"HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY" to my Albion chassis No. 361A

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

.....when enlarging the pictures for details I notice spare fuel cans....3 on each side..... that look very similar to the WW II POW cans.....

Is it correct to assume that the origine of the CMP 2 gal Petrol-Water-Oil can go way back to the Big War??? How similar are they in size and construction??

Very nice restoration by the way.

Cheers

Hi Bob C., Mike K., Tony B., Robert P., Hanno S., Wayne H. and Phil W.,

Thanks you all for your comment about my Albion.

Bob, The 2 gallon cans go back to about 1908 or there abouts. In those days there were next to no service stations and you purchased your petrol from the chemist. The cans were the only way to buy it at that time and you will see cans on the running boards of many veteran and vintage cars.

Here is a photo of my 102 year old 1914 Talbot with a red can from the 'Big Tree Motor Spirit' company, a New Zealand company which imported motor spirit (petrol) into Australia in 1914.

Shep Rally 276.jpg

The cans are pretty well made and of a thicker material than the ones found on 1970's Australian army vehicles. They are almost identical in size. There are hundreds out there still from the early days. I have about 30 or so but not too many are of a military origin. The Vickers machine gun in WWI and WWII also used them for cooling water.

Regards Rick.