Quote:
Originally posted by Les Freathy
A couple more knockers this time the LWB general service both with fitted Atlas cranes. what i find unusual about these two is that one has the nomal long body and crane the other a short body with the crane frame mounted between the cab and body, prehaps Richard can come up with a awnser as he used to work on these in his REME fitting days as to how the lond body crane was mounted
Les
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Les,
The upper photo looks like the normal CALM, with shorter drop side at the front end of the body. You can see the stabiliser legs, which are part of the crane's main frame.
Now the lower pic, is unusual, I must say, because there do not appear to be stabilisers on it. The crane cannot be mounted in the body, it would defeat the object, by reducing load capacity. I do note that the spare wheel carrier is further to the outside of the vehicle, so think the crane must be between body and cab. As it is not a version I recollect, it is pure guesswork, but it is possible that this lower one has a particular role handling light loads, which is why no stabilisers. The Stalwart was another such example, the ammo carrier crane payload was different to the REME fitters one.
My introduction to these AEC 10 tonners was firstly on the Coles crane version, around 25 tons gross and the first truck that I ever drove. Once you mastered the gearbox on these, you could handle anything!
There was another oddball AEC 10 tonner that came in the workshops occasionally, it had a Brimec slideoff tipping platform body for transporting plant vehicles, etc.
Richard