N.O.S.

I'll need some notice for a fitting appointment due to distance involved :whistle:

OK, but why would a cooler plug be an advantage for highway work? Why not use a hot plug for it's anti fouling properties for all applications? dieseljockey

I'm having a job keeping up to speed on all this. :cofee: The Thetford connection from war memorial ties in with the auction location which was Diss. How did you manage that? Or am I just 'website illiterate'? I will call at the Regiment museum with info for them tomorrow, might even be able to come away with the information we need, and should hopefully hear back from auctioneer. The thought those 3 uncles, and the chap's father lost as well, shows what a devastating effect WW1 must have had on a lot of families.

Rick - can you give me a lead here? I've been messing about on google and odd sites for ages and just cannot get on the trail. Alternatively a village / parish? Cheers, Tony

Shoot this down in flames if you want to, but this is panning out to be an interesting story of a memorial stone, found by someone, researched by someone else and conveyed to France by another someone (in the back of a dodge? :whistle:) - and the common link is - you got it, HMVF. Could yet someone else lend Jack some clean-ish clothes for a national newspaper photoshoot? :-D Now where's that explosive "instant paint" cannister?

Wow. My trouble is, I've taken a day off work and I'm supposed to be decorating the stairwell and upstairs hall today, and it's 3.15 and I haven't started yet :shake: and 'her outdoors' will be home from work soon :schocked:

How to transport a tank (early type) on wheels instead of tracks?

Good link, General - I am now inspired to find out more about the exploits of my mother's father, who died when I was 7. The only story I remember him telling was of getting his false teeth blown out during the battle of the Somme - he later found them embedded in a tree (lucky to find a tree left....). His full story was lost with the death of my mother. I do have his service number and pay book, so that's a start. And Rick - that is great work! If it's OK with you, I'll copy this and take to the Regiment museum tomorrow with some other info, as they would not have access to this members-only section of the forum, and it will give them a head start. Many thanks indeed. The auctioneer is chasing up the vendor (well-known to him) to see what info he can get, this is turning into a real team effort. With regard to publicity at a local level, I'd like to wait until this gets pulled together a bit more, particularly with regard to possible family matters, before rushing in. It would be good if any publicity could be seen to be FORUM based. Tony, I had a look at http://www.rlcmuseumfriends.com to read up on Andy Robertshaw and No Man's Land. Interesting stuff, it's amazing how much energy goes into all this by some people! If you (or anyone else) would like to steer or lead this in a particular direction for the benefit of the Forum, that is fine with me.

Here is a picture of the stone. I've contacted the Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum in Norwich, who have kindly offered to try to ascertain, with help from the RNR Association, where the soldier fell. Their museum is very tight on space, so not an option. The view of the Association regarding placement is being sought - I have suggested it might be possible to get it to France if appropriate. The Comonwealth Cemetry is in the Pas de Calais region, but this may bear no relation to where he fell. I am wary of trying to trace any possible relatives, perhaps the fact that the stone came to auction is enough to conclude a lack of family tie for whatever reason, the aim is not to delve into personal issues. Still pondering over this one! Will keep you posted.

Your compliments are much appreciated, but I feel they are misplaced. Let me explain - Before I joined the forum a few months ago, I would have just looked at the stone and thought 'what a shame'. Only by reading through those topics and postings on this forum which are incidental to specific vehicles (like Battlefields, museums etc and reports of members' exploits here and abroad), have I begun to take more notice of the wider issues, like remembering those who fought for their countries. So my actions in a way are a direct result of other peoples' input to this forum. Even things like the guys who are happy to put a dvd of their tank trip up a motorway in the post (pre HMVFTV) and simply say "make a donation to the Royal British Legion to cover costs". Which means YOU LOT are to blame for this! Which is why I would like the forum to be involved in some way in the solution, even if only by giving it publicity. I hope this makes sense, what I'm trying to say is that any compliments should rightfully be reflected back at the forum and its membership.

Welcome Terry - look what you've started! When you visit the clubhouse, could you clear up the spilt engine oil in the Reptile House please, some of the inmates have become incontinent with old age...... Tony

So that makes this - GMC Hell?

Nick - Please put me down for 40. I could take a few more if price is right :whistle:

No, but I'll ask the auctioneer today where the vendor lives - could then check Parish records for family name as I have the father's initials . I told auctioner about HMVF and ideas given on what to do with it, and he was really pleased, I think it left a nasty taste in his mouth to sell it. The idea of getting it back to the battle area somehow does seem most appropriate.

Me too R3, NGK seem to stay a lot cleaner than Champion, people say they "run hotter" :dunno: Diesel is my favourite brew :whistle:

You forgot the bit about getting some beers in ready (post - job completion ONLY!) To elaborate on Tony B's most important advice - I think we used a lage trolley jack to support rear of box too (with a naughty mod. of which no more) - DO NOT RELY ON SUPPORT FROM ROPE/STRAP THROUGH CAB FLOOR ONLY, as box is heavy and it is likely to tip backwards once pulled back so far, as the support pole will not go back far enough due to seat base. Better to also get plenty of heavy timber packing under and around rear part of box, which it can be slid back on, to ensure it can't fall or roll sideways - do not underestimate the blodymindedness of gearbox to go where it wants, must weigh about 2cwt. Aligning Tool - this can be a 3-4"length of steel, diameter to just fit inside splines of clutch plate (7/8" or thereabouts), with a short length turned down at one end to fit inside nose bearing (about 7/8" long by 3/4" dia?). For how often you need it, best to trade more beers for loan of one! When undoing outer row of bolts which hold clutch coverplate to flywheel, these unscrew a long way (1/2"+) before spring pressure is relieved, so undo each bolt a little at a time, working around flywheel - this will prevent possible distortion of pressureplate.

Yes Lawson, Richard is right. I remember that we dropped the box comletely to change it for a recon box which was sitting around, as a spacing washer between 4th and 5th had broken up. Thus we could see right into assy to align it ok without the tool. Just a piece of steel shaft machined to same profile as input shaft is ok. Lime spreader drivers always carried a clutch and a broken off input shaft (because they were forever breaking off :-D) Also, with the jimmy clutch, it is not so much vibration, but the fact that if the plate (with splined centre) is not exactly right you'll struggle to get the gearbox shaft back through it! Tony

It's been a while since I did one, hopefully a frequent clutch changer will give you the detail - but in the meantime this is what I remember: You only need to pull gearbox back far enough for input shaft to clear clutch (about 5"). The lower 2 gearbox bolts are taken out from inside the bellhousing - you'll see them if you take botom bellousing tin cover plate off. Clutch assy can be unbolted from same access hole, and dropped down through this also. Helps to have two of you on the job - makes it so much easier to pull back box and also put back without damaging clutch assy! Gearbox to Transfer box prop comes off, as does pto prop to tipper pump. Take out cab floor plate and put scaffold pole or similar across cab. Rope can then take weight of box while it is wangled (engineering term :whistle:) backwards. Ideally should use alignment tool (simulates the gearbox input shaft - an old one is ideal!) when fitting new clutch plate into assy, but not absolutely essential if you are very careful. If you get it wrong it will vibrate badly until corected. Not a bad job, my dad got it down to 30 minutes in the field with lime spreaders, but he did get a lot of practice!!!

I couldn't see this become someone's novelty item, or recycled upside down as a paving slab, so I left a very nominal bid on it at the architectural salvage auction, with some other lots. When I went to collect my lots this afternoon, to my surprise I found it is now my responsibility. Thanks for your suggestions. I thought I would contact the Norfolk Regiment folk and see if they can find a place. Failing that, perhaps it should go across the channel, which will entail findng out exactly where the soldier fell.

They started in Australia, then opened a factory in uK (natives were freindly). You Americans - your idea of a winch is a %^&^*%$£ great Cat D8 with a chain - concept still the same though, hook up and work the (steering) lever backwards and fowards :whistle: Probably never started in USA 'cos you guys are pretty good at building your own tools. I use U.S. drilling augers, nothing over here can touch them for quality of construction and correct use of alloy steel. Lets see, what else from USA was good, well there was the 6x6 jimmy, (but that was a while ago now) - hmm, have to get back to you.......... :-D

Wasn't there an article on these Le Tourneau trains in Wheels and Tracks? I think the picture shown might be of the Snow Train power unit- the Overland Train was bigger still I believe. This was tested at Yuma army test ground in 1962. It had a 6 wheel control unit, 2 power cars and 10 cargo cars. Total length was 565 feet, capacity 150 tons cargo. The control car survives - would look great at W&P :-)

When I was 9 years old, the world's biggest tyres were WITHOUT DOUBT the 14.00 x 20s on the Matador dumpers my dad used to run. I would bunk off games afternoons at school and help change them (they were forever getting punctures, and there was always one truck with a flat). Learned the hard way how to roll them around, mind you when most of the tread is worn away they stand up fairly well :-D

Thanks for that, Rick. In between burning various bits of our supper :shake: (I will be in trouble...) I managed to discover he was in the Norfolk Regiment, and is buried in Red Cross Corner Cemetry, Beugny. I had no idea WGC were so well organised. It must be a private stone from a garden - "youngest son of.....".

I've just seen something so, so sad - In an auction of architectural stuff, there was a memorial stone to a Private, aged 24, killed in action in France on 2nd Sept 1918. I asked the auctioneer about it, he said that very occasionally they get something like this in, where a family has died out and the property sold, and the incoming folk don't want it around the place. It got me thinking, and I ask all of you - If you acquired it, what would you consider to be a fitting thing to do with it?

Hi Justin, pull up an ammo box (put that pipe out first, please). If you can, get something of WW2 vintage too (preferably American) - that way you'll be able to visit the Clubhouse on even and odd days of the month :banana: Tony