Tony Lawrence
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Posts posted by Tony Lawrence
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is that a Canadian trailer behind the third Bedford? It certainly looks higher than the GS trailer.
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Hi Maurice,
It is interesting to see that your trailer has the lifting handles mounted on the chassis with the early barrel hitch, just like my Mortar trailer. This is also an SS cars product so maybe this was their 'style'. Nearly all other GS and Mortar trailers that I have seen have had the later integral hitch with folding handles mounted on top of the chassis.
Don't forget that at W&P you promised me more photos on your R/D office trailer.
Tony
Oh dear, I had a senior moment...my Mortar trailer was built by Orme Evans and my Lightweight GS was built by SS Cars. The theory still applies as my Lightweight trailer also has the barrel hitch and lifting handles welded onto the chassis but that means my Mortar trailer is still unusual having those features. Time for hibernation now!!!!!!
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Hi Maurice,
It is interesting to see that your trailer has the lifting handles mounted on the chassis with the early barrel hitch, just like my Mortar trailer. This is also an SS cars product so maybe this was their 'style'. Nearly all other GS and Mortar trailers that I have seen have had the later integral hitch with folding handles mounted on top of the chassis.
Don't forget that at W&P you promised me more photos on your R/D office trailer.
Tony
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This site describes all the defence constructions in the area including the anti tank ditch and various references to it including aerial photos
This site is even better with some photos and a map of where the anti tank ditch was. Where it crossed the slopes of Ranmore at Bradley Farm is where the tank (s) were.
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This site describes all the defence constructions in the area including the anti tank ditch and various references to it including aerial photos
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Does it look as though its in chalk looking at the ground behind.
Thinking about digging it means that the ground may be stable when digging
It is chalk - it's the south facing slope of the North Downs.
A nice photo from Rick that I haven't seen before - are there any more?
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Lots of ideas on how to recover the tanks, But no one seems to have thought why are there tanks allegedly still buried at Dorking?, reports at the time imply the "other" tanks were dug/investigated and reburied, but why did not the Tank museum dig the others out too at the time? ..one can only assume they were found to be incomplete hulls/parts, and not worth recovering or inaccessble due to buildings/farm activities etc built over them
As I mentioned previously there were ideas that the Canadians used them in recovery/bridging exercises as there was a very large anti tank ditch stretching across the Mole valley from Box Hill to Ranmore, i.e across Bradley Farm where the tanks were buried. One could assume that the other tanks were also Covenanters as they would not have been much use in the forthcoming invasion but as originally I was told that a Sherman had been dug up you can gather that tank ID was not included in the local education!!.When I was told (being the local 'expert', at least in the model variety) it was not until I saw the dug up tank that I could ID it.
They were dug up probably due to the sale of the farm in preparation for it becoming a vineyard. I remember a photo in the local paper showing the tank by a couple of trees (no buildings in sight). Somebody could always try contacting the Dorking Advertiser to see if they have the photo in their archives.
Sometime soon I should be able to retrieve my slides and put the photos on this forum - probable 2-3 weeks.
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I drive past the winery every day, just lacking the GPR
For many years I worked alongside a local historian who knew of the tanks. he had lived in Dorking all his life and saw them burried. Sadly he died 30 years ago so no chance of more info.
He had his own maps of all the downed planes and V1's that came down in the area. He took me on a dig once, they were trying to recover the guns from a Heinkel 111 that crashed in Blackbrook, as a kid he had got to the crash site before the home guard got there and recovered the top end of the steering yoke, and discovered that the ball races were marked "made in Birmingham"!
It sounds like David Knight (long deceased) who told me about the recovery of the Covenanter. I think many of the previous comments are 'pie in the sky'. Who would seriously expect a award winning multi million pound business to allow heavy plant in to trash a sizeable area unless by chance they were going to develop that site anyway? I should think that they are aware of the remaining tanks and would have suitable contacts (i.e. Bovington) to call.
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From the census number this started off as a Crusader II
All AA versions were based on Crusaders - Covenanters were only gun tanks used for training purposes except for a few used as OP tanks in the Western desert
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I dunno, Maybe recovered in 77 and restored in 87? I was just going by the article, which is pretty interesting. You don't hear much about the home-guard.
Definitely 1987 as I didn't get my jeep until 1979.
Also the Canadians didn't use Covenanters. As far as I can remember there was no damage caused by small arms or larger. The main gun had been removed (usefully Bovington had a spare gun but no tank)
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I am awaiting to be told something different but I think it was 1987 not 1977.
It was probably 1987 as after a customer told me about it (I own Dorking Models in West St., Dorking) I drove my jeep up to the barn where it was being stored and took several photos of it. I will try to find them but unfortunately they are in storage at the moment. I remember the remains of the red/white/red flashes showing. I also remember the low loader carrying it off to Bovington passing up West St. under a tarpaulin - it was recognisable by the wheels.
By a strange coincidence amongst some secondhand books/magazines that I took in at the time was a brown leatherette covered file that was labelled LMS Workshops, Crewe. It was the manual for a Covenanter and inside were some typewritten sheets marked 'Top Secret' regarding an exercise on Salisbury Plain involving 9th Armoured Division (panda head insignia) 9th AD used Covenanters on exercises in the South of England.
I sent copies to David Fletcher at Bovington who was most interested and we came to the conclusion that these could have been related to the buried Covenanter but who knows. I still have the documents and manual.
The thought is also that the Canadians buried the tanks before they left for D-Day having used them for recovery/bridging exercises in the area of the very large anti-tank ditch dug across the River Mole valley between Box Hill and Ranmore.
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bob had posted some covenanter pics in the valentine resto thread and i thought i would continue the discussion here. a covenanter was recovered from otterburn in the nineties which eventually ended up in NZ with andrew rowe. another forum member danny 152 had recovered several wrecked covenanters from a range in devon but owing to their poor condition nobody wanted them and they ended up getting scrapped. which is a real shame for such a rare tank.
anyway i had heard there is still a covenanter buried in an orchard where the tank museum example came from. apparently it was dug up with the other on but reburied. i don't doubt this but do any of the great and good have any pics of it
The Tank Museum vehicle came from Bradley Farm near Dorking in Surrey and it was said that there were two other tanks also buried but left there. I do not think that they will be recovered now as Bradley Farm became the Denbies Vinyard (one of the largest in the UK) and I would doubt that they would pull up rows of vines for a tank recovery.
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Are you an MVT member? If so there was an interesting article in the spring edition of Windscreen about vehicle verification and registration. If you aren't an MVT or IMPS member, could I suggest that you join one of them as they both offer a free verification service. The vehicle being verified does not have to be fully assembled. If you look a the SGS website it appears to me that they are more involved in industry than individual vehicles.
The vehicle has to be substantially complete - not a pile of components. Essentially this is to ensure the vehicle is what it is claimed to be. The clubs do charge a fee for the verification service but it is less for members. All the main components,i.e. frame/chassis, engine, body, etc have to be original or of the period.
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Gents- Is there any photo evidence the wood on these was varnished instead of painted same as the metal?
My very expensive ash was delivered tonight and I am having a difficult time with the thought of painting this beautiful wood!
Paul
I went through the same pain but all trailers were painted - they were workhorses, not items of art.
Don't worry though, you can still see the grain through the paint. I did not prime the wood, just treated it with a clear wood preservative and then sprayed the British Army green so the paint does not hide the grain.
Tony
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It was displayed at Goodwood Revival last weekend - hopefully it is not a write-off as it was a superb replica
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I would be very interested in any assistance available in verifying the manufacturer or help interpolating the WD X number from the Contract and chassis number?
According to Rob van Meel's Chilwell reprint, Reynolds had a contract S2488 is for trailer 10cwt 2wh GS with WD numbers between X 416510 and X 5417729. There is no mention of contract S2489 so either Rob's book has a mis-print (entirely possible) or it is a Reliance trailer with a contract of S2489 for trailer 10cwt GS and a WD number range between X 5418982 and X 5419741. My bet is the latter who I have never come across before.
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Please post some photos of your trailer.
Not all were fitted up with electrics for lighting. A clue would be if there is a hole in the end of the chassis bar under the tow hitch which is where any cable would pass.
You still have not mentioned the presence or lack of a cable hole at the end of the chassis bar. If I am correct the GS Mkll and 4.2" mortar trailers were not rigged up for lights, hence the jerry rigged efforts (also see Simon King's superb restoration of the GS trailer on this thread). Certainly my 4.2" Mortar trailer was never wired.
I have no idea why some types of trailer were wired and others not.
Is your tow hitch the unusual square box type housing - it is not clear from the photos and interestingly the data plate has no WD number, only a chassis number
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I've just read all 38 pages of this thread. Wow. Lots of information and some fantastic trailers. I am now restoring my new GS, after the shipping company had a go at it. Is there a consensus on the location of the convoy light switch? I don't see any bolt holes or brackets or signs thereof. I have some spare brackets as used on lightweight trailers but don't see any mounting points?
i believe this is a Reynolds Trailer(?) can anyone shed any light or have any further information ?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]117823[/ATTACH]
Please post some photos of your trailer.
Not all were fitted up with electrics for lighting. A clue would be if there is a hole in the end of the chassis bar under the tow hitch which is where any cable would pass.
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Thanks mate I'm also looking for Enfield 350 ohv CO spares if you know anywhere lol
cheers
rob
Russell Motors for many old bike stocks
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i was kind of hoping that too but would sooner strip it down & check it first don't want to do any damage. Just been in touch with owners club trying to get some bits together they don't have any
points or condensers do you no anywhere? Spares seem to be like hens teeth lol
Try Russell Motors, Falcon Rd, London SW11 2PE. They have a vast quantity of NOS motor cycle spares. I have got everything I have needed for my 16H from them over the years.
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I have used Humbrol No.69 gloss yellow spray over a suitable primer and it appears satisfactory
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The draw bar looks original but has been re-inforced where it joins the main chassis. It appears to have the same early post war Bradley hitch (see the earlier 10cwt mortar trailer thread) as my trailer but should have had the late war hitch with the integral grab handles (as in the book illustrations). You will have to get new cleats - an expensive job as they are not made now as well as new ash wood planks.
A worthwhile project but make sure you check the earlier thread as you will pick up loads of info- good luck.
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I suspect the problem with any military vehicle magazine since Wheels and Tracks is that it's not Wheels and Tracks....
The hobby also had a different feel. With Bart's first few pages of news, discoveries and other snippets, you felt part of a smallish community of people interested in military vehicles. Rare (and common) vehicles in reasonable condition could still be found in scrappies and on farms and could be picked up for a song. Those days are gone.
Perhaps we associate W&T too much with those days which is why no other print magazine is regarded as an acceptible substitute. The hobby has moved on but perhaps some of us havent yet.
Perfectly put Simon - we look back to those days through rose-tinted spectacles. It was indeed a time of seemingly wonderous discoveries but then we forget the difficulties of obtaining certain spares that are now common place (jeep steering bellcranks!!)
In the 1970's Bart used to come into my shop (Olyslager Press was just round the corner) and was instrumental in getting me interested in MV's just as his books and W&T did for thousands of others over the years. W&T was the gold standard and will never be bettered.
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We tried to start the engine today without any success except for a puff of smoke but it was a useful exercise as, after I filled the cooling system, I noticed that there was a leak from the water pump bearing which will need some attention, although it should not interfere with the engine running. Also there was no petrol getting through to the carburettor so an investigation showed a blocked fuel pipe at the petrol tank end (easily cleared) and also the fuel pump was not pumping.
This was taken off and carefully taken apart and we found that I had not put the new diaphragm in correctly in that I had not twisted and locked the shaft connecting the diaphragm to the operating lever. Pump re-assembled and it now works beautifully. A small oil leak was noticed from the oil pressure gauge/engine block union that at least shows that the oil pump is working but the concensus of opinion is that the timing is way out. There is a beautiful spark from the magneto so that is one good thing.
Unlike the standard Austin 10 engine there is no flywheel with timing marks so more investigation is necessary (when the weather is warmer).
My thanks to John Corden and Ian Greenhill (our electrical expert) for their efforts.
British WW2 10 cwt GS Trailer
in Trailers, plant and equipment
Posted
Look at the mudguards and the fact that the body is higher and over the mudguards.