restorations on the heavy military side, although, it was good to see ex-pat and Italian trucker Nicky Armstrong's Scammell TRMU 'Hugo' getting a new coat of paint.Saumur's Panther was back again!It would be good to see the French Army back with more creative vehicles. Hope you get across yourself next year , definitely worth the time and money , but take some cover (small tent!, sure Jack, can fix you up with one!!!) Best wishes, Mike.

Congratulations to both of you. Great idea. We want to do the same someday, it's double the time for us. Even more important on this forum, do my eyes not deceive me as the wedding car has an 'MV' plate! Have a happy and long life together.

Star of the show!! Federal 606 C2 wrecker (?)with its Hercules engine on show at La Locomotion en Fete, Etampes, France Saturday the 13th June 2009. Lovely machine!