Sean N

Thanks Richard. I couldn't get closer than 'miscellaneous vehicle parts' (2590) - there wasn't a prefix on the label. Wonder if it would do other AFV periscopes as well? Just posted a question about an unknown aerial mount in British Radio Equipment: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?46202-Can-anyone-identify-this-aerial-mount

Jack, do you recall (or did you ever come across) the two Martians that were at John Hallett's in Crewkerne, or the red and white Matador at Pattemore's yard?

It'd be worth checking everything else (ignition etc.). My experience is RLs tend to sound over-rich when they're not! Try plug colour after a run, should give a good indication. I may have a carb somewhere, if I have it'll be new or nearly new, but I'd be surprised if an AFS truck has done enough for there to be anything seriously wrong a carb kit won't fix. Might be worth popping the mixture screw out in case someone's wound it right home hard and 'modified' the end!

OK, thanks Howard. I've found in the past grit tends to get in everywhere, no matter how well you mask! I've had good results with soda and it's non-damaging, but have only used it on industrial machines so far.

Apparently this is 2590 99 812 5851 'head' Presumably an AFV head rest?

Found one with a label. Apparently these are LV3/LD 2910-99-827-6074, which if I've understood NATO numbers right makes them brackets made by Leyland Motors for something on an A vehicle engine fuel system. I assume that probably means Chieftain... ...and with a little poking around the interweb I've found one. It's a bracket to protect the fuel filter assembly.

Do you find you get any problems with glass dust / fines getting inside the components?

Back at Coningsby now, apparently. http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Canadian-Lancaster-returns-RAF-Coningsby-grounded/story-22870461-detail/story.html I notice the remaining displays on the BBMF list don't show 2 Lancs, though CWHM say they're doing Prestwick and Portrush.

Simon, at some point someone appears to have removed the flashing for your penthouse roof and refitted it upside-down. The hooks should be underneath.

Hi Simon, I own 51 FG 57 so probably the same batch, 107 vehicles apart! Certainly looks the same. In their various forms they're quite common, so no need to feel obliged to do a full restoration. They always seem to be sold stripped out inside though, except for the binned stores vans. Restore the outside and do as you like on the inside might be a good compromise. I'm going to do mine as a living van. Incidentally, I need a penthouse roof for mine if anyone's got one - I've got the rest of it but the roof was missing!

Howard, what blast medium are you using?

Maybe he's still recovering from the Steam Fair!

It's fractionally smaller all round than a 5 litre tin can, so it probably is. Not sure it would have been supplied pre-filled as it's not marked for any particular oil and is heavily W.D. etc. marked, but it obviously is the W.D. version of a typical 1 gallon can as you say. Cheers Richard. I found it intriguing and it's nice to know what it came from.

Well, I found a pixie hat with a label still attached! Apparently it's Gaiter, Brakes, SF.50/34, part No. MT 503, supplied under CTS/WV/707/DC13B. I'm still none the wiser though!

That's interesting, thanks Wally. Malcolm, did you spot 05 EM 51 again?

David, it'd be interesting to learn a bit more about your case, as it might inform many other cases. Back in the mid '90s, the Valuation Office levied rates on a lot of premises used for storing historic vehicles privately after the Andrews vs Lumb case. Looking at the current VO rating manual and particularly the comment about the reasons for Lumb losing the case, it looks as though they may have been a bit naughty about their interpretation of the ruling, as they used it to rate premises used wholly or mainly for the storage of private motor vehicles. The current VO rating manual is ambivalent on the subject. It suggests any building used wholly or mainly to store a private motor vehicle (including vehicles, plural) is a private garage and not rateable, but then interprets lorries, taxis, military armoured vehicles and the like as necessarily commercial and goes on to imply that a collection of cars can't be private. These comments are not supported by justification and I can't find case law on them, so I suspect they're open to argument - possibly in court! http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/Publications/Manuals/RatingManual/RatingManualVolume4/sect2/part2/b-rat-man-vol4-s2-ptb.html

Apparently the Ferrets were used to patrol the Iranian border.

These are something to do with the Pakistan Army's storage depot at Rawalpindi, one of Pakistan's biggest depots, and the nearby Army Museum which is located in the Ayub National Park. Apparently a lot of them are stored on behalf of the Pakistani Army Heritage Foundation. It's difficult to see all of them being restored or surviving locally though.

There's an item on the BBMF website saying they're using a BBMF Merlin 500 with some modifications. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/news/index.cfm?storyid=89CFBEFD-5056-A318-A8DF5A824E5A288B

Unfortunately for all those hoping to see the two Lancasters at Bournemouth or Shoreham this weekend, the Canadian Lancaster has had to cancel due to an engine problem while flying from Durham Tees Valley airport today. Apparently they had to shut one engine down due to an unspecified issue. The aircraft landed safely and is currently hangared while the fault is investigated. They've cancelled all flying this weekend and will update once the problem is found.

I've got quite a few of the smaller one, but I've not seen them elsewhere. The middle one I would say is thinner than a jerry can, but I don't have either here with me so I can't check. Might just be a redesign for some reason - low profile? Earlier or later rack? Fit on place of a wartime can? All the B vehicles I've had / looked at from the '50s / '60s have had a rack the fits just one of the larger cans (the can on the left), so I'd assumed, probably wrongly, that they'd standardised on that can.

That's just bizarre.

Thanks all. I should have known that was a WW2 vehicle connector, just couldn't place it. They've been discussed on here enough times. What you say on the cans makes sense, several of them have residues of unidentifiable oil in the bottom. Would they all have been used for engine oil, or just various general oils as appropriate? Keith, I can't find your question on cans but the left hand one is what I know as an oil can for '50s / '60s B vehicles - I obviously haven't had enough experience of the right sort of vehicles to be familiar with the other two.

It doesn't surprise me - I've seen no official publicity over the end of tax discs and only knew it was happening through discussion on various forums, so that they haven't made people aware of the details isn't a shock. There's been comment very recently, but it's all been very light on any details - such as the expiry of tax on change of ownership. Suspect there will be a lot of upset about the need to re-tax when buying a car - 'stealth tax' etc.

Hi Tony, BARC was an earlier designation and they were later redesignated LARC. Lighter in this context doesn't mean less heavy, it's used in the sense of a flat bottomed boat used to transfer cargo, so they're all lighters, even the heavier ones!