Runflat
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Posts posted by Runflat
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Some more pictures.
The first two are from The Times and The Scotsman respectively, both dated Thursday, March 27, 1941. They show the Queen inspecting one of the new Ministry of Food convoys at Buckingham Palace the previous day. A third picture appears in The Daily Mirror but it is too poor to reproduce. No doubt there is whole series of photos capturing this event. (A link to the British Pathe newsreel is at post #2.)
The next two are from The Western Morning News:-
Friday, 25 April, 1941: QUEEN'S MESSENGERS AT PLYMOUTH: Food convoys were rushed to Plymouth following the last raids, and the Queen's Messengers convoy was in operation for the first time in the South-West. Service and AFS men receiving welcome drinks from one of the canteens.
Wednesday, 30 April, 1941: FOOD FLYING SQUAD HELP BLITZED CITY: Line of field kitchens at a Plymouth car park, where the meals distributed by the Queen's Messengers' convoy are being cooked.
This last one is from The Times, Saturday, December 16, 1944:-
FOR HOLLAND: The Queen with Princess Juliana standing by one of the mobile canteens she has given for service in Holland. Altogether she handed over two "Queen's Messenger" convoys, 22 vehicles, to the Princess for the use of the Dutch Government.
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Another great picture here:
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I don't claim to be right! But the main clues are 8 stud wheels, the lack of front brakes and the humped tubular chassis cross members.
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From Motor Transport magazine, 26 August, 1944:
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Time to pick up this thread again with some info from Motor Transport magazine.
February 15, 1941
Ministry of Food to Operate Fleet of 150 Emergency Vans
"Flying Squads" for Towns in need of Assistance
Over 150 new vehicles have been acquired by the Ministry of Food. This fleet is largely comprised of 30 cwt Guys and 2-3 ton Bedfords, and it is to be divided into 18 "flying squads" of eight vehicles each, which will be available for carrying food and drink to bombed towns. All the vehicles are owned by and will be operated by the Ministry of Food. Each convoy consists of a water tanker of 300 to 350 gallons capacity; two lorries, each containing approximately 6,000 emergency meals; two kitchen lorries, which will be used for the cooking of food; and three canteens, from which much of the food will actually be served. In addition, each squad will have attached to it five motor cycles for despatch carrying.
No trailer canteens will be used, as the function of the squads will be to take food where it is needed as quickly as possible. Each complete convoy has cost between £4,000 and £5,000, and bodies for the various vehicles have been made by Spurling Motor Bodies Ltd., Strachens (Successors) Ltd., Cunard Commercial Bodybuilding Co., and G Orton, Son and Spooner. The major portion of the cost is being borne by voluntary contributions from Empire countries and America, while the Queen has presented eight of the mobile canteens.
The convoys will be stationed in various parts of the country and will be manned by volunteer drivers, although the local Regional Food Officers will have powers to appoint fully paid drivers if necessary.
March 29, 1941
April 12, 1941
April 26, 1941
July 5, 1941
February 14, 1942
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This is a Canadian made trailer. Several manufacturers made them. Rare and unusual though.
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I watched The Red Beret last night (it's on BBCi at the moment). What a pile on pants! One site says the original script was so bad Richard Todd refused to accept the lead part on the grounds that it was 'too far fetched'. A real shame it's so awful as some decent kit appears: Fordson Sussex balloon winch, Fordson WOT1 crash tender, Austin K2/Y, Humber Snipe staff car and Daimler armoured cars. Even the opposition seem to have a genuine German half-track, though they do also have a Canadian Fox armoured car with obligatory crosses (which I can excuse).
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Yes - spot on, Alan! Covered in posting No. 138 of the 28th December,
Tony.
I'd missed that! :thumbsup: I was looking at the pics at #207.
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Presumably you'll be using the crankcase from the half engine as well - it looks like a lug has fractured off the main engine?
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The book The Slough Estates Railway was first published in 1989. I believe it has been expanded for this new edition. New photos of 'The Dump', hopefully! I've yet to see it. ...and for those with an interest in the post WW1 activities at Slough (or should I say Cippenham), do also get hold of Long Lease! by Michael Cassell.
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...However if you check a photo of the other side of Mike's bus you will notice that the rear wheel is of the earlier X-type pattern... as on my Leyland chassis!
I'd not noticed that before!
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The series of photos starting here, won't be that different:
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This one is a film star (read to the end): http://www.crossley-motors.org.uk/Gallery/todaybus/20_25bus.html
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Looking good Nige. Here's another photo from my collection (not for reproduction), which may be of help:
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There are quite a few Pathe films with Morris' in them. A good list for starters is here: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15254
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I think this is the same sort of Napier as Mark has. It does also have the hooks on the front of the dumb irons which suggests to me that it is an ASC wagon. As you say it does have the less common round spoked wheels which did feature on some of the military lorrys. I cant make out the hub on Marks one to make a comparisson though. Any chance of another photos Mark?
Interesting picture there Tim... and happy to be proved wrong. Thanks.
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I hate to put a downer on things, but this may not be military. The miltary Napiers typically had Y spoked wheels and a flatter rear hub, such as in the picture here: http://www.napierheritage.org.uk/spip.php?article100460&id_document=100609#documents_portfolio
The style of your chassis is reminisant of that seen in many charabanc photos, such as this one:
Worth checking if the Napier Trust have chassis records or other information that would help with a positive ID.
Whatever it may have been, there's certainly a challenge ahead. Best wishes.
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I've only just twigged the relevance of this letter, which I previously posted in the water cart restoration thread:
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Good to see it is safe.
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There's a tantalising view here (post #5): http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17696
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Richard, I can't remember precisely but think it was taken at one of the Southsea shows way back when. Bloomin nice job you did on it. Pity it doesn't come out more often. (Correction - it can't be Southsea with that big shed in the background...)
George, there are some more exposed gantries here:
http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?12339-Austin-K-series-gallery/page18
http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?17786
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Does this help? (Austin K6 from the REME collection)
Guy vix-ants - queens messengers
in British Vehicles
Posted
Yes. Interestingly, official documents say four columns went to the Dutch Government. Others went to UNRRA (for service in France and Belgium), South East Asia Command (SEAC) and Norway - see post #6.
It would be interesting to hear more about what happened after they left Britain.