8_10 Brass Cleaner

Anyone have any pictures of WW1 uniforms for transport drivers? Seemingly I have a great war Foden 5 tonner to drive in April, its in WD livery so I thought it would be good for the craik to dress up and grow a handlebar moustache for the occasion, though the wife doesn't think much of the last part.

It depends on how old the randy lover is. Basically if it has seat belts then they must, if it doesn't they don't (unless they are less than 3, when they must). Side facing seats are troublesome. Car seats must be type approved, that is tested and used in accordance with the type approval. You try and find a car seat with side facing type approval!

An interesting and valid question. It is quite a regular occurence to have invitation stearing at steam shows, and I participate with my steam tractor. I understand that if the organiser asks you to do this sort of thing for them, as part of the show, then liability lies with them. There is no way out for them on this issue. If you choose to do it off your own back then the liability lies with you. Again no way 'out' I regularly carry passengers on what is basically a 4 wheel drawbar trailer (with sides). I last did it about a month ago giving rides at my daughters 2nd birthday party. Provided I do not do it for hire and reward my insurers tell me that I am covered, I specifically asked the question.

Have you tested it yet? I tested one on fathers stall once using my my sister by telling her to hold the lead and giving it a spin. judging by the belt it gave the mag was marked up as in working order!

I notice that the Ernest Brooks archive is partially on line with the National Museums of Scotland. Some nice WW1 trucks on there like this:- http://digital.nls.uk/index.cfm?search_term=truck&place=&subject=&people=&event=&format=&century=&project=&from_row=21

not seen them yet, thay originally came via Hirsts of St Mary Bourne. I expect 10 stud.

I've just bought 4 tyres that will bore out to fit 670 rims. Anyone know what the interferance fit should be?. They currently have centres, as they are 1950's tank idlers. The guy who has them has just made a 120ton press to put some 5foot rings on

Doug, they are Thornycroft J wheels arn't they? 670's were also popular on trailers. I have a 1/2 share in a approx 1910 Eagle on 670x160, also a 1920's Carrimore on the same size. 7 of the 8 tyres are best part knackered and I have one new 670x180 as a spare. There is another in the back of the Sentinel in the Science museum, but getting it past the Gurkhas on the gate may be problematic........ The Ransommes I mentioned was on 850 rears, but with packing for the imperial tire, there was only an inch or so of rubber left so I have no idea what size they were, but I believe they had to be cut off. some old stock 850 rings were bought but they were all different makers so the rubber was skimmed up in a big lathe to make them all the same. They were pressed on using the inside leg of a crane, with a 40foot container hanging off the jib, don't ask, Turbo is mad as a box of frogs!

Doug I used to drive a Ransommes steam wagon built out of parts, the rear axle came from New Zealand and had timber packers between the whell and press on band. I assume that it was because over here we used a metric system for the rubber sizes, the diameter quoted being the external diameter of the wheel x width. The tyres on this Ransommes were a near but bigger imperial size, so I guess either of antipodean manufacture, or American. Steve/Tim, are your rear rubbers new? they look newly manufactured. We have found that if you re-rubber old bands previously tight on the wheel, they 'grow' and come loose.

Taking large rubbered wheels off isn't that bad, an oiled steel plate, a jack and some bars is all that is neccassary. The rears on my steam tractor are 5 foot + and they have been off quite often. It does get a bit dicey rolling them about after you've got it off though! I think Barry's press came out of a garage somewhere, and looks quite big. But bear in mind that it will have a maximum diameter and will be have been designed to be man enough for that job. The force required would be a function of the diameter and width. Most lorries and vehicles of this age will have pretty standard diameters. I expect that Leyland/Thorneycroft/Dennis/Halford etc etc all had the same size tyres. One diameter the front, one diameter the rear? A mobile press used in france say would only have to deal with this sort of diameter, perhaps a little bigger for a Sentinel Undertype rear (the biggest press one likely?).

Whatever happened to this one? seen here pushing my Marshall in 1984, it belonged to R C (Clwyd) Williams of Ruthin. I think it later went green.

Steve, the other trick I forgot to mention was to plaster the hessian in Salamoniac paste. The expansive properties of the paste has on the iron and steel will lock it in position. Its the old remedy for porus castings. Recipe for Salamonicac Paste = 50 to 100 parts of rust free iron filings (sifted), mixed with 1 part of sal ammoniac, and when it is to be applied, moistened with as much urine as will give it a pasty consistence. Keep moist untill you see rust forming and it'll be solid. I think your idea of steel shims, and perhaps some locktight is more pleasent idea!. The Mann steam wagon I used to drive had the bands tack welded in place, the welds cracked and all that stopped the band coming off was the proudness of the welds. Not a big problem for the front, obviously no good for the rear! I doubt you will split the band. The danger will be breaking Barry's press. Given it is still 'mandraulic' I guess he will know if it is too tight!.

The traditional repair for a loose press on was to drape a sheet of hessian over the wheel before pressing the tyre on. The hessian taking up the gap and providing the grip between the iron wheel and steem band. Quite often the wheels are under size, or the rubber over size. The steel bands actually grow when you vulcanize rubber to them. Got any 670 x 160's in stock? I need 7!

Mike as ever the relevant sections are very usefull This is the source of my info. It is consistent with your comments, but not when in comes to children under 3 Sadly no references to the law! http://www.dft.gov.uk/think/focusareas/children/childincar?page=FAQ&whoareyou_id=

The law is a bit of an ass when it comes to children too. Under the age of 3, they need to be in an approved car seat, which in turn needs to be fitted in the type approved way. That is either using isofix mountings or via seatbelts. I have a 1930 vintage car, so it has no seatbelts, nor isofix mountings. I can't fit either as the car does not have type approved mountings. So technically it is illegal for an anklebiter of less than 3 years old to travel in it. Boo hoo. Once said anklebiter is 3 they can travell unrestrained, provided the vehicle is not required to have them fitted, and does not in fact them fitted. :shocked:

Sadly I do not have the equipment to reproduce it here currently, so a shot of the picture via mobile phone will have to do. The original is pin sharp

Photographers only work in the dry! I have a photo of a Leyland, probably a subsidy type of some sort with a bus body on the back, and it has its hood up.

I'm not so sure I agree. Surely it is the obligation of the DVLA to ensure that their database is accurate as possible?. Particularly where changes needed are as a result of legislation. I'm also not so sure the cost of updating the database each time they recieve an enquiry is any less than to do one simple search of their entire database based on registration date and rectify any anomalies. In fact I suspect the latter would be a far cheaper excercise on a long term basis. P.S which pre 1973 vehicles are not exempt from duty out of interest?

Personally I wouldn't thought it beyond the 'wit of man' for the DVLA themselves to interrogate their own database for vehicles that are historic by virtue of their date of registration and update it themselves!

Just for the record I have a couple of long term off the road vehicles. Both have been off the road prior to SORN and thus was not needed. I bought both like this, applied for and recieved V5's in my name, and have subsequently applied for and recieved the red V5C.# Both are still off the road, I have never recieved a SORN reminder, never SORN'd either, nor recieved any fines. I think it is worth making the point that the DVLA are incompetent in the extreme. When you ring them up never assume they actually know what they are talking about, when you go on their website never assume the info is correct. Itis quite clear that their interpretaion of the law is not neccassarily that which a judge might come to. Indeed it has been proven that they have and do act illegally. I Just had a look at the on line info for my 1930 Austin 7. Date of first registration = XX July 1930, Date of last liability XX XX 1985, Current duty rate for this vehicle = £65 for 6 months!. Hmm The computer records show that by its date of registration that it must be duty exempt! LOL I rest my case. The only reason a long term (pre SORN) vehicle will need SORNing annually following a change of owner is if some halfwit at the DVLA has changed something on the database. In my case they obviously didn't.

LOL, the trailer I was thinking of doesn't have any air in the tyres, just rubber!

Interesting, but how is the MAM of a trailer worked out, say for example it is an old one, before id plates etc?

You go to the post office armed with your V5, a valid MOT (if you need one), an insurance cert, fill in the relevant form for taxing it without a reminder and bingo, you get a tax disk. It really is mostly fuss over nothing. The biggest change is that if your vehicle is coming off the road, and the insurance runs out before the tax, you need to sorn it when the insurance finishes or you will get a letter.

Luck!. Whit stuff is not easy to find.

I should be out locally in Market Drayton with the Marshall either on 19th or 20th February for my 2 year old daughters birthday party!. I have to machine some bits for the water level gauge first but the bronze is on order so it shouldn't be a problem. The engine lives on a farm near Woore. Given the fuel prices and general cost of living I will be reigning my neck in a bit this year with the steamer, perhaps only attending a couple of events in Shrewsbury, one in Much Marcle, and one in Bishops Castle. We worked our way down to Fairford last year with it (we steam and drive it 99% of the time), and used a considerable amount of fuel in the cars driving to and from, each event worked out at 3 round trips!. Still probably cheaper than a truck!. The engine is currently out of the Austin, for unknown reason it suffered a failiure of the timing gears 200 miles following a rebuild (not by me!) in September. It is at the stage where the camshaft with replacement timing gear is ready to go back in, (not as easy as you think with the rest of the engine assembled) and it can put back together. I just need some time in the garage. I have attributed the failiure to a tight bearing in the dynamo though the oil feed may have also been throttled by a poorly aligned oil hole in the cam bush. I have attacked the bush with the Dremmell and will refit my old unrebuilt dynamo that has never been any trouble.