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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 265
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Originally Posted by von Poop  I keep meaning to visit the WW1 mk.IV parked in the street at Ashford, Kent, but haven't done. I believe it's been used as an electricity substation in it's time... 
Panorama here: BBC - Kent - In Pictures - A tank in Ashford | More info on this one:
Ashford's tank is a Mark IV World War One Tank. It was built in 1916, but it is believed it never saw active service. The tank was presented to the Town on 1 August 1919 by Captain Ferrar of the Army Council in recognition of the splendid response to the National War Savings Appeals. The Tank was delivered to Ashford West Railway Station (Off Godinton Road) and was driven to St George's Square.
Britain was the first nation to use tanks in this war, and by the end of the war had produced 2,636 tanks. After the war, 265 tanks were designated as 'Presentation Tanks' and these were distributed throughout the Country, not only Ashford was presented with a tank, so were Canterbury, Folkestone and Maidstone, all of the tanks presented were female tanks, the female tank had six machine guns, whilst the male had two six pounder guns.
Sadly, in 1929, the back of the tank was removed, as well as all the mechanical workings inside, and an electricity sub station was installed inside the tank, however, this probably saved the tank, as many were either scrapped as they became forgotten relics between the wars, or were melted down for the war effort of World War Two.
Of the 1220 (950 fighting tanks, 205 supply tanks, 11 experimental tanks, and 54 surplus tanks; numbers supplied by Bovington Tank Museum) Mark IV tanks built, there are now only eight surviving, the others can be found at:
In 1978 The Royal and Mechanical Engineers carried out some minor works to the tank, including replacing the guns, and painted the tank in its original colours. When the first tanks were use, the colours were all obliterated, which resulted in the tanks being painted drab green.
In 2005, the Council commissioned a local engineer (Mr Keith Williamson) to carry out major refurbishment of the tank. The Tank Museum at Bovington was very helpful and allowed Mr Williamson access to their tank in the museum, and supplied a number of drawings showing all the dimensions of the tank. The refurbishment included removing all of the rust from inside the tank, and repainting with a rust inhibitor, bracing the sides of the tank (as it has no floor), repairing any cracks in the structure and refabricating a complete back end which is a complete replica of the original tank and repainting and marking of the tank.
The tank is a Registered War Memorial (Reference No 43725), the tank was rededicated prior to Remembrance Day 2006, in the presence of Damien Green, the British Legion, representatives of the Council and the engineers who completed the work.
from: Ashford.gov.uk - The Tank
List of Public Tanks in England; Rather worryingly the Bucks one exploded during dismantlement... | UKNIWM Ref No | Memorial Title | County, Country | City / Town / Village | Building |
|---|
| 55301 | Tank (lost) | BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND | Aylesbury Vale | | | 43725 | ASHFORD TANK WW1 | KENT, ENGLAND | ASHFORD | | | 41824 | TANK NO 28881 (LOST) | DURHAM, ENGLAND | DARLINGTON | SOUTH PARK | | 48304 | SOUTH SHIELDS - WW1 TANK | TYNE AND WEAR, ENGLAND | SOUTH SHIELDS | | | 54579 | Portsmouth Tank WW1 (Lost) | HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND | Portsmouth | Victoria Barracks | | 37850 | BRITISH TANK WW1 (LOST) | HEREFORD AND WORCESTER, ENGLAND | EVESHAM | ABBEY PARK | | 42917 | WARRINGTON TANK WW1 (LOST) | CHESHIRE, ENGLAND | WARRINGTON | IN VICTORIA PARK | | 20608 | MARK 4 TANK 285 (LOST) | GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND | CHELTENHAM | | | 41974 | DURHAM TANK NO 2783 WW1 (LOST) | DURHAM, ENGLAND | DURHAM | WHARTON PARK | | 34482 | SHARPNESS POINT - WW1 TANK AND GUNS (LOST) | TYNE AND WEAR, ENGLAND | TYNEMOUTH | | | 41696 | FARNHAM AND THE TERRITORIAL ARMY WW2 | SURREY, ENGLAND | FARNHAM | TA CENTRE | | 25719 | SLAPTON BEACH D DAY PRACTICE - WW2 | DEVONSHIRE (DEVON), ENGLAND | TORCROSS | |
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