N.O.S.

Hmm, I guess those of us with more modern machines are perhaps guilty at times of discarding bits which need a little work simply because we have acess to so much NOS or good s/h components. Perhaps that will change in years to come :sweat:You guys are already there!!

Me neither, Thingme Bob :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

A sobering thought, but needs to be remembered.

Surprisingly no, as it was usual to list the names of officers and strpes casualties in the diaries. However the museum officer said she was disappointed that the entry was very brief for that day, the Cheshire diaries usually contained a lot more detail. I have transcibed the diary entry word for word. Guess it was a busy time, what with having the enemy on the run, and taking a lot of ground.

OK, here is the Sales Order (11940 - 5) for the 4 vehicles originally ordered by M.O.S. in November 1954. You will see that the registration numbers allocated were PGK887 to PGK890, with 2 vehicles promised by June 1955, the other 2 in July 1955. Note how this was ammended from 4 to 2 vehicles, the 2 built (to sales orders 11940/1) were chassis nos 9111 and 9112. At some stage the order for the other 2 was reinstated (see Sales Order 11942/3 alteration note, requesting fitment of 14.00 x 20 tyres). Now, it was known from Scammell records that the second 2 went to Australia, but that was all. Then some guy called AndyFowler posts a picture of his Dad's RAF Constructor on Christmas Island and I noticed the registration number PGK89something. It suddenly dawned on me what I was looking at, and then I realised that the photographs in Pat Ware's 'Tugs of War' page 124 showed not an Experimental Constructor-based tow/recovery vehicle as described, but the 2 vehicles which went to Australia and on to Christmas Island, complete with barrage balloon winches! Back to PGK887/8. Museum of Army Transport Beverley discovered that PGK888 was definitely at Chertsey 1956/7 for experimental work. Steve Guest believed that PGK887 was at MEXE. Note the slight differences between PGK887/8 and the M.O.S. tank haulers - these two have a 20T military style tow hook fitted, the tank haulers had civilian heavy hauler style jaws. PGK887/8 also had civilian cabs, in that both driver's and mate's windscreens hinged open - military 20T/30T cabs had only the driver's window hinged. Also civilian instruments. I imagine the tank haulers had a civilian cab too?? So what of the vehicles? Well PGK887 is certainly still alive, albeit with some surgery - PGK888 is "resting pending return to service" - and I'll let Andy tell you what happened to PGK889/890........ So, another mystery solved thanks to HMVF :n00b: And to think, if Andy had not put the picture up, we would almost certainly never been able to solve the mystery surrounding these vehicles, I would probably never have got to meet his dad (great guy, and he can still handle a Scammell gearbox ater a 50 year tea-break), and I would probably not have clunked my head (yet again) on the roof of my old Constructor cab changing batteries - still got a stiff neck :argh: Wouldn't have missed it for the world though! Lets have some more military Constructors then :yay:

Suggest this mght be the high-speed road surfacing vehicle built by MEXE for British and US armies. A good photo appears on page 121 of Nick Georgano's nice book "Scammell The Load Movers from Watford". Shows 'MEXE No. 812' on the door.

With the very kind assistance of a curator at the Cheshire Military Museum, I now have a copy of the typed (!) War Diary entry for he 1st Cheshire Regimant for September 2nd 1918. This adds a bit more light on the attack on Beugny. Sadly, as with Norfolks, there are no Cheshire 'Orders' for that day's Raid. 1918 September TRENCHES FAVREUIL 1st The battalion moved from FAVREUIL to an assembly position West of BEUGNY village. 2nd The Battalion was ordered to attack and capture BEUGNY village and occupy the high ground to the East of it – on a 1,500 yard front with the 1st Norfolks on the right and the 62nd Division on the left. Ten minutes before zero hour the enemy put down an extremely heavy barrage on the assembly position causing heavy casualties and putting most of the officers and N.C.Os out of action before the advance commenced. In spite of this however, the right Company(“A” Coy) under 2nd Lieut. J.D. PINGUEY, went on through the village, capturing several prisoners and succeeded in reaching their final objective in touch with the 1st NORFOLKS. The left Company advanced about 1,000 yards and were then held up by very heavy hostile machine gun fire which also held up the Division on the left. N enemy counter-attack later in the day drove back the left flank of “A” Company and the right flank of the 1st NORFOLKS, where there was a gap of about 500 yards between them and the NEW ZEALAND Division. An immediate counter-attack however re-established the position on the high ground held by the 1st NORFOLKS and the left was swung back through the western outskirts of the village. This position was held throughout the night. 3rd The 15th Infy.Bde. again attacked at dawn with the 1st BEDFORDS on right, 16th WARWICKS on left, 1st NORFOLKS and 1st CHESHIRES in support. The village of BEUGNY was successfully captured and the enemy who had withdrawn most of his troops during the night was followed up as far as VELU WOOD. In the evening the Brigade was withdrawn to reserve billets near BEUGNY.

Now that's interesting, thanks Degsy - did we/US have anything similar with driven sidecar wheel??

Althouh the first one looks non-military, do you know what it is, Marty? A seriously heavy-duty radiator!

A friend just spotted this 1944 bike in Tuscany, I have never heard of it, but I said I might know some folk who have! Can anyone enlighten us a little?

Try taking the open cab off and put on a closed one, that might do it :n00b:

Now, if only you had made a note of the chassis number, Andy :n00b:

Is this a case of the dreaded Jimmy 'thermal cut-out' cutting out? Usually goes off with a bang and stays off until it cools and resets itself. If by this time you have not found the cause of the short, you're stuffed until it happens again :-D . Under the dash, the big thing behind the light switch. Perhaps on this occasion it didn't reset itself?? That is as good a place as any to start prodding a meter about, alternatively use the plug-in diagnostics tool called "Kewelde", I think it is compatible with some US kit?

Oh for goodness sake :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

And I've just come across an interesting site, www.easy1productions.com offering a great selection of manuals with useful extra material at reasonable cost, has anyone tried these?

Some great photographs on the Watercress link, General M, but where was your staff car! A lot of atmosphere there.If anyone has more photos, I for one would be pleased to see them.

Thanks for that link, Rlangham, what a beast!

That's a lot of hours worth of work you've put in here, Pop, and looking good :thumbsup:

I'm struggling to find an image of this beast, can only find 28cm guns (anyone?), but I can't believe a solitary Scammell Constructor wouldn't manage the whole caboodle.....:whistle:

Don't waste your money, you'll still be misunderstood :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Are you not tempted to stick a twin vee belt pulley on the rear wheel and bolt that spare Briggs & Stratton engine which you found in the same barn behind the saddle? :shake:

So Jack, how did you enjoy the super smooth ride of the vomit comet (sorry, Dakota) ?

Received photo confirmation that Catweazle is making steady progress - despite losing the outboard off the back.......

30T Tractor with 20T body?

Yes, Tim.