Brockhouse ? drag trailer, can anybody help me with information about it.

[w896andy]

I came across this trailer which has been sitting in a yard for the last 30 years under brambles. It was going to be cut up for scrap so needed saving (at least that’s my excuse).

 

I’ve saved it and bought it home today and plan to restore it with a flat bed and tow it behind my Diamond T Wrecker. It has a plate on it stating ‘J B, Co Ltd’ so I’m assuming it’s a Brockhouse but any information anybody can give me would be great.

 

The plate also says 6 tons on it and the chassis length is about 16 foot. It has 10.50 x 13 inch tyres and air brakes on the rear only. The wheels are rusted badly, the tyres are shot, the wheel nuts/split rim nuts rusted solid and the brakes seized.

 

On the plus side the chassis is very good and only needs a rub down and paint, the turntable is smooth and its fairly complete, as I guess the tyres are unavailable these days and with the state of the wheels / hubs I am most likely going to be forced to replace the axles with some 6 stud brakes axles off of a farm trailer which would give me some tyre options, not original but I can’t see another viable option. But if anybody has a better idea please let me know.

 

[MICHAEL01]

Hi Andy

 

It will look good behind the T. I think u have ur work cut out a bit. Did u get anywhere with a back tub?

[w896andy]

Hi

 

Always looking for a challenge, I'll never learn !!

 

No luck with a rear body for my DT yet but I have been told if I can get hold of a M35 Reo back body its easy to cut down as the sides are the same profile, tail gate is the same and width is near so it would be easier to add tool boxes and form a slope/cut to length.

 

Andy

[AndyFowler]

Might be worth giving Rex Cadman a ring as he is still advertising a couple of T wreckers for sale ! He may be interested in breaking them as they have been for sale for quite some time ! Good luck with the trailer mate ! http://www.warandpeaceshow.com/component/option,com_marketplace/Itemid,88888973/adid,148/catid,12/page,show_ad/

[w896andy]

Andy

 

Thanks for letting me know about Rex, I spoke to him earlier this year but he's only interested in selling them as a whole so the cost & transport was just too high.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[AndyFowler]

Andy

 

Thanks for letting me know about Rex, I spoke to him earlier this year but he's only interested in selling them as a whole so the cost & transport was just too high.

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

You're welcome mate ! :-D

[John Comber]

Andy

Your trailer is either an Eagle or Dyson make, my money will be on the Eagle, and from the 1930's, i have two under living vans at home. solid axle beams and vacuum brakes on the rear only. You cant find new 1050 x 13's and i have was not able to 12 years ago. I took 17.5" low loader rims cut out the centres and had new centres welded in with the correct PCD etc for the trailer studs, this gave me the same rolling diameter and a similar footprint of rubber on the road. This has been a great success and many others have followed this route.

the vacuum chamber is easy to replace with a non spring brake air diaphram.

If you wanted to see how its done, we will be with the living van at GDSF.

[w896andy]

John

 

Thanks for your feedback, I've heard of Dyson but not Eagle, I'll Google and see if I can find anything but if you have some pictures of yours to compare that would be great. I've had a close look at the plate on the chassis and it says the following; J B & Co Ltd, Type, 6 ton ???, Contract Number S132 Year of supply, 1943. From that I assumed it was a J Brockhouse trailer.

 

Good idea about getting some wheel centres made up, there must be plenty of Ford lorry 17.5 inch rims around. I think its going to depend on if I can get the old rusted wheels off the hubs and then the drums off the brakes as they are rusted more than is healthy, I think I'm going to even have to cut the wheel nuts off of the studs. The front unbraked wheels turn freely and appear less rusted but the rears will be a problem. I think worse case scenario is I have to find a pair of 6 stud trailer axles with brakes which I could rig up for air and most 17.5 inch/trailer rims fit them anyway. I would however be better if I could keep the original axles.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[w896andy]

John

 

I normally try and get down to the Steam Fair, it would be good to have a look at your trailer, that will be a great help.

 

Andy

[scammell 7377]

i was thinking maybe eagle it has similarites to my mates early eagle namely the turntable and the drawbar setup i know quite a lot of there production was for barrage baloon trailers who knows you might have 1 of them !! they were i believe from warickshire

[ted angus]

John

 

Thanks for your feedback, I've heard of Dyson but not Eagle, I'll Google and see if I can find anything but if you have some pictures of yours to compare that would be great. I've had a close look at the plate on the chassis and it says the following; J B & Co Ltd, Type, 6 ton ???, Contract Number S132 Year of supply, 1943. From that I assumed it was a J Brockhouse trailer.

 

Good idea about getting some wheel centres made up, there must be plenty of Ford lorry 17.5 inch rims around. I think its going to depend on if I can get the old rusted wheels off the hubs and then the drums off the brakes as they are rusted more than is healthy, I think I'm going to even have to cut the wheel nuts off of the studs. The front unbraked wheels turn freely and appear less rusted but the rears will be a problem. I think worse case scenario is I have to find a pair of 6 stud trailer axles with brakes which I could rig up for air and most 17.5 inch/trailer rims fit them anyway. I would however be better if I could keep the original axles.

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

 

 

Andy your trailer is a Brockhouse MK2 6 ton 4 wheel by John Brockhouse & Co Ltd They superceded the earlier 3 ton Mk1 which had torsion bar suspension, The MK 2 was fitted with a wide range of bodies including bowsers, workshops, offices kitchens etc etc. The same bodies could be fitted to the Eagle or the Fordson Sussex & WOTI 6x4 trucks.

 

TED

[w896andy]

Ted

 

Thanks for that. I've managed to get one of the rear wheels off and the centre hub nut so now have to work on pulling the hub off as the brakes are seized on. So hopefully I maybe able to save the axles.

 

Andy