AndyFowler Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Welcome to the forum mate ! Looks like a very nice buy ! Regards Andy :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 X 6 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) I am the new owner of the hippo. I'm pleased to hear it. The Hippo is what I call a proper lorry. I admire you for driving it back to N.I. and not going for the low loader option. I've made similar journeys in lorries I've just bought, and don't know, and can well imagine the sense of relief you must have felt when you finally got home and put the handbrake on. The fact that this Hippo completed the the trip without mishap says quite a lot about the overall condition. Jim, when you have the time, would you like to post a few 'photos of your lorries. What year was the Hippo built and have you been able to find out anything about it's history while it was in the army ? Thanks. Edited March 6, 2009 by 6 X 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmclaughlin1 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 The hippo was built in 1945.I know nothing of its history but I,m sure there is some way i can find out . My bedford came from the T/A I am the first owner on its release from the T/A. It was bought at an ex M.O.D sale in Belfast.The hippo was bought on E bay in St Annes Lancs.I also have a Lister generator with a J.P.4 engine and a 110 volt dc dynamo which I belive powered searchlights during the war it was built in 1939.the generator engine is dismantled but I think complete. I hope to start rebuilding soon I will post some photo,s as soon as I find out how Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmclaughlin1 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Welcome to the forum mate ! Looks like a very nice buy ! Regards Andy :-D Thanks for the welcome.I.ll provide more info when I get the hang of this forum thingy .Regards John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 X 6 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 The hippo was built in 1945.I know nothing of its history but I,m sure there is some way i can find out . I'm sure there are forum members with WW11 searchlights.....maybe you should get together ! This thread may help if you would like to research the history of your Hippo. http://www.hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?t=7682 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmclaughlin1 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thanks for the info will see what I can find out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duson Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Hi all, our reenactors club bought a Hippo from the UK recently. Only a couple of weeks ago it arrived in our place in Czech Republic. It needs some working on but it runs so hopefuly it will be on the road again soon. We have started the restoration already. On the second page of this thread I found a picture of the MK1 Hippo which seems to be very rare model. Does anybody know of any surviving example? Any more pictures of this type please? What are the differences from the MK2 apart from the open cab, different spare wheel holder and tanks? Cheers Dusan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Tyre size the mark 2 was on 14.00x 20 front and rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Mk2A had 10.50-22 front and twin 36x8 rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duson Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Thanks guys for the info. Anybody has got a service manual for sale by any chance? I would be happy with a copy. :flowers: Cheers Dusan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Mk2A had 10.50-22 front and twin 36x8 rear. Which mark is it then on 14.00 x20 all round then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Which mark is it then on 14.00 x20 all round then? Mark2 and mark2B, although according to Bart some had 13.50x20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi all, our reenactors club bought a Hippo from the UK recently. Only a couple of weeks ago it arrived in our place in Czech Republic. It needs some working on but it runs so hopefuly it will be on the road again soon. We have started the restoration already. On the second page of this thread I found a picture of the MK1 Hippo which seems to be very rare model. Does anybody know of any surviving example? Any more pictures of this type please? What are the differences from the MK2 apart from the open cab, different spare wheel holder and tanks? Cheers Dusan Dusan I brought the other hippo which was on ebay, tasha and I have 2 now. regds Julian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HippoDave Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Heres a couple of beauties on display at Dorset steam fair last year 2008 ! The hippo pictured first (TSU418) is my hippo which was built in 1945 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Very nice lorry Dave ! Got any more photos please ? :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippotastic Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 The hippo pictured first (TSU418) is my hippo which was built in 1945 And the Hippo in the second/third picture LFX301G is my hippo!! (1945) Hi Dave you got home ok? Nigel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 And the Hippo in the second/third picture LFX301G is my hippo!! (1945) Nigel. Hi Nigel, How did your trainee Leyland driver get on with your Martian? Sadly I was not able to get to the show this year. regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HippoDave Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 And the Hippo in the second/third picture LFX301G is my hippo!! (1945) Hi Dave you got home ok? Nigel. Hi Nigel yeah got home with no problems and managed to get an earlier ferry aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippotastic Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Hi Nigel, How did your trainee Leyland driver get on with your Martian? Sadly I was not able to get to the show this year. regards, Richard Hello Richard, Well the boy did good. Amazingly the martian did struggle to keep up with the hippo on the journey to and from the show! Nelly put this down to the size of it (not sure if he meant him or the truck!) But hope to attend again with the pair of leyland's next year. Shame you couldn't make it there this year. Neil told me last thing on sunday that he was terrified that i was going to put a "lost person" announcement over the PA like you did the previous year! And to meet him at the lost childen's tent! poor little chap! Glad you had a good run back Dave. See you at the next gdsf!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Hello Richard, Well the boy did good. Hi Nigel, I think he enjoyed driving it, by all accounts when I spoke to him this week. Your Hippo has a fair turn of speed, from my recollections of the trip to a New Forest pub a couple of years ago. The Martian would be quite a bit heavier. Will try to get there next year hopefully. He will never forget that PA announcement.........as was not impressed by it !! regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Big wheel Hippo East Kirkby Small twin wheel Hippo same location Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raf753 Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 I don't know if this is the place for this tale of long ago----but I'm telling it . Long , long ago , when Britain had a narmy and a nempire , I was posted to Hong Kong to be wiv me bruvver . I was in the Raf and he was a pongo . Er , an army chap , a Sapper to be precise . I was stationed at Sek Kong , and he was at Tai Lam Chung . Sapper Morgan (Bill) had a pedigree pet called a Hippo . He slept with it , cherished it and would let no-one else touch it . He used to give me rides in it with the blessing of his CO who was a marvellous chap . In the New Territories , HK , there are two towns (Tsun Wan and Sek Kong) joined by a military road over the highest mountain there (Tai Mo Shan) . The road was known as the TWSK , or twist by the lads , because it was bends and sharper bends all the way up and down . So bad that our supply tankers were forbidden to use it , except once a year to see if it could be done No health and safety there , then . Bill's nemesis was a particularly nasty rsm , he even tried rollocking me once , but that's another story . Bill's Hippo was fitted with an engine limiter --supposedly to limit its top speed but not helpful when double de clutching .The limiter could be disconnected from in the cab . Bill had to take part in a convoy over TWSK and the RSM picked Bill's Hippo as his steed . Bill said that he was supposed to kill the limiter on such a road , but clever rsm overruled him . So Bill let the thing loose going downhill , and as the speed built up , rsm kept tapping speedometer with his pace stick , looking more and more alarmed . Which is just what Bill wanted ..He told the idiot that he couldn't get enough revs to change down because of the limiter . By this time , rsm is panicky enough to tell Bill to do what he had to . You can guess the rest . The sequel to this was that Bill got into trouble with rsm , only saved by CO . I took the trouble a couple of days later to beat up the camp in a Vampire , coincidentally the rsm had his head under some truck rollocking someone and he banged his head as he shot up in fright . Needless to say , I never had to buy another drink at Bill's camp . Nice truck , the Hippo , it leads to adventures galore . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildside Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Here are the pictures I have of my old hippos. If anybody is looking for a rear cargo body off of a mk2b hippo please contact me as I know where one is sat rotting, I drove a lot of miles in my old hippos and enjoyed every moment of it they are a great truck fun to drive and with the transfer box turned round will just about keep up with modern traffic., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 heres some from the RAWHS collection . not too good quality on some but enough to see what the vehicle is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 The last but one on the previous post has a folding cab top half, hinges on the front. These cabs were usually on RAF Leyland 19/H which carried mobile radar scanner equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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