Great War truck Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 I may have asked this question before but does anybody know if the Thornycroft A1 was ever used or tested by the military. Thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Would it have to have been tested by the military to be available with a subsidy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Between the wars the military favoured the 6x4 articulated bogie style with singles all round and the A3 met that requirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citroman Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) .... Edited April 12, 2020 by Citroman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Hi Tim. The simple answer is 'yes'. In its 1 September 1924 issue, Motor Transport gave 'first details of the new Thornycroft chassis that has been designed with an eye to large output, low production cost and the W.D. subsidy specification' - the specification being that for 30-cwt. vehicles. I copy a picture below. The article says that, "two of these machines... have, in fact, been actually constructed for the War Office...". An advert then appears on 13 October 1924. In the 7 September 1925 issue it is also reported that among orders given out during July by Government Departments were orders by the War Office for a number of 30-cwt. chassis with J. I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., the Vulcan Motor Co., Ltd., Hallys Industrial Motor Co., Ltd., and the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd. So there possibly weren't many held directly by the War Office. But of course the purpose of subsidy schemes is to have a fleet ready for impressment when the need arises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 ...and for amusement from the 9 August 1926 issue: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 Wow. Thanks Alan. That is fantastic. I will pass these details on. Cheers Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 No problem. Wouldn't the Thornycroft Society / Milestones have records as well? And, go on, do say that someone has found a chassis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 You are probably right about them. More than just a chassis Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) Exciting stuff! Here's Commercial Motor's equivalent article from 2 September 1924: http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-september-1924/10/a-new-chassis-for-the-subsidy and in the 6 April 1926 edition they report War Office orders for 30-cwt. types from Thornycroft (and others) being made in February. Edited April 11, 2020 by Runflat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 And I've found this picture amongst the collection (not for reproduction). It looks like the front tilt design was changed and a front weather board installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) The Thornycroft vehicle registers are online here: https://collections.hampshireculture.org.uk/topic/thornycroft-vehicle-registers On a quick browse, these chassis numbers appear: 11021-11022 (Sept 1924) 11211-11226 (Jan 1925) 11261-11268 (March 1925) 11945-11950 (Sept 1925) 12317-12323 (March 1926) I make this a total of 29! Edited April 12, 2020 by Runflat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 Thanks Alan. This is really interesting. Typing in the chassis numbers must have been a colossal exercise for someone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 (edited) Here are some photos of Ross's A1 when he collected it. As you can see it has been flat packed but is still missing a few bits for it. What Ross is looking for is drawings of the body, cab and cab roof. It might be the same as other 1.5 ton Subsidy trucks of that time. Thanks. Edited April 18, 2020 by Great War truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuffen Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Located Downunder I see. Australia has a kind climate for old machinery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 This are for civilian versions, but good as a starting point. Thorny A1_0001.pdf Thorny A2_0005.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo.T Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Interesting choice of border decoration, (not yet taken up by the Nazis.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 2 hours ago, Tomo.T said: Interesting choice of border decoration, (not yet taken up by the Nazis.) It was also used by the Carlsberg brewery until 45, and can still be seen on their old buildings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyw304 Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 (edited) On 4/19/2020 at 7:56 AM, Zuffen said: Located Downunder I see. Australia has a kind climate for old machinery. I'm thinking New Zealand. Check the number plates. (or am I mistaken?) Jarrod. Edited April 21, 2020 by pyw304 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuffen Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Jarrod, Well spotted. I thought the trailer was a bit un-Australian and did't check the plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Yes; NZ plates on the ute and trailer. Nice to see another Thornycroft off for a rebuild. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 The A1 model was very popular in Australia and there are a number of survivors. Here I am loaded and about to take two to a truck tech college (TAFE) in Brisbane. Only recently was it realised that the one up front was the very one used as a podium for the very first Brisbane truck show back in 1968. The one behind I had acquired as a donor for restoration. Noelene Bradley, President of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia who run the modern Brisbane Truck show, saw the opportunity to celebrate the show's history and put together the project which will see a complete restoration by tech students. New manufacture, including castings poured on the TAFE campus will be involved, so if anyone is looking for spares the TAFE could be asked to make duplicates. A full feature film is being made of the project. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Here is the presentation of the Thornycroft at the TAFE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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