Zero-Five-Two

Found these, and thought everyone would like to see them. Anybody recognise the numbers, are they still around? First one is at 25 Engineer Regiment Osnabrusk at an open day in the late eighties. Adapted to carry the Heavy Girder Over Bridge, and towing a bomb mat trailer, the unit had quite a few of these still going strong. A model of the bridge is on the table in front. (Dont know where the Champ came from). Second picture is first generation so to speak. Late fifties, possibly on Soltau. Picture taken by my Father in Law of his mate Bill Cave. They were both National Serviceman with an Artillery Regiment stationed near Bergen Hohne

Hiya Neilie, Welcome aboard to a Kentish Man, looking forwards to seeing some pictures of your models.

Hiya Blackjack, Welcome to the forum, What happens is, you have a good look at the pics, and then you get inspired. After that you have to ask for advice on how to tell the wife, because you want to go and buy something

Excellent! But quite believable in this day and age

Hi Simon, The large 20mm conduit came from www.cablecraft.co.uk Part number for it is GS20 for a 10 metre roll, £20.70 + VAT. 10m is "just" enough to do the big cables, if you measure it carefully. It works out quite well using the original imperial size 3/4" brass ferules from your existing conduit, just cut them off leaving the old bit inside. the new stuff being metric size can be screwed straight in. If you need new ferules they are available from a company down this way called Tones Ties of Bearsted. They do have a website but I cannot remember the address. Smaller sizes of conduit for lights etc can be got from www.vintagecarparts.co.uk Sold by the metre and a bit pricey too, but it is the genuine stuff.

Welcome aboard, looking forward to seeing pics of the new toy

Next Installment. Finally, after what seems to have been an eternity of weekends spent working for a living, working for the Wife, stalled by bad weather or generally doing other stuff. I have actually managed a decent few hours working on the Militant. Hasn't all been bad though, did manage a couple of days in Yorkshire, met Simon Daymond and had a nose round his Militant, did try driving it but I only made bad noises with his gearbox (Sorry Simon). Been doing odds and bits over the last few weeks, mainly in the garage at home, but yesterday was the big push to bring it all together. The fuel filter housing and fuel lines are now reconnected, and I have actually got a filter in it this time. When I first took the filter apart there was only the remains of a small sandwich filter floating about inside not filtering anything. As the original filter would have been one of those pretty useless cloth and string ones, I decided to replace it with a more modern easily available one. Took a bit of finding in various makers catalogues and websites, but eventually found a Coopers item (G1306) that fits quite nicely with a spring and base plate taken from a Leyland bus filter housing. Had to strip the lift pump and free off the non return valve before it would pump any diesel up, but once that was done, I could button up that side of the engine ready to go. Main job at the moment has been the rebuild of the electrical system, battery leads, slave socket and regulator unit slotted back in behind the drivers seat. New conduit and fittings have made a vast improvement on the previous. As each item is connected up, it has been tried and tested, this has thrown up several bits that aren’t quite on the ball. My biggest issue is the Engine Oil Pressure sender unit. It was one of the bits that weren’t working when I bought the truck, and I had hoped it was just the bad wiring causing the fault, but no, need new sender unit. Stuck a wanted post on the forum in case anyone has one lying around, cash waiting as they say, but, once the shops open on Monday I’ll be phoning round all the usual suspects. It is a fairly standard item, so if I cant get an original I should be able to find a modern one to do the job. Funnily enough one thing that does work, and rather well, is the cab heater! Not that it will ever be needed, sitting that close to a red hot engine is usually warm enough to need a window open even in winter! Biggest question was how to test the starter motor, easiest way, see if it starts the engine! Now bearing in mind it’s been stood out in the wind and rain for 4 years this might have been a tall order. Well, maybe for some of your namby pamby Cummins or Gardiner lumps, but not a decent AEC. Did turn over a couple times before she fired, which was probably down to a bit of air left in the fuel system. But she quickly settled down to a very sweet tickover. I have to admit that the smoke cloud that accompanied this momentous occasion was a bit excessive. I think half of north Kent disappeared into the fog for a while. Couldn’t have it running for long, especially with no idea about oil pressure, but at least I know it still goes. I haven’t done anything to the engine yet, working on the theory that it was running OK before, so don’t fix what ain’t broke. Did find out that the battery charge light stays on, but whether this means the dynamo isn’t playing the game, or I haven’t got it wired up right I have yet to find out. If everything goes to plan, next weekend will see the seats going back in, and the last few bits inside the cab. Got to fit the footbrake valve first, but after that I might even be able to have a drive round the yard. I think that will deserve a video on utube 　

Welcome aboard

Hi Markus, welcome to the forum, and dont worry about the language thing, some of us Brits aren't that good with it either Like to see some pics of the VWs

Use of the wrong sort of tank/truck in a film will always be a bone of contention between experts/anoraks, but the item that always gets me is the uniforms, in particular the British Army Beret. Anyone who has served will agree the beret is particular to the individual, almost a signature. Many hours will be spent shaping and "breaking in" a new one until its shape is just right for its wearer. Then you see a film or programme and it is so obvious the actors have just put on what they were given, no style or shape, just doesn't look right

Way to go, guys, excellent effort

Hi Paul, Looks quite tidy, Did you get all the hoses and bits and pieces with it?

Those with bigger MV's may find the VOSA HGV Inspection Manual of use. Not only does it show what are testable items, but it also gives reasons for failure. It is available on line and printable as a pdf at; http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/HGVInspectionManual

HIAB good for lifting the wife's shopping though

Welcome aboard to a fellow POM

Nice touch by Mr Rendall, must have taken some bottle, or sheer brass neck, given the circumstances

Only a Militant can chuck up like that!!

Certainly be up for something like this, but not sure the Militant will be on the road by then, might need a last minute rush job to get there.

Many thanks for the replies and info, guys. I'm not a radio man myself, as such, but you see all this kit on show at the various displays during the year, I just wondered if it is still useable. I remember back in the day being put on radio stag when on exercise, and tuning in to alsorts of other transmissions in the small hours when the regiments net was "off air" Slidex was fun as well if you could remember which start codes to use. Thanks again

This could be a really stupid question, but..... I have just seen the thread by Airportable about passing his ham radio licence, and congratulations to him for that, and it occured to me that as a lot of our members own things like FFR Land Rovers etc complete with Clansman or Larkspur radio gear in the back, are they still able to use them? The radios that is, and do you need the licence to do so

Couldn't agree more, mind you if the telly was worth watching none of us would restore anything

You have to plug it in over there

Biggest trouble with the whole system, as Tony has pointed out, is that the rules are now so complicated that even the VOSA aren't totally sure how to interpret them sometimes. The Traffic Officer on the side of the road or even the local plod are well out of their depth sometimes, so Joe Public with his PHGV that he only takes out on a sunday has got no chance of understanding it all. Best bet if you do get pulled over, smile sweetly, be nice to the guy, chances are he only wants to have a nose round your motor, anyway

That's assuming you dont fall off you own while doing it, as someone said earlier on, must be 30 years ago, the age monster is chasing us all

Been reading this thread for so long me sandbag’s getting uncomfortable, and all this light swinging is making me dizzy but I feel I’ve got to have my two bobs worth. As a Royal Engineer I spent a good number of years in various locations over there including Osnabruck, Monchengladbach, Hameln, and of course, a lot of time at Soltau, getting Bratties off Wolfgang. Of course there was bad bits like site guard and such; (40 people crowding round one monopoly board with a game that lasted for two or three days) but I reckon most of it was good. What with tax free booze, fags, cars etc and they paid you extra LOA to cope with it all! It seems a shame now to hear of all the barracks being bulldozed for redevelopment, looking on google earth and seeing the odd building left from what had been a huge camp somewhere. Progress I suppose? Couple of points to raise to keep the thread going. 1. BFBS Radio. Absolutely superb service, Mark Tyley, Richard Nankievel etc never listened to anything else. Is it still going? What happened to Nankers The Old Horse? 2. Sport. Yeah, we all played football and Rugby etc but when I was with 40 Group there was a thriving league of motor racing at the likes of RAF Wildenrath. Not quite proper racing, but what to do with that old BFG car when it failed the TUV test See pic, 40 Group team circa 1984, we used to use a Scammell Crusader and Plant trailer from the MT to get to a meeting, if you stack them right you can get 8 cars on a 38 ton trailer! Seem to have come over all fluffy and nostalgic all of a sudden