Richard Farrant

Ah, but Roy wanted a challenge !

To be really precise, that wartime number is it second number as it comes from a group of numbers allocated to Rebuilt vehicles. Given that the contract number is V4924, it would have originally been issued with a number from the group L559110 to 562075 allocated to that contract. This means that it has gone through a rebuild and given a new identity, the original number will not be on the Key Card.

The wartime number is there, L1711494

Don't believe everything you are told, just try and get a V12 Meteor in a Saracen, might fit in the back door but not the engine bay.

It would have been nearly 30 years ago when I met John. A very nice and approachable man. Always remember him taking me in a Universal Carrier from the museum right up to Clouds Hill and the training area on one of the MVT end of season events. Attached is a photo of him up on the training area where he was driving an ex-German Hotchkiss tracked carrier through a mud hole and the wash went straight in the drivers hatch. Very sad to hear both he and his wife passed away. regards, Richard

Adrian, Tony never lets the facts get in the way of a good story

something very odd about that vehicle, wonder where it came from? Doubt it was ex- British army as it has an Aviation Jersey rebuild engine fitted.

Hi Gavin, I have sent you a PM

Peter, 13 is Belgium, so it would be a FN made Browning

Steve, Here is the link to the Ebay advert; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321592740569?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D321592740569%26_rdc%3D1 These vehicles were supplied to the Army with the Perkins Eagle 350, which was an improved design of the Rolls Royce Eagle, Perkins having taken the RR Diesel business over. regards, Richard

I was sure that pre-war, the vehicle colour was Deep Bronze Green, followed by Khaki Green No.3. Not at all sure if "Service Brown" was actually a colour officially designated for vehicle use. SCC No.2 Brown was an overall vehicle colour during the middle part of the war year with a disruptive overlay of a Dark Brown, SCC No.1A. I have checked a sample of Service Brown against SCC No.2 and it is very different. Read Mike Starmer's book, it has copies of regulations in it an a timeline of use, very informative.

Find out if it is an army RL or a Civil defence version, there are differences and especially if you prefer a military vehicle.

Hi John, Just looked on Google Earth and think I can see the cupola rings of the Bedford and Fordson cabs, they are on the side of the yard which is next to The New Inn.

Most units had one of these cars for a run-around, the workshops I was at had one.

A good number of years ago, when troops were still carried in 4 tonners (before the army coaches carried them), the Workshops had to go out to recover a Bedford MK, it was loaded with troops on exercise, the transmission brake drum burst and there was so much force that both rear tyres burst and shrapnel past through the floor and there were holes in the top of the canopy ........ and the only injury? One guy had a bit of debris up his nose. Incidents like this and others already mentioned make you think.

Trevor, The Big Ben came into service at the beginning of the 1950's, it was not a wartime vehicle.

That is not a 6x6, this is what was confusing us! It is a Thornycroft Big Ben 6x4, used in the army as 10 ton cargo trucks or artic tractors. There were not any army recovery versions but have seen a few converted in their civvy use.

Thanks Terry, You will enjoy the Trackers, last one I did was 2000, going from Lyndoch up the Old Ghan with a jeep. Might catch up one day then! cheers Richard

Hi all, Khaki Vehicle Enthusiasts are pleased to tell you that we have just launched our brand new website today, same web address; http://www.corowaswim-in.org/ If the old one comes up, just refresh it and you will see the new one. Hard to miss as there are lots of photos from events going back through the years and we will still be adding to them as time permits. With a good number of Australian members on HMVF now, we hope this is of interest to you. Entries are coming in now for our 2015 Corowa Swim-In & Military Vehicle Gathering, as usual, there will be advantages to pre-registering, so download the entry form now and send it to us, also the Swap Meet stall booking form is on the website. For anyone who has not received the latest KVE News by email, it is now on the website, click on the October newsletter. All the information for the event in March and more. regards, Richard Farrant KVE Committee member and Editor

You have to remove the tyre pump off the side and the gearbox top cover off. No need to block up the engine as the bell housing remains on the engine. There are four bolts or studs holding the box on. As you withdraw the gearbox it has to be turned on its side to clear a cross member, so make sure it is completely drained of oil.

Hi Rob, I have had a bit to do with the one at Firepower. It was originally restored by its owner in Essex or thereabouts, many years ago, there was a write up in MVT magazine at the time. I did some work on it at REME workshops when it stood outside the Rotunda museum. It seems it had a naval Bofors on it. Years later, when they set up the Firepower museum it was sent of to an artillery / gun restorer who, I was told at the time, was going to fit the correct type of Bofors on it. So be aware it is not a vehicle that has been kept together throughout its life. regards, Richard

As the vehicle is still in active service currently, I do not think these details should be aired on the internet. If they are laid down in writing somewhere, they would be on a "restricted" (or higher) document.

Extremely well done and not pushing the brand too much. As I always shop at Sainsburys it makes no difference to me, but I did look for the chocolate bar today and they were not on display yet. By them donating 50p from each bar to RBL is no different to Hovis giving 10p to the Poppy Appeal on a certain bread loaf over the last few weeks, and Australian made ANZAC biscuits which have been on sale there for a number of years donate from each sale to the RBL.

Hi Robin, It was I that initially found the brown canvas and got Noddy to make some Dingo top covers and a cover sheet for a Carrier. All those that I supplied these items to thought the brown was about right, it dulls down after weathering as well. I had contacted nearly all the military canvas people at the time and they all said there was no brown canvas ... it took very little time to locate a supplier.

Ah, got it #10, Dick and "Sheik" Chris in the SAS Beetle ........ they had RJ on that one