Aerodrome Smokescreen Generator Trailers

[rustexpert]

I have been offered 3 off old farm trailers; they have been described as WW2 Aerodrome Smokescreen Generator Trailer chassis. Has anybody heard or seen anything answering this description. They are fairly distinctive construction but not in anyway unconventional sprung and braked four wheel turntable steer trailers, 20" wheels; not very heavy construction like what I would say was 3 ton capacity. I will post pictures when I have some.

[Richard Farrant]

That sounds like the Haslar smoke generator.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11344424

[rustexpert]

 thanks, those Haslar pictures are a similar weight trailer but not identical to what I am looking at here.

[wally dugan]

There were two types of smoke generator trailer one of british manufacture which  was a five ton fitted with 10/50/13 tyres and one made in the USA of two ton made by BRILL M7 type on 7/50/20 tyres

[rustexpert]

The Brill M7 type is completely different; has any one got any more pictures of the British version?

 

[rustexpert]

Here is a pic of two of the trailers. The closer one has a plaque on it "HASLAR 5 Ton - C.L.Co."

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

The plant hire firm on the Colomendy Industrial estate in Denbigh converted them and sold them on to Farmers. I used to work next door on my holidays while I was a student. There were a number of different styles, but all 3 wheel and sprung

 

[rustexpert]

6 hours ago, 8_10 Brass Cleaner said:

The plant hire firm on the Colomendy Industrial estate in Denbigh converted them and sold them on to Farmers. I used to work next door on my holidays while I was a student. There were a number of different styles, but all 3 wheel and sprung

 

These are quite distinctive modifications with the kicked up front end; the welding is pretty horrible on the mods but all that is to be cut away anyway.

 

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

From memory they were extended at the back by a fair bit. Very crude

[rustexpert]

I have done some research; it seems that to cover a city and docks area like Bristol, hundreds were required and all of them ready to move at a moments notice as the wind changed. The British "Haslar" system covered the area with oily residue. I assume you Hedd were in college broadly the same time as myself late 1980's. I am surprised that they were being released as surplus so late for conversion at that time, also by that time farm transport was starting to become by legal necessity far more slick than earlier "crudeness". These examples have obviously been hanging around much longer than that but the stretching is indeed crude but obviously successful in the agricultural sense.

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

Try nearly 20years later!. I suspect (no evidence to back my suspicions) that the trailers they had were sourced from Dave Sanders up the road.