N.O.S.

Saving Private Ryan -

Some of the close-up beach scenes were filmed in a gravel quarry in Hertfordshire. The silt lagoons were deemed to be the ideal colour and beach - like.

However - Tom Hank's insurance advisers were not happy about him swimming in the water (concerns over bacteria etc) so for his scenes a very, very large tank was constructed and filled with water. Then............

A 20T load of gravy browning arrived, and was mixed in until the colour matched that of the silt lagoon.

Our Humber 1 1/2 T with breakdown crane went out to pull in a 10T tipper on a rigid bar (empty, but it could just about cope with a loaded one!!) and gradually lost power, eventually stopping.

When the driver lifted the bonnets, he saw petrol coming out of the dipstick tube - that was a lift pump diaphragm failure, and I'm amazed the engine didn't blow up what with all those fumes in the sump :shake:

Dang , sure sounds like they are having Fun !! Are you sure this is not a episode for the British version of funniest home video's?

Mods - do you think we should have a US filter on some of these posts, as I'm worried they'll start thinking our comedy shows are in fact real-life documentaries.......

Yes, Richard, I followed those Unipower trucks closely, and thought the range would secure their future and at the same time provide the forces with really good wheels.

But I guess it is all down to comonality of components on the battlefield, hence MAN and Stewart & Stevenson (US) trucks - British industry has to take a back seat!!

Stormin, it lifts the valves off their seats to allow you to turn the engine over on no compression (imagine trying to turn the 6LW over with a starting handle :shake::shake::shake:).

Thus you can build up a bit of momentum (and some handy extra fuel in the cylinders!!) before dropping the decompression lever and enjoying the smoke effects :yay:

My understanding is that the great DVLA computer is sort of "intellligent" in that it (very slowly albeit) gradually learns to adapt to constant declarations by exasperated applicants, and other input.

An example is that one of my work vehicles, after 10 odd years of having to declare that no MOT is needed (for special types), has eventually been so marked on the renewal notice.

And don't forget they make you declare certain things as a sort of "self-policing" policy - the onus is on you to work within the legislation rather than them having to interpret and advise you. Particularly relevant to grey areas like our green machines. Ho hum.

Just don't give up.

Ruston Bucyrus, could be 19RB, maybe 22RB? Late 60's to mid 70's?

Did you look around the back at the counterweight? Big cast letters 9" high should give the game away

Called Roadsure only to find they have been taken over and the person I spoke to denied all knowledge of the breakdown recovery scheme. However I persisted and she eventually 'spoke to a manager' and then told me that the scheme was only open to people already insured with the company. The impression I got was that it is something they are not interested in and would probably like to close it down.

I cancelled my Roadsure vehicle policy last week (changed as I had to add an extra vehicle and there was only 1 week to run on) - I was told on the phone that I could keep my recovery policy (only got one vehicle on this at present) and that it was open to vehicles not insured with them.

Perhaps some clarification is required - we seem to have 2 conflicting verbal statements here! Someone else phone up and we'll go for best of 3 :-D

Just come across this ww2 pic of Watton airfield, I had not realised until now that airfields were camouflaged from the air by painting fields, hedgerows, trees and shadows on the grass and runways, as well as hangar roofs.

At Watton personell were made to walk around the painted trees, and could only cross hedgerows at the unpainted gaps :shocked:

I am NOT making this up see www.455thaaa.com

It seems the Norfolk Regiment Museum in Norwich will take the stone, but cannot guarantee to display it. I have been advised that it would almost certainly be put into storage (due to lack of display space, not interest) so that is where it would probably stay :-(

Once in storage, I'm not convinced it would get much (if any) use as part of school - based research, so I do not like this idea. I'd rather give it a home myself (must admit I've become quite attached to it!) and establish some contacts with schools in order to make it accessible.

I did wonder whether to contact the British Legion Thetford branch and see if they have any interest in displaying it at their nice old building on the Market Square . At least it would keep the stone local and in an appropriate environment. Any views on this please?

And if I get enough time to pull some more detail together and consolidate the info you have all contributed, we could pursue the possibility of a write-up in Britain At War magazine in time for November?

The Sec. of Anglian and Norfolk Regt Association is still on the case and very enthusiastic, and has passed my contact info to someone locally with a lot of trench map experience - awaiting a call, and hope to have more info for you soon.

Here is another unusual memorial, at Snetterton Heath, Norfolk - home of the 96BG.

It is a massive stainless steel structure portraying a climbing B17, with the supporting structure representing the contrails from the 4 engines.

I was lucky enough to catch it in the evening sun this week.

You don't want to be in a hurry when in one of these old girls...

What increase did the "High Speed" Diffs (identifiable by grease nipple in hub centre) give?

Do bog standard basic timber Mat's ever come up for sale?.......- Mike

See how easily he's led astray.......:whistle:

You've upset me now -

That Ruston was bought by Bill Kemble, and I was due to take one of my Euclid R15s to Power in the Past to be loaded by it (as he was worried about the lack of opportunity to practise his driver would have had, and I wasn't worried about a few "dings" :-D).

I was half way through replacing the tipping hinge pin, bosses and body bearing pads when the show was pulled - possibly a chance in a lifetime gone west :-(

Hopefully there might be an odd private working event or two at some stage?

Yo Skin,

Looks like a job for the generic stepframe!

Try any local plant hire companies, if they are quiet they might do a good rate. Expect to be charged at least 8 hrs for the job (it's a day gone).

Make sure the one coming back will start and drive, to avoid embarrassment and extra hours booked!

Nice adverts.

The first dumptruck has clearly been designed to be used in loading practise sessions for trainee dragline operators:whistle:

Not my back yard, but vehicle must be same one on the same day judging by markings, bag, box etc.

There was a VEHICLE in the pic???

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

I used to think closed cabs were les nuits de le chien, but have to admit that the topless variants have a certain appeal...........:n00b:

"Hey Seaman, get your hands off my runflats!"

I certainly didn't mean to sound negative

No, it was a "no" to ME to keep positive - not a dig at you 6x6!

If I had a prized vintage commercial I might be careful about clocking up too many miles so low loader would suit me fine!

But respect to all who guzzle gas and grind gears to be seen out and about on the highway :thumbsup:

Antar and trailer and tank? Sounds like it might be cheaper to tow the Anatar with the tank :rofl:(or Catweazle's champ....)

Thing is, low loaders also have a serious drinking problem, sometimes more so than their load. No - let's keep positive! :n00b:

Out of interest, is there any value in the worn tracks for reconditioning, and by who?

I sometimes see unused sets of very rare tracks for some vehicles (thinking perhaps more WW2 stuff) for sale, and can't help thinking they are very much a finite resource.

It would be a shame to discard something which could be reclaimed :???

Clarification required here...

Manuals (e.g. TM9-1795A) give spec of gearbox as:

Make Fuller

Model 5A-620

Mounting Unit power plant

Clutch Housing SAE 1,2 or 3

Now I take this to mean that there is a selection of mounting holes machined on front face of gearbox case to allow it to mate up with respective holes on rear face of SAE 1, 2 or 3 clutch housings.

Can anyone who has taken a housing off a box confirm this?

It is possible that it means Fuller supply a specific clutch housing to each of these three sizes :???

Don't know of a listing of standard gearbox to housing dimensions, like there is for the flywheel to clutch housings (e.g. SAE 2)

Stunning pictures - but you should rename the thread "Diving with Crawler Cranes", as that is what both tracked vehicles are I believe. Can see drive chains and counterweight.

Must go - off to buy s/h diving gear (mind you I have some old Scammell air tanks - would save a few bob.......)