N.O.S.

Trevor, any history on where your Constructor came from would be most welcome. Those new wreckers are quite something, shows how your industry has changed since the Constructor was the creme de la creme!

Don't worry, you're still younger than your GMC....happy birthday!

Austin, could you tell us how faithful to the book the film version was please? Always enjoy seeing the film but have come to realise that films often bear little resemblence to what the author had in mind.

Delightful pics, 6x6. She is revealed at last! Is that a Gardner under the bonnet?

I can highly recommend the use of one of these devices when assessing the direction of travel a broken rope will take...... "Another batch of Wire Rope Failure Predictors awaits calibration before packing and despatch"

Fast forward to the near future, and a Dutch barge with Austin Champ on the poop deck, and Patweazle sunbathing on the aft deck.....

Terminator 8 - The Rise of the Machine-Frogs

I'm sorry 6x6, but periodically posting pics of MOS Constructors will not persuade me to bring forward the restoration of Stan's motor's sister :nono: Now where did I put that manual...........

While you were posting Daz I was googling lists of hardwood 'cos I had exactly the same problem as you!!! Strangely enough it does not appear in any formal lists (like Wiki, or woodworking sites), so I had to guess and got a similar hit. Widley used as an alternative for teak in garden furniture.

Daz/Tom - it is KERUING. I think it is frequently used for hard wearing truck floors e.g. low loader decks

Hello! Where have you been? Polishing that new front wheel drive motorcycle of yours no doubt...

I wonder what the squirrel said to those guys to upset them so much......

I've always thought of recovery work as a skill/trade/art which you can't really learn properly without getting your hands dirty, and getting a few years experience under your hat. You've had your hands dirty for quite a few years by the sound of it Mike, and if you'd been recovering it your way, I would certainly not dream of criticising your methods, because it would be the way which best suited you. Shame I scrapped the last of our 3 draglines, we could have organised a HMVF winching weekend in the fens! :-D:-D:-D:-D

A Scammell flag prize on its way Andy! (if I can find the artwork) Yes, as soon as the jib is off the bank, any sudden movement of the carriage could cause the superstructure to swing (slowly at first but then very rapidly) around 180 deg., given the steep angle at which the machine is sitting. It is only a risk, but a very real one given the effect of the counterweight at that angle. There is no evidence on the video before recovery begins that the bucket is stuck, or would remain stuck, or has anything in it at all, so no evidence that it would be enough to anchor the jib should it start to spin around. For all we know the dragline could have simply slipped down the bank while moving. We have no idea if the dragline operator was able to engage the cab lock (locks the superstructure to the undercarriage to prevent rotation for tansport), nor if it was even in working order. In fact I suggest it is not possible to glean enough information of the surroundings or the circumstances from the video to even begin to question the methods of the recovery operator. Perhaps this is why it is impossible to answer your question Mike - surely all we can say is that "the BEST WAY is whatever way in which that particular experienced recovery operator chooses to do the job, having first assessed the situation on site." It certainly looked a very professional job to my untrained eyes. I guess you had to be there, like Ernie (Arthur's mate).

Or does it mean the new ones are just as (£$& as the old ones? :-D:-D NGKN.O.S.

No, not the rope (there's enough of that to pull a submarine out). 2nd clue - one end is on the wrong bank......

CW, forget the weekend - learn a bit of pidgeon Polish and get yourself off to Wolsztyn for a whole week of driving/firing at main line speeds! Cheaper too! The two experiences are worlds apart. But be prepared to be frowned at by the commuters as they clamber down and walk back to the platform you only just missed... Only a flight in a B17 comes close

You know, with enough snatch blocks that r.c. beastie could probably pull a full-sized car out of a decent ditch, as well as just looking the part! Well done E.D., the detail is really begining to work wonders.

Hey, why not practise your English and tell us something about the ex WW2 U.S. army vehicles used by the Swiss forces? :idea: No rush!! Welcome, hope you enjoy it!

I use an intelligent charger bought from Frank Jolley Engineering - switchable 6v/12v - and must say I'm jolley pleased with it. But annoyed now 'cos I just remebered I forgot to hook it up to a work vehicle over Xmas so will have yet another flat battery :argh: I was lucky to pick up a couple of these MOD (used by RAF) manually variable rate chargers for £40 each. If you ever see one of these in working order grab it! They can charge 3 x 12v batteries at a time. Only problem they are very heavy so require battery off or long charging leads. The manufacturer is no more. In fact this type of charger does not seem to be available from anywhere any more :confused:

Clive - I have to agree with all the points you raise. I'm just lazy!! Incidentally, it's even worse trying to find a half-decent charger to do 24v, 12v and 6v! I eventually found a Lucas LBC12/Mk11 which will charge at 12amps (6,12v) and 10amps (24v). Would recommend it for value and quality (it's very heavy). The only problem with these automatic ones is that you cannot trickle charge at a very low rate which is sometimes preferable.

Great news - I can't believe that anyone would want to object to this payment, or the way it is to be made, after all it is a one off, and very much a once in a lifetime opportunity for those it stands to benefit.

Looks very nice, Simon! I'm not familiar with Militant detail, but if you cannot see an obvious problem with the handbrake linkage, it might be worth checking the brake system schematic to see if there is potential for a leaking air valve to give the same symptom. When you know the brakes are dragging a little, you could crack the odd brake pipe union near the rear cylinders to check for air leakage past a valve. Good luck!

How about filing some of the rivet (outer sleeve) off and trying a magnet on the filings - both types use a steel centre pin (which might be why you had trouble with your magnet) so this way you will be checking just the rivet material.

Welcome M42 - is that a burger van you are towing behind the Ferret? Oh dear.......