Sean N

No problem - I was getting nowhere with what I was trying to do, and I like a bit of detective work!

Had a quick search and found this, in an article about the Humber LRC by David Fletcher for Key Publishing / CMV:

Captioned as "General Ivor Thomas’ Mark IIIA modified with the turret removed for the commander of 43rd (Wessex) Division" - and seems to be of the man himself taking the salute from the opening left by removal of the turret, so explaining everything! I read the census number as M4651755.

The relevant text reads "A few were modified as senior officer’s chargers, one known from a photograph was used by Gen Ivor Thomas commanding 43rd (Wessex) Division. The turret was removed and additional vision slits added."

The article, if you're interested, is at https://www.keymilitary.com/article/protection-detail

BTW, I wonder if 'Ark' was not a nickname for that type of vehicle, but the (nick)name of that particular vehicle?

In The Fighting Wessex Wyverns by Delaforce, which draws on the history you're reading, there's a quote from Brig. Gordon Reinhold saying that Thomas 'was always well forward in his Humber Armoured Car ['The Ark] ... ' and mention of 'the Humber Ark' getting bogged down and Thomas having to take to a Jeep.

Robert, if there's an industrial flexible pipe and hose supplier or hydraulic hose supplier near you they might be able to make you something up using yours as a pattern

11 hours ago, Rootes75 said:

I had a look at the auction catalogue, quite a few interesting lots.

The Bedford has a £5-8000 estimate.

Might be a bit optimistic? It looks quite sound, but it's battered in places and wants quite a lot doing, and the last couple of those sold didn't make fortunes.

22 hours ago, Zero-Five-Two said:

Thanks for the info Sean.  I never heard it called a 600 wallet or similar, but of course it would have an official form number.  We simply referred to as the Works Ticket.  The Tanker has a separate storage box for the drivers handbook.  As you can imagine for a Tanker it is quite a substantial volume.

Hi Rob,

If you have a look for JSP 800, Leaflet 42 will tell you what you need to have in the vehicle these days - the predecessor was JSP 341 but I don't know if it's available online.

22 hours ago, Chris Hall said:

F600 is a personal driving license and is 1/2 an A5 size so it fits in your pocket. In RAF service wallets would have the DI check sheet, running log and any other relevant paperwork.

Chris, isn't F/MT 600 the drivers' permit for MoD vehicles, rather than a personal driving licence which I think of a the government issue licence? Perhaps just terminology. I get the personal to you rather than a vehicle doc though.

I think this is what I'd know as form 600 wallet ('cos that's what my RAF mate called them). I've got a box full somewhere of about the right era in various conditions.

Content would I think have been Form 600 (FMT600) which I think is what you're referring to as a works ticket; MoD confirmation of liability cover; authority for the journey; recovery instructions; RTA reporting form ( I have some of those somewhere as well, not sure where though); standing orders for drivers; various odd forms.

I'd have thought a copy of the drivers' handbook would be on board as well and anything that got stuffed in there. Richard might know better if he sees this.

Helen, Phil,

The way I look at it is this. You need to approach the problem methodically. There can only really be one of three basic problems: (1) the vehicle is not making enough air; (2) the vehicle is making air, but it's escaping; (3) the pressure indication and warnings are wrong.

To take (3) first, the pressure switch could be faulty, but they are two separate systems and for both to be faulty the same way at the same time is unlikely (though not impossible). Assuming what you've been told about the pressure is right, your visual indication (gauge) and warning (light and buzzer) agree, which suggests the buzzer isn't the problem. I don't have my Bedford books handy and it's been some years since I worked on air over systems, but it would be good to confirm the correct pressures.

It might be that the vehicle isn't making enough air, and that takes you down the route of the sort of compressor and unloader valve problems I mentioned and which John has expanded on, as well as more obscure problems like blocked intake, flexible pipes collapsing internally, etc.

In my experience leaks are quite common, particularly if the vehicle doesn't get used much, and it's also quite easy to check for leaks and confirm or eliminate them; whereas governor valve or compressor faults mean taking things apart (and as John says risking losing bits). That for me makes checking properly for leaks the first thing to do because it's the easier.

The advantage of charging the system from a separate compressor, if you have the option, is that it makes it easier to check for leaks but also it means that you can get the system up to pressure and confirm the pressure gauge and warning systems are correct.

If you are fully confident there are no leaks anywhere, then compressor and control system are the next to check.

Some additional questions. Does the pressure get up to 7 bar quickly, or does it take a long time? Are you running the engine at idle to build up the pressure? What happens if you hold the engine at fast idle or about medium revs? Has this vehicle been unused for a long time, or is it known to have been working properly recently?

6 hours ago, Matt W said:

 ... I think the main points are these -

 

1) There was no rush by the War Office to dispose of vehicles.

 ...

3) The tanks were obsolete, but the War Office had to be pressured to dispose of them

Matt, great bit of research, and I agree Waterbeach seems unlikely, but I'll challenge a couple of your conclusions. Though there were certainly shortages at the time, and metals were in short supply, there was also a collosal amount of materiel to dispose of, and there would have been a limit to the speed at which the metals industry could reprocess surplus armour. I'd be surprised if pressure from someone who (albeit a former defence minister) was by then a backbencher with perhaps his own axes to grind made any difference to the process.

I can't recall the set pressure (it's been a while) but I'd have thought if gauge and warning agree they're probably right, and if it's making some air but not enough, the problem could be leaks, compressor worn (less likely, but the valves might not be sealing properly) or an unloader valve problem (setting or more likely just leaking or sticking). I have found on R and M types that have been stood for a while that diaphragms in some of the valves can split causing small air leaks.

First thing to do might be a visual check for piping problems, particularly on any plastic lines that might have aged, then if you have access to one, attach a compressed air line to the system and charge it so you can listen for leaks without the engine noise, or failing that charge it using the engine, shut off and listen for leaks a section at a time, recharging as required.

On 1/16/2009 at 10:54 PM, Jack said:

15-6-45 JT985(ex Bu 90033) Liberator IX 232Sq Hit hill nr Kingston, Purbecks,

in bad weather, 5 crew and 22 pax killed.On 25 Oct 2007

a memorial seat was dedicated to these and the

3 casualties from Swordfish K5985 which crashed 18-03-38 killing 3 on board.

This memorial is on the walk up to Swyre Head, above Encombe House

1 hour ago, Rootes75 said:

We are sat watching the 1955 Colditz Story, the Germans have just pulled up in 3 Austin GS trucks.

Even better, there's a scene in which the PoWs are loading Austins, there's a close up of the driver sitting in what appears to be a Dodge, then he drives off in an Austin ...

In my experience the situation with drawings is complex as it depends who the design authority is, whether drawings were made available to MoD as part of a contract, whether MoD took that option up, who they end up with in MoD, whether the equipment is still operational or classified (globally, not just UK), how easy to contact or amenable those who hold the drawings are, etc.

Another options might be to try to track down other dead Lynxes for replacement parts, or at least to be able to copy parts or take measurements from.

On 12/20/2021 at 11:16 PM, iainmaoileoin said:

 ... To start with I need to try to get hands on the plans for the internal metalwork for the interseat and for the overhead console. ...

 

That sounds as though you are looking for design and manufacturing drawings, not APs or the like. I'd have thought it unlikely that most military end users would come across those, and depending on how the contract dealt with IP, MoD may never have had them. Have you thought about contacting Westland (Leonardo)?

On 12/11/2021 at 5:50 PM, 64EK26 said:

SORNs were introduced on 31^st January 1988 and after this point if you didn’t tax your vehicle you had (and still have to ) SORN it ...

... It is best to get your vehicle insured for road use ...

... If you do not have a V5, then it is the same as above but you will also have to complete a V55/5 form  (instead of sending off your V5)

Hi Richard,

Isn't that 31 January 1998? I had lots of vehicles on and off road in the '80s and '90s and didn't have to SORN them.

I would have thought you must get your vehicle insured [for road use] - it is, I think, still a condition of licencing a vehicle, even at zero licence fee, that the vehicle is insured.

I haven't registered a new or ex-MoD vehicle for some years, but the process I used to have to follow was to insure the vehicle (and get it tested if necessary) using its chassis number, then licence it using a V55/5 and the registration is generated and provided then. Not sure if that has changed, but it sounds similar from what you're saying.

Sean

2 hours ago, Hair Bear said:

Link here to a farm sale, lot 150 'Bedford engine', I know nothing more. A couple of other engines in pale blue which may be of interest.

https://bid.tsauction.co.uk/auctions/catalog/id/76/Online-Auction-of-Tractors-Farm-Machinery-Plant-Equipment

Bedford 500 (8.2 litre) diesel, looks to have been used in a plant application.

It's really O853 / O854, O for Oil - i.e. diesel engine, which in those days were also known as oil engines, particularly by AEC - in fact the tradition stuck right through to the '70s with the Militant Mk3

8 hours ago, andym said:

What exactly is a "car tax fine"?

Andy

It's something meaningless from an inexpert MSN writer who's paid a pittance to re-write information from elsewhere so MSN can sell advertising.

Torsion bars for what? Assume CVRT from your other posts, but might help if you say ...

This was offered at H&H last year, presumably when bought by the current owner:

https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/33-1943-ford-gpw-jeep/?lot=51181&sd=1

A more coherent 'blurb' but not necessarily any more clarity.

I know nothing about Jeeps, but I could see it either way. The only way to really know would be Allison parts or production records. They don't really offer any proof that it's untouched though, and 1945 to 2020 is a long time for things to be changed ... Seems a bit odd that the only online reference I can see to the 'prototype fibre [fiber?] drive engine is in these two listings?

Don't know about DVLA, but I'd imagine the law would regard the additions to the bonnet as dangerous bodywork ...

That's a really incoherent and unclear article, particularly as the original RAC information is very clear. It suggests on the spot fines for driving anywhere without a clean air sticker, yet says the stickers are only required in certain cities. It then goes on to talk about enviromental regulations in other countries, without any clarity over regulation or enforcement at all, and appears to confuse Italian (and other) city access regulations with environmental regulations.

In fact it seems this is only for certain citiesThe RAC page on this is very clear and lists the cities where these are required on a permanent or temporary basis: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law-change-for-uk-drivers-in-french-cities/. It seems temporary controls can be invoked in Normandy, which I guess is where most MV owners are likely to go, at times of high pollution; the full details are on an EU site linked from the RAC page.

There is a French government website for this in English, https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/, where you can also make a mock application. A trial application for a 1943 petrol or diesel car, light or heavy goods vehicle with no Euro engine classification returns 'your vehicle is not eligible'; the same application with LPG as a fuel returns a cat. 1 (second best) classification.

Wayne, I'd second that - Richard B is a good chap and has always been very helpful in my experience.

I think I have some valves if Richard doesn't have them.

Brian,

The wiring is pretty standard, particularly as regards colours, across Vauxhall - Bedford models so you should be able to work it out from a normal TJ or TK wiring diagram.

As I recall it's not as heavy duty a chassis as the MK / MJ, closer to an R type, but very similar mechanically.

The transfer box is high range in 2WD and low range in 4WD, they don't select independently.

We need photos!

Tony, Alan, given the age, all these brake shoes will contain asbestos, and in fact one of the linings in your photos says as much. It's no longer legal to supply, possess for supply, or fit asbestos containing materials to vehicles; so these should really be disposed of as asbestos waste.