N.O.S.

Well, I'm not sure it's so much about annoying people Mike, as questioning the validity of the whole thread :confused: Am I annoyed? No, I'm absolutely furious :argh: So much so that I feel compelled to make the following comments: Have you really not learned in your 20 years experience that winching has the potential to be highly dangerous? Have you never considered the possibility that you were extremely lucky with your broken rope? The point is you shouldn't have broken it in the first place. Was the rope damaged prior to this incident? (point already made in this thread). You've also admitted to rigging it incorrectly (point already made in this thread) And what about insurance / liability? I suspect that your machines are covered by commercial/business insurance - the point I made in this thread was to make people aware that IF anything were to go wrong (and thanks to some of the excellent posts, by now everyone should be aware that it could go wrong big time) someone might be held to account, so be very aware of the risks you take. Have you never looked at a winch rope in appalling condition on a preserved MV and thought "Oh dear, I hope that never gets put to use"? I've not had anywhere near the amount of winching experience as you, but I've had enough to be very aware of the inherent dangers, and the need to approach the task responsibly in order to minimise risks (point already made in this thread). I for one thought it was an excellent subject to discuss on the forum, and 10/10 to TonyB for starting it off! In my view all the posts made so far have all been very valid, and when done in the now classic HMVF style of blending good advice / relevant experiences and of course humour, the result is a well-balanced thread which hopefully will encourage any budding winchers / recovery artists to approach the task with the right attitude, and to act responsibly. And if it puts off a few who may take the view that their equipment is perhaps not in the best of condition, that might not be a bad thing. Please re-read your post Mike, and if you really believe that we should all post in a responsible way on a public forum such as HMVF, then PLEASE make some alterations. :tup::

So that's you and Catwezle so far, think I've got the same problem so I'd be up for membership (annual please, as life membership no longer represents good value for money). Or have our posts in a differet colour so they can be easily avoided by said whippersnappers!

Nice truck Jack, what is it? :whistle:

Hi bubba (or should that be burble?), don't worry - a lot of us talk scribble on here. Fountain of help hey? Flipping soil pipe must have sprung a leak again. But as you've no doubt found out already, there's usually someone online who can offer some sensible advice - you just have to negotiate the service pit of humility and the cross-fire of sarcasm before help finally arrives. Alternatively just buy a workshop manual :-D In fact why don't you join in with those 'rested' spanners of yours and help some of us out - the latest "project vehicle " in the clubhose workshop is a Scammell Commander. So far we have just the badge, but it shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate the various missing pieces :whistle:

That's done deliberately, so as not to disturb the sleeping beauties

Not the Scammell steel transport Harrisons by any chance? Are the Scammells still in use?

The 2008 Golden Anorak Award is currently held by a Scammell nutter - you'll have your work cut out getting it off him!!! So long as it is military related nobody on here will mind in the slightest! I saw the dismembered Duxford Baldwin whilst under protracted repair at Leiston, Suffolk - sad really......

Nice paint job on that ground anchor!!!! Now I'm not trying to spoil the fun here, but what about the subjects of LIABILITY and INSURANCE? Are you INSURED for what you propose to do? If not, who will be held LIABLE if something goes wrong? Wasn't it fun when we could act responsibly under the protective umbrella of "Sh!t happens"? Sadly we now live in the world of "Sh!t happens and someone has to be held responsible and someone has to wipe it up and someone has to pay for it to be wiped up" I'll shut up now. :cool2:

Yes, it is with a well known commercial vehicle recovery operator. And very nice it is too!

Nice painting, Les. There was an eastern european guy, by the name of Palav Holy or something like that, who did acrylic paintings in a similar style. He was at W+P some years back. I loved his work, and almost commisioned something from him but was stuck for choice of subject (and money!) at the time. He did one of a similar DT negotiating a railway crossing in the rain. I wonder if he is still painting? Tony

There seems to be a view that a return to National Service might go some way towards curing our ailing country of its "behavioural" problems, but perhaps best not go down a 'political' alley on here..... However I for one would be really pleased to see a return to steam power on the rails :yay: Anyway, this sounds like a great idea for an event - shame I just missed out on National Service :whistle:

Steve - yes I should have said that the dome was owned by Disney Corp who wanted it back (as per the article on the website I posted). That bit of info about working on engines in flight is just amazing!!! Tony

I think I was very very very very very very lucky with the one I got direct from the States Don't expect you could get another like that now! I've checked through some manuals and can only see the 'hole vent' type as per my photo, so I'm fairly certain this was the original pattern. I can't find the Tankograd book to check some wartime pics and series 5 pics yet though.

I can't lay my hands on it yet, but I'm certain there was a story about this very truck , mentioning its use as an army prototype/demonstrator, in one of the vintage commercial vehicle mags a few years back :confused:

I met someone today who had been to see the Spruce Goose on display at a Disneyland site some years back. I didn't know it still existed. It has since moved to another site - try www.sprucegoose.org/aircraft_artifacts/exhibits.html for the story behind this 8-engined monster of the sea/skies! Just need an excuse to go to Oregon now.....

Thanks Kuno!

That front ballast box must be about 2 1/4 tonnes, Norman :shocked:

There's a clever old chap in Norfolk who might bring them back to life for little or nothing, but no guarantees. But I expect you're a fair way from there? PM me if you can get them somewhere close, I might be able to help, and if you decide to replace with Optima batteries he might collect them when he drops your new ones off......

Norman, TTM's motor also has some very interesting, non-standard, and top secret rear brake chambers (not that the scrutineers would stoop so low :cool2:) - you may have noticed them on an earlier thread, might be a job to find now the forum library has got so big!

A Suffolk agricultural contractor had several short wheelbase 6x6 Trader tippers, wouldn't be surprised if one still survives in the back of the shed!

Yes, I'd like to see this too if possible please, Kuno. Sometimes the simplest ones are the best, the idea of no rank makes sense - they were all in it together.

I'm glad you asked that question re. painting chrome Mike - begining to think I'd have to get the rest of the truck chromed to match :-D. A shame in a way that the Sirenlight restorer had re-chromed it all, but it was the last one left so I took it. Suppose I could leave it as is? Was the chromed windscreen surround on hard cabs painted or left chrome finish I wonder.... Use an etch primer maybe? Perhaps that is what the galv. primer is, calling Richard Grosvenor.......advice please! Hmm, it the WLF would look nice all chromed up, wouldnt it?

A long way back in this thread I recounted an incident of replacng a front diff with high speed one by mistake on a Matador dumptruck front axle - easily done!!If you cannot find any ratio marks Ed, it wouldn't take long to jack up first a front wheel, then a rear, and count how many times the propshaft rotates for one wheel revolutuion in each case.

I forgot to mention that the photographs in this book are taken from 'the unique archives of the Daily Mail' - I've never seen any of them before, and they are stunning images. I've always felt that illustrations in books of WW1 do not do the subject justice, these certainly do!

Well - :whistle: if someone hadn't mentioned the possible non-originality, I'm not sure many folk would have noticed - me included!! I reckon you probably got a bargain, and given the scarceity of the things you could fairly say 'if it's a sirenlight, it will do just fine'. Enjoy it!! But, having done so, you've now got me wondering if mine is right....I picked it up as a fully recon ex. US fire engine of wartime vintage. And that's a 50p piece holding the front up! Sincerely, Worried of Elmira Heights :confused: