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Bovington - few for GWT & Clive


Jack

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It is a sponson trailer, located in Bovington's First World War Hall. WW1 tanks were too wide for the railways so the sponsons (side gun turrets) on early tanks had to be unscrewed and removed so they did not bash into tunnels and bridges. They were heavy so they were removed by crane, then towed on the trailer behind the tank onto and off the train and then onwards to a crane when they were refitted. So far as is known, this is the only surviving trailer of its type. The others have disappeared, not only because they are 90 years old but because all of the later WW1 tanks (Mk IV onwards) had pivotting sponsons that slid inside the body, hence no need of cranes or sponson trailers so not too many of them were built in the first place.

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I couldn't remember seeing either so I took the picture...glad to see that I am not going mad. Also in the hall next door there was a tank that I hadn't seen there before as well.

 

Jack.

Tank Spotter - Dorset :whistle:

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[

.... :whistle: :whistle: but how long can you remember Ash - think I got away with that one[/size]

 

sorry but do i know you ????? my mother always warned me of talking to strangers/strange men in raincoats....

 

by whats its name

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In a word no!

 

However, i do know that the Peerless was running some years ago and does not seem to have turned a wheel under its own power since the early 80's. It is chain drive and the last time i looked at it the chains were seperated and hanging from the drive sprockets on the back axle. I dont think it had broken it looked like someone had pulled out the split pins and pushed the pin through the chains causing them to come apart. The only reason i can think for doing this was that it was stalled in gear and the only way that you can get it back out of gear is to lean on the connecting shaft sticking out of the gearbox with a crow bar to haul it back into neutral. As it is an armoured car version it must have been a pain to do and i suspect that the driver was unceretain on how much pressure he should apply, so taking off the chains was the easiest option. Does anybody have a connection with the museum and who can tell me anything else about its current ability to operate or not?

 

I spoke to a guy once who drove these in the 1930's and he stalled at a junction. Fine, just get the crow bar to take it out of gear you would think, however he was carrying a load of bricks in the back and the gearbox can only be reached through the rear bed. So he had to move all the bricks out of the way before he could even start. Not something that you want to have to do on a roundabout (must remember to make note for myself, when Peerless is restored, do not stall it - ever and also (based on first hand advice) - do not ever try to bump start it).

 

Thanks for the post Jack

 

Tim (too)

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