Info needed: Trailer socket Humber one ton

[Robert Sexton]

I have a Humber One Ton and Brockhurst one ton trailer both under restoration. The Humber has a massive four wire trailer socket and the trailer looks like it had the same socket. Did they have a cable with two male ends joining them together? I have a NOS cable with one male end.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Hi Robert, and a cheery hello to another Humber owner.
Unfortunately I can't help you with your question, my Corio made one ton trailer does have a lead on it, which looks original although I have updated the plug for a modern 7 pin for convenience.
There is as much knowledge on MLU about the Humber as can be found, so if you have not done so may I suggest trying the "Search" button.
Please feel free to share some pics and history of the truck.
Rich.

[Dave Mills]

Hello Robert, know the trailer socket off by heart; the female section.
Unfortunarly do not yet own a Brockhurst trailer so cannot assist. I would however assume the there would be no intermediate cable just the direct coupling. Would like to see some pics of your resto as we have just completed our own ground up resto of a Humber and understand the complexities.

Dave.

[Robert Sexton]

Hello to Richard and Dave,thanks for the interest. As soon as I can locate some pics I will put them up. I have yet to learn the attaching method as I suspect my files are to large to upload.
The trailer is just about completed,just doing the wiring now.The trailer had a female plug just like the Humber and Champ,I can only presume to couple both together the lead would have to have two male ends.I have a parts manual for the trailer and it shows the female coupling on the drivers side drawbar.They are truly massive plugs and would carry a decent welding current.
The Humber is under restoration with the tray body just been completed.
I have a C60s also under resto and want to complete that as a priority. The chev is at the rolling chassis stage with engine and transmission back in and waiting to re-fit the body.

[Robert Sexton]

DSC_1133.JPG
Brockhurst one ton trailer,GS body.
Robert

[Richard Farrant]

Just to set the record straight, the trailer make is Brockhouse. I recall some were made by Joseph Sankey as well.

[chrisgrove]

Originally Posted by Robert Sexton

Attachment 86267
Brockhurst one ton trailer,GS body.
Robert

Hi Robert

I have a much smaller problem than yours as I am a modeller making a small (1/76) model of the Humber and the 1 ton trailer. I do have a book on the Humber; it has a few pics of Oz trucks - but all are FV1602A - the FFW (fitted for wireless) version. Only one has a visible ANR which is 105-779.

I do have one question, if you would be so good, though you may not know the answer! Your truck dates from 1955 or so; maybe the trailer does too. If your trailer has the original lighting arrangement, like one red light each side mounted on the outside edge of the chassis (maybe an even earlier version had only a light on one side!), can you tell me where the number plate was mounted? I can cope with the lights, but where was the number plate?

Later versions had outriggers at front and rear on each side of the trailer with lights and reflectors and, in UK at least, reflective triangles. On these ones the rear left hand outrigger (looking from the rear) carried the number plate. But my trailer will be in service at Suez 1956 and is too early for this arrangement.

Oh, and I think you will find the number of your trailer is not 678K45, but 67BK45. I have seen pics of these trailers with numbers in the BK series (so were the Humbers), but 678K45 is not a British Army number.

Chris

[john piercey]

Hi Robert,good to see photo of your Humber,looks pretty solid.
Today (3rd Dec) i am going to lightly sand doors /bonnet etc to see if i can unearth any old markings on my Fv 1601 but i am not hopeful, as you can sometimes see raised areas on old paint jobs indicating there may be something underneath,but nothing jumps out at me on my one,it all looks smooth and flat.
You were lucky to still have some markings present making it easy to shed some light on units etc.
its great to see the brilliant work going on and in to all vehicles on these forums and the wealth of knowledge that can be found out just by asking.
Cheers
John

[Robert Sexton]

John, certainly is a wealth of knowledge out there and very generous with it.I had always wondered what the brackets on the LH side of the tub were for, but a crowbar that looks like it should belong to a fettler's gang would never have entered my head.My truck is missing all of the tools but still has all the brackets with the tie down straps intact. I am short of one battery box and both battery box covers ,they are the only major items missing that I am aware of.I have yet to follow up with the 10LH about my vehicle , Dave had identified them as a the most likely original unit owner.I understand that Wayne Gardner from the Fremantle army museum is the 10LH man to talk to,he is a historian with a long active history with that unit. My Humber project has to go on the slow burner while I finish a resto job on a C60 water tanker that has a greater priority.The Sankey trailer for the Humber is finished restoration and I am at the wiring stage now.
regards, Robert

[john piercey]

Robert,i have both battery boxes but only one cover,i suspect when mine was painted red they may have removed brackets to make it easier to rub down then simply could not be bothered refitting them,unusual for a fire unit as they al seem to have shovels/rakes /picks and things fitted to aid in fire fighting.
This was unit 1 of 5 ,3 got sold off ages ago.1 burnt to the ground and prob pushed in to local tip or left in situ and this 1 was simply left in a paddock to rest for a while when the points played up,as far as i know they came straight from auction to be fire units could be from 1969 army disposal,as far as i know it has sat unused for 30 yrs.
So far on the lh door i seemed to have just rubbed thru to undercoat and red oxide primer with nothing revealed,will move on to rh door but i think same result will be the case.
Have just revealed some fairly minor rust in cab bottom around spare wheel door/rubber seal area will repair these sections then move on to roof and that should be pretty much it for rust repair with some minor surface rust needing a clean up elsewhere
john

[Richard.Moys]

Hi

Regarding your original question

The sockets are called Warner Sockets. Some trailers did have one fitted at the rear, and this is so that another trailer could be towed behind the first one and so on (More than would be a nightmare to reverse !). The British Army Warner plugs are made of rubber (see post 17 for photo) and do deteriorate with age, there is a similar US pattern that was used on some jeeps etc, these are moulded ‘plastic’ and can easily be rewired (I am pretty sure that they are interchangeable). My 1963 Rover8 has both Warner and standard 12pin Nato socket fitted.

Hope this helps
Richard

[Robert Sexton]

Thanks Richard, I had wondered if the drilled cross bar at the rear of the trailer was for another hitch as my trailer had the threaded piece to screw on the socket cap. I discarded the idea as not being practical, but subsequent pics and your confirmation proves otherwise.
The socket at the front of the trailer;was that used to connect to the towing vehicle via a piece with two male ends or did it have another purpose?
I have seen pics of trailers that look to have the connector permanently wired in as is with modern conventional trailer leads, if that was the norm then why the female socket on the trailer?
thanks for your help,
regards Robert.