Eager Beaver record Cards

[antarmike]

Has anyone any ideas. I wrote to RLC museum deepcut, to find the record card for my Eager Beaver. After some time they wrote back saying they did not hold any record cards for the APFLT. They said RE Museum, Chatham held the cards. I wrote to RE Museum and it has taken them six months to come back saying they don't hold any record cards for Eager Bearvers, but they have some general technical information on the model.

 

If RLC and RE Museums dont hold any record cards for any of the Eager Beaver Fork lift trucks, who else might?

[antarmike]

Heres a nice one for you Mike ! Won second best in show at IWM Duxford today ! Spoke to the owner and he made it up from three vehicles over a few years ! Imaculate ! One for my lottery barn definitely ! :-D

So how do you decide on the vehicle number to give it, and how do you describe it's military History?? Choose the most intersting history and allocate it to the Bitsa?

[AndyFowler]

 

So how do you decide on the vehicle number to give it, and how do you describe it's military History?? Choose the most intersting history and allocate it to the Bitsa?

I think you could safely describe it as factory fresh mate ! :-D It was mint !

[antarmike]

I suppose if you have a choice of Vehicle numbers, you choose one pre 1972 so it's tax excempt! I have not found a stamped chassis number on the chassis anywhere on my two. The only number is on the brass plate rivetted to the seat base, so I guess it is real easy to choose the identity that suits you best.

 

I am not insinuating any di-honesty here, the guy who built one out of three may well have used the bulk of one, and used its number, and only had minor parts of the other two.....But the temptation must be great...

Edited June 23, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Did anyone get a name or contact for this guy, I'd like to talk to him. PM me if you have any leads to find him...please

[jasper]

With reference to the remote controlled eager beaver,I served in N. I. with E.O.D. and I was the eager beaver operator in my section.The vehicle was remote control as stated using a 100 metre cable drum.It was indeed for moving suspect vehicles or getting wheelbarrow over obstacles, the CCTV camera was linked to a monitor which was obviously very useful for letting you view your intended target very well when close up. Driving to task sites was quite clostrophobic with very limited vision and being almost cocooned in the cab.You always felt very vunerable when getting in and out of the cab when at task sites because for just a few seconds you were very exposed.But,what an invaluable piece of kit to have at your disposal.Jasper

Edited July 21, 2009 by jasper

[antarmike]

Can you confirm, was the E.B. itself Remotely controlled, Driven around normally from the cab, but driver bailed out as he got close to a device then took over control on a wire link?

[antarmike]

Picked up a headlight dip switch/ horn button of Ebay and that is now on so I can dip my lights now! Switch is same as Ferret/ Champ I believe.

[jasper]

Yes, sorry about not being clear.You drove manually to site,then set up the vehicle to become remote controlled on arrival, Jasper.

[antarmike]

http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/big-lorry-blog/2009/03/jerrys-eager-beaver-gets-a-new.html

 

another one with a safe future?? (this one has a servo on the brakes, If I ever want to stop in my E.B. maybe I should do the same!)

Edited July 31, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Adiss Ababa 1985, Ethiopian food crisis...(oops dropped that Pallet!)

Edited July 26, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Etheopian crisis 1985, Eager Beaver loads Hercules.

 

Seems like the engine cover is painted yellow to me. Aid to visibility on airfield?

 

And talking of safety, neither driver wears the obligatory crash helmet!

Edited July 24, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Finally got hold of copy of Eager Beaver Technical Folder. I had wondered where all the bits on the Eager Beaver came from, now I know a bit more. The wheels, Aluminium, are LV6/MT14/2530-99-809-2831 which equates to Saladin/Saracen wheels.

 

I had thought the axles were cut down RL Axles, they are not, they are built up from Bedford parts using Original short axle case on each side, and I cannot see exactly why, but they use swivels and hubs from the short side alround. This means that the caster angle is correct on one side of the front axle, and faces the wrong way on the other side. Rear axle has one right and one wrong also, but on the other side of the vehicle.

 

There is a note saying since vehicle is steered hydraulically caster angle is not important, but it warns that examiners, checking the steering geometry, should be told about this designed anomoly before inspectioing the machine!!!

 

Don't you just love ROF Nottingham!!

Edited August 1, 2009 by antarmike

[AndyFowler]

Two Eager Beavers at War and Peace this year ! The mint one that was at Duxford and one other ! :-D

[antarmike]

Well thats five now with near identical roll cages fitted, this has to be the official British Army elf and safety retro-fit to late owned E.B's doesn't it?

[AndyFowler]

Well thats five now with near identical roll cages fitted, this has to be the official British Army elf and safety retro-fit to late owned E.B's doesn't it?

 

Looks that way Mike ! I wonder how many poor fellas where injured or worse in rollover accidents before they where modified ? :sweat:

[antarmike]

Maybe no-body, it may be a case like seat belts. Compulsory wearing of which has not altered the injury or death rate to drivers. Before seat belts had to be worn, you felt more at risk and adjusted you driving to match the percieved risk. When seat belts had to be worn, you felt a heck of a lot safer, so started to drive in a more risk taking mode, accidents went up, but the seat belts mitigated the carnage.

 

Probably before roll cages, you felt unsafe sat high up on an APFLT, so you driving was restrained. Get in one with a roll cage and you feel safer, but caution goes out the window.

 

I have driven mine at 45 MPH with the roll cage, but if I ever get the other one (no roll cage) on the road, I doubt if I will feel like driving at that "breakneck" speed!

[antarmike]

I am stoopid. for ages I have known there were a couple of trays, full of nuts and bolts, hydraulic fittings, Riv-nuts ans old carkeys and an inch of dirt, laying on the back of the "Spare Eager Beaver " I bought some time ago. A few days ago I realised these trays were actually original fibre-glass battery covers.

 

I now have them fitted to my "good" E.B. and I don't have to risk dropping a spanner across the terminals, and blowing up a battery.

 

Dooh, if only I had realised sooner!!!

[antarmike]

Another design anomoly of the E.B. The linings on the leading shoes of the front axle brakes are thicker than the trailing shoes, since they do more of the braking and take more of the wear.

 

Yes you have guessed, because the rear axle is a front axle turned around, on the rear, the leading shoe taking most of the wear, has the thin lining, and the trailing shoe is fitted with a thick lining. Brilliant design.

[antarmike]

Heres a nice one for you Mike ! Won second best in show at IWM Duxford today ! Spoke to the owner and he made it up from three vehicles over a few years ! Imaculate ! One for my lottery barn definitely ! :-D

 

 

I may be picky, but with recent thread about originality in my mind, I am amused that the runner up to best at show at Duxford has the wrong indicator lenses fitted!

 

The side/stop lights and the white work lights are of the all glass pattern according to the parts book

but the indicators should be the larger type with a steel back and thread.

 

Mine may be scruffy and have at lot wrong with it but at least I can find the right indicator lenses!

 

If you look at the shape of the mounting you will see it is shaped, at the lower edge, to go round the larger lenses, image from parts book.,

Do you think if it had the correct indicators it would have won? (or do you think the judges don't actually know enough to spot the wrong lights are fitted??) I.e. are the judges just judging the paint and the straightness of the panels, rather than judging the authenticity of what they are looking at? Or to put it another way, is judging at an MV event just like judging at an Agricultural show, a load of old Bullocks?

Edited August 4, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

[robin craig]

Again, another very soft spot for me the old Eager Beaver. I think it is the classic function over form design with no added fluff fluff that has always attracted me to working and military vehicles and Land Rovers.

 

From one of the last times I was back in the UK I did find an Eager Beaver between Somerford Keynes and Oaksey in Gloucstershire.

 

If anyone wants info on it I can sort something.

 

I woul say that the pretty unit featured has a very Hangar Queen presentation about it with red bits galore, very Artillery like.

 

Regarding the spot light while im sure there was a specific one from the factory it they got whacked in service like any good workshop they would make the kit useable by plonking on something that would work and probably order the correct one and if it came in fit it when time allowed.

 

Robin

[Al Nickolson]

The attached photo was taken in 2003 near Beechy, Saskatchewan, Canada. I was there for an auction, but the Eager Beaver was not on the block.

Regards, Al

[robin craig]

Oh Al,

 

would you ever be able to find your way back to that location or be able to find out if it is still there?

 

Would be very interested to know more.

 

Robin

[robin craig]

Seems like the wings over the wheels were either optional or an unloved part of the kit for the vehicle from all the photos posted so far.

 

Robin

[antarmike]

Seems like the wings over the wheels were either optional or an unloved part of the kit for the vehicle from all the photos posted so far.

 

Robin

 

The prototype and/or pre production models, that with some modification became Mk1's did not have wings. The Mk2 production version all had wings, (however the parts book illustration shows an E.B. without wings, so some early Mk2 may also be wingless, see post #121) but they were easily damaged. The rear ones particularly, since not everyone is used to four wheel steer, and the way the back wings swing into walls as you steer the front away!

Typical wings!!!

 

All the wingless Mk1's went to the army. The Royal Navy , the Army and the RAF all had Mk2 E.B.'s with wings/mudguards.

 

So if you see a Navy one or an RAF one without wings, then, yes it has lost them somewhere along the way.

Edited November 30, 2009 by antarmike