British 10-cwt trailer reference thread

[austin tilly]

Last question

Who did use this trailer? Or better... which vehicle towed the trailer?
Pictures with the jeep are known, but did other vehicle towed this trailer. Perhaps behind a CMP?

Cheers,
Arjan

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have a picture clearly showing the top edge of the mk1 GS trailer? especially where the sides meet the front and/or rear panel.
I am currently building a scale model and while I have taken several reference pictures myself, there are always things you didn't cover with a picture. I am trying to find out if the upper edge of the basket is a combination of a steel strip and wood on both sides, or just wood.

Also I would be interested to know if these trailers carried a spare wheel, like the one in the picture below.

Alex

[austin tilly]

The restoration of the trailer is finished.





Number 62 has been replaced by 61.

Cheers,
Arjan

[Alex van de Wetering]

Great work Arjan,

Can you confirm that the top edge of the trailer woodwork is made from one wood panel/strip on the inside of the steel uprights and separate wood blocks bolted on the outside to form the thick top edge? Or is there a steel strip between the wood panel and the wood blocks on the outside?

Have you got any more pictures of the trailer?

Alex

[Godwin Hampton]

Originally posted by austin tilly
Last question

Who did use this trailer? Or better... which vehicle towed the trailer?
Pictures with the jeep are known, but did other vehicle towed this trailer. Perhaps behind a CMP?

Cheers,
Arjan

Last....Arjan

Arjan, I recall photos of BEF Morris-Commercial CS8 15 cwt. trucks in convoy, each fully loaded and towing one of these trailers, also fully loaded.

I also saw a photo in a book of one being towed behind an Austin Utility, but how it was towed is beyond me, as the Utilities never had tow hooks. I imagine some sort of arrangement could be created by regimental fitters using the 3 machine gun mounting bolt sockets in the body floor, but the tailgate would have to be removed. This was, of course, a rather simple operation....

[Radek]

Hi,
it is possible add this picture with Austin tilly?
Thanks Radek

Originally posted by Godwin Hampton
Last....Arjan
Arjan, I recall photos of BEF Morris-Commercial CS8 15 cwt. trucks in convoy, each fully loaded and towing one of these trailers, also fully loaded.

I also saw a photo in a book of one being towed behind an Austin Utility, but how it was towed is beyond me, as the Utilities never had tow hooks. I imagine some sort of arrangement could be created by regimental fitters using the 3 machine gun mounting bolt sockets in the body floor, but the tailgate would have to be removed. This was, of course, a rather simple operation....

[austin tilly]

The Austin Tilly has no hook to tow trailers. I Think that the Standard Tilly and Morris Tilly can tow trailers.

Cheers,
Arjan

[Alex van de Wetering]

Another Mortar trailer, being towed by a Loyd carrier.

Picture from the Tilburg city archive, http://www.regionaalarchieftilburg.nl

[austin tilly]

Here are some new photographs of the trailer.


original wd-number



I heard today that another trailer in our town was schredded into little pieces. Maybe the rims survived.

Cheers,
Arjan

[Alex van de Wetering]

I heard today that another trailer in our town was schredded into little pieces. Maybe the rims survived.

Oh no...


Here is one in " action" in Den Haag, 8 May 1945. Prinses Irene Brigade.



source: http://www.gemeentearchief.denhaag.nl

Alex

[austin tilly]

we´ve found and saved the parts from a 10cwt gs-trailer. The frame was gone, but the axle, rims and springs were saved.
Who can tell which trailers used this axle etc, so we might be able to make one.

Cheers,
Arjan

[Alex van de Wetering]

Arjan,

Good to hear that part of the trailer survived. I was looking at some pictures of Belgian army trailers earlier this week, which are offered for sale at a reasonable price. I think Hanno posted a picture of one on the forum before, but I can't seem to find it now. Anyway, these trailers seem to be based on the British 10cwt design, or maybe even based on actual British trailers. In case these Belgian trailers are modified British trailers, than you could consider using the wheels, springs and axle you salvaged to turn one of those trailers back to ww2 spec.

Alex

[Radek]

Hi guys,
one british trailer is on ebay for sell. It isn´t ww2 but qeit interesting.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA:IT&ih=016


Radek

[Ken Smith]

Hello to all who love those beautiful CMP's
I only found the forum today and I have already learnt more today about CMP's than I have in the last 20 years.Now I have a question about my 10cwt trailer does anyone have a picture or diagram of how the lunette/pintle ring is held into the cast housing.My lunette has a slot in the shaft about two thirds toward the rear of the shaft I assume this has something to do with a retainer of some sort.I bought my trailer at a farm auction about 15 years ago reasonably complete, but the farmer had removed the lunette and replaced it with a civilian ball coupling.I have most of the original coupling but need to know how to put it back together.When purchased the trailer had an old transfer of an anchor with the letters RN above or below it,so I guess the Royal Navy used to carry spare torpedo's in it behind a destroyer or something.
Cheers Ken

[Radek]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Hello to all who love those beautiful CMP's
I only found the forum today and I have already learnt more today about CMP's than I have in the last 20 years.Now I have a question about my 10cwt trailer does anyone have a picture or diagram of how the lunette/pintle ring is held into the cast housing.My lunette has a slot in the shaft about two thirds toward the rear of the shaft I assume this has something to do with a retainer of some sort.I bought my trailer at a farm auction about 15 years ago reasonably complete, but the farmer had removed the lunette and replaced it with a civilian ball coupling.I have most of the original coupling but need to know how to put it back together.When purchased the trailer had an old transfer of an anchor with the letters RN above or below it,so I guess the Royal Navy used to carry spare torpedo's in it behind a destroyer or something.
Cheers Ken

Hi Ken,
do you have british trailer?

Radek

[Ken Smith]

Radek
Thanks for your answer.Yes my trailer is British I don't know if it is Mk1 or 2,it is not a mortar trailer I am sure of that.My trailer has the folding lifting handles on the casting that the lunette fits in.I could not figure out what stops the lunette from pulling out of the cast housing,all I have for the hitch is the lunette,a spring and the housing.My trailer is exactly the same as the brown one in Hanno Spoelstra's post about the restored one in Holland.The RN decal was on the back of the curved mudguard.On the positive side I had another look at it today for the first time in years and I know now that what I thought was homemade sides is really the original sides with shrunken timbers.I will post some pictures soon but it is in a really hard to get to spot in the shed .
Cheers Ken

[Radek]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Radek
Thanks for your answer.Yes my trailer is British I don't know if it is Mk1 or 2,it is not a mortar trailer I am sure of that.My trailer has the folding lifting handles on the casting that the lunette fits in.I could not figure out what stops the lunette from pulling out of the cast housing,all I have for the hitch is the lunette,a spring and the housing.My trailer is exactly the same as the brown one in Hanno Spoelstra's post about the restored one in Holland.The RN decal was on the back of the curved mudguard.On the positive side I had another look at it today for the first time in years and I know now that what I thought was homemade sides is really the original sides with shrunken timbers.I will post some pictures soon but it is in a really hard to get to spot in the shed .
Cheers Ken

I thing the casting it is similer as on my airborne trailer.
Radek

[Ken Smith]

Gooday Radek
yes that is the same as the coupling on my trailer.

[austin tilly]

Here are some photo's of our trailers coupling. Originally it has a MkI coupling, but that was in need of total restoration. We replaced it with a MkII, but we kept the original handlebars.



Cheers,
Arjan

[Radek]

Hi Guys,

nice pictures Arjan.

Has somebody plans or pictures how and where are fits wire harnes on the british airborne trailer? I don´t know if has one socet on rear and one on the front for conecting with jeep or onle one on rear and wire with plug on the front.
Thanks Radek

[Ken Smith]

Gooday Arjan
Beautiful photos and very detailed.Does that mean I have a Mk 2 trailer if it has the coupling with the lift handles built in?Also do you know what stops the lunette pulling out of the coupling.
Cheers Ken

[austin tilly]

Hello Ken,

A far I know this coupling is a Mk2. When I look at the id-plate of my trailer, it says "MkII S.S.O." So I can't say if your trailer is a Mk2. Has your trailer no id-plate?

Cheers,
Arjan

[Radek]

Hi Guys,
another british trailer for sell on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trolley-Acc-WW...QQcmdZViewItem

Radek

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here is another 10cwt trailer, beging towed by a UC.

Source: "Belgie 44, De Bevrijding", written by Peter Taghon.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

I think Hanno posted a picture of one on the forum before, but I can't seem to find it now. Anyway, these trailers seem to be based on the British 10cwt design, or maybe even based on actual British trailers. In case these Belgian trailers are modified British trailers, than you could consider using the wheels, springs and axle you salvaged to turn one of those trailers back to ww2 spec.

Here´s the link: Belgian Levacq trailer (was: Trailer ID: British 10-cwt?)

We now have confirmation these are not British-built trailers, although clearly patterned on them (similar to the Polynorm copies of the US Bantam quarter-ton trailer).

Hanno

[Alex van de Wetering]

Can anyone comment on the original lighting equipment as used on the 10cwt trailers?

Arjan was already able to help me with some questions, but somehow the lighting still isn't clear to me. Most of the restored trailers obviously have new lighting due to modern regulations, but what was the original equipment? Just a small light on the rear axle? lights on the fenders? Does the manual of the GS mk1 and mk2 cover the lighting?

Alex

[Nick Bullock]

Hi
Just bringing and old thread back to life and hoping that there may be more info out there on the lightweight stores trailers that Les pictured here? I have seen the remains of one today and am interested in the construction, internal layout etc etc? I had not seen a real one before.
regards
nick

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Just learned from Clive Elliott that 10-cwt trailers were not only used during WW2 but soldiered on until the 1950s-60s. EMERs (Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Regulations) continued to be issued into the mid 1960s.

This is what the "Trailer, 1/2 Ton, 4.2in, Mortar Ammunition No.1, 2 Wheeled" looked like in the 1960 parts list:

[Hanno Spoelstra]

From British 4.2-inch Heavy Mortar

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

4.2" mortar unit in action at 's Hertogenbosch, Holland, 1944. Note the 10-cwt trailers.

Here's a better version of this photo:

"Mortars of the Manchester Regiment shell the city centre from the desolate Hinthamer Park. October 1944."

I have been informed that the above photo is from the IWM official collection - ref B11345. Other photos include B11346, B13433, B15625, BU3907 and BU5109.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Courtesy of Arjan van der Hoek and John Corden I got a number of Illustrated Spare Parts Lists and Identification Lists in pdf-format.

Go to the folder British_10-cwt_Trailer_manuals of the Maple Leaf Up Download section if you want to download them.