sabre Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hello, I bought this recovery trailer and I'm looking for all possible information on it (TM?) It was built 1959 and can take 5 Tons. It was behind a Bedford TM recovery. I suppose it was for recovering LR's and Ferrets? It has to go behind the Leyland 4 tonner and take the Carawagon to shows. Many thanks for all informationand help Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I bought this recovery trailer and I'm looking for all possible information on it (TM?) It was built 1959 and can take 5 Tons. It was behind a Bedford TM recovery. I suppose it was for recovering LR's and Ferrets? Hi Piet, Do you have any makers details for this trailer? You are asking for a TM, does this mean it is a US military trailer? I have not seen one of these in British service. I may be wrong, but features of it look remarkably like the 1.75 tonne Arrows 2-wheel trailer :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hi Richard, It was bought to be British Military:confused: Attached a picture of the indication plate stating CWK Engineering in Leeds as the manufacturar. The hydraulic brake damper is SACOL (similar to the ones on the wide tracks). The man who sold it, bought the combination of the Bedford and the trailer. To me, they go togetgher because they match so very well. The trailer has a roll in front, taking the cable, so that the winch of the towing vehicle can be used to put a vehicle on the trailer. I would have tought this would be an easier one to trace, but maybe I have something very unique:cool2: Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 The cynic in me says the CWK plate is home made and the date is conveniently pre-1960 to gain the plating exemption if used unladen. I would be careful putting 5 tons on it too, looks a bit fragile for that. If it has been used laden, it should have a ministry plate on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 The cynic in me says the CWK plate is home made and the date is conveniently pre-1960 to gain the plating exemption if used unladen. The name does not appear to have been registered at Companies House. Doubtful if the MOD would have sourced a trailer from other than a registered company.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Without examining it, difficult to say, but my feeling is that it is made up from two ex-military Arrow widetrack trailers, the Sacol draught eye assembly fits this, as do the type of wheels, what I can see of the suspension and some of the features of the chassis. Looks a good usable trailer but not built for the military in that form, I agree with Adrian about the date, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hello All, you could be right about the plate and the year! I was very suprised about the year because it looks more eighties to me. Also the weight of 2 Tons is over the top I think. So the chance that someone wanted it to be older or capable of carrying more weight is very realistic. The trailer hasn't been delivered yet but I certainly remember: - it has such a small MOD record plate - I would be very suprised if it wasn't built for the MOD because every item on it is realy military spec(lights, electric cabling, reflectors,....) - I think there is even such an MOD barcode sticker. I will check this when it arrives (Dec 23 rd) If you open the picture and zoom in, you can see that under the blue plate, there has been a military id plate. The small grey sticker at the right of it must be the MOD bar code. OK I have to look for the technical info of this trailer. I will need this specs to have it registered over here! Indeed, most parts are the same as the arrows trailers. Can somebody tell me what companies made those trailers? Let the search begin! Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) It looks very Arrows to me, I have altered mine a bit and one easy way to check if it is made up of two trailers is to look at any welds in the chassis and look for areas with no galvanizing under the paint, this would have had to be ground off to weld and should be quite obvious . All original welds are neat and good quality, any welds done without grinding will look bad. Edited December 13, 2008 by gritineye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 OK Piet, The last photo has given me a clue, from a detail on the drawbar, the trailer appeared to be based on parts from a 1 3/4 tonne widetrack Arrows trailer. I now think it is based on a similar trailer that carried generator sets, FV2406 Trailer Flat Platform 2.5 tonne, 2 wheeled. On looking at a MVEE vehicle guidebook, the following info; tyres ; 8.25R16 14 ply suspension; trailing arms with Aeon rubber springs Manufacturers; Arrow Construction Equipment Ltd, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 5TB also; Rubery Owen Warrington Ltd. GKN Sankey Ltd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Okay Richard, we are getting there! In my British Defence Equipment Catalogue of 1984, they talk about a conversion potential of the FV2406 to obtain a four-wheeled close-coupled one. So I suppose they went int production sometime after that year. So we now know what to look for! So to everyone: I could do with all info on these conversions. Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) Okay Richard, we are getting there! In my British Defence Equipment Catalogue of 1984, they talk about a conversion potential of the FV2406 to obtain a four-wheeled close-coupled one. So I suppose they went int production sometime after that year. So we now know what to look for! So to everyone: I could do with all info on these conversions. Piet Piet, As can be seen, there were several contractors involved with these trailers, Arrow, Rubery Owen and Sankey. You have now narrowed it down to Rubery Owen, and it looks like it might have been experimental (?). I have Janes Vehicles & Ground Equipment catalogue for 1983 and the two wheeled trailers are listed, also the same photo as that in the centre of your page, with the walking beam type of twin axles. The text said it was a trial to use two axles, because as the single axle trailer was primarily for large generating sets, they could be difficult to man handle, were top heavy and unstable when set up on soft ground. I can vouch for the manhandling bit, because we used to get the 40kw sets in on these single axle trailers. Also the two axle trailer had a system to raise and lower the suspension for each axle, doing away with the need for a jockey wheel. If your trailer does not have this suspension lift system, I would look carefully, because it still could be a made up conversion. Unless more info can be found....... Your page photo is hard to read, but I just noticed the pic at the bottom, similar to yours is a 1 tonne capacity !! Edited December 13, 2008 by Richard Farrant added info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Rubery Owen, are they still in business? Do they still supply MOD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Rubery Owen, are they still in business? Do they still supply MOD? I believe the company is presently dormant, so not currently supplying. They were a group with fingers in many pies at one time, so maybe operating in other fields and under other names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 OK so that won't be a source of information. I would like to try the musuem that holds the records on vehicles. Does anybody have information on them? Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Well if the makers plate is genuine, the first part of the chassis number is a date code, then this is chassis 8. so that implies either very eraly in production, or very limited production run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 Hello, the trailer arrived yesterday and as thought, the main ID plate is missing. FV666350 is the FV number on the small plate The number of the MOD barcode is 00000553691365139021 Can anyone tell me what it is by these numbers? Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Hello, the trailer arrived yesterday and as thought, the main ID plate is missing. FV666350 is the FV number on the small plate The number of the MOD barcode is 00000553691365139021 Can anyone tell me what it is by these numbers? Piet Hi Piet, I feel sure that the number, FV666350, is the part number for the plate, definitley not the designation for the trailer as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hello all, Still no more info on the trailer, but as you see on the pictures I'll do what it is bought for! Let's hope registration goes well! CU Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 hi Piet, The trailer looks good, loaded behind your Leyland :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Thanks Richard, such reactions are always a motivation to continue! Piet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Piet, that Leyland/landrover combo looks so right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 (edited) OK, here's an update: the braking system as it is on the trailer didn't pass "MOT". I'm going to register it downrated to 3500 kgs, so I have to bring it back to the normal overrun braking system. Is there somebody who has pictures or drawings of these systems (eg on arrow trailers)-SACCOL seemes to be the manufacturar. Is there any lead to someone who sells these systems or has spare parts for them. Or is someone breaking one? Thanks Piet Edited January 26, 2009 by sabre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Is there somebody who has pictures or drawings of these systems (eg on arrow trailers)-SACCOL seemes to be the manufacturar. Is there any lead to someone who sells these systems or has spare parts for them. Or is someone breaking one? Hi Piet, Only one C in SACOL I think. Give it a Google, there appear to be some for sale when I searched just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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