Simon Daymond

Hi Mate, how's things? Whereabouts in sunny West Yorkshire are you? I'm over in Leeds if you need a hand with anything? Simon

I'd been told the tale about white L/H nuts as well, by another veteran, so like most things there is no definitive answer. I'm not painting mine white because I can't be ar*sed!

This Martian has been shown on this thread before (post #4 on the 1st page). It seemed to be parked in the same spot for years but a while ago it disappeared and was replaced by a more modern vehicle. Fearing the worst, I was determined to pluck up the courage and knock on the door of the house where it used to be parked. The chap there was really friendly and told me that he still had the Martian, and two Diamond T's. They were on his to do list. The Martian was in need of an electric lift pump, does anyone know of the whereabouts of one? It still has the Rolls engine fitted, and runs lovely. It was moved from the front of his premises, around to the yard at the side where it is pictured below. The owner has had the Martian since buying it at Ruddington in the early 60's. In his words it isn't too good at recovering vehicles, but was used more for winching plant out of the mud on various building sites. I couldn't get down into the yard to inspect the vehicle too closely or ascertain the Military number as there were dogs running loose. From what I could see the entire vehicle still looks very purposeful albeit that the cab seems more patches than original metal!

Hi Steve, belated welcome to the forums, might see you around?

Hi Glynn, welcome to the forums

cheers Clive, your last paragraph answers my question - I don't need to put a number on!

so to represent a mid 60's livery, my militant would be correct with a 'c' over a 24? Or to depict an earlier livery, 24 over 16?

thanks for that. I've searched on the internet, and found a picture of an in-service militant, the bridge plate on which shows 24 over 16 which is what I think I'll go with. ( you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page) http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://petersewell.co.uk/__oneclick_uploads/2008/12/pic1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://petersewell.co.uk/2008/12/&usg=__jGvsePLZ-yFXs3KUuORYQSjTNrg=&h=412&w=600&sz=29&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=LYr0XkbVyeJX4M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Daec%2Bmilitant%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

so which is for the vehicle? - the lower or upper number?

How do I work out what number(s) to paint on my militant's bridge plate? I've searched around and I'm a little confused, some vehicles show a single number, others show two numbers, one on top of the other.

it does the job whilst parked up, we've had plenty of rain, and that's what has ruined the back woodwork in the past. Luckily only the floor has really suffered, but I wanted to protect the sides before they go the same way.

Few more pics of the back end, the member was removed with the aid of a hammer, it literally fell apart and was swept up. first of many problems encountered, the member offered up fits perfectly on the N/S but on the O/S the body has dropped so out with the jack and in place with some primer the back end did get built up a few days later, the metalwork was bolted back on, and I used it as a guide to drill all the holes for the hinges etc. Just to save up now for some wood for the flooring, which as you can see from the pics is beyond saving, none of the planks on the floor have any strength left, that's why there's a piece of ply in the back as a a temporary measure. I should have invested in a cover years ago, and wouldn't be having this problem now, it cost £20 from ebay, it's horrible, but it's keeping the back bone dry.

it's good camo if nothing else. Where is it, and do you think it's for sale?

lovely pics Adam, glad you had a good weekend

nice to see you on the road again. I know what you mean about the idiot motorists, everyone is in such a rush.

can't you get one from Bygone Bedford? Or you could try Hindles in Bradford?

here are a few pics of the rotten rear cross member, pictures are taken after the tailboard has been removed, along with the hinges and back metalwork. The remaining steel has been cleaned and primed in these pictures: there should be wood in this gap, it all fell out and went in the bin the left hand side isn't much better: the rear steelwork, after de-scaling and a coat of thick zinc-phosphate primer I've ordered the wood for the member, hopefully it should arrive for Thursday, then get fitted either Thursday of Friday night.

I'm sure the last picture is the militant owned by Charlie from Clitheroe. ( he bought it a few years ago from David Crouch)

yes, I could see that filling out of jerry cans etc, over time you'd be bound to get some trouble. One of the early jobs on the militant was to take the tank off and clean it out.

thanks for that, was hoping for somewhere nearer Leeds, but the caravan angle is something I hadn't thought about, there are a few places near me that store caravans, I'll approach them and see what they say, cheers.

when would this mod have been done? Mine still has the original cloth filter on the bulkhead.

where & when?

well just when I thought it was all back together... I'd gone down to work with the intention of refitting the oil-bath air cleaner, which resides in the back of the militant at the moment. When I went to drop the tailboard to get the aircleaner I noticed that the metalwork around the back end was parting company with the body. I knew that the back body required attention, but I was hoping to do the season, and make a start this winter, however this is not going to be the case. With running, all the loose bits etc are simply falling off. The rear crossmember that the tailboard hinges and the rear floor sits on, was rotten in the right hand corner, I knew about this but thought it would hold up. The wood was disintegrating and leaving the outer steel surround which is only a couple of mm thick, to take the weight of the hinges etc, so as a result it was starting to bend. I had thought that I could splice a bit of wood into the affected part, but realised that to do this I would need to remove the tailboard, the hinges and the outer metal framework to gain access. After a short while ( 2 hours) all the bolts were out, and the metal was removed, as is so often the case the wood behind is completetly shot, so it's a new crossmember. I'll post some pictures later.

passed, thank **** for that. Perhaps you should book another test for about 6months time, seeing as it takes you that long to get a pass:) Nice to know that you are on the road again.