Wartime Tank Transport in England

[Alan McGuinness]

The truck is almost certainly a mid 1930s Dennis 40/45 (or Ace) - the double set of horizontal louvres being quite distinctive.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks Alan, had discounted the louvers as being something in between the tank and the truck, not the look I had imagined at all.
Hi-jacking of post resolved, and my thanks to David for such an interesting post, it appears that there was a lapse in the amount of red tape back in the day, tanks too high, build new wagons .... Job Done.
I do wonder what would have been the solution if the tanks had been too wide.
Rich.

[chrisgrove]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

I do wonder what would have been the solution if the tanks had been too wide.
Rich.

Pleased that the solution has been found (though the Thorny I suggested has very similar louvres in the bonnet sides).

If the tanks are too wide, they do not travel by rail! The small British rail gauge (not the track gauge) bedevilled our tank design for many years. Eventually the designers had to ignore it, though most of the newer tanks were able to travel on contonental railways. Even those M10s are overhanging the warwells.

Chris

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Alan McGuinness

The truck is almost certainly a mid 1930s Dennis 40/45 (or Ace) - the double set of horizontal louvres being quite distinctive.

Ah, of course. Now here is a link to photo of a Dennis Ace moving artwork to storage during the War, another photo of same truck has LMS on the door, same as in the railway photo.
http://pics.imcdb.org/0is338/masterp...orary.7820.jpg

[Richard Farrant]

Here is the other photo, not sharp, but sure it is LMS on it.http://www.imcdb.org/i360582.jpg

[David Dunlop]

You guys with Eagle Eyes are good!

I was having trouble not realizing the armour clearly visible were M10's and not the standard Sherman.


David

[Alex van de Wetering]

Thanks Alan; I'm glad both Richard C-S and I were wrong! It's strange how a small Dennis lorry can look that big! (and modern )
Here are two Flickr pictures, to confirm Richards comment on the LMS lettering.

source: http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/denni...ed/Interesting

I do wonder what would have been the solution if the tanks had been too wide.

Ask zzee Germans. They had a set of extra (narrow) transport tracks for the Tiger I in order to prepare it for rail transport...along with removing the fenders and the outer wheels. (the Tiger I in Saumur is on the narrow tracks)

Modern Leopard tanks have thick side armor with hinges. These can be moved out of the way to allow them to be transported by rail, without damaging trains stations along the route.