Parkes Radio Telescope CMP
 

Fellows,
I work for the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (Narrabri) as a Cryogenics Officer and in my travels I came across this old warhorse at Parkes.
http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/
Speaking to the older members of our group it has been there a long time and I would hazard a guess that it was used in the construction of the telescope in the early 60's plus used as a crane truck until new HSE regulations sent it to the scrap heap.
Please see photos.
BTW it is definitely "NOT FOR SALE" otherwise I would have added it to my collection by now :D :D :D
Cheers
John Wilson

What the heck???
 

What does the data plate in the fourth photo mean?

Sorry,
Photo is a bit blurry!!!!
here is what it says;

General Motors of Canada LTd
Oshawa Canada
Chassis model 8443
Cab Model WO 48
Chassis serial 2 8443 P00194
Engine Serial PR 3866621
Date of Manufacture 20 - 12 - 43

Hope this helps
Cheers
John Wilson

number plate C of A
 

It still sports its old Commonwealth of A number plate .. A RED C followed by the numerals

Mike

Interesting Find
 

Hi John

Interesting bit of CMP history, while not being for sale, the truck would have an interesting history if it ever is released and restored.

I enjoyed browsing around http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/ web site, interesting stuff. Whats the story on the fireworks display next to the Telescope dish.

My father did some work on the dish at the Navel Research Lab in Washington DC back in the 40s and 50s. That dish is in a strange location now as it is almost directly under the main approach path for National Air Port.

Wo48
 

Hi John

An interesting find. WO 48 was 'Truck, 3-ton Stores unbinned' for Armoured Div.

Parkes Satellite Dish
 

Is this the location of the movie "The Dish"?

For those who haven't seen it, it is a great yarn about the Aussie contribution to the Moon Landing of Apollo 11. Well worth watching.

Sadly the CMP doesn't feature.

Rob

That is the site Rob :thup:

Keith,
Could you please expand on what a
'Truck, 3-ton Stores unbinned' for Armoured Div is please?
A photo would be great :)
Cheers
John
BTW For anyone who is in the vicinity of "The Dish" the weekend, they are having an open day.

Stores unbinned
 

Hi John

As far as I know it was a variation of the standard steel GS body. Sorry but I don't have a pic at this stage.

Photo one shows the basic 'UNBINNED" stores truck.
the rest show the rear body with bins installed.

Photos from the AWM and places unknown ;)

First one
 

The first pic is a Canadian C60S. The last pic is I think more like it, based on the steel GS body on a C60L Chassis.

:doh:OK didn't look when I posted the photo but the rear body set up with the wire cage would have been similar to the Aussie one. :)