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Richard Farrant

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Everything posted by Richard Farrant

  1. Back in the mid-70's when I was working in REME Workshops, we had unit's vehicles in to fit these kits, whilst they were undergoing NI training at a nearby base. The vehicles were in the main, Land Rovers, both 88" and 109" Ser 2a plus Lightweights, ambulances and Bedford MK lorries. Some of the Land Rovers already had 2 or 3 sets of bolt holes in the body where kits had been fitted for previous NI tours of duty. When the Series 3 came into service, we did some of these, but there was then a policy change where vehicles were fitted with the kits and left in NI, rather than units using there own vehicles. It was a damned awful job as sometimes we had new kits that often had to be trimmed to fit and the fibre glass used to get in your clothes and make your hands itch. Oh and we had to fit Aeon rubbers to the top of the front springs as well.
  2. Not like the Morris 1800 staff car came came into REME workshops one day, it had Town and Country tyres on rear wheels only!!
  3. I have a new old stock Crimper for joining D10 cable, never been used. Any interest? Photos below;
  4. I have done some long drives in Australia with a 4x4 Perentie, a sound vehicle. Also back in 1992 I was involved with a RAEME unit as we were both taking part in a Variety Club Bash (car rally) and I had to take an army driving test in a 6x6 Perentie so we could use it as a support vehicle, now that was one vehicle I would have liked, especially the workshop version. Good luck with the sale.
  5. The later and more comfortable drivers seat was as fitted to CVR(W) Fox.
  6. This carburettor was the one specified for the Morris Commercial C9/B self propelled Bofors AA gun. Its extra features are to compensate high vibrations when operating the gun with engine running.
  7. Hi 10FM68, From zooming in on the Loadstar's tailboard it looks like the same sign as on the Ferret. The book I looked at had a photo of a cloth badge with this insignia. Not sure of the K5 sign, but I do know from my time working for REME that the Austin K5 was still on the inventory list in the 1960's, although it could be that these had specialist bodies on. I recall a Bedford QLR in the Workshop in 1974 for a clutch change. Regarding painting, the Workshop's paintshop often did vehicles from outside units and they made excellent jobs, like the HAC's Royal Salute Land Rovers that we prepared, and a number of vehicles and artillery for museums. They took pride in their work.
  8. I have just found the insignia of the mailed fist with torch in a book called British Army Cloth Insignia and it confirms as Royal Armoured Corps Training Brigade.
  9. And who was the idiot who allowed car makers to put the front indicators in with the headlights? Very difficult to see them when headlights are on, which is most of the time nowadays. Its all about image and styling ...... ?1?
  10. I would say yes to a Centurion as you can see the supports for the side skirts between the road wheels.
  11. Hi Richard, M160 is a SAE30 engine oil, which would seem more appropriate for the Villiers. The Army code for SAE140 gear oil is OC600, (formally C600). Someone has their wires crossed I reckon. regards, Richard
  12. GS was allocated to 'A' Vehicles, although not sure if it was actually used.
  13. Hi Rootes, I have just sent you a PM. regards, Richard
  14. Hi Mick, A great article, well done. When I worked at 44 Command Wksp in the RE Bay working on plant, probably about 1975, I had a brief encounter with a Gainsborough as I assisted one of the older guys when he was readjusting the gearbox bands. I always recall him saying that it needed a 40 acre field to turn around in! I did a lot of repair work on Allis 645 loaders and they were basic and easy to operate, another good machine. I see you were at RSME, I went on a plant repair course there in 1980.
  15. Hi Tarland, You asked about the snatch block, I checked out the FV number of the pin and it came up with manufacturer as QINETIQ and discontinued: FV599055, 3 - Design Control Reference, 2 - Production Item, QINETIQ · U0795 ; 01-1101-400, 5 - Replaced / Discontinued, 2 - Production Item, W F E L LTD · K7705. Then under two separate manufacturers stock numbers it shows as also made by WFE Ltd and the interesting one .... Paccar Parts UK, which would indicate Foden, but this is only the pin of course and I do recognise that item from the Foden EKA NSN for pin is 2590-99-834-0477
  16. I actually have recent experience in working on a CT20 Oxford Carrier and have done some research on it. The link in the previous post is not quite correct on some details. It was actually designed by the Wolseley motor company, but when it went into production it was built by the MG Car Company at Abingdon. Many of the parts have inspectors stamps on them of the octagon shape of the MG logo. By the time it was into production it was outdated by the suspension design as the decision had been made to go for torsion bars and not the old Horstmann design, hence why the Cambridge Carrier was built in small numbers for trials in several different role guises. The Cambridgen never went into full production and tracked carriers were not persued again until the early 1960's when the FV430 went into production.
  17. The Oxford Carrier did not get into service until the late 1940's, but did see active service in Korea where it apparently performed well. I think most went up for disposal in late 1950's. I have seen this photo before and thought it may have been taken in Korea. Very much doubt any other country had them in service.
  18. Hi Wally, On the first page you posted, at the bottom is listed a Ferret and a Saladin laying at RAOC Rowcroft Barracks. As I worked at the REME workshops at that location at Ashford, I recall the Ferret being one of the types used in Malaya, with the extended top to the hull with the turret on top of that, I beleive it may have come from a cadet force or gate guardian as it was pretty rough and neglected. The Saladin had been used for recovery practise and had been rolled over many times, I think all the mudguards and side lockers were missing, the Tank Museum had contacted me to give a report on it, but it was in to bad a condition.
  19. Has the pressure switch been removed and an air guage fitted to ascertain if this is an air problem, and not an electrical fault?
  20. Hi Philip, I have attached a small part of the Ferret wiring diagram, this is showing the generator panel and associated wiring. The complete wiring diagram is about A3 size so I will have to scan in parts and email to you if you think it will help. Let me know. regards, Richard
  21. Just to make it clear to the above, 14 Command Workshop was at Ashford in Kent, and 31 Base Workshop was at Ashford, Middlesex. 14 Command Workshop was renumbered in later post war years to 44 Command Workshop, as I worked there! The rebuild plates used the workshop identity code of EC02.
  22. That 'ERM' is in fact a civilian trade plate issued in Derby, so without doubt it would have been issued to Rolls Royce when they were road testing the new Meteor engine. There is a good book about this and how they often road tested.around the area of their workshops.
  23. I believe in the 1920's period that lorries were hired to take the TA units to camp or on manouvres as this photo may be an example of a business hiring a vehicle out. There was a company at the time called Artillery Transport Co. who ran military pattern lorries, in particular I seem to recall they had some Karrier 6x4 lorries, I have seen photos of them on army exercises, with the company name on the canvas canopy.
  24. As I had never seen SA ERM's before until these recent photos on the forum I am going to hazard a guess. I beleive the SP numbers stood for Sales Prototype (or similar meaning). I am wondering if these particular tanks numbered in the SA series are something like Sales Armour and were in fact, vehicles put aside for sales to other countries and pictures of British crews in them were possibly demonstrating them to foreign powers or training their crews. Later on we would see MS numbers for armoured vehcles sold overseas.
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