Landy Question for Mr Phoenix

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Richard
I have an Army Workshop trailer, and always assumed that they were towed behind any old Landie, but that they could be linked by the trailer canvas to make the "workshop". During my last visit to Bandiana Museum (as its 15 minutes down the road, I go about once every 5-6 years), I saw a Landie with the back section the same as my trailer, a Workshop L/Rover. Was this a one off, or were there heaps of them? Tried asking one of the volunteers, which was a strange experience itself, for the heck of it I''ll give you a sample.
"Hi, this Landie...."
"See that over there, thats a Champ, did you know they can go as fast backwards as forwards?"
"Well yes I did, I own one and we drive it ......."
"Well I've never driven one, I drive a Toyota, the best.....greatest.... billion miles without a service..... trillion miles to the gallon.......(10 minutes later {Ikid you not})"
"Well how about this Humber tru....."
"Of course the 2nd best 4x4 ever made was the Dodge Weapons Carrier, Best fishing (?) truck in the world, pity we don't have any around here....(5 more minutes)"
"Well actually there is one just down the road at Bar......"
" Still the old Toyota........"
I gave up, so I'll ask my questions here instead.
Are there any photos of these trailers in use with the tow vehicle?
Any information not involving Toyotas welcome.
Rich.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

blasted photo won't attach, trying again

[Tony Smith]

Richard, the Workshop body was fitted to many Ser 2A's (both early and late styles) and some Ser 3's. While the basic form of the body was the same, there were lots of different variations to the actual fitout of both the Truck body and the Trailer to suit various applications, ie: Armourer's workshop, lube truck, welder, instrument repair, etc. The REMLR Fleet Information page suggests that there were 437 workshop trucks in 14 different versions. The Trailers were fitted out in a similar number of variants! I have owned both a 2A Workshop and a Workshop trailer (which I still have)

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks Tony.
setting up one of these trailers is not something undertaken lightly, think they were designed to keep as many guys occupied as long as possible. Fully errected once (15 years ago), but carried heaps of firewood in it.
Rich
PS. The way the canvas folds back on itself acts like a parachute when towing, I imagine the similar set up on the Workshop landie would slow the combination down considerably, not to mention the fuel economy.

[phoenix]

I know of one workshop land rover and workshop trailer coming to corowa from canberra, so you can have a close gander at one there.

The Army No.5 Trailer and the workshop bodied land rover indeed have the very same platform attached to them. I think I even have the ADE drawings showing detail on a number of the parts of the platform and canopy.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks Richard,
Did'nt even know that they were called a "No.5" trailer. I usually drag mine along to Corowa, these day its about the only outing it gets.
Rich.

[Tony Smith]

Phoenix, the "No5" is the name for the GS box trailer (and follows on from "trailers, 1/2 ton, No1, 2, 3, 3A and 4 (Aust), all General Service cargo box bodies), and was not applied to the Workshop trailer, which was generally known as a "Trailer, 1/2 ton, Platform" (or other specialised variant). I note you have used No5 interchangably between GS and Wksp trailers in the REMLR ARN lists.

[phoenix]

I didn't actually compile the No.5 lists (an in progress project). However I believe that is how they were listed in the ARN books. I'd have to find what images I have of trailer entries in the books to check however.

you know i'd never noticed that we had done that in the ARN listing. I guess the fact that it's the same chassis has led to both being called No.5's, however you are correct, technically it's a 1/2 ton platform trailer.

[Ian Pullen]

Richard, as you live only 15 minutes from the Museum, give me a PM and let me know when you are coming over next. Hopefully not in another five years.

In defence of our volunteers, remember, they are volunteers and many do not have a military background. Ask anyone who works in these environments, you cannot go forward without your volunteers, good or bad.

They perform a task that is often overlooked and give countless hours of their own time and effort without being paid.

Human nature dictates that some are always going to be better than others in various fields.

Next time mate, give me a call. After 23 years in RAEME, and driving WKSP 2a L/Rovers and trailers for almost half of that time. I am fairly familiar with them.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Ian
I will say that the museum is a lot different than when I first went there. No little picket fences to keep you away, no dust and litter, and every impression that the vehicles are ready to fire up drive away, (as indeed many can), and a good cross section as well.
I guess I was surprised at this guys ( would you prefer perceived) lack of interest in the vehicles. Fair enough ,years ago when someone poor soul pulled museum duty for buggering about, they were not interested, but with someone volunteering to be there I expected some modicum of interest in the museums exhibits. I went expecting to learn something, and in particular to have a good look at the Humber FV1600 .It was dissapointing that I came away none the wiser, and perhaps in that this guy missed out on an oppourtunity to pick up a little something about one of his Exhibits. BTW why IS the pick head mounted where it is on the Champ.
Really, the biggest joke was that being a Landie owner (Series II, III, Defender, Rangie) for over twenty years I got heartly sick of hearing about Bloody Toyotas every time I went bush. Now its happening again!
Regards
Rich

[Mike K]

A friend emailed me a few pics of the VMVC trip to the opening of the Bandiana museum , 1978 . I drove up as co-driver of the club presidents Jeep . These pics taken by my fellow driver . It was around April I think .

Now, I hope I can sort out the new pic posting method .

The immaculate 42 Ford belonged to Member Bert Barker .

Two regular army MP's drove the museums Jeep around for the day .

Mike

[Keith Webb]

I can see Hugh's ambulance there too.

[Mike K]

Pictured at Benalla enroute , the presidents Jeep .

Interesting seeing the Ford Falcons on the Hume highway, passing the GMC and GPA.

Dave Mottram's Stude at Seymour

Gary Burns CJ ambulance

30 years ago.... seems like it happened last weekend .

Mike

[sapper740]

...you ever wonder why so few end up for sale at Crown Assets disposal yards? Perhaps it's because the Royal Engineers use them as Legos! Here is what I believe to be a CHAVRE using Landies as building blocks. What a shame!

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

A shame?
I dunno, I would have been quite happy to see them do that to my LandRover Defender....as long as the salesman was strapped in!
Rich.

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

A shame?
I dunno, I would have been quite happy to see them do that to my LandRover Defender....as long as the salesman was strapped in!
Rich.

Which model Defender did you have, Rich? I had a Discovery TDi which I loved but which also was the least reliable vehicle I have ever owned, and that includes Morris Minors and Oxfords. It leaked oil (of course), the ABS died, constant trouble with the drive belts, cooling system failure, cam belt broke, alarm malfunction, the list goes on. It was the 4 cylinder 300 TDi series.

A couple of years ago I bought a similar package - a Mitsubishi DiD Pajero which has been brilliant.

[Richard Farrant]

Land Rovers have never been the same since Ford took them over

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Land Rovers have never been the same since Ford took them over

Really? At my work there was a Customer who used to bring his landie in and on the back there was a sticker that read "Authorised Ford Destroyer". The sticker was quite old and the author has been proved to be quite intuitive...

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Which model Defender did you have, Rich? I had a Discovery TDi which I loved but which also was the least reliable vehicle I have ever owned, and that includes Morris Minors and Oxfords. It leaked oil (of course), the ABS died, constant trouble with the drive belts, cooling system failure, cam belt broke, alarm malfunction, the list goes on. It was the 4 cylinder 300 TDi series.

A couple of years ago I bought a similar package - a Mitsubishi DiD Pajero which has been brilliant.

My experiences with Landies and other British cars date back nearly 40 years, and they were all good experiences. The predecessor to B.C. Railway was the Pacific Great Eastern railway. They used 88's to get around B.C.'s mountainous terrain in order to work on the rails. After a decade or so of hard use, they would auction their Land Rovers off. They were always eagerly snapped up by the public because, even though the bodies were badly battered, they were kept in perfect mechanical condition. A good friend of mine bought one and we spent many a weekend 4X4ing the backwoods of B.C., usually drunk as skunks and having the time of our lives. The Landie never let us down. The same can be said for the multitude of Sunbeams, Hillmans, Austins, Cortinas, Humbers, Jaguars, Triumphs, MG's, Commers, and Morris's that were driven by various friends and brothers of mine. Of course, these were all pre-British Leyland.
What happened after British Leyland came into being? I have no idea but the quality of British cars went into the dumpster and lead to the demise of many British car dealers in Canada. What a shame.

[Keith Webb]

The issue of reliability with my earlier cars was more to do with their age than build quality. The first car I owned ($25) was a 1959 Singer Gazelle, followed by around 15 Minors of various types. They had weak gearboxes, especially the series II. The Morris Oxford series MO had weak axles and the diecast door handles used to just break off. Having said all that I loved them and learned a lot about how cars worked. The price for a Morris back in the 1970s varied from free to a few hundred dollars and I don't think I ever paid over a hundred for one. My favourite was a Wolseley 4/44 which was pure style, cheap, and low mileage. My dad had a series 2A Landy which although it had done far too many miles was a great vehicle. British Leyland went on to market things like Triumphs, Mokes and Marinas as well as the spectacularly unsuccessful home-grown P76.

Sorry to hijack the thread Richard!

Originally Posted by sapper740

My experiences with Landies and other British cars date back nearly 40 years, and they were all good experiences.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Hi-Jack away Keith!
In answer to your earlier question, it was the 300TDI. My biggest problem was the local L/Rover agent. Bought it on Friday, Monday cracked the head and seized the engine the other side of Goondiwindi.(for non Aussies, about 14 hours drive away, and in the middle of no where) The Agent paid for a 2nd hand head to be fitted to get me home, which it did although leaking oil and sounding like a chaff cutter, but denied any further responsibility due to the fact that the work had not been done by them! I could go on for some time, but I now drive a (yawn) Nissan Patrol. 23 years of Landie ownership and then I went cold turkey! Don't know if I can ever recover.......makes owning the Champ a piece of cake.
Rich.

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

The Morris Oxford series MO had weak axles and the diecast door handles used to just break off. Having said all that I loved them and learned a lot about how cars worked. The price for a Morris back in the 1970s varied from free to a few hundred dollars and I don't think I ever paid over a hundred for one.

I have a story about a Morris Oxford titled, "The car that wouldn't die!" My brother bought Morris Oxford for $75 in the late '60s. After a year of faithful service and the purchase of a '57 Chevy with a high performance 327, we decided it was time to let the Morris go. Simply selling her wasn't in the cards though, we decided that nothing short of a fiery end fit for a Viking King entering Valhalla would do. Off to Blueberry Bowl (pre Provincial Park era) on Hollyburn Mountain we went with our load of shotguns, shells, and many glass 1 gallon wine bottles full of gasoline. At the time, Blueberry Bowl had recently been logged and there were many logging roads, one of which was on a steep hill at the bottom of which was a hairpin turn onto a bridge. If you missed the turn you would fall into a 150 ft. deep chasm. We spent a delightful afternoon alternately bashing into things with the Morris and holing it with blasts from the shotguns. She took it all in stride and we actually were reluctant to end that which she clung to so tenaciously, but to all things, there is a season. We loaded the gas filled wine bottles into the back seat, turned the engine on to better guarantee ignition, tied the steering wheel down and with a push, off she went. It was a glorious, fitting end for such a dependable vehicle, the likes of which few autos can aspire to.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by sapper740

It was a glorious, fitting end for such a dependable vehicle, the likes of which few autos can aspire to.

Or... you could have taken it to a Junkyard and got $20 and a valuable resource could have been recycled. Sheesh! What were you thinking? Damn Engineers have to blow everything up!




PS I like Explosions!

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by sapper740

I have a story about a Morris Oxford

It would have been completely justifiable provided there are pictures, preferably motion ones.

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

It would have been completely justifiable provided there are pictures, preferably motion ones.

Those were different times, eh? We were young, dumb and full of something that rhymes with dumb. They were glorious times where consequence was a big word like marmalade and had no business in our lives. Keith, I could have borrowed my girlfriend's father's Super 8 movie camera, and left proof of our shenanigans, but I wasn't THAT dumb. Derek.