PhilB Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 There appears to be full tins on the wagons with the shells and lots of empties alongside. What was in them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Beans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Charges? What puzzles me is what the steering wheel does on a railway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Is the vehicle a modified car? I believe some early cars had engine controls on the steering wheel (advance/retard etc.) which would still be required, even if steering was not. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockdoc Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 I'm intrigued by the drive to the rear wheels. I'm guessing that the shield at the far end of the running-board is a chain cover. It's quite a long way outboard of the track and the gauge looks to be about 2ft/60cm, No car or GS wagon of the period would have had a track that narrow. The front cross-member is visible under the radiator so they've just taken the road wheels off and propped the front on a frame that carries the front rail-wheels. Centurion's right that the steering-wheel would have no purpose but it's not even connected to anything! Martin's idea is probably correct that engine-management controls are carried there. The width of the differential/drive-shaft castings probably stopped anything simple being done at the rear. I'd say the two original drive-shafts carry sprockets that connect to the rear rail-wheels, which are further forward under the body, via a second set of sprockets. Given that many lorries of the period were chain-driven it isn't hard to imagine that some of those parts could be used for a scheme like this. I wonder how well it worked? I doubt the clutch lasted too well as that train looks heavy. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Is the vehicle a modified car? I believe some early cars had engine controls on the steering wheel (advance/retard etc.) which would still be required, even if steering was not. Martin Its a modified Ford Model T. They were used in this role in a number of theatres including East Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 I think the 'tins' contain bagged charges for use with the shells. Keeps the charges dry and protected from stray sparks, fag ends etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 The Ford conversions were officially known as Crewe Tractors - 120 were made (at Crewe) and primarily used in France by the War Department Light Railways although some went to other theatres. The railway running gear could be removed and stowed on the car and its road wheels refitted so it could be driven off to another rail head if needed. In answer to my original comment it seems that the steering wheel was not disconnected but served no other use in railway mode than somehere for the driver to rest his hands. Obviously somewhat essential in road configuration. Links to photos on a railway site. http://www.wdlr.org.uk/wdlr/images/crewe_tractor/Crewe_rail.jpg http://www.wdlr.org.uk/wdlr/images/crewe_tractor/Crewe_road.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Propellant charges for separate-loading artillery ammunition are usually packaged in moisture-resistant metal canisters, which is what I believe those bucket-type of things in Phil's image are. When I was in the artillery years ago we recycled the powder canisters so they could be used again, which is probably why that pile of empty ones is there. Though occasionally I have been criticized on GWF for assuming that my 1970s-1980s artillery experience can be projected backwards to the Great War, about 90 percent of the time my instincts are right on target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Propellant charges for separate-loading artillery ammunition are usually packaged in moisture-resistant metal canisters, which is what I believe those bucket-type of things in Phil's image are. As my previous post 7 said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 .As my previous post 7 said. The official GWF record, if there is one, should note that the omniscient Centurian knows all that there is to be known, or ever will be known, about military history. Listening to you, I get the musicGazing at you, I get the heat Following you, I climb the mountain I get excitement at your feet Right behind you, I see the millions On you, I see the glory From you, I get opinion From you, I get the story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 The official GWF record, if there is one, should note that the omniscient Centurian knows all that there is to be known, or ever will be known, about military history. Well at least I bother to read other peoples posts - even yours - before posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 14 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 14 July , 2011 Gentlemen, please! Behave. Strangely, it hadn`t crossed my mind that as much propellant charge needed to be transmitted as shells. Obvious, really! We don`t actually see many photos of propellant though - usually just shells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 14 July , 2011 Share Posted 14 July , 2011 During earlier days it used to be known as keeping your powder dry. The guys working in the field two or three centuries ago had the basic concepts right, even though they weren't as high-tech as we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelfe Posted 16 July , 2011 Share Posted 16 July , 2011 It looks as if the cans were unboxed, being as they have carrying handles. For smaller calibres the cans would have been several to a box. It looks as if they had the usual UK type of tear-off metal soldered sealing strip to keep them watertight. Metal cans of this general pattern were the normal type for UK BL charges (ie no cart cases). What this pic really emphasises is how manpower intensive it was before the age of pallets and MHE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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