Richard Farrant

Come on in Catweazle, we need to know a bit more about those MTB's, just getting interesting when we were rudely cut off :captain: Richard

Hi Paul / Shakey, Saw your post on another thread asking about the website links for Corowa. Here they are again; http://corowaswim-in.org and http://corowa30.org The second link relates to a project to gather photos and stories from the last 30 years of the event, in order to produce a book to be published after next year's 30th event. Also it is intended to make a DVD with footage from past years, interviews and stories from participants. I have attended the event on four occasions and it is a great atmosphere. Keith Webb, who runs the Old CMP website, produces films as a business, has made DVD's of Corowa and I have some available in the UK if anyone is interested ( please PM me for details ). They are featuring the theme years, such as ; Year of the Blitz (world record on numberof CMP trucks gathered ) Year of the Studebaker ( another record of number of US6 Stude together ) Year of the Carrier ( a must for light tracked fans ) Year of the Armoured Car ( some unusual ones featured ) Richard

Back in '92, I had the good fortune to go on a "special detachment" to a RAEME workshop in NSW..........long story. We were to have the use of a Perentie 6x6 for the duration, but first had to take an Australian Army driving test in it. Good day out cruising around Sydney. Although I did not drive it very much, as we had our own Land Rover which we took out, it was an excellent truck and the cab is so different, much better driving position. A turbo Isuzu 3.8 diesel, is the way to go, as Tony says. Here is a photo of it in the bush, that guy in the funny hat was one of our team. We were on our way to Alice Springs there.

That option is not on there, tried reset and thats not worked either.

Hi Lee, In the edit avatar page, there is a circle to the left of the words "do not use an avatar", this has green spot in it, so is locked. Tried clicking off, etc. no go. Not important yet, let us get to grips with the forum first.

Rick, Just tried to ad my avatar and now realise this option is "locked off". As Jack and Joris have plenty of other things to sort, we can live with out them for a while I guess.

Thanks Jack I posted the reply and saw the name was changed, great stuff. I use another forum which is a vBulletin, but some of the features are slightly different, just feeling around at present. Keep up the good work.

Hi Jack, Rather drastic measures to drag old Kewelde back appreciate if I could change the username back to real one, but not important at present, get everything running right, first. We were having withdrawal symptoms last night, you guys in the Management must have been on verge of a breakdown. Deepest sympathies........OK we lost a lot of photos and data back to January, but I am sure we can soon make that up. Now, .........where is Catweazle? We need to liven this place up

Come on, spill the beans, what did you do?

Is that you, Rick W ? Seems we have reverted back to old identities, bit like a time machine :confused: If you want to see unread posts, go to top of page and click on "new posts". Now if someone can tell me how to change my Username, I would be happy, gone through my profile and cannot see that it can be done.

Tony, Both the other sites were working last night, because I was hoping someone was going to put a message up as to what was happening. Anyway, I am back on now, only problem was that my PM mailbox was overfull, apparantly this new forum has a smaller message capacity. Richard

It apparantly changed colour in the presence of gas, it was on all vehicles, from the beginning of the war onward, in a position forward of the driver, for instance on the headlamp shell of motorcycles, bonnet of trucks, or in the case of some forward control trucks, a special shelf was fitted to the fornt of the cab, ie Bedford QL, Fordson WOT6 and WOT8, etc. Richard

Rick, I think the large heart shape on the bonnet, could be gas detection paint..........could be wrong,

Sean, I know exactly who that is and agree it is mind boggling what he has there. Richard

Hi Degsy, Well I used to repair them in Workshops, they usually needed a lot of work. They fascinated me, in how they worked, the drive being matched to the cutting speed, etc. and we always did functional test digs with them. They can be used to dig more than trenches, gun pits can be done as well. And to drive them, they are very reminscent to a WW2 3 tonner. As for the Perentie 6x6...........that is another, I have experience of, and the Mobile Workshop version is pure magic. I took an Australian Army driving test in one......long story ;-) Richard

After careful thought, here goes; Bedford QLR with Command body Cromwell tank BSA WM20 Daimler Dingo Austin K2 ambulance Universal Carrier Studebaker US6 Bedford OY and a couple of PW's :-D Thornycroft LMD Trenching Machine Land Rover Perentie 6x6 mobile workshop

Piet, Those shackles on the rear are, I think, for winching the container on and off the vehicle on to a special platform. I do have a drawing of this being done, but it is not really relevant in this case. Richard

Mark, Click on to Enigma's link, which is the CWGC site, at the bottom of the webpage, click on "CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL", this gives you precise directions to its location. Richard

Piet, The reason that only Bedford is mentioned on the instruction plate is because these Containers were produced before the Leyland came in to service, you do not see many actually to them either. The weight would depend on what was fitted inside, if it was an Operation Office it would be pretty basic I would imagine. According to the 1981 MVEE data book, the CB300 series container weighs in at 0.952 tonne unladen, I would say that was a bare shell with no fitments inside. As for lifting, the correct way was a purpose build spreader frame with four wire ropes which secured to the base frame. This way you are lifting from the bottom, where the strength is. These containers are never lifted from the top. Richard

Thanks Tony, got it now. As an aside, Mr. Frederick Simms was the founder of Simms Motor Units Ltd. who made vehicle electrics and fuel injection equipment. He was also one of the founders of the RAC. Richard

Just found that same photo in a 1947 RAC book, not much more other than it is a Maxim gun and it is Mr. F. Simms with it. I knew he had a link with Wolesley, but this might have been later.

Tony, That link is not working, but correct me if I am wrong, but I think the vehicle is possibly a Wolseley, powered by a Daimler engine, with a Maxim machine gun. The gent riding is probably Frederick Simms, who ran the Daimler business in England. Richard

Maybe the reason the Luftwaffe fighters did not use drop tanks, was a case of geography. When RAF or USAAF fighters escorted bombers deep in to Germany, they needed extended range. But on the other hand, German fighters could be based in Belgium, France, etc, close to the channel and therefore reducing their flight duration for a raid, as even for targets in the North of England, distance would not be so great as flying to Berlin, for example, for our boys. Not sure whether this is the correct assumption but it is feasable. Richard

I have swapped many of these specialised container bodies for the Forces, from RL to MK, etc. and there were special hook clamps that, from memory, located in holes along the bottom edge of the container and hooked on to the relevant loops along the edge of the truck body. There was a specific sequence and RL and MK hook bolt locations differed and the containers usually had a diagram plate fixed on the side to show the correct locations, it was cast so is still readable if painted. But this will not help you with the Leyland DAF as no doubt it is different still, so hopefully Clive may be able to find something. Richard

Hi Baz, I think it is a wartime model, what is remarkable is that it is in original and running condition. Richard