antar

The "push me pull you Crusader". A few years ago I bought the front end of a Crusader 35t tractor from a breakers yard, the rear bogie had been exported to Africa but everything in front of the bogie remained. The easiest way to bring it home was to suspend tow the remains backwards with the Holmes 5th wheel wrecker fitted to my Crusader. All I did in the breakers yard was burn two big holes in the remains of the chassis rails, put 2 big shackles through the holes and pick it up from there, I tied up the steering wheel with rope in the straight ahead position. I did get some funny looks from people whilst driving it back or was that forwards? The picture shows it arriving back at its resting place. I eventually got round to cutting it up, the cab went to Paul Rhodes and I kept the doors, engine, winch assembly and gearbox.

Here is an even rarer Constructor which I owned for about 3 years. Its now at Kibworth !!!

When Stalwarts get stuck its always handy to have a Martian Wrecker on hand !

My first introduction to MV's was an Austin Champ and from their they just got bigger and heavier, driving the Artillery Tractor was great as you had the 12 seat cab. We used to go to off road events and shows with a full cab, everybody chipped in for the fuel so the 4mpg was like doing 48mpg !!!

Yes, that is most certainly a Scammell Mountaineer.

As requested here is a picture of the Dorchester which stood at Jacksons rocket site for years. I think the Budge collection bought it and restored it.

Below is a picture I took at L Jackson and Co in Doncaster during the mid 1980,s, it is a bren carrier in a wooden packing crate stood on its side. The photo was taken through a pair of sliding doors on a warehouse on which the handles were chained together so that you could not get in the warehouse. Someone else had prised a couple of boards off the crate before I got there.

Still got one tucked away waiting for the day I retire from big vehicles !!!

Here are some pictures of 12DM88 at the Warwheels show, High Ercal Shropshire many years ago.

Antar on the drive at home with one of my Champs

Here is another of it on tow behind the Martian.

My martian recovery on the day it was sold to a recovery operator in North Wales. It still carries out off road recovery work in the Colwyn Bay area.

My old Wrecker and Artillery tractor playing together !

My old Militant, ex Ferrymasters Warrington, sold to someone who is on this forum I think.

The Artillery tractor went to a guy called Eddie Bennet who was the keeper of Swanage Pier, the last time I saw it was when I drove it to Hilton Park services on the M6 to meet Eddie who then paid me and carried on down to Swanage in about 1987. Eddie had not even seen the truck, he bought it on my word, asked me to brim the tank (100 gallons of petrol) and said he would pay for the truck and the fuel when we met ! Trusting Times !!! John.

Correct Picture attached

Whoops, wrong picture !

My old Explorer which now resides in Duxford.

My old Martian Artillery Tractor on an off road day.

This is one of the 2 prototype 30t tractors which I owned for a few years. Note the different cab. Similar cab to the RAF ballast tractors.

This is one of the ex Manchester airport 30t Constructors.

Yes, It is one of the 6 sold in the Withams tender 2 weeks ago.

My old Antar on its first visit back home after 30 odd years !

And from the rear

Military Amazon sold at Withams a few years ago