Richard Farrant

Sorry :-( but I've got a reputation to keep up .........quick fire answers that is, before anyone says otherwise :-D

Not really a fault of the lorry, sounds like they were being made to take them over terrain they were not intended for. The Thornycroft and Albion 10 tonners were also 6x4, they would follow the lines of the WW2 Hippos and Fodens which they would have replaced. It is horses for courses. When Fodens came back into the army, many of them were 6x4. Then later when DROPS was introduced, you had the 8x6 Leyland which was Medium Mobility and for heavier going the Foden 8x8 Improved Medium Mobility.

Sommerfeld Matting for runways, roads, etc ?

The MSO was made up mostly of Polish.......... and Ukrainians..

East I would think :rofl:

probably a Pole ........

Bodge, You better tells us where he lives and we will keep away from "death valley"

:) Two minutes detective work.....I do know of Findon and there was a lot of military training and activity in that area during WW2 by the British and Canadian armies. I would be interested to see what else you have, thanks.

Photo taken in the little village of Findon in West Sussex

Its easy..........he is the one with a beard :coffee:

And when you stop it leaking you will still have condensation dripping off it :-D

Mike, The FV instrument panel was standard item I think, just checked the Martian list against Humber 1 ton and they are same part number, the switchboards are much the same, there are minor differences in their appearance, but functionally they are the same. With Ferret, Saracen, Champ, etc all sharing the same items there are spares around.

Surely mahogany was an imported wood, sourced in Central America and Africa if memory serves, so would it have been available in Britain during wartime........doubtful :confused:

Mark, I thought you would have used Coca Cola

It is actually a Scania recovery, Mike

That was a long time ago, I think it was on a cut down Green Goddess and may even have been bolted on the the Bedford !

At my school the Physics teacher used a length of bunsen burner hose, weighted in the end. I understand it was quite effective, must have left quite a mark on the backside :shake: Never experienced it, in fact don't remember being reprimanded, my idea was to keep a low profile, .

Mark, Some years ago, could be about that date, a similar type of bus was at Beltring W&P. It came from Holland and was a wartime White, not sure if it was a rebodied truck chassis or original bus. Might have a photo somewhere. I am sure one of the Dutch guys will know it.

Make sure the headlamps are earthing well, that is the normal cause of dim or poor lights.

Minesweeper, I have just realised who you are.............. :-D

........and that was just the driver.........what about all the nuts in the back ?:rofl:

Ah, I see now. I am I right in thinking this a a problem in marinas where boats are connected to electricity? Wonder why the other one was not affected, or was it?

CW, another bit of advice ( next time I am invoicing you :-D ) ; The damage to the props sounds more like it is caused by cavitation. Is it possible that the engine power is too great for that type of prop?

Hi Simon, The suffix "R" on the engine number denotes it is a rebuild and unless the cyl block had been linered, I would say it was a new block and the OY engine number transfered from the scrap block. This was common procedure. It just could have been a new short engine assembly if it had a Std size crank as well. The fact that an engine number was OY yet fitted to an MW, means little as it is basicly the same engine and without checking, is more than likely under the same part number when ordering replacement units. The odd one amongst Bedford engines was the QL, the block had no oil strainer tube in it, like the OY / MW, so you will not see a QL number on an engine in an OY, etc.

That is sad news. I met him several times, he was a very unassuming man. He visited my workshop once and took great interest in the vehicles there at the time. He was very enthusiastic in the engineering side of military vehicles. I would imagine the collection will be assured as it was set up as a foundation.