Richard Farrant

Rick, That may be true with the Morris engine. On Rolls Royce B60 and 80 engines there are particular pairs of cylinders that are known to blow the gasket between. It is essential to check a head with an accurate straight edge before fitting, they will not "straighten out" when tightening down.

Mark, Agreed on all you say. Also as Tim says, the Readers Forum, Seen, Read and Heard, etc were all necessary reading. Bart's answers to any of our questions was factual and if he did not know the answer, he would say. This encouraged others to comment in later issues. In those day, pre-internet, this was the only real medium for collectors and enthusiast worldwide and through this I have got to know a lot of those people. The technical articles were second to none and often Bart would ask for information and details from official documents to back up his research on a forthcoming article, I recollect helping with info for a Morris Commercial article.

Hi Mike, It sounds like the head may have been refitted with a slight bow in it. Not unusual, especially with a flathead, with copper/asbestos gasket, which it would have, sealer is not absolutely neccessary although I have always used Wellseal on this type of gasket to seal around the oil and water ways, it is very thin, not unlike shellac which was used in the old days. If you are going to renew the gasket, get the head face checked for truth, sometimes the area around the water ports is corroded and facing improves this area as well as straightening up the surface.

Not sure, Richard had so many different types, can't read the reg number either.

CW, Previous picture of QL? Not seen one, Richard had a whole fleet of them at one time. Don't recognise the Dingo, no serial numbers to go by. Reckon the bikes are Tom's. Your pal the PC from Battersea........I reckon I have met him in the days when I used to show my M20.

Top one is from the Longmoor Military Railway, could be a US engine, not sure. The one at bottom left is Southern Railway, West Country class "Bodmin" and on right another Southern engine, S15 class Not a rail anorak, my old Dad spent his war service in Southern Railway workshops and had a great interest in steam.

Zephyr, I think, going by the grille (using my 1960 Observers book of Autos, which I have had for 48 years)

CW, Agree, either Cresta, or Velox. OO is an Essex rego number.

Crikey CW, I did not realise how short you were :rofl:

Rosie, Checked out the Vulcan website and they had problems on Start-up, so were not able to fly today.

There is a '69 reg Austin Cambridge in one photo, so must be around about then. I was riding a Bantam and Tiger Cub about that time :-D

Opposite the AA gun site that Catweazle and I discussed, and just up from his Assfart, if it is still there :???

Oh....obvious really :confused:. Could not see you with a flat cap and stop watch, waiting for the pigeons to race home

Rick, Many heavy trucks, tractors, military vehicles, etc. use them. A Ferret for instance. High input speed reduced to low output speed for increase in torque. Laid out in different ways, a Ferret is different to a Fox set up. The simplest is the half shaft on an axle has a sun gearwheel attached, this engages in a set of planet wheels, which transfer the drive to a gear ring within the hub, thus driving it. Easy is'nt it? :-D

The outfits that the army motorcyclists were wearing, from memory, were just the standard type wax cotton suits in black, either Barbour or Belstaff Trialsmaster. As REME 245 also recollects this, I may not be losing it just yet :-D

Don't know that one..........is about life on Canary Wharf ?

Tim, A rare find. Even more interesting is the owner, Stijnus. He took part in the re-enactment of the 1907 Peking-Paris Car Race, in 2005. The event was part organised by a friend of mine, who also took part. Stijnus drove his Spyker in the event. Now that reduction hub on the Renault looks familiar. I have come across a similar truck in England, it was unrestored and well sheeted down, but I have a feeling it might have been four wheel drive with those hubs front and back. Did Renault make a 4wd gun tractor like this?

Hi Bertie, I also had MV Magazine, quite good while it lasted and it had some really detailed articles in it, not glossed over like those around now. I enjoy our club mag, Windscreen as well, what I sadly miss, is Wheels & Tracks. Bart was a mine of information and his magazines are still of great reference use 20+ years on.

Well here in South Kent last night there was just a bit of thunder and lightning, passed quickly, and very little rain, nothing heavy like your reports, further West. Good day today, sky cleared by 11am.

Thanks, Abn :tup:: Not had time tonight, but second installment to follow, with more pictures.

A MT500 ?? Bloody things had the kickstart on the wrong side. When they first came into service the cam pulley splines used to shear, came out with a mod., a pulley made of stronger material, think the original one was made of monkey metal :-D. Can't beat a B40 :thumbsup:

Regarding what Armstrong MT500 riders would have worn, I seem to think they might have been issued with a Barbour ( or similar) suit, like trials riders used to wear. Only going on what I used to see, when riders came into workshops at that time, 80/90's.

The K6 would have been just as bad doing a suspended tow, so long as you did not go over 20 mph, that would be fine :-D

CW, Here is Cpl Jones at Tenterden.

EKA was a Swedish company, the first one of their recovery units used by British Army was a Volvo 4x2 in Berlin. The Foden had both Atlas and EKA equipment, Atlas being a German parent company. From experience, most of the components were made in Europe. Good equipment though :thumbsup: