I agree about Facebook security, and I'm glad that you've found and enjoyed the group. Most members forget to browse the photo albums of the group, and also don't look in the Files section. You know I'm going to use your photos for the group, right [wink11]
I'm currently looking for a PDF of the Operators handbook, to share on the group.
By the way, this is the stowage case for the Operator handbook rather than a map case.
Attachment 160213
I'm sure you've seen this. People put the wrong substance in certain things. On my course at Leconfield, we were wrongly told by the Royal Artillery instructors to put grease in the torsion bars, but it's gearbox oil.
Attachment 160205
Your's has clearly been modified by a civilian owner. The rust is because it was probably swam in the sea too much without being cleaned. Whilst they are sea worthy (and one soldier did come half way across the channel in one) they were designed for crossing German canals
At the back of the cab above the fuel filer pipe should be a Vehicle identification plate, which I'm guessing he removed
Attachment 160206 Attachment 160207
Whilst Germany trialed a protoype, and France trialed a couple of Mk 1s, Sweden was the only other country to buy the Stalwart
Attachment 160208
Swedish Mk 1's have the hydraulic winch fitted externally on the front of the cab, which guess inspired Alvis to fit the winch as standard on the Mk 2. all Mk 2 were made with winches.
Britain trialed various vehicles in Thailand at the same time as the Americans.We were building roads and airports for Thailand.
No sales came from the trials. The other vehicle is the FV437 Pathfinder. The idea being for it to swim across a canal and then winch any other vehicles up any step banks.
Attachment 160209 Attachment 160214
But the Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) made that surplus to requirement, and FV437 never went in to production.
The CET sits very low in the water , even with it's additional buoyancy tanks
Attachment 160210
The two German Mk 2 on the internet are actually ex British army that someone bought and painted up as German.
Someone mentioned about the Stalwart ousting a tracked 430 series load carrier. This is the FV431
Attachment 160211 Attachment 160212
Radios were rarely fitted - and never fitted in fuel carrying vehicles. Most Stalwarts carried fuel or ammo. Some carried mines, some carried the Troops G1098 equipment.
Vehicles only carried radios and CS kit when going out on exercise, so radios in the sigs wing and CS in the MT store when not going out. Included in the Stalwart CS is two 25 litre water jerry cans, which sit on that plate in the corner of the louvres - that area at the back where the heat expels from the radiator. It gave lovely warm water to wash in on arrival at harbour area.
In the two years that I was on Stollys, we only fitted radios on one exercise - which was a one week squadron exercise. Stolly were used for carrying pallets of concrete Mk 7 AT mines, which guys passed over the side and others laid on the floor.
They used FV 432 for laying Barmines as they're sat protected in an armoured metal box in case of any enemy fire. Normally, Bedfords would be parked at the edge with the 432 going back for more
Attachment 160215
Your Stolly has clearly been played with by the previous owner. The clansman speakers you show were fitted in APCs so the troops could hear any broadcast. Never fitted in any Stolly. Whatever was fitted in that rear corner also wasn't original, and looks from the holes like they had a few different things fitted over time.
Army heavy duty vehicle batteries are square things that fit anything from the back of FFR Land Rovers to tanks. Could you share some pictures of your batteries and tray, because that's not original?
Someone mentioned diesel engines. Some have fitted the Bedford 500 engine with good result, and some the Rolls Royce K60 which is a multi fuel engine. The MOD liked multi fuel engines in the 60s. The Bedford MK was a multi fuel engine, where as the MJ was pure diesel only. Whilst Alvis looked in to converting them to diesels, the need for amphibious vehicles had dropped and the Stalwart is costly to maintain. So the army ended up with Bedford TMs and the Foden/Scammell DROPS vehicles.
Someone also disputed the grunt of the Stalwart, but fails to acknowledge the hub reduction on these things. I slipped the off side wheels off the side of a road once as we stopped to let another convoy past. I had to turn round and join the other convoy, and she merrily grunted up the step bank with it's nose in the air to get it back on the road.
This is Arthur Dent, who fitted a Rolls Royce K60 engine - dragging a Chieftain. It's not struggling because of the weight, but because of the tracks being rusted.
YouTube
There is an Army recruitment film that I saw in the 70s (not yet found it anywhere) of supporting the front line. It's about cooks, and bringing supplies up to the front line. In the film, a Stolly drags a dead centurion tank along a gravel road.
I only ever got stuck once. Coming in to a harbour area in the woods one night I suddenly lost forward movement. I'd driven over a tree stump that was just the right height to stop it going forward or backwards. My main Stolly carried pack fuel. A max of 344 25 ltr jerry cans, which is around 7.5 tons. It should be remembered to keep the two hull drain plugs left out unless you are about to swim. Jerry cans are quite secure when closed properly, and I never saw any fire. There was one recorded fire in BAOR, which was a disgruntled soldier.
Attachment 160217
But drain plugs should be left out to stop the hull filling with rain water. I know it's a tadge warmer on Australia, but I've seen a Stolly with frozen ice surrounding the engine.
You mentions about air lockers for the drive shafts. Remembering that it's a limited slip differential, you might find that you have as much trouble/damage just because there is no diff side to side.
PeeWee mentions that they don't like changing gear when going round the corner, but it's dipping the clutch that they don't like. I still clearly remember following a CVRT Spartan round a bend, but the driver had got his speed wrong and had to slow down halfway round the bend. The sight of the Staff Sargent leaning forward and beating the driver over the head with the microphone as I was forced to dip my clutch and kangaroo round was a happy sight [biggrin]
The Saracen has a higher ratio transfer box, which would give a higher road speed. I've driven from Osnabruck to Munster and back without problem, but had the knowledge of REME support if I needed it at the tax payers expense.
This is the limited B card for 90ET44 from RLC's website
Attachment 160216
Which is got from
Vehicle search - RLC Digital Archive
Also
90ET44 Vehicle History
- Merlin Archive
Some history was lost when the RCT museum at Leconfield closed and everything passed to RLC Deepcut.
Something else you need to do it the Bridge weight on the front.
The 622 GS version weighs 8.5, carries 5 tonnes and is a max of 14 tonne bridge classification.
The 623/624 Limber version weighs 10 tones and can only carry 4 tones to take it up to the 14 tonne max.
We had a guy go on an Instructors course at Leconfield before he'd done even a unit Operators course. When he returned they made him IC HMLCs and his first mistake was to paint all the Stolly at 15 instead of 14 Bridge classification. He'd somehow added the 10 t of limber to 5 of GS and made it 15. Embarrassed himself in front of the whole regiment.
Some civilian then decided that because the crane can lift 3 tons, that should be added to the 10 and 5 and came up with a Bridge classification of 18 - and that's why your's has 18 painted on the front instead of 14.
