roajeep Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi, I posted this in another Forum but so far no success so hopefully someone here can help. I have a trailer with the chassis nr OE5319 and no dataplate but it must have been made by Orme Evans. By using Rob van Meels book as a reference I first concluded that OE5319 is an earlier model and produced under contract S2559 or S6833. Unfortunately the table in Rob's book does not give the chassis or WD nrs for these 2 contracts. Now this weekend I've rubbed down some of the rear panel and can just make out X527... as the start of the WD nr so this must prove that the chassisnr OE5319 belongs to contract nr S2559 and the series X5274887 - X5278086. If anyone has an identifiable chassis/WD nr within that range then I can calculate what my correct number is. The remaining letters are very worn but it could be 52778.. or 52779... and the final figure might be a 3 8 or 9. I'll keep rubbing - carefully. I might be luckier on one of the side panels. Any info or advice appreciated. Thanks. DavidH Oslo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roajeep Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 Nobody who can help or suggest ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Hello David, Sorry cannot help you with your question, but have one for you, I also have an early trailer (small lunnette eye) and no dataplate. But do not know where to look for the stamped number?? Please let me know, and I'll have a look, there's many layers of paint on the trailer, so maybe some Original markings underneath. Cheers, Lex Schmidt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 There is no stamped number - the data plate is the only fixed reference. My airborne trailer was made by SS cars so I am no help to David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Hi,I posted this in another Forum but so far no success so hopefully someone here can help. I have a trailer with the chassis nr OE5319 and no dataplate but it must have been made by Orme Evans. By using Rob van Meels book as a reference I first concluded that OE5319 is an earlier model and produced under contract S2559 or S6833. Unfortunately the table in Rob's book does not give the chassis or WD nrs for these 2 contracts. Now this weekend I've rubbed down some of the rear panel and can just make out X527... as the start of the WD nr so this must prove that the chassisnr OE5319 belongs to contract nr S2559 and the series X5274887 - X5278086. If anyone has an identifiable chassis/WD nr within that range then I can calculate what my correct number is. The remaining letters are very worn but it could be 52778.. or 52779... and the final figure might be a 3 8 or 9. I'll keep rubbing - carefully. I might be luckier on one of the side panels. Any info or advice appreciated. Thanks. DavidH Oslo[/ Hi David, The WO5460 Identification List printed in 1949 includes some brief contract details (I suspect that is where Rob got his info from); it shows 10-Cwt. 2-wheeled, Lightweight,G.S. No.1, Mk.1 as being built under contracts including 23/2559. It doesn't solely link that contract to Orme Evans as the builder though. I've looked through my collection of 10 cwt photos and found these for a trailer for sale at sometime in Italy (via Milweb), co-incidentally it is also contract 2559, but built by a company with initials JB and an interesting cast dataplate. So I think this shows Orme Evans either subcontracted building some of the contract, or more than one company bid for parts of the overall order. Perhaps the prefix "S 2559" on the plate means "subcontracted 2559"?: Does your trailer have the one piece Lightweight towing hitch with integral folding handles, or does it have the handles welded to the main chassis? I'd thought that 10cwt No1 Mk I GS trailers had the welded handles while the 10cwt No1 Mk II GS trailers had the one piece hitch, but the Italian photos above clearly link a trailer from contract 2559 (i.e. a No1 MkI) with the later hitch. So as always it seems with British 10 cwt trailers every "rule" appears to have an exception! Out of interest, where was your Orme Evans chassis number? I'd normally expect to see it stamped on the dataplate, but you said you don't have one, so I'm assuming you've found another location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon king Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Possibly "JB&Co" is J Brockhouse and Co from West Bromwich - well known as trailer manufacturers. My 10cwt GS does not appear to have a dataplate either - or at least no visible sign of where one might have been attached - does anyone know where a number might be stamped if there was no plate? sk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 See my previous post - there are no stampings except for the data plate. Good point about Brockhouse though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Yes Simon - good point. I should have worked that out! Of course, John Brockhouse. Certainly major manufacturers of trailers post-war, but I've not seen another one of their plates like this though, so still wonder if they took sub-contract work from the major supplier to the early numbered contracts. Agree with Tony, I know we've not noticed chassis numbers stamped on GS trailers we've worked on, other than on the dataplate. I can see an advantage of stamping the chassis, as you'd think they would want the trailer permanently identified in some way). The 10 cwt water bowsers have the galvanised bowser individually numbered with a small permanently fixed brass oval plate. The Electrical repair trailer built by Dashwood doesn't have any identifying numbers stamped on the chassis. The MUREX trailer (built by either Orme Evans or Brockhouse can't say which yet) does have three digit stampings on the chassis, but hidden behind the engine mounts; so I am guessing these where factory ID numbers? So am interested in where David's trailer is stamped with his chassis number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 So am interested in where David's trailer is stamped with his chassis number. Hence my question!!! Could it not be so that the number was stamped under the dataplate, and so it cannot be seen when a dataplate is fitted? Some US firms did this. Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Certainly not on the chassis I have seen. Remember trailers were just ancillary pieces of equipment unlike motor vehicles and so there would not have been the requirements to keep detailed records. I would suggest that the trailers were made in numbers to fulfil the contract and the data plates added and stamped upon release from the factory with no need to stamp the chassis itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roajeep Posted November 3, 2013 Author Share Posted November 3, 2013 Hi guys and thanks for yr replies. My Nr 1 Mk 1 has the hinged handles attached directly to the block. The chassis nr OE5319 comes from the Norwegian MOT certificate which is the only documentation I have at present. I am hoping that the vehicle register here will be able to find the original Norwegian Army papers as these sometimes also show the original British wartime WD X-.... number. (As is the case with my other AB trailer). I have worked a bit more on carefully sanding the rear side of the body and am fairly certain that the correct number is X5277818 or X5277819. If I could only find someone or two with an identifiable chassis number and WD X-number from the same contract and maker then I could work out mathematically which is correct for my trailer. And I'll have a go at sanding the left and right sides in case I can find the number there as well. I have seen trailers with no dataplates but where the chassis number was stamped into the drawbar between the 4 screw holes but this is not so on my trailer. Maybe they were stamped post-war if the original plates were corroded and almost illegible. The hunt continues. Good to have something to do now that winter is closing in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 David, Here is a photo of a No1 10 cwt GS in use, with an X number reasonably near yours, to show some original camouflage: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Hi John, does anyone reproduce the bodies for the no 1 type trailer? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Hi John, does anyone reproduce the bodies for the no 1 type trailer? Dave Not that I'm aware of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 David, Here is a photo of a No1 10 cwt GS in use, with an X number reasonably near yours, to show some original camouflage: Hi John, is that body cut in two?? Anymore pictures? Cheers, Lex ps, will look at my trailer today, if I can get to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordenj Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Hi John, is that body cut in two?? Anymore pictures? Cheers, Lex ps, will look at my trailer today, if I can get to it! Lex Photos of that trailer came off the internet a few years ago. Only reference I have in my file is that the trailer was/is Czech. Couple more photos: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radek Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Bouth trailers are in Czech Rep. On the first picture is my (upside down - town hitch) The second and third picture belongs to my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radek Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?6698-British-airborne-trailer/page3&highlight=airborne+trailer+radek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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