russell sprout Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Hi all, Here is a picture of a project that we are just about to start work on. She's a 1943 Series 7 Coles crane mounted on a 6 wheeled AEC Matador chassis. We have recently started to expand our museum, a former Bomber Command airfield and started up an MT section at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre near Lincoln where we also have a 6 wheeled AEC fuel bowser, Queen Mary, oil bowser trailers, bomb trollies and a few other wartime airfield related bits and bobs. We would be very grateful for assistance with the project and if anyone could help us locate any other scrapped cranes that we can source parts from for an accurate restoration please. Likewise, we are always interested to hear of any wartime airfield related equipment that can be purchased for preservation at RAF Metheringham please, especially a single axle airfield caravan. Thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz48 Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Hi all, Here is a picture of a project that we are just about to start work on. She's a 1943 Series 7 Coles crane mounted on a 6 wheeled AEC Matador chassis. We have recently started to expand our museum, a former Bomber Command airfield and started up an MT section at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre near Lincoln where we also have a 6 wheeled AEC fuel bowser, Queen Mary, oil bowser trailers, bomb trollies and a few other wartime airfield related bits and bobs. We would be very grateful for assistance with the project and if anyone could help us locate any other scrapped cranes that we can source parts from for an accurate restoration please. Likewise, we are always interested to hear of any wartime airfield related equipment that can be purchased for preservation at RAF Metheringham please, especially a single axle airfield caravan. Thanks Tim Interesting project wish you well with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian43 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Nice to see someone taking on this kind of project, I'm a big fan of these vehicles and it's good to know another one is going to be saved. Is this the vehicle that was for sale in East Sussex by any chance? The only scrap vehicles I know of that might be of use for spares are the two 0854 Coles cranes at Rush Green Motors scrap yard. Is your 0854 Bowser restored? Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 A grand project ...and a mighty useful bit of kit to have about once she is working again ! ..........there must have been hundreds of such cranes in service during the War but I guess they're not a really easy piece of kit to decide you want to have ... I used to have a Coles Crane for many years and I don't think that up until the middle '70s much changed on them fittings wise ????... so the best I can suggest is..... keep your eyes and ears open for any Coles yard cranes wherever they may turn up ...you may well find you can use bits off the much later models to get/keep yours going again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogmaner Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 This one is about a mile from my home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Your AEC will look great when done, whats your timescale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It looks like the generator engine has been changed to a Ford 4D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogmaner Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Yes the gen now has a ford d type engine ,the main engine is still the thorny croft unit . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 This one is about a mile from my home.[ATTACH=CONFIG]100530[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]100531[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]100532[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]100533[/ATTACH] Looks like one of these - http://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/nevington-news/thorny-croft-amazoncoles-7-crane-and-bedford-ox-tractor-with-queen-mary-trailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogmaner Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Yes it is a amazon but the long wheelbase with gen behind the cab, turned the engine over with jump leads about 3years ago turned freely . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scammell4199 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Fantastic news. Will be great to see this beast being used in anger again Best of luck, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Fantastic news. Will be great to see this beast being used in anger again Best of luck, Richard In anger , he should have the B&A SLI (pre Wylie) sorted & calibration checked + full re-test. I should have some B&A info. somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Shopland Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Hi all, Here is a picture of a project that we are just about to start work on. She's a 1943 Series 7 Coles crane mounted on a 6 wheeled AEC Matador chassis. We have recently started to expand our museum, a former Bomber Command airfield and started up an MT section at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre near Lincoln where we also have a 6 wheeled AEC fuel bowser, Queen Mary, oil bowser trailers, bomb trollies and a few other wartime airfield related bits and bobs. We would be very grateful for assistance with the project and if anyone could help us locate any other scrapped cranes that we can source parts from for an accurate restoration please. Likewise, we are always interested to hear of any wartime airfield related equipment that can be purchased for preservation at RAF Metheringham please, especially a single axle airfield caravan. Thanks Tim Great project Tim. Pleasing to see a large, British soft skin vehicle being restored. James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Can't help with parts but my father (who is now 92) was in 58 RSU operating in the Western Desert. There was a bit of a parts shortage at the time, so recycling downed aircraft was vital, even repairing them and flying them out of the desert. They used to get a Coles crane, and even a loaded Queen Mary, across the supposedly impassable Qattara depression. He took the odd photo using a camera from a downed reconnaissance plane - the one attached below must be the Coles crane, here finishing off loading the Queen Mary trailer. His memory is pretty flakey now, but he may remember some obscure details of using them. It would be about 1942 I should think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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