Confused Numbers

[Surveyor]

I have been working on and off on the penman trailer, just noticed a set of numbers which first thought were a registration number but wrong format, found the original picture. looked on the RLC website but nothing there.

Any clue?

 

[sirhc]

That is the registration number for the trailer.

[Surveyor]

Thanks, thought I ha replied but no signs.

I remember about 20 years ago on the first occasion of towing had to write a number on a plate, must have been a Sankey.

Assume the towing vehicle would have a plate to go over this one

[Richard Farrant]

No, the military did not have to put the towing vehicle’s number on the back of trailers.

[fv1609]

In very rare circumstances the towing vehicle ERM was displayed on the trailer where it contained integral equipment essential to the role of the towing vehicle. I have pictures of a couple of RN EOD trailers displaying the ERM of the towing vehicle, although for asset management purposes the trailer would still have it own ERM identity although this was not openly displayed when in use with its parent towing vehicle.

[Scurvey Knave]

2 hours ago, fv1609 said:

In very rare circumstances the towing vehicle ERM was displayed on the trailer where it contained integral equipment essential to the role of the towing vehicle. I have pictures of a couple of RN EOD trailers displaying the ERM of the towing vehicle, although for asset management purposes the trailer would still have it own ERM identity although this was not openly displayed when in use with its parent towing vehicle.

Hi Clive,

During my career, the Navy and the Army used two entirely different conventions for displaying trailer numbers. Army trailers always had their own numbers and these were permanently displayed irrespective of the VRN of the towing vehicle. The Navy on the other hand always displayed the VRN of the towing equipment on the trailer. I well recall the confusion that this used to cause when I drove army trucks with trailers into Faslane naval base to use their POL point for fuel - younger, less experienced MOD Police often commented that I had a different number on the trailer from the prime mover. On several occasions this was only resolved by calling the duty sergeant who usually had wider experience. I drove Navy vehicles for a short time during the Falklands war and I was surprised how different the admin side was - we used a Work Ticket which was designed to last for a month and could be used by multiple drivers by signing in a box on the reverse side, whereas the Navy used a fresh Work Ticket every day or even several where there was more than one driver.

 

Regards - David

[Surveyor]

David

You brought back nightmares with the Navy VUR, every stop mileage and time recorded, horrible if you were doing a stop start day

[fv1609]

David that's interesting about RN trailers. I had assumed the ERM association with the trailer was because in this particular role the two were inseparable. I hadn't realised that it applied to all RN trailers, that must make it difficult at depots to easily manage & identify any trailer that was stored by itself.

In that case was the ERM for trailer displayed in storage but in tow then the plate covered over or replaced by a plate for the towing vehicle? Or were trailers just managed on the basis of their chassis number & only give a registration plate that was carried in the towing vehicle for that purpose?

[Surveyor]

I think this is going to be one of those if see will look and check

[Scurvey Knave]

2 hours ago, Surveyor said:

I think this is going to be one of those if see will look and check

Guys,

To be honest I can't recall how the Navy managed their trailer fleet, but common sense would dictate that they would have some sort of easily usable fleet number stencilled on them somewhere. I know that the RAF used the same system as the Army (we borrowed 2 Crane Fruehauf 6 ton semi trailers from the RAF and they had their own permanent plates fitted, same as ours). Best of luck with looking at current practice - by there time I retired most of our vehicles wore civvy number plates since just about everything apart from fighting vehicles were leased in.

 

Regards - David