RCT(V)

Simon, I do not know if there is any “commonality” (or even if it would be appropriate!), but Withams did strip the recovery equipment from a Foden and were/are selling it separately from the Foden chassis.

Looks like it was the "proto-type" for all those similarly configured Fodens that the Army bought :undecided:

MPH, Can you please itemise all the "Humber bits and pieces (you wish) to get rid of" ?! Photos would also be helpful - of the bits and pieces, and the result of your “9 year restoration” :-) RCT(V)

Yup! Confirmation also from this "call sign" . . . still reading with interest and fascination, as well as admiration for you enthusiasm and dedication

I am pretty sure this web-site does not object to the mention of other web-sites . . . :shocked: Can I suggest you will find some answers to your questions if you try <ARRSE> . . . Postscript: It is over forty years ago now, but I seem to remember the registration number 42EL51. That would only be from when I was a Lt with 238 Sqn RCT(V), in Bootle !!

Whoa! That must have hurt !!

Simon, that seems somewhat of an “odd” pairing - if the previous owner Richard Grovenor (or, subsequent owner Dave Crouch), ever did show/exhibit the pair together?! I would have expected the Mk1 Militant to have been paired with a 5.5” gun, or maybe a Bofors AA. I was working for Fodens during the 1970s, when they were producing the “tractor” specifically for the (relatively modern) FH70.

Conversely - if I remember correctly - the original Foden (‘s own) twelve speed epicyclical gear-box, would/might also have had a clutch-stop, which DID require you to press the clutch to the floor (as I understand it), to slow/stop the clutch rotating and so assist when changing up through the gearbox.

My apologies if the quotations I lifted from “another place”, have caused offence. There was certainly NO intention of casting aspersions on the professionalism of the Service Armourers and/or store men . . . past or present! :-( As you will gather from my “User Name”, I had a long association with Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, and most of the “Independent” RCT TA Regiments - as a TA Officer and, on two occasions as a TA Officer serving as the Depot Adjutant . . . when the Regular Army couldn’t find one of their own :-) I always had every confidence in the weapons with which I was/we were issued, on range days when they would be fired, and for field exercises when they would (generally) not have been expected to be fired. I was also very pleased with the standard/ordinary Browning with which I was issued before deploying to Bosnia . . . It was however rather irksome, to see that the nursing officer in the queue ahead of my receive a Browning pistol with “Gucci” adjustable sights and wooden grips - which would been wasted, stored in the armoury in her B-i-H location, for the duration of her deployment! :-( I was alarmed by the “rumour” started at the beginning of this thread, of the impending removal from service of the Browning L9. All things mechanical can/do eventually wear-out, including individual weapons that may have been heavily used and/or abused. However, other than those individual pistols, I did not (still do not) see why our use of the Browning L9 would cease. The information repeated below, is certainly NOT my personal opinion. I went in search of information pertaining to the Browning L9, on another web-site frequented by a number of currently serving, and former, service personnel. The intention of (re-)posting the information, is that (I hope), it adds to the discussion as to whether we will/should replace the Browning as our "general" service pistol. :-) http://www.arrse.co.uk/shooting-hunting-fishing/154541-sig-p226-replace-browning-hi-power.html As mentioned a couple of posts back, I did post earlier - and, correctly attribute (as above), the source of my information - freely available to anyone on the inter-web / world-wide-net “thingy”. However, I did not appreciate my earlier/original post had been deleted by problems with this forum’s server, earlier today. I had thought my earlier/original post had been deleted because I had contravened a forum rule - with which I am still becoming familiar! Hence the abbreviated response I posted earlier, and for which (I again) apologise, if it has caused offence!

Thanks for that reply Chris. As you will presumably wish to have a “matching-pair”, I will leave the way clear for you to purchase “48 AT 12”, should it ever appear in Withams yard! :-)

Fascinating! :-) Should “48 AT 12” ever appear in Withams yard, I do not think I would have any reservations about buying it! Does anyone know if a different type of engine is installed . . . diesel maybe? :undecided: I tried “freeze-framing” it at the appropriate times . . . I did not recognise the rocker-cover on the engine that came out as being a Jaguar item. Unless it was removed between frames, the engine that came out did not have a turbo-charger. However, that engine that went in did appear to have a turbo-charger fitted - on the left of the engine.

I was sure that this morning, I had posted an informed and well-reasoned response to this thread ?! :undecided: It is my understanding that “ . . . the L9s in armouries all over the country have been in service for decades, absolutely donkeys' years, used and abused and frequently poorly maintained. After 20 or 30 years of nuggets not cleaning them and letting the hammers slam down rather than controlling them they are a little worse for wear and need replacing. AIUI the SIG was a UOR for Afghanistan because there weren't enough serviceable L9s”. It is understood “ . . that when the Afghan draw-down begins, every UOR item will be withdrawn and flogged off by HMG. The brief "age of the pistol" will also evaporate, and it will revert to case of a few L9s being kept in armouries for the CO and medics. There are quite enough decent L9s left for that sort of scale of issue”. So, in a matter of time (post 2014?), it may be easier to acquire an ex-Afghanistan SIG SAUER P226 (plus, numerous expensively sourced sand-coloured vehicles), than it will be to acquire a Browning! :-)

It might be worth searching the world-wide-net, inter-web, "thingy" - to see if you can down-load a recording of it, or even watch it “live” on-line ?!

Is that meant to be 0755hrs, or 1955hrs ? Thanks for the tip - I'll watch at both times, to ensure I don't miss anything !

Eh! Where, when, why, did that happen? :-)