Thornycroft 3-ton G/S

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Can anyone i.d. this 3-tonner Thorny please? I assume it is a 4 x 2? Perhaps to V.3801, though in '39 Thornycrofts built a prototype 4 x 4 3-tonner G/S. I meant to say that I thought it was one of the two, possibly three, batches of pre-war Thorny 3-ton G/S 4 x 2s...it is captioned as a 3-tonner and that is it.

[Les Freathy]

Yes David its a Thornycroft ZS/TC4 4x2 searchlight truck, the tilt seems to be rather low for its intended role so its possible it has been converted to a G.S
cheers
Les

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Thanks a million Les! I am just writing about the "Searchlight lorry, Thornycroft, type ZS/TC 4, three-ton, four-wheeled" that was the subject of a brief reference in the 1938 WD Mechanization Board Report for VINTAGE ROADSCENE issue 96.

The pilot lorry was possibly L 376774 to Contract V.3067. The trials lorry towed a four-wheeled, semi-mobile sound locator trailer, and looking at Canadian DND papers I assume that this was a Brockhouse one?

I can imagine that by 1941 (late) the non Tilling-Stevens petrol-electric Searchlight lorries were 'obsolete' and then rebuilt as G/S lorries instead. I have a photo of two GMC S/L 6 x 4 lorries, ACKWX-353, ex-French, at GM Ltd's works in 1941 awaiting rebuild.

Following on, does anyone have a photo of a Karrier C.K.5 6 x 4 please that I could use?

[Rich Payne]

This is the first photo that I've seen of a ZS/TC4 with the BEF

It shows a searchlight truck no. L3915833 abandoned outside of De Panne





In the foreground is a 1940 season BSA WM20 with the ever so rare Lucas MT1130 rear lamp, the current price of which would have bought a semi-detached house in 1940 !

[Les Freathy]

Not seen that photo before Rich is it from a book or a site
cheers
Les

[Dave Page]

Hi, looks like a Guy FBAX behind the Thorneycroft.
Dave