VICKERS MK6B's resto

[simon king]

IWM Duxford has an R6T in the Land Warfare Hall along with a Light Tank Mk VI

Sk

[Niels V]

The R6T is no longer at Duxford, It was lent to the museum by a privat owner, and is now undergoing restoration.

[George Moore]

Originally Posted by lynx42

Colin, you would have these on the road in a few months at the rate of your restorations. Unfortunately they have disappeared from the REME Museum in the UK and no-one knows where they are at the moment.

Attachment 94107

Regards Rick.

I have been in contact with the curator at REME, they will get back to me (!!!!!) as they seem to have lost the details of who was going to restore them.
Been trying to find out where they went.
However the Duxford example has now been re-housed, and will be subject to a restoration. I am not at liberty to say where it is, but I have seen it and hope to get more info later.
Re the earlier photo, I am still after any details of the trailer behind the AEC. I believe it to be a 5 ton trailer, possibly Cranes, but have no other details other than one photo supplied by Les Freathy of one in what appears to be a farm yard. But I would like to have more technical info if possible.

George.

[Ben]

As one of the owners of the AEC 850 I can confirm that it is being overhauled before it runs again.
We have an option to borrow a 7.5 ton cranes trailer like the one in the photo so we could pop the carrier on the back. Strictly speaking ours is the gun tractor and not the recovery type but the towing arrangement is the same for both.

Sorry for the thread-jack.......

[lynx42]

One off the web for Colin to get back on track after the Hijacking about the R6T.



Regards Rick.

[colin jones]

It's quite OK, hi-jack away

[George Moore]

The trailer shown is the Taskers folding trailer, an earlier thread shows an un-restored one somewhere.
Taskers do not seem to have any details, I contacted them and got nothing.

The trailer behind the AEC is the Cranes 5 ton, which I would like to get more details. I have this one photo that was supplied by Les Freathy (thanks), but would love to get some idea of dimensions and tyre sizes.

George.

[colin jones]

I have relatively good head way on the drivers front hatches

[colin jones]

The vision blocks are 1" thick and a full days machining to do both.

[colin jones]

There is also quite a bit of mechanism behind as well.

[colin jones]

And the last few

[colin jones]

I got quite a lot done in the last week. I made the light brackets and enclosures

[colin jones]

I also replaced the top of the exhaust cover as it was a bit too far gone for my liking.

[colin jones]

all mudguards are also complete.

[David Dunlop]

Nice work again, Colin. The two tanks sitting there gives your shop a real 'Vickers Production Line' look to it.

Interesting that when I was looking at the photos of the driver's vision ports, my eyes began to water and it made me shiver.

Any word on your engine rebuild to date?

David

[Ryan]

Off the Facebook page Save the black beret.

[colin jones]

Thank you David, the engine is getting done quite slowly and I need to hurry him up a bit as I'm getting close to wanting to put it in place. I'm going to his workshop tomorrow and take some pictures.
Ryan, thanks for the photo's

I have now completed the other light bracket and enclosures which incorporates the horn as well.

[colin jones]

End of the lights.

[colin jones]

I have also started the engine covers.(very slow to get the right angles and things )

[Alex van de Wetering]

Awesome work again Colin! I like your attention to detail...the effort to get the thickness of the material and the shape right

Alex

[colin jones]

Thankyou Alex, just doin' the best I can.
I've been doing the engine covers and they are very tricky things to make as there is so much involved but again I am doing the both.

[colin jones]

The holes are for the air intake covers that go on top which I still need to make

[colin jones]

Everyday is progress, sometimes a lot and sometimes not

[colin jones]

I still can't believe how much trouble in their design they went to just for an engine cover. I guess they had their reasons.

[Dave lean]

Col. They knew that some day, way off in the future, some one in a far off land would have the temerity to try and rebuild a couple of these wee beasties and they determined that they would make it nay on impossible for such an undertaking to succeed. So in good old English fashion they over engineered whatever they could, designed concepts that could never be understood, Utilized bits and pieces from other designs, Hid away all the build drawings, Only built a relative few examples, Then they conspired to have these same two examples stripped and buried in a dump after their useful service life ended. But little did these conspirators know just how tenacious that "some one" would be... Oh by the way.... can I borrow your plasma cutter???

[David Dunlop]

Colin.

Top to bottom on those engine compartment covers, it looks like three openings are present. The top two have their own cover assemblies and the lower one at the handle, looks ducted - up and over a lip of the front hull plate.

Is air from these three openings directed to separate, specific things, like the engine carb, radiator etc., or as Dave Lean suggested, were the designers just out to torment you?

David

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by colin jones

The vision blocks are 1" thick and a full days machining to do both.

If it took you a day to machine with modern cutters and equipment, think how long it took in the 1930s.

You are doing God's work, and I understand the determination to build something that isn't just another Carrier (with full apologies and sympathies to the hardworking Carrier restorers and students).

[James P]

God damn, every time I roll in on your build(s) I am in shock and awe at the series of miracles you are pulling off. I am so very glad to see your posts detailing the work and updates of your fantastic work and investment of time and effort at doing it right.

[Lynn Eades]

Just to make sure you aware Terry, that some carriers are more rare than these Mk.VI B, Vickers tanks.

Great work Colin.

[colin jones]

Dave, I don't think they gave a rats bum what happened to these machines after they sold them and having them buried in a dump for years only adds to their charm. No problems for the plasma cutter as I just got a new box of plasma's in.

David, there is actually 4 inlets but what they "ALL" exactly do, I'm not sure yet but no doubt I will find out when that part becomes a priority on the long, long, very long list of things to do.

Terry, those guys way back then probably did their work twice as fast as they certainly were tradesmen with eyes for great detail.

James the only miracles I have is my wife who never complains how long I spend in the shed and that is a lot as I don't think too many wives would put up with it 7 days a week.

Lynn, thanks for the compliment and we're looking forward to the cruise to NZ at Xmas time.