Old Bill

Thank you, you are very kind. True, there are no longer any motor mechanics from the war. However, we have the great good fortune to know a chap who did his mechanics apprenticeship in the 1930's when the last of the solid tyred lorries were still on the road. His advice and assistance has been invaluable over the years. On one occasion, the FWD just wouldn't run properly so we asked Alec's advice. He came over and had a look and a listen and then uttered the immortal words' "I think you are retarded!" Probably more truth in that statement than he intended! Actually, Alec is a most interesting man. He was a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers and was there at the fall of France in 1940. He was heading back to Dunkirk with another Sapper when an officer in the Gloucesters (I think) stopped them and asked them to loophole a barn where they planned to make a stand. This they did. The officer then said that as there was nothing more they could do, they should scarper. They had a vehicle so they went, foot to the floor under shellfire! They eventually made it to Dunkirk from where they escaped on a destroyer via the Mole. Alec later heard that after a stiff fight, the Gloucester officer and his men were lined up and shot by the SS. It's amazing who you meet in this hobby. Steve

3. Oh yes, the pin. Donald Pleasance I think.

7. 'Where Eagles Dare'. Clint Eastwood reproaching Richard Burton. 9. 'Reach for the Sky'. Steve

You are all too kind chaps. We are just a good team doing what we enjoy. Shane asked what happened to all of the vehicles. Well that is a story in itself. In 1914, the British Army had 70 motor vehicles. A couple hundred more were imediately called up (Tim has the precise numbers) and a major procurement exercise was started. By wars end, the Army had over 120,000 motor vehicles of all types and a serious disposal problem! During the War, it had been realised that repairing used vehicles was more economical than buying new and a repair depot was set up at, I believe, Rouen. This was soon doing excellent work and it was decided to set up a major repair depot in the UK. This was done, just outside Slough, but the War finished before it was completed. Many thousands of vehicles were brought back and parked on adjacent ground giving the depot the local name of 'The Dump'. Aerial photographs taken at the time are quite spectacular. Some repair work was carried out in 1919 but it was then decided to sell off the whole lot to a consortium for £7m of which £3.65m was for all of the vehicles including those still in France, Egypt, Constantinople, India and Mesopotamia. The consortium proceeded to get their money back by continuing the rebuilding and sale of reconditioned lorries. All of the Leylands went to Leyland Motors for overhaul and in due course FWD and Peerless became independent companies on what was to be known as the Slough Trading Estate. Some Government vehicle sales did take place both in London and France but I suspect that the vast majority of vehicles were sold into civilian service via Slough. Then what? Well, as well as producing a huge fleet of vehicles, the War had also produced a huge number of trained drivers and mechanics. A significant number acquired these vehicles and set up as hauliers. The lorries were worked, commonly into the 1930s by which time they were old, slow and worn out and most were scrapped. However, some chassis found futher use as trailers and the basis for mobile homes. These are the ones which have survived although the second war scrap drive took a great toll of them. Those sold off in France have fared a lot better as the French seem more inclined to work them and then park them. Our Autocar worked in Cambrai until 1954 and the FWD around Lyon until 1970. Hope that answers your question! May I recommend 'The Slough Estates Railway' by John Isherwood. Lots of lovely pictures of lorries, factories and railways. Cheers! Steve :rtfm:

Yes, we are very fortunate that the engine is so good. Most of the damage has been done by me, getting it apart! It came from the West Midlands Fire Service and was in a lock-up in Birmingham. It had been used as a ring-main pump for a large factory, possibly Avery. This use has been quite gentle to it and there is no shake in any of the big ends or gudgeon pins. The valves and camshafts are good too. The main damage was done by keeping it full of water ready for use as that caused all of the radiator corrosion shown in an earlier post. Dad has spent the last couple of days digging the rust out of the blocks and generally cleaning it up. The biggest challenge for us will be to make a new water pump as the scrappies (I guess) removed it at the same time as the main pump. We have been fortunate to be able to see the only known survivng pump in pieces and spent three hours measuring it and taking 140 photos. Believe it or not, that wasn't enough! Still we have enough now to make a pretty good stab at it and I am hoping that only HMVF subscribers will know that it isn't the original. Tim will keep the photos coming. I must get him to explain to me how to do it.... 'Til the next time, Steve :wave:

Hmmm, 'Legend'. I don't know about that. I'm still alive! But thank you for your kind comments. I must emphasise that this is a family project and we all do what we can. Tim is a wizard with the paintbrush and isn't afraid to tackle the muckiest and most tedious of jobs. Dad can make anything I can and can also handle a brush which I hate! We all do our bit and get our fun out of what is, at the end of the day, a completely pointless exercise except for the fact that we enjoy it. Wouldn't life be dull if we didn't have these things to do? Cheers! Steve :beer:

Thanks for your kind comment Mick and thanks for the lead Steve. I must admit that I hadn't found that one. It is quite tempting but I think I have my work cut out with the Dennis! Dennis lawnmowers are interesting too but once restored, they have the habit of encouraging gardening which would never do! Steve

Perhaps I can answer this one. I wanted to make an electric car for Tims girls. I rather fancied a Jeep ('Just like Daddys') but anything would do. Unfortunately, all of the prospective candidates were just 'Noddy Cars' and didn't inspire me at all. Then, I found 'Real Life Toys' (usual disclaimer) advertising a Series One Landrover, marketed as the 'Toylander'. This was much more appealing as whilst still a toy rather than a model, it was quite recognisable for what it was. The clincher was that my Father had been issued with one during his National Service and had this picture of it on Beattock in 1960. With this picture in hand, I bought the drawings and a few parts (wheels, mirrors, bonnet catches) and made it from MDF. I did get a bit carried away though so it has full leaf spring suspension, ackermann steering, disc brakes and halogen headlights. It is powered by two wheelchair motors and does a comfortable walking pace. We have taken it to a couple of rallies in the back of the FWD and find that it creates far more interest than the Great War lorries. Not quite sure how to take that but the Girls love it! Real Life Toys say that if you use the kit they supply, it can be built in two weeks of evenings. I started with a sheet of timber so it took me 369 3/4 hours. Never mind. It was good fun to do. Here is the proof of the pudding: [/img] Cheers! Steve PS I saw a beautiful Jeep model at Beltring years ago. Does anyone know anything of it? [attachment deleted by admin]

How about this one? 5pm at Hyde Park Corner, London on a Wednesday afternoon. The car, a 1902 James and Browne just died. A quick tinker with the trembler coils and then turn the handle. Unfortunately, this car has a transverse engine so the handle goes in the off-side and one stands in the traffic to swing it. Hairy or what?! Steve