VEHICLE HISTORY FROM REG No.

Discussion in 'Vehicle Names and Census Numbers' started by Bala, Aug 30, 2016.

  1. Bala

    Bala Member

    I have two photographs of vehicles serving with the British Resistance - AUXILIARY UNITS in 1940
    Is there any way of finding out when they came into service (both before 1941) and what happened to them.

    Austin 8hp 2 seater car - M221736

    Morris-Commercial 15cwt - Z4302356

    I have photographs of each
     

    Attached Files:

  2. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    It is sometimes possible. The amount of information is highly variable because the military equivalent of the Log Book aka V5c was normally disposed at the same time as the vehicle.

    There are a number of specialists who visit this Forum so you need to wait until one turns up. My specialty is AFVs/tanks so am not familiar with info available on cars etc
     
  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    There is very little information remaining relating to 'B' vehicles - they really were the poor relation and once they were either taken off strength or recieved the new post-war registrations from 1948 onwards, all previous documentation was destroyed.

    The Tank Museum at Bovington hold most of the RAOC 'Contract Receipt Cards' which appear to have originated at Chilwell. These will show when deliveries started and with a little luck should allow you to calculate roughly when the RAOC vehicles arrived at Chilwell for further distribution. Based on my studies of the motorcycle records, I would say that the Morris-Commercial series was issued to a contract destined for mid-1940 delivery.

    The Austin serial relates to an RASC contract (they were responsible for 2nd echelon transport) and their records have survived less well - there may be a card detailing transfer to RAOC after the formation of REME when RAOC took over responsiblity for all vehicles and parts.

    M221736 was delivered under Contract V3927 and the CS8 Z4302356 under T8955.

    There is a page on the WD Norton website which gives a good explanation of why it is so difficult to trace individual vehicle histories.

    Individual motorcycle history

    Most vehicles in service in 1940 will have been through the rebuild process prior to disposal and will have lost their identity. It's just possible that they could appear under their serial number in a post-war Ruddington sales catalogue but I know of no-one with a database and it is true needle in haystack work with a trail that will stop cold at that point anyway. They are unlikely to have left the UK and if they survived as viable vehicles, they would easily have found buyers post-war and would have been run into the ground and at the latest probably scrapped with the introduction of MOT tests in 1960.
     
  4. Bala

    Bala Member

    Thank you both - very useful
    Were the two Contracts V3927 (M221736) and the CS8 (Z4302356) under T8955 given dates? I guess the contract was placed or signed on one day then production started and vehicles delivered as they rolled off the production line.
     
  5. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    IMG_3762 (2).JPG There will initally have been a 'Demand' which presumably allowed for indenting of materials etc., followed by a contract and sometimes reference to 'completion' These dates can often be found in the Ministry of Supply ledgers in the National Archive. However, actual production date where we can compare this with manufacturer's records often show that delivery was delayed. Generally, construction only began upon completion of the previous contract.

    I've attached a photograph of a page showing the M-C Gun Tractor contract T/9587 which shows a Demand date of 3/6/40 and Contract date of 21/4/41...It doesn't state delivery dates but the RAOC card at Bovington should show that.
     
    Bala likes this.
  6. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Thinking...Austin and Morris. Both became part of British Leyland who started the National Heritage Motor Museum (or whatever they call themselves this week) at Gaydon. I believe they have lots of old records/archives. Might be worth a call?

    Edit: they have a quite good web site and this confirms they have an Archive open for public research.
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2016
    Bala likes this.

Share This Page