Workshop Servicing trailer ww2 help needed!

[heritage-Hangar]

Hi all 

 

Thanks for letting me join, i have a vast amount of kit that's either waiting to be restored or currently under going restoration, this is one piece of kit i currently need help on, its a ww2 workshop body trailer and virtually all complete with its air compressor, lines, valves etc, but I'm trying to find more information and photos of what units had these, including the RAF , what colour schemes would they of used and any documentation on the build layout, equipment assigned and any historical research photos.

 

all help is greatly appreciated.

20240728_111854.heic 20240728_111934.heic 20240728_111947.heic 20240728_111949.heic 20240728_111957.heic 20240728_112006.heic 20240728_112018.heic 20240728_112052.heic 20240728_112054.heic 20240728_112055.heic 20240728_112102.heic 20240728_112128.heic 20240728_112343.heic 20240728_112346.heic 20240728_112354.heic 20240728_112356.heic 20240728_112400.heic 20240728_112443.heic 20240728_112445.heic 20240728_112607.heic

[Rangie]

Can't seem to open those files for some reason.
Alec.

[heritage-Hangar]

@rangie,thank you for the response you may have to download the images, for some reason they would not post up as a photo album ?

 

[Mk3iain]

7 minutes ago, heritage-Hangar said:

@rangie,thank you for the response you may have to download the images, for some reason they would not post up as a photo album ?

 

At 3-4 megs each it would take a while. Try posting reduced sized pics.

[rewdco]

HEIC files come from an I-Phone. If you send them in an email, they automatically convert to JPG. Not so on this forum. You will have to use a free converter to make JPG or PNG files, which are supported by the forum.

[rewdco]

I've quickly done them for you... 😊

 

[heritage-Hangar]

@Rewdco  many thanks for that, what a kind gesture, i took these on a Samsung and uploaded onto the laptop, god knows why it hadn't converted, but issue is now over , just the main problem is help or back ground use and any research photos etc.

20240728_111854.heic 20240728_111934.heic

[heritage-Hangar]

can/ could any one help ?

[10FM68]

Well it doesn't look like an easy project, but, if you succeed, I think it will be a very worthwhile and interesting one.

I'm no expert, but I'll start the ball rolling.  You asked what units would have used them.  I would have expected them to be found in any unit where there was a significant demand for routine servicing.  Certainly RASC transport units, REME Light Aid Detachments and Royal Engineers units. I am sure they would have been in many other units as well, such as RA field and medium regiments and so on.  Taskers may have built the trailer - they certainly had a contract for them and the servicing kit may well have been put together by Tecalemit.  I would have thought that they would have remained in service long after the war as they wouldn't have undergone much rough treatment being in the very hands of those who understood mechanical matters!  Colours?  Depending on build date, either SCC1A (basically dark earth), SCC15, British olive drab and, post 1948 (but probably a lot later as repainting the servicing trailer wouldn't be high up the priority list), deep bronze green.  Marknigs would probably include a fair amount of 'bored soldier tittivating' - so cocks and handles, wheel nuts, hooks etc all picked out in red and/or white.  You see it has a bridge circle - yep, in yellow, and then with the standard arm of service and formation signs, plus trailer 'T' and census number/ ERM on the rear.

In the early 80s in Germany, our plant troop had one (a later Tecalemit) and, in the two years I was there, despite determination that every bit of kit we had would actually be serviceable, even if just for one day, we failed.  We managed everything: Coles MkV crane (just) Hydra Husky (safe load indicator and boom extension sensor notwithstanding), LMDs, - all of which were tricky for various reasons - everything... except the blinkin' servicing trailer for which we couldn't get a certificate for the air tank, no matter how hard we tried.

[heritage-Hangar]

@10fm68 many thanks for your knowledge and it really does  mean a lo as without individuals like your self, these kind of projects dont take off very fast, its kind of a big project, but many hands make light work as they say, the idea is to put this back into use as was intended and for the public to experience, my kit mainly consist of air ministry/ RAF so would like to either restore the an RAF standard or if need be WD, the chassis is solid with no rot, same as axles etc, body wise it needs to be re skinned which isn't hard it will just be the riveting which will be a pain, inside, all fitting are mainly there and reference points when placing back together, the hardest part so far is actually finding footage/photo of these in use and exterior and interior views so i can get it bang back to where it needs to be. help in that matter would be awesome.

 

Also one photo i have managed to find shows stationary engine on casters that was meant to roll in and out on the access ramp door on the front O/S, but haven't a clue what it was, i was thinking maybe a mobile welder trolley set? but again tis i cannot confirm and need help n this matter, if this is possible too:)

Edited Wednesday at 01:51 PM by heritage-Hangar