gritineye

Nine 6x6 Tractor Ballast Body where supplied to the RAF under contract 6/VEH/5924/C927A Chassis no 7475 - 7433 Reg nos 18 AN 61 - 18 AN 69 Do hope it is one they are pretty rare! It will only be used to flat airfields so won't be happy in a bumpy old quarry...:-D

And here in a different disguise.....http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12060&stc=1&d=1246962880

This problem has been discussed on here before, glad to see a sensible policy has now been adopted...:thumbsup:

Hi Brian, put the kettle on.....

:rofl::rofl:I've got one of those too, should the need ever return!

As most of you who have combed through every Explorer image you can find will know by now, :rolleyes: that the majority have the pressed steel type of dummy fitted. Presumably an in service mod to overcome various problems. This is what is on Forceful, which was not a REME vehicle it was run by FVRDE so may well have missed any updates. Rear emergency coupling dummy, very smooth casting, looks to be original chain too, no hole. Rear brake coupling dummy, different rougher casting, chain hole is shaped to accept rubber grommet, no hole. Front emergency coupling dummy, same type as rear brake, has smaller chain and has one hole in centre. What I thought was a second hole is just a casting defect What I thought was a second hole is, I think, just a casting defect. I thought this gap coincided with the 'non hole' but it i think it is just a casting defect, or broken. Front brake coupling dummy, same as front emergency, with smaller chain and remains of grommet still adhering to chain and casting, has one hole in centre. It seems the grommet is supposed to act as a one way valve after a certain pressure is present, wonder who thought nothing could ever go wrong with that? So it seems the original cast ones caused problems in service and most REME ones (a couple of RAF ones still have cast type)where replaced with the pressed steel type with improved breather valve, or not, will we ever know?

Last MS update including to IE caused a few :computerrage: moments to a few IE users I know of! I never have never used IE (use Firefox) but am sure the update caused some recent probs for me too! :banghead:

Ah bless....the Rugged One will keep him safe....

Just checked and believe it or not there are different original dummies types! The rear dummies do not have any holes, but the fronts do, one of my fronts has the remains on a rubber grommet in one chain eye and there seem to be two tiny holes, one central pip and one on the flat part, curiouser and curiouser, will look further tomorrow!

The breather hole is in the 'keeper' or dummy that fits on when not using the coupling, it is covered by a leather washer with a split pin through it which rusts then gets covered in paint causing odd braking symptoms. Can be seen on Marvin's pressed dummies with the washer missing. The correct dummies for an explorer are cast iron. The rubbers are the same as in air hoses for pneumatic drills and such, I got some from a plant hire place. Only real use I can think of for them is nosing trailers and when being towed by a vehicle fitted with correct air system, from experience this works very well. TBH the originals look right and that would be the only reason for using them.

Sad thing is that post sounded exactly like my dad....:shake:

What happened to your big shed? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to clarify, this is the type we Darren needs. I have three more like this fitted to my towing air hoses, all bought at Beltring iirc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad it still runs! Trying not to sound alarmist, but as we don't really like sob stories here, would you please arm yourself with at least three large propper petrol fire type extinquishers (one in cab, one on the ground each side of engine) before you do any more tinkering? I sure Andy can advise on type! :-D PS, Could you also ground the machine (chain bolted to tank and dropped to earth) when ever you fill up or open the fuel system as a further precaution.

Please accept our condolences at this very sad time.

Really enjoying this thread Jim, excellent work. :bow:

Not to worry, that aerosol can will, after a year or so, de-pressurize and morf into a drip can, only needing the careful application of a sharp spike to release it's contents in a controlled manner. We of a pre 'self and hasty' age are able to thus rob the vendor of excess profits whilst many youngsters are left carrying the can!

Free at last! Free at last!

For goodness sake! Hayley, please give him some Calpol......and tuck him in..

Well that's excellent, made it a pretty good buy then, all things considered, no hope of a similar deal for Beltring I suppose?

Errrm....thinking about it, can't remember any thing about any 1%, this all came as a surprise to me.... I reckon Andy must have kept my share.

No good trying to pull that old stunt, we know you're never ever gonna fit a silencer......

They look so different now nice work, I like the way you've done the verge by the stone wall. Those pics are a modern historical recored of an earth-shaking occasion, but yours look much better somehow. Is there any way you could run ahead of the convoy with a bucket and roller on the big day? I'm sure Jack said he has allowed for a tin or two of grey emulsion in the budget.....

Suggested re-routing of your exhaust system in order that the passengers can fully enjoy any future backfires, this is considered to be preferred position, or maybe a foot shorter....:-D Having travelled some 30 miles or so in the (backless!) passenger seat of this fine vehicle I can personally recommend this arrangement for a B81 engine, however with a big cam Cummins fitted it was a different matter :shake: .........pardon?

A lot of these would be so much better with 'street furniture' removed! If you would like originals I can email them to you, looking forward to seeing your versions. 219 pics here http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm96/gritineye/Armour and Embarkation Dorset 2010/