chirchill tank

[mogmaner]

I youst to be a regular at JCB in the mid 80s ,at this time there was a tank sat in the stock yard ,I seem to think it was a chirchill all conpleet bar the main gun having been gas axed ,any one know what happend to it.

[eddy8men]

hi

try the churchill register http://freespace.virgin.net/chris.shillito/a22new/register/uk.htm

 

regards eddy

[steveo578]

It could be any of a number of Churchills but possibly was David Russels Mk7, which is now at Kevin Wheatcrofts- it certainly had been de-gunned whilst in Pounds

[John Pearson]

It was not the same vehicle that David Russell restored and which is now at Kevin Wheatcrofts although it did come from the same source - Pounds yard in Portsmouth - and it was in similar condition initially. Rumour had it that the JCB one was got running very quickly but never restored.

Might be the one now at Muckleborough but could be almost any of the Mk VII Crocodiles about as they were all very similar to start with.

Are you sure it is not still at JCB's?

[mogmaner]

been askin some of the older staff on my last visit posibly in the woods on the estate ,never sore it run ,youst to drive past it 2 or 3 times a week in the mid 80s looked in pritty good shape for its age .will do some more diging next time im there.

[private mw]

the one outside the jcb plant at sheffield off M1 JNCT 35A , has gone been removed for some time now ,:argh:

[steveo578]

Yes that one was a Churchill 7 AVRE the site was previously the Newton plant in Sheffield that built Churchills hence the placement of the tank as a memorial gateguard. It's not really a secret where it went.

 

There was a fair bit of controversey on other site about its removal- especially the inaction(indifference) of the Sheffield Local Authorities.

 

I thought mogmaner was enquiring about the Stoke on Trent site perhaps he would care to enlighten me. The Mk7 AVRE never lost it gun so is unlikely to be the tank seen by Mogmaner

 

Steve

Edited May 8, 2010 by steveo578
addition

[private mw]

i dont know which jcb site he,s talking about but i was sad to see the churchill go from sheffield i drove past it many times and often had my tacho break parked along side it .:???

[mogmaner]

The one i remember was i the main yard at Rocester ,im sure it was a gun tank not a AVRE ,last sore it in the late 80s.

[eddy8men]

hi fella's

 

all this talk of churchills has made me remember how i started out on the forum, it's funny looking back now but i first saw the sheffield churchill on the "churchill register" and it was this tank that gave me the idea of how to get into the world of mv's. my plan was a simple one ,find a range wreck in reasonable condition, recover it ,paint it green and simply swap it for the sheffield tank :cool2: which incidentally was very complete, apparently it was driven on to the plinth after which the oil was drained from the engine while it was running in order to seize it up and stop anyone moving it later, (restorations of ww2 gun tanks don't get easier than that) , unfortunately there were several flaws in my plan the first one being that you can't get stuff off the ranges as easily as before and even if you could it might have proved hard to get sheffield council to swap it but in my tiny little mind it was perfectly feasible but then again no one could ever accuse me of being overly realistic and if i'm being honest i like it like that.

 

eddy

[eddy8men]

not much work needed here, as you can see, drop of red lead and a couple of top coats and it'll be reet

 

 

[steveo578]

As it was seen in Rochester then it might be one of the Mk7s that were later at the Cadmans yard if you look at the Armour in Focus site there are two which are likely candidates one marked Mk7 croc is shown with a short gun and the other Mk7 a crudely restored gateguard on a tank bridge has a 17pdr gun barrel fitted. Shades of the plan to fit the Mk7 with the 77mm HV toward the end of WW2,:nut::-D

 

For completeness the Sheffield Churchill 7 AVRE is also shown.

 

Eddy FYI the Sheffield tank was not Local Authority owned -ownership became a bit confused after Newtons owners went into receivership and effectively the title to the asset was was "lost". The L/A input was that the Acheology department "knew nothing" of the disappearance of what amounted to a local landmark without notification- try that with a tree on your own property or even unauthorised change to your doors or windows of your property (Part L building code).

 

Steve

[mogmaner]

looks like a nise job for the weekend ,now were that mig welder ,wonder if work would let me youse the big lathe to turn the turret ring ,might need a little more than metal spray for the rollers and sprokets.

[Richard Farrant]

As it was seen in Rochester then it might be one of the Mk7s that were later at the Cadmans yard

 

Steve,

 

If you are thinking of the proximity of Rochester, Kent to Cadman's yard, then you should be aware that the JCB plant is in Rocester, Staffordshire.

[agripper]

where did the Sheffield Churchill go then. What has become of it. Drove my sabre up to have a photo of the two together but was to late. Do have a couple of picks before it went though. Always thought it would be a nice project.

[private mw]

hi gripper im sad to see it go too , you live in the same area as me sheffield :-) and if its you near morrisons with the tank on the drive ,,, its only round the corner so book me in for a ride in the sabre ...

[antar]

OK guys lets sort this one out. The Churchill at JCB Rocester (Staffordshire) bellonged to Mark Bamford second son of Joseph Cyril Bamford the founder of JCB. This was part of a collection of a number of other "Tanks" which Mark/JCB owned.

I believe (but cannot confirm) that a quantity of these tanks were cut up on the JCB Estate. When Mark Walker of Walker Machinery in Whitney, Oxfordshire ( a friend of Mark Bamford) found out that some of the tanks had been cut he bought the Churchill from Mark Bamford. It did stand in their yard in Whitney for quite a while what its subsequent fate was I am not sure. Mark Walker is into preservation, owning the Swiss Army Rotinoff which regularly attends Great Dorset Steam Fair so if someone were to give him a call I am sure he will enlighten.

 

I am quite sure that there are no more tanks at JCB now as I work there.

 

With regards to the Sheffield Churchill it is just a co-incedence that the JCB Dealer TC Harrison built their brand new depot at Chapeltown Sheffield right alongside where the Churchill sat on the plinth in about 2007. I am a regular visitor to their depot and for the few weeks after the Churchill dissapeared I was often asked when I was going to put it back because they thought I had "nicked" it ! Some of them were more serious than others and I had to do some investigating to prove to them where it had gone. All I can say on that one is money buys tanks !!!

[eddy8men]

i believe nigel montgomery has it. can anyone confirm this

 

eddy

[steveo578]

The Isle of wight U tube video confirms a Mk7 AVRE there.

[steveo578]

Richard Farrant

Steve,

If you are thinking of the proximity of Rochester, Kent to Cadman's yard, then you should be aware that the JCB plant is in Rocester, Staffordshire

 

 

Thanks for the calification Richard. Actually I thought the thread refered to the JCB (earthmover) plant at Leeke Lane Staffs, but the posting refering to Rochester threw me- there was a JCB facility at or around Rochester but is now an indusrial estate.

 

Steve

[private mw]

well we want ours back in sheffield :argh:

[antar]

Thanks for the calification Richard. Actually I thought the thread refered to the JCB (earthmover) plant at Leeke Lane Staffs, but the posting refering to Rochester threw me- there was a JCB facility at or around Rochester but is now an indusrial estate.

 

Steve

 

The JCB "facility" at Rochester Kent was actually a dealer branch belonging to Greenshields JCB, it has now moved to Wrotham, Kent.

[antar]

i believe nigel montgomery has it. can anyone confirm this

 

eddy

 

Apparently so, but who is he ?

[Adrian Barrell]

Apparently so, but who is he ?

 

A private collector.

[eddy8men]

the plot thickens ! :cool2: