Richard Farrant

Mention has been made of our town's MkIV Tank, you might be interested to see this:

https://www.ashford.gov.uk/whats-on/news/ashford-commemorates-the-centenary-of-the-battle-of-cambrai-9th-oct/

29 minutes ago, Adrian Barrell said:

Richard, I was inside it at the end of last year to assess it for use in the program with two council officials and they told me the council was in favour. We all agreed it was not practical but they were not against it at all.

Although the chains are there, one sprocket is missing and the track is just wrapped round iirc. I think the disabling varied from tank to tank.

Thanks Adrian,

Many years ago, when the tank was basically in a square with traffic driving around it, there was talk of repositioning it. At that time I was at the nearby REME workshops and the council would come to them for advise, and even then they were told it would not be an easy task without damaging it as the hull had lost its integrity, so it was left alone. 

I saw both chains there but obviously did not notice the sprocket being missing.

cheers Richard

3 hours ago, Adrian Barrell said:

The original plan was to restore the Ashford one to running rather than build a new one. Whilst the local Council were all for it, others, possibly English Heritage were much less keen. It is in a shocking state internally however with much structural failure. It is well looked after but time has taken its toll.

 

Adrian,

I have known the Ashford MkIV tank for nearly 60 years, and as locals we are proud to have the only remaining WW1 tank still standing in the same position as when it was driven there in 1919. It is now considered as a war memorial. The inside was gutted to fit an electricity sub-station in the 1920's, bottom was cut out and rear of hull altered to double doors for access. The tank is listed as an historic monument and I doubt very much that the council "were all for it" regarding restoration. I went inside a few years ago when the council wanted to recreate the rear end to look more authentic. A local fabricator asked me to go with him to assess the job for a quote. In the end another local welding business did the job. It would be criminal to restore it as it would end up a reconstruction as so many of the hull plates are cracked under the stress of rust between riveted joints. So much new metal would have go into it, then all the drive train would have to be constructed. I think the Tank Museum made a wise move of buying the film prop tank, rather than stress out their original one. Since the shelter was erected the tank has kept much drier.

One thing I found interesting was that both drive chains are still fitted, it has been said that these chains were removed on parking the presentation tanks so that they could not be driven again.

Joris,

Thank you, but I did that days ago and it has started sending me email notifications on posts again. Just reset it to no notifications once more.

Hi Andy

I was having the problems you related to where Excel was trying to repair. After trying several times I gave up. Annoying as I am keen to see the records. Hope they can be displayed on here.

regards. Richard 

Hi John,

This is a picture of the Rolls tool for holding inlet valves on B Range engines. The top gland nut is released and tool inserted in plug hole, the curved end is pulled up against the valve and the gland nut tighten to lock in place.

Hi John

I wonder if it is similar to the one used with Rolls B Range engines, are you familiar with that one? Used to change inlet stem seals without lifting the head.

regards, Richard

I think the 'strip, clamp' could be a Warrior part.

The mounting bracket looks like one of the clamps that retain a container body to a flat bed body on the Bedford MK/MJ. Not sure if the same clamps are used on the Leyland DAF 4 tonner.

The elbow is from a Bedford 28hp engine and fits on top of the carb via a short hose. That number appears to be a casting number and not the actual part number. This often occurs and leads to confusion. Could be for QL, OY, OX or MW I think.

cheers Richard

48 minutes ago, robin craig said:

Richard they will cost you good money. I understand why you want it though, maybe Santa is listening?

Hi Robin,

Yes I gathered the prices could be high as it was an auction site that the photo was on. I was not aware of the model until now. Maybe just content myself with my photos and memories of them.

I came across the picture below yesterday while going through Google Pictures and when I tried to search for the makers website or any details on the model, all I came up with was auction sites. This model depicts one of the 5 Royal Salute Land Rovers that I built for the Honourable Artillery Company (TA) back around  late 1980's and would like to find one of these models .... if the price is right. Anyone know anymore?

cheers Richard 

3 minutes ago, BenHawkins said:

The friction lining company managed a 72 hour turnaround on the clutch. They would not rivet it, and have just bonded the lining on so I guess I will add rivets at some point. They also ignored my drawing and put an angled joint more common on modern equipment.

They bonded lining material onto the clutch stops as well.

That is annoying when they do not do what is asked of them. At least if you rivet as well, it will be 'belt and braces' job, I am all for that way of thinking !

Really impressed with your work, you have really got on well.

Richard

It just goes to show, that upgrading does not mean that the forum is improved. In spite of the hints and tips on here it is still a clunky procedure and not half as simple and quick as before, or as other forums I use. There are features on this new format that are unnecessary and only help to confuse people. I cannot see that this is improved at all, improving should be simplifying, it is not very 'user friendly' at present.. There are a number of things that I am not happy about and I will not list here, but one that bugs me is having email notifications of replies in a thread I might have been using. On other forums you can have the feature either on or off. Now on this new format you have to click on every thread when you use it if you want it off. I do not wish for my email inbox to be cluttered up with replies when I can quite easily look at the forum when I wish to. Surely there must be an override setting to switch it off completely?

I have been a member of this forum since it was launched so quite competent in using it, but can well understand why members are not happy and drifting away.

11 hours ago, dgrev said:

John

Thanks for that.

When I search from Oz, there are no links visible on the history site for any episodes at all. So I suspect that there is some sort of filter being triggered by my country of origin internet routing. Quite a few UK sites do that. Sometimes a message pops up saying that is what is happening, most of the time not. Usually it is worded along the lines of "This content is not viewable outside of the UK.".

If and when episode 3 becomes available, would someone please post the direct link in this thread?

Regards

Doug

Same thing happens in UK when we try to view on media sites in Australia, USA, etc. TV companies don't want it seen outside their country until they have sold the rights to that country's TV stations.

3 hours ago, LarryH57 said:

The lime green on Tony's Fordson; was it an official colour or just something available when the vehicle was converted to a Trucktor in WW2?

I would hardly describe that colour as 'lime' green, more of a light olive drab. Why don't you ask Tony?

1 hour ago, RIBBLEMAN said:

Drove 00DD18 as rebuilt to mk4 in NI 1972/73 Wonder if its still running?

Wow! I worked on 00DD18 in 1979, and looking at the markings I would say it was with 36 Engineer Regt RE, which would figure as the Ashford workshops looked after a lot of their vehicles.

cheers Richard

1 hour ago, 64EK26 said:

 If I cannot get a 4 way one I will have to go down the mechanical route (Richard F , what is the lucas part number for the switch you use ?)

 

 

Hi,

Here is a link to one of the switches I referred to, it is a pattern of a Lucas switch, very robust and little to go wrong with them. just fit a small tension spring to it and a clip around the brake rod. Position the switch close to the rod so that it get as straight a pull as possible.

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/products/846-brake-switch-31281

Lucas number is 31281

cheers Richard

19 minutes ago, casperboat said:

 

I'm now looking to buy a Royal Enfield Flying Flea, if anyone knows of one about..

Gary

Gary,

I hear that RR Services in Kent currently have a Flying Flea for sale

http://www.milweb.net/webvert/a2774/91776

From the photos, it shows a Contract number plate on it.

From Wiki:

Rexine was also widely used in trimming and upholstering the interiors of motor vehicles produced by British car manufacturers beginning in the 1920s, and the interiors of railway carriages, its cost being around a quarter that of leather.

Rexine is still available I think, do a google search

1 minute ago, Baz48 said:

I’m no expert that’s best left to others I am not sure vinyl was widely available or used during the forties as seat coverings in British military vehicles,

Hi Baz,

There was a material called Rexine that was used in vehicle upholstery in that period, I have come across remnants in WW2 British vehicles, although not in Bedfords.

I had some nos seat covers for a QLB crew compartment and they were in olive drab canvas. The photo of the Trooper seats seems to indicate a smooth material was used. Those bodies were built by Austin as I recall.

cheers Richard 

4 minutes ago, earlymb said:

Never thought I'd see 'Lucas' and 'they rarely fail' in the same sentence!

I have been working on Lucas equipped vehicles of all types for 50 years, and get very annoyed at the deriding of Lucas products.

6 minutes ago, Codeblue said:

Great, thread. thanks!  

Sorry for silly question but how do you check the level( or top up) of the FFW without removing the engine?

Through the aperture at the top of the gearbox housing where it bolts to the flywheel housing. You really need the correct flywheel plug tool as it has a centre screw to secure the plug, because if you drop the plug down inside the bell housing it means the gearbox will have to be withdrawn to retrieve it.

James,

I used a spare plug and found a fitting that screwed in the centre thread, drilled a small hole down through, then fitted a gauge and Schrader valve to it, then you can monitor any drop in pressure.

Hi Nicky,

A mechanical switch with a tension spring attached to the brake push rod is easiest and most reliable method, I have been fitting these for years on restorations where a fluid switch was not fitted. Lucas made a very robust one and you can actually clean the contacts on them, they rarely fail  .. and are still available.

regards, Richard

When I worked in REME workshops we had a general guideline that if a fluid flywheel required more than a pint of oil to top up then it should be overhauled, not just seal but outer cover gasket as well as these are known to leak and also cracks have been known to be found in the cover. The total oil capacity is around 9 pints from memory. I always pressure check the flywheel after rebuilding and filling.