johnwardle

The dating certificate from the Matchless owners club should have been enough, ask the DVLA to check the frame number in 'British Forces Motorcycles' by Chris Orchard and Steve Madden, the DVLA have a copy of this book in their reference library, something that Chris Orchard is very proud of.

Mine was down rated by Dave Crouch as part of the deal when I bought the Leyland Daf off him. All that I have been able to find regarding the down rating is 2 spacers about 10mm thick between the chassis rails and the rear bump stops. When I was at Wicksteed ar War this year I was chatting with someone about the down rating of my truck, it turned out that his day job is working for DVSA, the new name for VOSA, and told me that their main concern with down rated trucks was with them being used commercially, as mine has a box body fitted and is registered as a Motor Caravan he said that DVSA wouldn't have any problems with it.

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.

I see that the non runner has a ZR (pre 1949) registration have you any idea when it was made?

Hi Diana, I measured the smoke dischargers on a Spartan, the Scimitar ones are difficult to reach from the ground and we aren't allowed to climb on any vehicle. outside diameter 82mm inside diameter 66mm length 175mm John

I'm sure that is Jims Raleigh, as he was at W&P this year, was it next to a tired looking Jeep with a BSA Parabike on the front?

Q registration means a vehicle of indeterminate age, the fact that it is registered (has a V5C) as an agricultural vehicle suggests that the previous owner has circumvented the correct registration process to get the vehicle exempt from road tax and MOT testing. I am sure that there are restrictions regarding the use of agricultural vehicles, and if you were stopped by the police you would have a lot of explaining to do if you use it for anything other than agricultural use.

I'll measure one tomorrow, I did notice today while rummaging about in the stores that the smoke discharger cap packets are marked 'Cap Smoke Discharger CVRT' so they could be larger than Ferret ones

Hi Ron, the above photo is of a 1940 Phillips MkV folding bike, the same as the one that Jim owns. They have a very basic folding mechanism, the vertical post in the frame is the hinge. The Raleigh has a much better folding mechanism, it has sleeves that slide on the top and bottom frame tubes, and when the sleeves are slid forwards on the top tube and upwards on the bottom tube they reveal a double knuckle joint, then you simply swing the front part of the frame towards the rear.

A member of the West Wilts area of the MVT has a collection of WW2 British folding bikes, 2 BSAs a Raleigh and a Phillips. I have spent ages trawling through the internet trying to find more information on the Raleigh and the Phillips, one website claims that Raleigh only made 1 prototype folding bike, but as Jim had 2, he sold the other to someone in Wales years ago, and knows of 3 others this is incorrect. Regarding the Phillips folding bike, the only thing that I can find is 2 photos with no information on the BSA Museum website. I have spoken to Jim, who owns the bikes about writing a magazine article about his bikes but he knows nothing about the 2 rare ones, he bought all his collection in the early 70s and at the time didn't realise how rare the Raleigh and Phillips were. Does anyone on here know anything about the Raleigh or Phillips folding bikes?

Looks like one for the FV430 series, most commonly used on 432s. Although I could be wrong.

What does it consist of & how much are you asking for it?

Dave Crouch usually has some box bodies for sale, I got mine from him complete with securing hardware.

I work on MoD property and there is a very strict photography/ video policy, there are notices in the guardroom windows stating that filming and photos are not permitted without permission from the USO (unit security officer) and there have been a couple of recent incidents where action was taken when permission was not obtained. One was when a group from a local school were on a tour of the workshops, someone took some photos of the vehicles in the workshops on their phone and posted them on Facebook, the second on was when Babcock were making a corporate video and were caught filming the interior of a new armoured vehicle which was parked right outside the USO and COs office! Needless to say that video doesn't exist anymore.

Nice one, it's very pleasing to see the results of a request from a T.V. company. Thanks for doing this Richard. Regards John

The chap that I work with is Brian Jarrett, ex RE, the chap involved in the loading was John Stone of the RCT.

A work colleague of mine was in the Royal Engineers and went to the Falklands with the Task Force, in fact he was in one of the Haulmatics when the MEXE Float overturned! He told me that his unit took 6 Combat Engineer Tractors with them, but were far too busy getting things sorted out to take any photos. By the way the person that loaded the Haulmatics on to the MEXE float used to work with us until 2 weeks ago, the Haulmatics were rescued, and were at work 2 days later, all drivers survived albeit wet and cold.

The easiest way to tell a 5 bearing Land Rover engine from a 3 bearing on is the oil filler, if it has an orange screw in oil fillier cap in the rocker cover it is 5 bearing, if the oil filler is a push on on on top of a tube on the side of the engine it is 3 bearing.

Imber is usually open to the public over Christmas and Easter, the friends of St Giles church run a very good tea and cakes stall in the church which is very welcome as it's usually freezing. Tyneham has plaques in each building with details of the last occupants and also details of previous censuses, which is very interesting reading, a short walk from Tyneham is Warbarrow bay with a small machine gun emplacement ( I can't remember what it's called) that looks like a 45 gallon drum with a domed lid. Well worth a visit, it's one of the most peaceful places I've visited.

Lacock at War is happening this weekend, 20th & 21st August, in the historic village of Lacock in Wiltshire (SN15 2LQ). This small, but perfectly formed show will have 23 Re-enactment groups, 75 Military Vehicles, 1940s singer Madeline Brown, Paul Caspers George Formby tribute (you would swear blind he is George reincarnated) BBMF Lancaster flypast at 14:25 on Saturday, Red Arrows flypast at 18:40 Sunday. FREE ENTRY, please park in the National Trust car park (£3.00 per vehicle for the day. If you need any more information please P.M. me.

Thanks for the offer, but I have put 2 other people in touch with the television people, as the filming is taking place on Tuesday I think that they have the sandcastle crusher sorted.

The REME Museum has moved to Lyneham, they are still in the process of setting up and archiving. The opening date is still to be announced.

Hi Mark, Could you P.M me your email address and I will forward the email I received from the BBC. John

I spoke to one of Metcalfe Farms drivers who was collecting a vehicle from us this afternoon, apparently there is a 1940s weekend in Leyburn around this time every year, the driver I spoke to lives in Leyburn, and told me that there was about 30 vehicles in the market place.

Odd, all British MANs have 2 letter 2 number 2 letter registrations, were they from a foreign army on exercise or have we been invaded?