Richard Farrant

You need someone like Hercule Poirot to find it :-)

The photo taken from the water immediately made me think of Dartmouth area..........I will say no more :whistle:

After posting about the Iveco EN83 engine being used in the Ferret on Jordanian dieselisation programme, something made me look up the KADDB organistion in Jordan doing this work. The inital programme was in 2006, but the KADDB website shows Ferret 2 dieselisation programme as using a Chinese turbo diesel interfacing with original gearbox, the way it is worded appears that this project is current. I am wondering if this is due to the Iveco not being suitable ........ or is it one and the same engine but made in China?

From what I understand, the upgrade package provided by Alvis in late Eighties, for the Ferret, utilised a 4 cylinder Perkins Phaser 110MT (similar to that used in RB44) coupled to a Chrysler auto gearbox. as for the Jordanian dieselisation of Ferret, they used a 4 cylinder Iveco engine.

It looks like a pod, that drops inside the standard RB44 GS body.........could be wrong though.

To answer a few questions raised, when in service they were charged with dry compressed air. At the Workshops, we had a static compressor and they regularly charged up a supply of small cylinders, so that we could charge the accumulators in Saracen, Saladin and Leylands, of which there were a lot about in that period. Some other equipment came into use in later years that used nitrogen (oxygen free grade). I have used that gas to charge Saracen, Saladin and Routemasters during the course of my business. My recollection is on Alvis MV's, the pressures were to be checked every 6 months, the seals are not very efficient and a ram type seal would have been better, I knew an engineer who owned a Saracen and he got a hydraulic company to make a new piston with a proper modern type seal in it. Charging pressure is 500 psi + or - 50 psi. for the Saracens and Routemaster so would assume it is the same on Leyland.

The MkVIa shown is in IWM at Duxford. Talking to one of the workshop staff a few years ago, I do not think it was a runner. The other one of the two that Budge brought back from Australia, was a wreck, with parts of the hull cut out. It was restored to a fine condition and that is the one that went to Jacques Littlefield's collection, no way was it semi-restored. Attached is a photo of it on completion.

Thanks Clive, I watched it several times, as my interest was in the Daimler and Humber armoured vehicles, but seeing the road sign, I thought someone with local knowledge might pick it up.

Hi Simon, I assume you mean those fitted to a Leyland Martian? ........also same on Saracen / Saladin. The seals were an archaic design, alternative rings of rubber and leather as I recall, when we used to rebuild them. As the Routemaster bus also used them, it might be worth contacting a firm who deals in them, or contact a hydraulic ram repairer.

Hi Steve, Yes I see your point there, actaully there is another range nearer to Folkestone on the coast, Hythe, which has a long history. It was home to the School of Musketry, ( later years, School of Infantry until moved to Warminster ). Where the Churchills were, it was army training ground, but during the war was used for live firing.

Steve, Lydd Ranges are quite distance from Folkestone. The four Churchills were unearthed from army training ground at Arpinge, which is North West of Folkestone, just to the West of the old Hawkinge aerodrome. Lydd did have the odd Churchill there when I used to go down to work on vehicles at the ranges in 1980's and 90's All gone now I understand.

Mark, have sent you a PM

Errr.........a Stolly Airpak only works on 3 wheels, remember there are two. Unless you mean use parts from a Mk1, then you have the other problem, they use mineral fluid. Best not go there.

Ah well, Chris, all the Martians I had dealings with were petrol and was going on that experience.

Vince, Routemaster has same type of brake system as Saracen and Saladin (not the actual wheel brakes though).

I think the ratios are the same over the range of models, but don't forget that the Recovery is about 8 tons heavier than the Artillery tractor in unladen state. A 6.5 litre petrol engine driving a 22 ton truck, it is not going to be swift.

Richard, Easiest way, if you were to fit a diesel in the Jimmy, is to fit an exhauster to the engine, then you can retain the existing hydrovac.

Troy, Good to hear your Fox is finally on its way to you. Do you plan to take it to Corowa next March?

I have Simon's card, will PM the number to you

I recall Tim bringing a Fox to Corowa when I was there in 1997.

I seem to think they were disposed of like that from Ludgershall in the tender sales in the 90's. Saw one at a Southsea D-Day show, and that would have been around the same time.

Hi Troy, I know the guy in Sydney with the Vixen. He bought it in the UK and shipped it over to Aus several years ago now. Have you got your Fox yet? regards, Richard

I think this is the reason that the L60 engine was chosen, you get a power stroke every revolution with a two stroke, so in effect a smaller engine in capacity and outward dimensions, can be used but with a much higher power output. At the time it was designed, it was probably thought the right way to go about it.

Monty, a PM sent to you.

Monty, I know the lower one, having done work on it, the owner is local to me. regards, Richard