Tony Lawrence

Not much can be told about your trailer without seeing some photos of it! The number by itself is not much help and the only comment I can make is that you appear to have the rare type of hitch seen in the manual I posted in an earlier thread. Your plate number is indeed near that of Sean's (with the same rare hitch) but Sean's trailer is proving a bit of a mystery - we need to see photos.

Sean, look at the photos of my trailer during rebuild as there are some shots of the rear. There are angle uprights at each side and a channel section (the same profile as those on the sides) in the middle. I would suggest yours is a post-war 'conversion'. Are there any holes for the bolts attaching the hinges to the chassis at the front? I cannot help on the lettering for the data plate. Any luck on the canvas tie hole spacing?

I lived in college digs in St. Albans in the late 1960's and I never knew the yard was there!! But then in those days I was more interested in booze, birds and other student activities. It was only when I was involved in the 1990's in restoring a half track that I visited the yard to pick up a NOS instrument panel for said vehicle and a NOS diff/axle that I realised my digs were about 600 yards away and a pub I used to frequent was even closer. By then the contents were fairly depleted from those shown in the clip but the old station building was still jammed full of gear and all over the ground were small bags of Humber components. Chris would not stand idiots but I managed to pass the test somehow. I only wish we could turn back the clock as we need characters such as him involved in the hobby now.

I was told that if towed behind a 15cwt truck then the tailboards of the truck and the trailer were of the same or very similar heights to enable easy transfer of items. Certainly the trailer is higher than a standard jeep trailer but whether that is the correct answer I leave to the experts such as Richard.

At long last the restoration is finished - one of my cleat castings took five weeks in the post to reach me!! the position of the WD number is the same as shown in the manual. Now to look into the logistics of getting the Surrey trailer trash trailers to War and Peace Revival next year - we have about ten between us and only three towing vehicles. OOps!!

It is a mortar trailer behind a Lloyd carrier. These were often used to carry 4.2" mortars with the ammunition trailer being towed behind. The small arms ammunition boxes could easily be stored on the flat mudguards of the trailer and lashed down.

This is a Panther - the wheels are larger than those in the photo and are single, not double

Sorry to be a party pooper - they are not from a Panther - more likely a post war Hotchkiss (or something similar) APC

As I posted in the 10cwt GS trailer thread these are the cleats - a mortar trailer needs 16. They are an obsolete design and are almost impossible to find, hence me biting the bullet and having some cast.

Don't tell the wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was Marshall Brass in Norfolk - they may still have the mould. They cast in brass - cheaper than cast iron. I would suggest that you contact them soon but the cleats are not cheap but better to have them than not. You need 16 for a full set.

My mortar trailer has no hole or any brackets, fixings, etc., therefore presumably no electrics were fitted. My lightweight GS has a hole, cable clips, brackets i.e. the full works for electrical fittings. John has suggested the three mystery brackets underneath the rear of the mortar trailer may be some sort of fixings for lighting but I doubt that as they are the wrong dimensions (compared to the lightweight) and in the wrong place.

Has anyone got any diagrams of a wiring loom for the 10cwt trailers - there was no sign of any wiring/lights on my trailer yet the manual says that there should be certain items fitted.

It could well be - via e-bay I exchanged a pair of WD 5-15 tyres that were well shot with an American chap for this manual and the equivalent on Lightweight GS trailers. He had copied them from a manual held by a Belgian museum and I believe he was selling copies on e-bay. He was an avid collector of British airborne equipment

This is a copy of the manual - I do not know if it is available now

The rubbing strake around the top of the trailer is 2 1/4" by 7/8". The tops of my supports appear to have been cut - whether during manufacture or later I have no idea but it does seem a lot of effort if it was going to be cosmetic. I have rebuilt the rubbing strake as though there was no cut away. I have photographed my hitch with the new one I purchased from e-bay. Brockhouse bought out Orme Evans during the war and possibly as John suggested it was a stronger casing to replace the cylindrical Mk1 hitch which was probably originally fitted to my trailer (hence the lifting arms welded to the trailer chassis). It obviously could take any form of tow hitch; ball, 1" or 2 3/4" ring. I am going to keep it as it is part of the trailers history even though it is probably just post-war. The General Arrangement diagram may be helpful to show the cleat positions as well as the rubbing strakes and other O&S.

What a clever bunny!! As it appears to be a genuine fitting for both civilian and military use (see Landrover trailer)I will keep it as it is. Also I now have a second purchased from E-bay for 99p

Certainly not on the chassis I have seen. Remember trailers were just ancillary pieces of equipment unlike motor vehicles and so there would not have been the requirements to keep detailed records. I would suggest that the trailers were made in numbers to fulfil the contract and the data plates added and stamped upon release from the factory with no need to stamp the chassis itself.

I found this photo of a Mortar trailer while trawling Google images - it looks fairly complete and original except for the missing side stand and additional woodwork. It links to an old thread on HMVF it sold for £350 in 2010 apparently

See my previous post - there are no stampings except for the data plate. Good point about Brockhouse though.

There is no stamped number - the data plate is the only fixed reference. My airborne trailer was made by SS cars so I am no help to David

Finally finished the woodwork on the Mortar trailer - I might apply for a job in B&Q!! Various issues found such as the fact that the metal work is not symmetrical eg. the rear centre upright is not central, it is 1/2" off centre and the spacings between the uprights on each side are different so if you are going to restore one of these then measure each wooden component, don't assume identical measurements on each side. The front 'tailgate' also has to be offered up to the hinges in situ as there are slight discrepancies on each side. Next stage an overall coat sprayed on outside and hope my new cleats turn up this century - the casters are rather slow.. And Before anyone comments, the bolt holes on each side of the tailgate strakes are lower than the rest to fit the holes in the metal side edging - all the other spacings are taken from photos of unrestored or restored trailers.

Mine never had a spare wheel mount, also no sign of any wiring. I see you also have the strange downward plates towards the rear - no idea what they were for. Could you put some photos of the rest of the body up? The tyres should be 6.00 x 16 - larger than the standard GS trailer tyres. Mortar trailers always had the front tailgate, not the rear. Again it appears that your spring shackles are tatty.

Post some more photos please. If you look at my previous posts and photos you should get some ides of the various metal work. The timber is ash and imperial measurements .All planks are 7/8" thickness. The sides are 4 1/2" wide planks as are the front hinged section and the rear. The floor has one 2 3/4" width on the outside, then three 4 3/4", one 9 3/8" in the centre, then three 4 3/4" and one 2 3/4" on the outside. I have had to get the cleats cast and mentioned previously. Use M6 coachbolts with square nuts as it is impossible to get Imperial thread ones. These three pictures show close of play before the storm is meant to hit us tonight. The outside planks of the floor are slightly raised as the chassis forces them up. I cannot believe that the manufacturers would have gone to the trouble of planning different thicknesses of wood to make everything level unless anybody can prove me wrong by showing some original planking

it was £650 plus commission and VAT. My telephone bid was for £350 as it had to be sandbasted plus new wood, cleats and other unknown work, etc. These costs mount up and suddenly you are looking at a £1500 - £2000 trailer