Zero-Five-Two

It was a grand day out, as you say doing what a Militant does. And a chance to help a mate with his project

Yeah, quite a bit actually, but I don't let people look at that bit! Inside of the pump room, and all the valve gear is yet to be finished. Currently this is on hold. There should be a canvas cover that fits between the tank itself and the pump room, but barring a couple of scraps most of it had rotted completely away. Without it the rain just pours in and wrecks everything. So little point trying to do anymore just yet. Richard and Charlotte at RCH Canvas are making a new one for me, but as there is no pattern or another tanker to copy it is all having to be done from scratch. This, of course, is taking a bit of time what with measuring, test fitting, adjusting and so on. But progress is being made, and from what I've seen so far, they are doing a good job

As you may have noticed the Tanker made it's debut appearance at a show last weekend. No point posting any more photos, the ones Landylearner has posted already look pretty good. Have got a bit of video of trundling round the arena with the other Military stuff Tanker in the Arena at Woodchurch 2021.mp4

Thanks for posting the pictures, and great chatting on Saturday. Sorry I didn't get over to see your Healey, there was too many people turning up at the Tanker I couldn't get away

Unfortunately, someone will buy that to get the registration number, and the rest will get scrapped

When the decision was made at about 10pm on sunday the internet went mad with people messaging each other, I had half a dozen contacts giving me the bad news. Not sure how much it will dry out during the week, but forecast is promising. Apparently a final decision will be made on Tuesday, more info on their facebook page. Hopefully will see you there.

Be good to meet up again at a show, hope it stops raining by then

Finished the wheels off, and gave the tyres a once over with Autoglym last weekend Then started on the front wheels They did need doing And look better for it. Just got to get the red paint splats off now. She's out to her first show next weekend at Woodchurch, so much work today with the old turtle wax. Not by hand, I have to admit, it was hard enough graft with a polishing machine She does shine up well, but at one point I was considering the merits of a matt IRR respray

Friend of mine is looking for a set of air filters to fit on his Militant I know these were fitted to a lot of other stuff as well as Militants, so there may be some around. Thanks in advance for any leads

May I recommend counselling. A visit to the AEC Society rally, at Newark next May bank holiday may help. You can talk through your problems with like minded people over a few beers.

Course not, would you lie to us😁

Anybody spot the oil patch under the front when she was getting painted the other day? The guilty party was one of the oil cooler hoses. Obviously showing it's age and giving up on life. Pair of new hoses was hastily purchased and fitted today. Hose maker is always a bit generous with the length and they were a bit of a fight to bend them round to fit. Main thing though, leak has stopped. Set to with the black paint brush after that, touching up the over spray and generally smartening up. She's not finished yet, but beginning to look quite good again

Managed to fit in a bit of work on the Tanker today. Checked and adjusted the rear brakes, they did tighten up quite a bit, hand brake is down to 3 clicks and all 4 rear wheels lock. I did find a couple of hub seals have been leaking, not enough to contaminate the brake shoes yet, but they wont get any better. Routemaster bus hub seals are the same and the solution at London Transport was to drain the oil and pack the bearings with grease, so I think, while I have the wheels off I'll be doing the same. The wheels are off, 2 at a time, for cleaning and painting Seen here in red oxide, awaiting grey primer and DBG

Can't wait for that weekend. Plan is to have both of them there, so plenty of together photos

Well, how does she look this morning? Bit bright in the sunshine. Slightly concerned about the colour here, looks a bit orange. As for the finish, not too bad. Couple of runs, and a bit of over spray that will need polishing out, but generally speaking quite pleased with it. Back at the farm a couple of hours later and it seems to have toned down a bit. Black bits need doing now to finish the job, and half a gallon of brasso on the window frames. First show booking is 7 August at Woodchurch. Can't wait to show off again Sounds good too. Full chat going up Detling hill on the way home Milicent up Detling.mp4 Best listened to with the volume well up

Coach recovery job was last October, and basically I haven't been near the old girl since, not even to wash the mud off!! Finally got to see her a couple of weeks ago, and she does look neglected. Shiny red paint is all faded, moss growing every where and various spots of rust bubbling up. So decision made. Bank holiday weekend would normally see us at the AEC rally in Newark, but like last year, this years show has been cancelled, so we'll get her over to the workshop for a bit of TLC and a quick blow over. Good plan, but shortly after breaking out the sanding discs it became very apparent, that the blow over wouldn't be that quick. Small bubbles developed into nasty bits of corrosion, requiring much cleaning and a good amount if filling and repair. The tin cupola cover was so bad a replacement was the better option. Took both Friday and Saturday and a fair bit of Sunday morning with me and our Stuart going at it hammer and tongs to get her in some semblence of order ready to get some fresh paint on. Masking up was the easy bit. This is how we left here this evening. Looking a good deal brighter, but still wet and sticky. Further pictures tomorrow as we see how it has dried

Haven't posted anything recently, mainly because nothing worth writing about has happened, but now as restrictions are being lifted and some sort of normality is returning things seem to be starting to pick up again. First off, the "Secret" vehicle recovery last October. The vehicle in question was a coach! Now I know we are Military vehicle types on here, and coaches are a bit out of our field, but as history enthusiasts I'm sure we can appreciate the significance of the thing. It comes from the same stable as the Militant, The AEC factory at Southall, and is called the Sabre. The last remaining of only 4 that were ever built. First British coach to be powered by a V8 engine. Apparently it could cruise the unrestricted German autobahns at 100mph. This was in the days before speed limiters had to be fitted to commercial vehicles. The reason for the secrecy is that the present owner was concerned that if it became public knowledge that it was still around, souvenir hunters would turn up intent on raiding un replacable bits. The coach is now well hidden and under going a full restoration. As the recovery story has now been published in various bus publications so I feel quite safe putting it on here This is the beast in question, been parked here for the best part of 30 years. Used to be an open field but since it was parked a trading estate arrived beside it and a container house was built close behind it. What with the row of trees in front of it, the only way out has to be sideways So attach a strop to the wheel nuts and pull. Of course it didn't approve and dug it's heels in, but it was no match for the might of the Militant. Having got it off the fence, it was then simply a case of towing it out Sounds easy, but it took all day. Various bits of video were taken during the day, and these have been joined up to show how it all went. Follow this link to you tube https://youtu.be/kRSR8FSyb24

Haven't got an actual pressure gauge on the thing, just a warning light. Light stays out so it must still have enough, even when warm

In a way yes, I'd finished training and gone to 38 Regt at Ripon, but we were on exercise at Hawley when it happened, and everybody was trying to get over there the next few days to see how bad it was. Given that the whole camp was wooden huts, I bet it burnt well

Don't remember the crane incident, but do remember the bridge and the show. I was at 3 Training Regt at Cove that summer. Some of our training group were allowed to "volunteer" to do car park marshalling and the like. Turned out to be a good crack.

Back up to the Tanker today, needed to get a few measurements for a colleague who is scratch building a tanker model. I was supposed to do that that yesterday and failed again too. Did give me the chance to take that dashboard photo and check mileage too. As you can see 139 on the trip now, so 113 miles done yesterday. Tank gauge shows we used about a quarter, which would be about 12 gallons. So "about" 9.5 mpg. Just as the handbook suggests. Having said there were no issues yesterday, she looks like this today Couple of spots of oil, not to much to worry about, but a significant and persistent coolant drip, which does need worrying about. Looks like it is coming from a hose on the water pump, so hopefully just a jubilee clip that needs tightening. Will get a better look next week when I am better dressed for crawling under the thing.

Had a bit of experience with the Mk5 Coles, I remember they were real top heavy too, rolled terribly on corners

Haven't been near the old Tanker for the last few weeks, what with naff weather and I had a few domestic issues to attend to, like decorating, and laying a block paving path in the garden, so getting back to it today was good news all round. Been planning a good run out for a while, we've done a couple of short trips, but a real jaunt out to shake down any faults and just drive the thing was what was required. So, early start, half seven on site, quick check round, oil, coolant etc and fire up. Like a good old British truck, she did puff a bit at first, but to be fair it was a tad fresh at that hour. She still started first turn no trouble Air built up, smoke cleared, two dozen buses moved out of the way, and we can squeeze through the gap and venture out. Check speedo and fuel gauge before leaving, just over 3/4 of a tank full and 26 miles on the trip. First priority after getting out, find somewhere for breakfast. Both the two normal haunts were shut, so ended up 30 mile into our run at Munns Buns in Sittingbourne. Nice bit of scoff though, highly recommended. For those who may be interested, our route took us from Swanley on the A20 towards Maidstone, A249 up to Sittingbourne then A2 through to Canterbury. Right turn here onto the A28 down to Ashford. Stopped in a layby just outside Canterbury, to change driver. I'd done an hour and a half by then, time for our Stuart to have a turn. With him at the wheel we continued down to the end of A28, past Ashford, Tenterden, and Rolvenden. Right onto the A268 through Hawkhurst and into Sussex at Flimwell. Tea stop here, and top marks to Stuarts other half, she sent him out with a box of sausage rolls. They went down well with a brew. With me now back in the hot seat it was up the A21 onto the M25 and back into Swanley. Once parked up back at base, I was supposed to take a second photo of the dashboard for the mileage and fuel consumption and have to admit I failed badly. The last time I can remember looking at it the trip showed 131, so we had covered 105 miles. So whole journey was a bit more than that. As for issues, nothing serious. Tickover wants raising a fraction to be more comfortable. Tracking needs doing, front tyres are feathering a bit, and the steering doesn't feel "quite" right. No.2 axle brakes aren't working as hard as No.3, but after 100+ miles I guess they have bedded in somewhat, so bit of adjustment required. No major dramas, and she drives very well, not as racy as the timber tractor, but that is understandable, she is longer and heavier, and a bit slower away from the lights. Top speed is good (for a Militant) and plenty of power on the uphill bits I did do a short vid of our Stu negotiating Ashford, hope he forgives me for including the bit with the filter light. Best watched with sound turned right up 😁! She makes a lovely noise

Probably teaching you to suck eggs here, but have you looked on the net at tractor forums? There is quite a few dedicated to the grey fergy, and your starting/running problems seem to be a popular topic. My personal view is; Petrol engines, horrible nasty things with plugs, points dizzy etc, and best repaired by someone else 😁!

Just out of curiosity, is the £8k they are asking a reasonable price?