Wartime Tank Transport in England

[David Dunlop]

Been reading a little further into the 'LMS at War' Book my cousin in England sent me and found this photo. Location unknown, but the caption reads: Tanks loaded on "Warwells" being marshalled by an Army shunter." Wouldn't that lot make a nice surplus find!

David

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Any ideas what the truck in the background is?
Unusual shape to the windscreen bottom looks familiar, but I can't pin it down.
Rich.

[gjamo]

Some further pics here and also a dimensioned engineering drawing.

http://www.railalbum.co.uk/railway-w...-warwell-1.htm

[chrisgrove]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

Any ideas what the truck in the background is?
Unusual shape to the windscreen bottom looks familiar, but I can't pin it down.
Rich.

The nearest I have got, though the shape of the bottom of the windscreen is not quite right, is the Thornycroft ZS/TC4, possibly the RAF generator version. I don't suppose they changed the windscreen shape during production (says he hopefully).

Could it be a shunting engine? I'm not into locomotives!

Chris

[Alex van de Wetering]

Could it be a shunting engine? I'm not into locomotives!

That's what I thought!.....but it has a mirror and steering wheel; both quite unusual on a loco
Somehow the truck made me think of something post-war...don't know why though.....

Alex

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by chrisgrove

The nearest I have got, though the shape of the bottom of the windscreen is not quite right, is the Thornycroft ZS/TC4, possibly the RAF generator version. I don't suppose they changed the windscreen shape during production (says he hopefully).

Could it be a shunting engine? I'm not into locomotives!

Chris

Hi Chris,
I spotted the steering wheel and mirror also so can rule out being a diesel shunter. If you zoom up the photo you will see what looks like the letters LMS on the door, so could be a railway lorry on an adjacent platform. As to make, I would give a wild guess of Thornycroft or Albion.

regards, Richard

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Asking the truck ID question because it looks post war to me, which would date the photo.
I think the height in relation to the tank would preclude it being a shunter of any description (apart from the steering wheel...), and would point to it being on a flatbed wagon on an adjacent set of tracks, which would mean it is a military vehicle in it's own right, if you follow my train of thought( sorry, it just came out).
Thorneycroft or AEC was my first guess, as it appears to be quite a large vehicle but could not match that windscreen bottom. Such a distinctive telltale, yet I have to admit to failure.
Fortunately I may not be on my own...
Rich

[Alan McGuinness]

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