PB1954RNS Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Gentlemen. First of all to say thanks for the welcome messages from the team who run the Forum, I have some photo's that I would like to post showing the condition of the vehicles in Mains yard. Every time I try to add the photo's, the site tells me - photo's too big, file not available, wrong time of the month, or fed up and gone home for it's tea. Help !. I would also like to thank the Mains Family for giving me permission to wonder around their yard taking photo's as they don't normally allow this. The remaining vehicles are not for the 'Faint Hearted' as they have suffered from the great British Weather and time as they are now over 50 years old. One remaining vehicle that tugged my 'Heart Strings' was a Albion - Folding Boat Body on a BY5 Chassis. This poor old girl was in a sorry state and all remaining steelwork was only fit for patterns. The biggest problem was that the lorry had been cut in half and the rear wheel bogie and chassis was missing, instead of a 4x6 - it was a 0x2. Do any members know of a BY5 chassis just hanging around their local scrap yard to get this lorry back together and what is the current position with trying to get Albion spares for this age of vehicle ?. This type of lorry had just a flat roller bed and 4 towers with hand operated winches to lift the beams as a boat was added. These towers are also missing and these would have to be built from using photo's as a guide as I think that there is only one other similar Albion to try and measure it up from, but where it is I don't know. I did see it for sale some years ago. Another thought was to get hold of a rear part of a chassis and weld together to make it complete - what are members thoughts on this. Not made any offers yet to buy it as I would to see what the spares situation is like for these vehicles is like in preservation. Also found some wheels that might suit a carrier but this would have to be comfirmed by some one in the know, can send photo's. Cheers Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 welcome to the forum i like your attitude, sorry but i can't help with the albion although i'm sure someone on here can. good luck rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Welcome Paul. Wouldn't going after the Holy Grail be easier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Johns Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I have some pics taken in the late 1960's of Mains yard, lots of 1/2 ton Dodges there then, must try and scan pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Upload your pictures to Photobucket http://photobucket.com/ it will resize them for you. Makes life a lot easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Yes, pics please. Where is Mains located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 if it is the yard I am thinking of it is close to RAF Benson in the village of the same name I called in there a few months back and had a long chat with the owner who told me most of the military stuff went years back and how he used to cut up cmp trucks regularly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Welcome aboard Paul. Can't wait to see some of the pictures, sounds interesting already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB1954RNS Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Hi. Yes the yard is not far from RAF Benson and all the vehicles were brought from the sales at Ruddington during the 1950's. Most have sat where they were parked all those years ago. I was told the same that all the lorries had faded away but as I allowed to go into the yard I had a good look around in the under growth and under the trees, there were some left. As I put before they are not for the 'Faint Hearted' and pile of rusty steel was the cab etc, etc, some have rust on top of rust. But it depends - I don't mean to be rude - if you want to spend some years restoring it up from the ground up or you want to buy a vehicle where you just press the starter button. My look on a project would be the same as the last 43 years in steam loco restoration and also in that time 15 years as a Chairman of a company building a brand new steam loco. If a part is missing - build it or use an alternative instead. I have been in touch with my contacts in the engineering/fabrication companies with the view of replacing parts and any thing is possible - at a cost ! Still trying to get the photo's on the site - man can go to the moon but I cannot get a photo on this forum - hold head in shame. If any does want to see them I can email them direct to their email address - my email address is Hengist@f2s.com Cheers. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Welcome to the forum. I know Ray Main. I used to live at the nearest village to his place. A positive treasure trove there. But he is a little difficult to persuade to part with anything. The trick is to describe to him exactly what you are after and let him show you what he wants and then keep letting that go on until he shows you what you are after. Don't try to tell him which machine you are after because he will not sell it. I speak from many years of experience dealing with him:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnixartillery Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Many moons ago I use to collect and restore CMP's ,I visited Mains quite regular for chasis parts and castings etc and had no problems.Anthony Main was very approachable and helpful.One tip is to visit through the winter before the new growth,during the summer every thing is overgrown ! Rob...............................rnixartillery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rog8811 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 PB1954RNS sent me one of his photo's added here and in the old mains yard thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryo Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 [ATTACH=CONFIG]47209[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47210[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47211[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47212[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47213[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47214[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47215[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47216[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47208[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47207[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47206[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47205[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47197[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47198[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47204[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47199[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47200[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47201[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47202[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47203[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 The remains of a Fordson WOT6 and an Austin K2 amongst that lot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 The remains of a Fordson WOT6 and an Austin K2 amongst that lot... and a QL in the last photo :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Yes very sad indeed :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 [ATTACH=CONFIG]47209[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47210[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47211[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47212[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47213[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47214[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47215[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47216[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47208[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47207[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47206[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47205[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47197[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47198[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47204[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47199[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47200[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47201[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47202[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47203[/ATTACH] Any chance of posting the last picture which I believe may be a QL in Mains Scrap Yard ? Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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