N.O.S.

NELLIE

Conceived by Churchill, worried that the creation of the Siegfried Line by the Germans would once again give rise to a 'No Mans Land' between opposing forces during WW2.

His idea was for a machine capable of digging a trench through No Mans Land big enough to move troops and vehicles under cover of darkness.

Despite evidence early in the war that this time the fighting in Europe would be different, Churchill pushed ahead with Project "White Rabbit" (later "Cultivator No. 6"). Treasury approval was granted for a batch of 240 machines.

The result was a massive tank - type trenching machine, in two sizes - the narrow 'infantry' version and a wider 'officer' (tank - width trench) version.

By November 1941 an 'Infantry' type machine was successfully trialled, proving the concept by cutting a mile long trench across a minefield and other obstacles.

Dimensions of this beast were:

Weight 131 tons

Length 77 ft 6"

Width 18 ft 6" over blade

Trench cut 7 ft 6" wide, 5 ft deep

Digging Speed 0.5 mph

In total 5 were constructed, but ended up in storage at RE Long Marston. It is rumoured that the operation to scrap them was too secret for military personnel, so German prisoners of war were used (!). It is believed that he last one survived at Long Marston until 1950.

Thanks go to R. Hooley for permission to use drawings and photographs, also to Roundoak Publishing for permission to take information from Peter Robinson's book "Lincoln's Excavators" .

Bet the anglers were well chuffed with that lot :angry:

That wasn't Mil related.. lucky you never got banned for that one :modpwr: ;-)

 

NOW NOW, MODERATORS -

Hang on, I could swear that said NO FIGHTING..............

You've got a lot of work ahead of you, Tony, but at least you've been spared the most difficult decision of any project - how far to strip it down? :whistle: especially when a vehicle is in half-decent order to start with. I think that only by doing what you are having to do, can you achieve a really 'top drawer' result to rival the Wheatcroft boys!

My guess is a very heavy duty cargo lift for aircraft loading :dunno:

What about a "budget" charger - take one old car alternator, a truck radiator fan, a length of pole and sit the winter out.....

N.O.S. well mate it only needs a slight spark. Remember the Hindenburg? Batteries produce Hydrogen gas when charged. good practice always switch charger off before connecting or disconnecting. always leave a battery stand for 5 minutes after disconnecting charger to disperse gas, always have plenty of ventilation round batteries on charge.

 

Well I guess that is a VERY IMPORTANT POINT - irresponsible of me perhaps to post advise to Terry without covering this aspect. I've seen a couple of batteries which "blew their top" - makes you a lot more cautious :shake: Just ignore how silly you look in safety glasses, what's more important? 8-)

Is one way to stay clear of batteries to charge at 24 through the external jump lead socket? Never tried it but should work :dunno:

You can help minimise problems by going over to Optima batteries (gel filled spiral cell type) you can carry two for a mile, hold their charge for ever, will crank an engine over a lot faster (the best point), minimal gassing through vent when charging but jeepers, the cost :whistle:

I've always thought it best to charge together, several budget 24v chargers available. No two batteries will charge the same, but unless one is really bad you should have no probs if you decide to do them separately, you'd only need to take the joining lead off to do this rather than take them out. The worst will be a slight spark when reconnecting if they're not evenly charged.

If you can find a 24v "intelligent" charger (the ones you can leave connected all winter if you want) this would be good. I've only found switchable 6/12v so far.

If you charge together, keep an eye out for any signs of bad cells, it's a good time to check for gassing, since its easy to mess up the good battery when starting/running if one is bad (vehicle may start ok but puts a heck of a load on good one, and problems with overcharging might arise too).

And as a friend found out don't let your dog ( or anyone else) cock his leg on the batteries if on the ground, great way to b##ger them up. (the batteries, that is)

Nothing if not enterprising! Guess without him these "still in service" fleets abroad would be pensioned off. Or Landrover might have a more viable spares business :dunno:

He's probably filling a real gap in the market, good luck to him. You could lose a fortune trying to do the same as him with HILUX pickups :-D

Whatever happened to ABRO?

Suppose they couldn't do it at the price, anyway they are too busy totally rebuilding vehicles to fill the disposal sales quotas :whistle: (ref. Bedford rebuilds for sale) Probably best not to go there - at least I managed to get a brand new Bedford TL cab courtessey MOD plan changers (300 new cabs slung out after only a few were fitted to MK/Js).

What about the "Panjandrum"??

 

Like that one - but should we believe it was a hoax?

That should keep us going until January :whistle: most of those are new to me.

I could do NELLIE (WW2 trenching machine, all 131 tons of it) - just waiting for permission to use pictures.

Thought this might make a good thread for the long winter nights :dunno:

When the going was tough, many a wild and wacky idea saved the day for us inventive Brits.

Some of the ideas tried were just a bit too wild and wacky, but it is said for every brilliant solution there are a whole host of non-starters.

Other ideas were quite workable solutions, but didn't make it because the problem had either disappeared or changed to the extent that a different solution was needed.

This is not intended to be an opportunity to poke fun, but rather to show how creative we could be in times of war (having said that this first one does have an amusing outcome :whistle:)

_________________________________________________________________________

RUSTON MOBILE FIELD GUN

During the war, excavator manufacturers Ruston-Bucyrus became volume producers of Crusader and Centaur tanks, Crusader gun tractors and mine clearing flails and bridge layers based on old Churchill tanks.

In 1940 the company experimented with the idea of developing a crawler-mounted field gun using conventional excavator running and propel gear.

It took as the basis an old 10RB crawler crane used in the works yard, and altered the gearing in an attempt to provide something better than the crane's top speed of 2 1/2 mph.

The excavator base used heavy dog clutches to either drive, freewheel or brake each track independently via two levers. After modification of gear ratios it was found a top speed of 15 mph could be achieved (a bit more like it), but that the machine was totally uncontrollable - I shall now quote from the author -

"This led to situations dangerous for the participants and hilarious to the onlookers as the machine sped out of control around the test ground. After this, enthusiasm for the project waned and the 'souped up' grab crane resumed its former function, to the dismay of those drivers who thereafter had to negotiate the concrete loading ramp with this now errant machine".

Extract and illustration taken from "Lincolns Excavators The Ruston-Bucyrus Years 1930-1945", by Peter Robinson with the kind permission of Roundoak Publishing.

This and the first volume, "Lincoln's Excavators - The Ruston Years" are an excellent history of one of our most successful engineering companies. Highly recommended for earthmoving nutters.

Anyone got any more please? :banana:

My mate John enrolled me for a birthday present this year.

I've caught one! :banana:

In which case, would it be possible for you to see if the WFA website allows you as a member to access the listed INDEX OF TRENCH MAPS? and Trench Maps suerimposed on modern map?

This could help save Rick and Tony B a great deal of time and effort.

Thanks!

Are you a WFA member? Ref. my post yesterday, they do an index of trench maps superimposed on modern maps, members only?

Yes indeed, well posted, we should remember them all.

Thanks Joris, makes me compelled to make a visit next year.

Might have the answer, after looking at my pics from July more closely - looks as if there is a bolted flitch plate inside top and bottom body rails.

Also another shot of the dozer, just to ensure a certain American computer keyboard gets all gummed up with saliva later tonight :whistle:

But has anyone come across an original split body on a preserved airportable?

Can't remember whether the one at Overloon had bolted joint - it was certainly in 2 bits :whistle:

I was having a job pinning down these places, so in case anyone else is not clear, here is a map of the Allied advance Aug 8th to Sep 8th 1918, showing -

FAVREUIL (in BLUE), where Jackson was wounded in Feb 1917, and

BEUGNY (in RED), where he died in Sep 1918

The WFA site contains an index of trench map lists, see

http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/thegreatwar/articles/mappingthefront/indexmaps

There's an index to 1/10,000 trench maps and also modern maps with the trench map grid superimposed with relief, which is just what you need?

I can't work out how to view the lists I think you might have to join the association to view these pages :dunno:

Trench Map Team -

I've just looked on Western Front Association website at the trench map service.

Most of their maps are black and white copies, they advise that the 1/10,000 (6" to the mile) and 1/20,000 (3") contain so much detail that the trenchlines and ditches (red and blue on originals) are difficult to distinguish. There are also some at 1/5,000. So may be better to download copies of the originals?

If someone sends me the files I could get them printed out full size in colour by our business printer and post to whoever needs them?

Rick was the map you posted the Richebourg 36.sw3 one? And you want to see others surrounding it?

And what about david ives's ref for Beugny, map no. 57c nw4 - is that located yet?

How about I try to get a contact no. from the WFA area chairman for their map specialist, you could then talk to each other :dunno:

The ideal would be latitude and longitude

 

Which point do you need co-ordinates for?

Also if you can give me a trench map reference for the approximate area I might be able to get a copy of the cover for that one which should link you to what you need.

Are you after these for both Favreuil and Beugny areas, or just the former?

I hope to meet with the WFA guy tonight/tomorrow.

It wasn't me , I must have overheard the voices inside Tony B's head :dunno:

It was the Forum made me do it, no doubt about that.

Thanks for the pics of the cemetery - what a peaceful spot.

This morning I sought the view of the Sec. of the Anglians Association (includes the Norfolks and Sufolks), who is also a trustee of the Norfolk Regiment Museum. He is very keen to help in securing an appropriate home for the stone.

I will get in touch with your Norwich WFA contact - thanks for that. Again, I had no idea all these groups existed!

:goodmorning: Andy

Hope you enjoy the mayhem (sorry general).

Looks like your 12 year old son knows his way around computers, judging by his website!

Unfortunately as yet there is no mention of HMVF in the Links to other Sites - it wouldn't surprise me if CHAS imposes extra cleaning duty on both of you until this state of affairs is rectified....

(CHAS - Club House Admin. Section)

Financial Times (think it was Oct 19th?) carries an article about the rebuilding of the wartime Stilwell Road through Burma. The derelict single track road is being turned into a two lane highway giving an important economic connection between India and southeast China.

In Feb 1945 American forces completed construction of the massive highway project linking Ledo in northeastern India, with Kunming in China. The highway ran southeast through the top of Burma. A long section of the Burma Road was upgraded at the same time (was this incorporated into the route?).

Over 1,100 U.S.servicemen and many more local labourers died during the construction of the road, which helped break a 3 year long Japanese land and sea blockade of China and hastened the end of the war. It was quite a feat of engineering.

After the war the road quickly fell into disrepair, completely disappearing in some places in Burma. The Chinese section has already been rebuilt, the Burma and Indian sections are due for completion by March 2008.

Some good sites with wartime photos on the web, search "Stilwell Road".