tim gray

Just read this thread, by length of tyre..........i take it that folks mean the actual area of tyre in contact with the ground? Not the actual length of tyre as in curcumfrence.Please redirect to appropriate stupid questions thread if applicable!Regards Tim

Hi,Try looking outside the box a little, i needed some turnbuckles for the hand brake rods and obtained them from a vintage boat chandler.I seem to recall seeing some saftey tread like this used on the deck. Possible you might have to accept it in a different material but good chance of imperial.Basically i trawled the web.Regards Tim

 

Hi Tim,That is the D4 I had to fit the steering clutches in, prior to its siting on the plinth. Think it was to mark the leaving of an O/c. I was on a course at Mech Training, Plant Roads and Airfields. The particular "C" vehicle we were on at the time was one I was well conversant with, probably a Muir Hill, so was instructed to rebuild the D4 which someone had pulled apart previously. Have not seen it since that time............which was 31 years ago !

Hi Richard.......small small world! Its quite possible we were lurking in the vacinity at the same period of time, the Molly was one of the first things we were trained on, along with the Drott , D6C/D, Terex 72/51, allis chalmers (on its way out) Barford graders. Must admit the 4 was on its plinth already but looked almost brand new so it cant have been thier that long. Head of training was the dreaded Tom Wye. ( complete with that bloody annoying little terrier of his) Last thing you wanted was a walk up the hill with a pink slip in yer hand ( deep cack time)Do you remember the riendeer on the earth berm at the back of the field? Had to kiss its a**e a few time for mucking up!!As an aside, Chattenden Bks where we all stayed is no longer with us, just a perimeter fence and some concrete footprints of the buildings, too many years of sliding down the hill towards Wainscott, just fell apart in the end. Probably end up as a housing estate.........which will also try to slide down to Wainscott so dont buy when they do build!!!!!!!Regards Tim Gray

 

Can't say I've been there recently, either. Capt Smith was O.C. Fields during my time there (1990/4) along with Dave Clement as his WO1. Is the D6 still there? I'd heard it had all been closed down. Plant training being done at Brompton and Bassingbourne these days, now that they have JCB's and it is an all arms thing. Like everything else, I guess todays POMs are not the same quality as they used to be.

I can say the ponderossa and the training fields are alive and well and just as soggy, D6 still present. Ponderossa is classed as part of brompton any way. Last i heard of Bassingbourne was the A1 Cse being run thier for a while as they were landscaping the whole place so it was less flat for infantry trg. ( thats where i did my A1) But i assumed that was all finished now. Used to do some TA stuff at Waterbeach but that was ADR orientated. I dont know if they do all arms stuff at the field garages, possible i suppose as thier are quite a few different cap badges to be seen at Brompton.Re quality of POMS, the actuall operating is essentially the same but the mech side is very short in comparison, even plant section commanders cse has lost its "T" pay. More of a parts swapping scenario these days, change the whole gearbox and send away for actual repair. Regards Tim

Speaking of terminology, I take it by Woodfield Way, you mean outside the Ponderosa. Captain Alf Smiths offices?

 

Certainly outside the ponderossa but have to confess i am not on first name terms with the tennant :-D Not actually been in for a while now...........plant ops being superior beings tend not to break things..............if we do we just bury them and ignore :blush:

 

Regards

 

Tim

 

Fridge, fume hood, possibly an incubator and lots of fire extingushers. I wonder if it was a microbiology lab?

I am trawling around at work with some of the labs folks to see if they can come up with something, not posted, but i have pictures that show the draw contents. Test tubes etc that would be used in chemistry etc.It must have been worthy of some briefing or something as the photo,s were all taken in theater, back of the card booklet is annotated GHQ MEF. Vehicle wise, single headlamp and recognition roundle i am presuming the date is round about the 1941 mark. Perhaps the briefing was to explain an increased capability due to the reciept of the then new equipment.Re the fridge Tony, an associated photo,not clear, shows that it contains a run of pipework surrounded and packed with ice. I am presuming to cool the water from the tank feature on the roof. Not sure on my comments re the soils lab as why would you need that requirement out thier? Fairly obvious what you were driving over or digging into. My guess is as you say, chemical/bug testing , but not associated with the medical profession( vehicle otherwise marked with a red cross?) If i get any furthur info i will postRegards Tim

Indeed Robin i am/was to put it correctly, still working in the engineer sphere but with a civi company. Can i take it that you have associations with same? Your recognition of the terminology would indicate so ( sorry to the rest if it was obscure)Regards Tim

Example of a D6C and towed, cable operated scraper. The machine was also fitted with a fibreglass style cab on occasion.

 

Always had a soft spot for this one as it was the first piece of plant on my Pom Cse. On its way out at that point as the training was split between the D6C and the D6D.

 

This one is visible from Wood field way just behind the wire.

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

Tim

Hi thier,

 

Pic of a D4 on display at the plant school, little bit careworn but the guys nowadays are paid to operate and learn not paint old plant.No doubt it will be sorted sooner or latter. Could not read any data off the construction plate as its got years of paint on. Needs a chemical clean to avoid damaging the stamping. The winch fitted is marked is marked Hyster D4E, i am assuming this particular machine is a post war sample.

Another example is on a plinth in Gillinham Business Park, the site of an old RE barracks, will get pics next time i pass.

Not much fun if the gearbox aint crash!...........sniff.......

 

actually not a bad looking bit of kit, reminds me of the ABLE bridge trains, whats destined for the back end,if thats ok to ask?

 

OK.......edit time, just spotted the drops hook......ergo anything that it will haul up will fit........doh! Trailer load as well......look twice post once.

Internal shots.

As requested.

 

Dont have a clue as to what type of lab vehicle it was, water testing......soils lab........?

 

 

Any info gratefully recieved.

 

 

Regards

 

Tim

Hi there,I may have what your after but i don't actually know the lab that is fitted. Picked up at an antiques fair a nice card booklet with original photo,sof a bedford laboratory vehicle. The booklet has stamps showing MEF (MIDDLE EAST FORCE). Definatley military, definatley north africa or therabouts. Will have to scan the pics in at work and send to PC at home so may take a little time. I presume i can convert the PDF back to JPEG to post on the forum?Has shots of the externals and the internal pics have handwritten notes applied showing various items, even has pics of the draw storage.Vehicle has a tank on the roof with pipes that run through an ice cooler box, presumably to chill the water prior to use in experiments etc.Will post them up as quick as i can.Regards Tim

I suppose you could liken knocking a tiger out to 7 big blokes clubbing a lion to death with big sticks.

 

Wonder how many were taken out by a penetration shot vs just knocking so many bits of kit off the inside that it just packed up and they bailed out ?

 

Tim

Hi Jules,

 

Does the C8 not operate on an electrical switch on the back of the master cylinder then ? Or are you converting to a pedal switch? Dont have a C8 so asking out of curiosity.

 

Regards

Tim

Hi thier Mike,

 

How goes it with you? Rank wise with the avatar i believe its a case of i wont shut up!

 

Just how far gone are your engines? Reason i was compression testing was a basic health check more than any thing. I shall check out the valves as suggested and see what that does. The cylinder head was changed out recently for the correct military pattern, but that was checked out for cracks etc prior to fitting and the lump was also decoked when i did that. No burning to the valves or seats so hopefully its a clearance issue.

 

I have no history of work to the engine prior to what i have done so its anybodies guess as to what was done. I just wish i had measured the bores etc prior to re fitting the head as that may have indicated something. Could be an idea whilst im earning and can afford it to

get it checked out and standardised on bore, piston, and ring sizes. Ive got the manual with those details in. Bottom end is tight as i checked that out when the sump was off having a scrub out.

 

Worst case i suppose would be that prior owners or those who originally rescued it did remedial works to the last three cylinders rings etc and did nothing to the front as it appeared ok or funds were tight....strange i know but then who knows.

 

How goes it with your gun buses, i know from your comments in the past that parts etc are impossible but i was under the impression you had a chassis that was rescuable? Are thier any more out thier for you to pattern against for the rest of it?

 

Regards

Tim

Hi Guys,

 

Did the hot test again this evening, reading 1 thro six in PSI ( throttle fully open this time richard, must read twice and test once in future)

 

60, 58, 68, 80, 95, 93. Not by any means the most even set of readings....:cry:

 

On the up side it would make a decent curve on a graph...well sort of :cheesy:

 

Any comments welcome, on the bright side its not blowing coolant or trailing black smoke.

 

Regards

 

Tim

Tim,

 

Any variation between cylinders of more than 10 psi, indicates a problem, but I suspect the varaition might be in the method of testing perhaps. The throttle should be held wide open while conducting the test.

 

If overheating had affected the engine, then I would expect the lower figures would be to the rear of the engine.

 

Many thanks for the input richard...........i shall redo the comp test and hopefully i shall be consuming "pie, humble, for the use off"

 

Regards

Tim

Thanks guys, I'm not dissapointed, I always like a challenge, and will certainly take my time to get it right.

my very good mate, Tobin Jones has a lovely Humber FWD which i have driven on many occassions and fell in love with.

I will copy his back body, and bring this Humber back to scratch!

 

Anzac, thanks for the info on the chassis number, good to know that ties up ok.

 

Tim.....................

are you saying you would swap your 8cwt ? for a MCC CS8 ?

 

Jules

 

Errrrrrrr.................more along the lines of a purchase :-D Lets face it you will need the room shortly :cool2: Mind you i dont know if i have seen a pick of yours...truck that is!

 

If you go onto 6thscale.com and search for humber thier are loads of detail shots of i belive tobins humber, handy reference. When you do get round to it lets have as north africa..........green is mean....far too much of it......bit like mould :-)

 

Regards

Tim

:undecided: Well did the test cold and hot........cold pretty even, some ups and downs but nothing drastic.

 

Hot it would appear that it is a total bag of spanners, 51psi on No1 , by the time you get to No6 its 97!

 

What is really weird, and some guru may confirm or deny it, is that it is a very even staged lift cylinder to cylinder 51, 60, 72, 82, 90,97.

 

The engine is physically raked back to the rear, with a bloody big fan at the front with the main coolant entry/exit to the front, common sense dictates the back end will be the hottest. Is the temp having some sort of effect???

Looking like it may be time to spend some money.

 

Going to do the hot test again, then once more with a squirt of oil down the plug hole as suggested to day at chatham fair to check and compare the readings.

 

All comments welcome..........donations freely accepted with thanks

 

Regards

 

Tim

This truck is not Irish it was sold on ebay five or six years ago the body is not original i know the man who made it as i said he had at least four made up humbers including an ambulance and a open top command car. He used to make them up to look the part, he died over twelve years ago.Thats not to say the truck is no good its still a rare vehicle

 

Absolutley a good vehicle to get your hands on and worth putting time and money into it to put right any "discrepancies" The main problem i had was that if its an 8Cwt i have one and i was really ,and still am hankering after an aero screen CS8 morris (or am i just a sucker for punishment):-D

I'm not sure either...............except I have just bought this Humber ! collecting it in a couple of weeks.

if it is original, then it is rare, if it is a lashup, i'll replace it with the correct PU type.

 

Jules

 

 

Jules, Jules, Jules..........you have too many already.........you will have to sell me your 1940 MCC 15Cwt, on the proviso it looks a bit like the humber condition!

 

I actually thought it looked ok up to the back of the cab and spent some time trawling the web but could find no mention of ammo carriers etc just the command cars, ambulance and 8Cwt. At least all of the important bits are thier. Wonder if the Irish army did any conversion post war???

Dont even know who you would ask........apart from the irish army ( thought i would put that one in before anyone else!!) :laugh:

 

Regards

Tim

South georgia.....rigid raider kit

 

Layer 1 normal kegs and socks

 

Layer2 longjohns and longsleeve green shirt

 

Layer3 RE Divers wooly bear ( a fetching green one piece romper suit for squadies)

 

Layer4 Quilty suit (optional) with sea boot socks

 

Layer5 RAF full body aircrew suit with fitted booties, headover, goggles and silly winter hat with ear muffs. wooly mit gortex outers.

 

could hardly move but by god you were warm and toastie even with a layer of ice on yer bonce.

Lots off crap kit but i suppose it had its uses

Hi gents,

 

Is the rear body fitted to this humber correct? Or should it be the 8Cwt pattern?

 

Regards

 

Tim

hi tim

thanks for taking the time to get the churchill pics, much appreciated.

 

eddy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No problems eddy, just have to sort off slip away as were without being too obvious about it. Tied in nicely with a job i had to recce. Well guys i hope the pics are not a disapointment!

 

 

Chucked in some pics of the bridgelayer whilst i was thier.

 

 

 

Next chance i get anybody fancv pics of the ARK? Some or all of the ramp toes are missing as they are being restored.