Trying to identify this truck

[Alex van de Wetering]

I have got two questions concerning the bridging truck in this picture.

1 Can anyone identify the bridging truck in this "famous" picture?
AEC Marshall? Albion? Guy?? Has anyone got any ideas?

2 Does anyone know if there are any of these WW2 "bridging-trucks" surviving in the world? Maybe a restored example?
I am thinking of building a scale model of a bridging truck in the future, but I still have to decide what model.....Guy, Albion, Diamond T? I am looking for detailed info on the bodies of these trucks, so I am trying to locate any surviving examples.

Alex van de Wetering

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
1 Can anyone identify the bridging truck in this "famous" picture?
AEC Marshall? Albion? Guy?? Has anyone got any ideas?

Alex, as far as I know this is a Folding Boat Carrier, either a Leyland Retriever or Albion BY5 - see the thread Truck Identification.

2 Does anyone know if there are any of these WW2 "bridging-trucks" surviving in the world? Maybe a restored example?

There's one currently advertised on MilWeb:

1944 Albion BY5 folding Boatcarrier
With folding boat pridging body, unregistered since 50s release 493 miles now fully refurbished to 1944 spec, believed ony surviving make and type, a must for serious collectors, museums, sensible offers please.
01756 752080 G. Hargraves 07 October '04

[Bill Murray]

Alex:
I am going with the Albion BY5 for the moment. I am at the office and only have one of Bart's books here but I will look further this evening when I return home.
Bill

[Pete Ashby]

Alex

The bridge carrier is a 1941 Leyland Retriever, it has the later pattern high backed cab and windscreen with the "Scammell" type late small radiator. Production stopped in November 1941, this truck would have been built after December 1940.

I have a June 1940 workshop version of this truck under restoration currently


Pete

[Bill Murray]

Thanks for correcting my "guess" Pete.
According to Mike Conniford's Military Vehicle Pamphlet Number 2, it is a Pontoon carrier used by the RASC to carry two bow pontoons or two centre pontoons of a Bailey Bridge or Bailey Rafts. Seems as if there were about 10 various bodies on the chassis and Mike states there were 6.542 built and some served as late as the 1960's.
I have 4-5 photos of other variants I can scan in if anyone is interested.
Bill

[cliff]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
I have 4-5 photos of other variants I can scan in if anyone is interested.

yes please Bill

[Oliver Missing]

Alex,

two pics of a Retriever Pontoon Bridge from Mike Conniford's superbe MVP #2.

• The first dated March 1943 showing a vehicle at Geneifa in the Western Desert (you definitely need pontoon bridges in the desert...), while
• the second dated pre-DDay shows the "Mickey Mouse Ear" pattern camouflage.

HTH,
Oliver.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Found a clearer, bigger picture of the truck in question. I'd say a Leyland Retriever also. Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
Found a clearer, bigger picture of the truck in question.

Not sure about the lorry, but can identify the trailer behind the jeep, it is an Orme Evans 10 cwt GS made under Contract No. S2011.

Richard

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Not sure about the lorry, but can identify the trailer behind the jeep, it is an Orme Evans 10 cwt GS made under Contract No. S2011.

Just for Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Mark W. Tonner
Just for Richard

Gee.........thanks Mark

[Alex van de Wetering]

Thanks for the reactions so far. In my opinion it’s quite hard to find the differences between the Guy, Leyland and Albion trucks. I can remember an evening several years ago, when a friend of mine and I were trying to identify the truck in this picture. We had Bart VanderVeen’s “fighting vehicles directory” to help us in this search, but in the end we didn’t find the right answer. But now I know what it is, a Leyland Retriever.
I intend to build a scale-model of this truck in the future, so any Info on the Leyland Retriever or other folding boat and bridging-trucks are more than welcome!

Pete Ashby: I am very much interested in your Leyland. Would it be possible for you to send me some information? Pictures, chassis-drawings/lubrication charts, drawings of the dashboard; anything is welcome at this stage. p.s. Retrievers were never produced with cab doors???

Bill Murray: Yes Please! Any info is welcome in this stage. I have been able to find some small drawings of the folding boat/bridging bodies, but I still lack detailed information for an accurate scale-model.

Oliver Missing: the pictures you posted are terrific and are a great help for a scale model! A pontoon-carrier-truck in the desert? That would sure cause a discussion at a scale modeling contest!

Mark W. Tonner: I can almost read the registration and shipping-text on the cab of the Leyland, great! Can someone provide an even better scan? My scan is from a post-card I bought in “Café Gondree” in Benouville, Normandy. I believe the original picture is from the Imperial War Museum, London.

I am thinking of scratchbuilding the Leyland, although it would also be possible to use a “Resicast Leyland Retriever” or “Wespe Models” Leyland Retriever as a base, for anyone interested (Cliff?).

Thanks guys,

Alex

[Pete Ashby]

Alex

Resi Cast used my truck as the master for their 1:35 resin Leyland Retriever, this was a most interesting experience spanning about two years.

My truck was at that stage a huge pile of parts. The English chap by the name of Luke who makes masters for Resi cast spent hours and hours measuring every component the result is amazing and I even get a mention in the construction plans.

Leyland’s never had doors just a canvas sheet, windscreens were a late addition post August 1940 for softies.

PM me and I'll scan you some stuff and send it

Regards

Pete

[cliff]

yes Alex I know of those two companies. Wespe unfortunately is well out of price range due to the exchange rate and the other is equally out of reach for the same reason, Price!

So I guess I'll stick to my Aussie Types

PS> out of the two I would go for the Resicast one over the Wespe for Quality alone!

[Oliver Missing]

Originally posted by Pete Ashby
Alex
...
PM me and I'll scan you some stuff and send it
Regards
Pete

Pete,
as I'm currently trying to scale draw a Russian Leyland Retriever, I, too, would really appreciate any scans of your vehicle.
Regards,
Oliver.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
2 Does anyone know if there are any of these WW2 "bridging-trucks" surviving in the world?

Here's one, barely surviving...

Source: Wracktauchen Rotes-Meer auf der SS Thistlegorm

[Alex van de Wetering]

Haha,

You have foun these while searching for pictures of the Morris CS11, didn't you? I came across the same pictures. It suddenly makes diving more interesting!

p.s. I also found some more internet-pages on the same ship/diving lacation.

Alex