Richard Farrant

Hi 10 68, Apologies to Ruxy, I was replying on my phone and did not realise I had addressed the wrong person. Latterly it was actually South East District, but the old code, EC02 which I think may have dated back to WW2 was used right up until the workshop closed. Looks like several forum members had jogged around the workshop area! Only bit remaining is the end of B Shops which is now part of the TA Centre. Sorry we have deviated off the subject again !

Ruxy a correction, it was Rowcroft Barracks, which was 44 District Workshop REME at that time.

The Mk1 with the petrol engine ran very hot and would have vapour locking issues. I know from experience the exhaust manifolds suffered badly with the heat., this was when they were in-service.

Hi Andrew, All the mudflaps on Dingos that I have come across are double thickness canvas with a steel strip sewn in the bottom, something like 1" x 1/8" steel. I would doubt rubber was used, unless any of the first ones of around 1939 era had them.

Nothing is easy to access in a Fox engine bay, without removing rear armour and aux. drive. When we originally had them, the distributors were still conventional contact breakers and they needed regular adjusting due the the rotation being opposite to what the distributor was designed for.

Doug, To access the mixture screws on the carb you do not need to remove the engine bulkhead which is alongside the driver.

Doubt it would float the lid is not watertight. Looks more like a locker fitted under truck bodies.

Hi David, The MK did not have spring brakes, they were air over hydraulic, so you could drive out of the workshop on the handbrake as I recall as it lessened complaints about the fumes. There was a small number of new Bedfords, which could have been MK (or possibly MJ) what were modified at the direction of REME at Woolwich were trialed with the lower oil control rings removed from the pistons. The vehicles were to be monitored for oil consumption, etc and after a given mileage had them replaced. I did some of these ring removals. I cannot remember too many details now but sure it was before the early 1980's. Richard

Hi Tadeo, As Peter says, the number is on the passenger side of the chassis adjacent to the step brackets. regards, Richard

................................ and Continental tyres will deflate at the same time

The engine modification numbers relate to the very early life of the Fox, two of the Mods are to replace parts on the carburettor. This was in answer to a problem where every vehicle was suffering failure of 2nd gear! There was a flat spot in the carb and this was most noticeable when moving off and the drivers answer was to push the gear change pedal down and rev the engine, then up on the pedal, hence why the 2nd gear band in the gearbox was failing. They tried several things but never cured it until nearly at the end of their service life a major modification to the cab took place and this cured the problem, all to do with too much fuel delivered from the accelerator pumps and a new carb base was introduced. The Mod. no.14 was to do with engine ignition timing. regards, Richard

If my memory serves me correctly, the FMW tugs that the army had, the engines were converted/prepared by Hendy, who I think were Ford dealers from Southampton area, which figures as FMW were in Dorset. We had to service them, but I cannot recollect any major work needed on them.

Those numbers relate to EMER Modification Instructions which were done on engine overhaul. That record paper is for the engine only. Most Fox’s would have had several engines in their service life.

Yes, I recognise this model of FMW, the army base I worked on had several from new. I well remember they had a Start Pilot pump and reservoir in the cab and there was no way the wretched Ford diesel would start, hot or cold without a pump of ether, they were all like that from new.. Used for collecting the rubbish and scrap metal in our workshops, and the Ordnance Depot used them for towing warehouse trailers around. regards, Richard

Hi Rob, I have recently been making a wiring harness for an old British armoured vehicle and used yellow heatshrink sleeving, found a fine point permanent marker pen called a Sharpie. You can easily write on the sleeving before heating and when it shrinks down it looks like original, and very professional !! regards, Richard

It looks like a type used on an indirect injection engine, such as a Perkins P3, P4, etc.

Martin, The Lockheed cylinder numbers are: RH side (Drivers) 12859 LH side (Passenger) 12858

Agreed, I have a number from my shooting days, but looking at the letters, I don't think these are from a rifle club. My impression is " L Company, G...... I...... P....... Volunteers", possibly a volunteer unit from WW1 era?

At the REME Workshops where I worked they made their own plates same as most vehicles use, perspex type with numbers and letters applied from the rear.. So if you used this type on an army vehicle of 70's to 90's era it would not be wrong. There would have been literally 100's made over the years there.

The photo would have been taken at a RAOC vehicle depot no doubt and looking at the ones closest to the camera, they looked to have been allocated to 46th Division as it is marked on the saddles. The missing rear lamps may have been due to a shortage and to be fitted later. I have seen photos of lorries leaving the factory without spare tyres, but the rim was in the carrier., similar situation, shortages.

I will give you a tip, apply Rain-X on your screens and you will find the rain runs off quickly and often don't need the wipers. Works well on my Bedford.

Best of luck Taco, I worked on these vehicles from when they came into service until they were withdrawn, we did work for a number of different units equipped with them in the area. When taking the rear armour off there is one thing you do not want to see, that is a twisted or broken con-rod laying inside there, and I have seen quite a few. I recall we had a bracket that bolted across the rear armour that slotted in to a large trolley jack, that way it could be withdrawn by one person complete with silencer (or muffler for those on the other side of the pond). regards, Richard

The Eager Beaver had a Bedford manual gearbox and Perkins 4 cyl diesel, even the engine cover on the NZ machine looks identical. They must have used the concept of the EB but using components that were available in NZ and probably already in the inventory.

Hi Nick, That actual Saracen in the photo belongs to a guy in Sydney, Australia and I believe it is an ex-Hong Kong one, the barricade ram appears to differ slightly from those used in NI. As Clive has just posted. regards, Richard

Another work of art, well done to all !