Trux Models. 1990 to 2005.

Discussion in 'Modelling' started by Trux, Jan 1, 2015.

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  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Lawrence,

    You probably know about the Betring dust then. If you were there I probably photographed your vehicle.

    Mike.
     
  2. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Just found these two hiding in a dark corner.

    P1010538.JPG
    Two 15cwt Machinery KL. KL was a light welding vehicle. These were fitted with a Murex electric welding set and were introduced so that they could go to armoured vehicles and carry out minor repairs. This avoided sending an armoured vehicle back to the workshops and thus being without it, and eased the strain on the heavy Machinery K welding lorries.

    In the foreground a Bedford MW KL with its tilt removed to show the fittings. In the centre is the Murex equipment. On the front of it is a cable reel. There are stowage boxes on either side for tools and equipment. A folding welding table is stowed alongside the Murex.

    In the background is a Fordson WOT2H with the same equipment. It is towing a 10cwt trailer which was used to carry gas welding equipment.

    And the Bedford MW GS
    P1010540.JPG
    In this close up I can still see the Beltring dust.

    Mike
     
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  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Chevrolet C8A 4 X 4 Heavy Utility.

    P1010520.JPG
    The basic heavy utility personnel (HUP) was a five door body. Later when pneumatic tyres replaced the runflats a spare wheel carrier was installed in place of the rear offside door. There were several variants.
    Body 1C1 was the Personnel with five doors.
    Body 1C2 was a Wireless body with five doors.
    Body 1C3 was an ambulance with five doors.
    Body 1C5 was an ambulance with spare wheel carrier and articised.
    Body 1C7 was the Personnel with spare wheel carrier.
    Body 1C8 was the Wireless with spare wheel carrier.
    Body 1C9 was a Computer, some with five doors and some with spare wheel carrier.
    Body 1C10 was Machinery ZL,(Light Electrical Repair) with spare wheel carrier.
    Body 1C11 was a Staff Car with spare wheel carrier.

    More to follow. Going out to lunch now.
    Back from lunch.
    P1010521.JPG
    Front to rear.
    1C11 Staff Car. This was introduced late in the war to provide a more comfortable vehicle for battalion commanders and staff officers. It had the roof opening in the centre of the body so that it was over the two main seats. There was a partition between the driver and the rear compartment, map tables, improved interior lights, linoleum on the floor, insulation, and a water heater. A hip ring was fitted over the front nearside seat.
    1C5 Ambulance. Most ambulances were on the earlier body but the British Army took delivery of some of these articised vehicles and some were issued to 3 Division in Normandy. The rear windows were replaced by sheet metal. A two stretcher rack was fitted on the nearside. This was on caster on the rear so that it could be swivelled to allow loading. There was a bench for walking wounded on the offside.A heater was fitted.
    1C9 Computor. This was a computer but not as we know it. It was the use of artillery officers to do their clever sums. In effect it was an office with folding tables at the front. There were tent side extensions which could be erected to provide more space and the vehicle tables could be removed and set up in the tents. Some were modified for use as cipher vehicles. In this case the only modification was a fitting to hold the cipher machine.
    1C7. The basic personnel version. Four seats were fitted plus two folding occasional seats in the rear corners. Used in many roles including a more basic version of he staff car.

    P1010522.JPG
    Signals vehicles.
    Front to rear.
    1C8 Wireless with spare wheel carrier. The wireless versions did not have the rear windows. There was a table across the front of the rear compartment to carry the wireless set, usually a No9, No19 or No19 High Power. This one has aerials for a No19 set.
    1C8 Wireless with different arrangement of aerials for a No 19 High Power. The roof aerial could be used on the move or for short distances. The side mounted aerial was used for longer distance transmission and could be used only when stationary.
    1C2 Wireless with five doors and an aerial mount on the offside for an even longer, 36 foot, aerial.
    1C10 Machinery ZL. This was equipped for wireless maintenance and repair. The offside was taken up by a work bench and storage for small parts. On the nearside there was a charging engine under a workbench. This vehicle was useful for going to units and subunits to maintain and repair wireless sets but it was very cramped. They often worked with a second vehicle which carried only spare parts and a basic personnel version which collected and delivered sets.

    Wireless versions were mostly used by the CRS for communications within anti tank and anti aircraft units.

    All the Trux Models came with internal detail to suit the role.

    Mike
     
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  4. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Something different.

    Trux Models also made a range of British bridging equipment. This started as vehicle loads but customers bought them to assemble as bridges and rafts. Eventually Trux produced them as complete bridges and rafts. The complete list is lost to me but I have a number of models.

    P1010550.JPG P1010551.JPG P1010552.JPG P1010553.JPG

    This raft was developed to provide a means of carrying most vehicles across rivers using standard components from the bridging company. It consisted of a complete Small Box Girder Bridge supported on MkV pontoons. It was propelled by propulsion units at each corner. These in turn were powered by small engines originally intended for fire fighting in bridging dumps. At this date they were Jeep engines. Manoeuvring was complicated since each propulsion unit needed a man to change the direction of the propeller for steering. Each engine required a man. The raft commander controlled them all.

    It was a useful equipment since it did not need any shore ramps, jetties etc as long as the river banks were not too high. It was replaced by various rafts based on Bailey components.

    It was a popular model since it was reasonably compact unlike most bridges.

    Mike
     
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  5. Trackfrower

    Trackfrower Member

    Mike,
    Were the figures from "Miltra" in Rickmansworth?
    They look familiar.
    I think your knowledge rivals the late Mr Vanderveen.

    Lawrence
     
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  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Long time ago Lawrence. I bought the range from BW Models but they were originally sold under another name.

    Not true about Mr Vanderveen but thanks anyway. The skill is in making it sound as though I know a lot more than I have said.

    Mike
     
  7. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Three transatlantic stop gap vehicles.

    P1010554.JPG

    Foreground: Dodge D8A 4 X 4 8cwt PU. This used the front end of a similar US Dodge but had a smaller engine plus British designed body and wheels. This was short lived in the Trux Models list as it was 'dodgy'. A pitfall for the unwary, innocent, newcomer. I bought the master at a show but it was soon pointed out that the front end was recast from another manufacturers model. 25 years ago it was fairly simple for anyone to cast copies using low tech methods. Later advanced resins and injection resin moulding in a vacuum produced high quality castings which could not be copied easily.
    Centre: Ford EO1Y 15cwt van.
    Background: Ford EO18T GS.
    These two were assembled in the UK using components from the US. They were fitted with UK bodies. Some had closed cabs. All were left hand drive. At the time a van was a body with a fixed tarpaulin tilt. The body was slightly longer than a normal 15cwt.

    Trux Models were 'pirated' twice to my knowledge. Once was when a person copied them and offered them for sale at shows. Not very bright since he was quickly spotted and reported. The other occasion was more difficult to deal with. A person copied them in the US and offered them on line. I like to think that the superior quality of my offering made this attempt unprofitable but there is no way of knowing how many he sold. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery of course but there are limits.
     
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  8. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    8th Army anti tank guns.

    P1010555.JPG

    The often fast moving war in the desert called for highly mobile anti tank guns. There were many field conversions which were often simply loading gun on a GS lorry but these four were official, factory produced vehicles.

    P1010556.JPG
    An armoured version of the Matador Medium Artillery Tractor. This sported an armoured half cab for the driver, armoured cover over the engine, armoured body and a 6pdr anti tank gun on a pedestal mount with armoured shield. This gave a good arc of fire, good cross country performance and good protection but was too high to be easily concealed. Those remaining in the UK were converted to armoured ammunition carriers for self propelled artillery regiments. Opinion differs as to whether any went to Normandy.

    P1010557.JPG
    A CMP 3ton 4 X 4 chassis with portee body to carry a 6pdr anti tank gun. The gun rests in channels and the wheels and trail are clamped firmly in position. The 6pdr armoured shields are placed to give protection to the gun crew. There is ammunition stowage under the body floor and in the rack over the front of the body. Ramps for loading the gun onto the lorry are stowed on the sides. Traverse is limited to that provided by the gun carriage. Cab is No43, an open topped version of No13.

    P1010558.JPG
    A more sophisticated portee. This is an Austin K5 but there was a similar conversion on the Beford QL. This was designed so that the 6pdr gun fired forward. A shield was fitted over the front of the cab to protect the radiator etc from blast. Ramps for loading the gun onto the vehicle were stowed under the body. Ammunition is stowed in lockers under the body. Remaining vehicles were converted to GS lorries with soft top cabs.

    P1010560.JPG P1010561.JPG P1010559.JPG
    Morris C8 4 X 4 2pdr portee. The gun was loaded onto the vehicle using the ramps and hand winches. There are flaps in the front of the tilt sides so that the winch handles can be used through them. Ammunition was stowed in the boxes under the floor. The gun could be fired forwards. Most were later converted to tractors for the 17pdr anti tank gun.

    Mike
     
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  9. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    CMP 3ton 4 X 4 GS types.

    The basic 3ton 4 X 4 GS Body was 5F but there were others. Most were visually identical but were of different construction including knock down for easier shipping.

    P1010563.JPG

    P1010564.JPG
    A standard 3ton 4 X 4 GS with Body 5F1 and Cab No13.

    P1010565.JPG
    3ton 4 X 4 Personnel with Body 5F5. This was as 5F1 but with full length folding seats on either side and a full length bench down the centre. The side seats could be folded upwards and the centre bench removed.

    P1010566.JPG
    3ton 4 X 4 Medical Officers Lorry. This has body 5P2 which was identical to 5F1 but was of composite wood and steel. This was bolted together so could be completely knocked down for shipping. As MO's vehicle it came fitted with a two stretcher rack on the nearside, a folding table and a bench seat for walking wounded on the offside, bins for medical stores at the front and blackout curtains at the rear. Internal lighting was provided by lights which could be hooked on to any part of the tilt superstructure. Lights were powered by batteries which in turn were charged by a Chore Horse generator on the near side running board.

    P1010568.JPG
    3ton 4 X 4 Caravan/ Office with body 5W2. A 12 foot steel knock down GS body but with an entrance in the side. One photo shows a rear entrance also. It is assumed that it had two compartments, one for officers and one for clerks in Office role and office and sleeping for caravan role.

    P1010569.JPG
    3 ton 4 X 4 Battery Storage with body 5F3. The body is almost identical to 5F1 but is fitted with shelving on which charged batteries are stored awaiting issue. Metal mesh screens are fitted all round to protect against pilfering. The body is mounted further forward than on the GS and the spare wheel is moved to a position under the body. This was part of a two vehicle set, its partner being a similar 5F7 Battery Charging vehicle. This had drop side panels and penthouses for battery charging. Both vehicles have small openings for a junction box allowing batteries in store to be topped up. Armoured vehicles and wirless sets were very heavy on batteries.

    Mike
     
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  10. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    Mike, this thread is turning into a Master Class in British & Commonwealth softskin vehicles - Excellent stuff, keep up the good work.

    The CMP 3 ton office is a new one to me, I have see posed pictures of the Lindsay type office body and have often wondered if this was used in NW Europe?

    Noel
     
  11. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Noel,

    I will have to look in my files for that one. Thanks for the kind words. I recall that you suggested illustrating my War Establishment pages with photos of my models. That must have been 6 or 7 years ago. Well this is a nostalgia thread.

    Mike
     
  12. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Noel,

    Good question. I have said before that the clever bit is asking the right question. The answer is the easy bit. I have the information but probably not the answer.

    Firstly (cover your ears children) Vanderveen is mistaken in his caption. What he describes as a 30cwt 4 X 4 Office is in fact a 3ton 4 X 4 Office, Winterised or Articised. It has a longer chassis and a heater.

    We have six Office house types listed.
    30cwt 4 X 4.
    Vehicle 30444-M-Off-1. Cab 12. Body 3D1. Not Lindsay construction.
    Vehicle 30444-M-Off-2. Cab 13. Body 3E1. Runflat tyres.
    Vehicle 30444-M-Off-3. Cab 13. Body 3E1. Pneumatic tyres.

    3ton.
    Vehicle 60448-M-Off-1. Cab 13. Body 3E2. Articised.
    Vehicle 60448-M-Off-2. Cab 13. Body 3E1. Pneumatic tyres.
    Vehicle 60448-M-Off-3. Cab 13. Body 3E2. Winterised.

    All were still listed in 1945 but I do not think they were produced after 1943. (3ton with body 3E1 may have been.)

    Normally Office Lorries at higher formations, Corps and Army, could be house type. Others were GS type. Photos I have seen are of GS type office lorries at divisional headquarters. They are also with British rather than Canadian formations.

    Mike

    CMP Office.jpg
    Why you never (knowingly) see one.
     
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  13. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Now today's offering.

    P1010570.JPG
    CMP line construction vehicles.
    Foreground: 3ton 4 X 4 134" wheelbase Signals Line Construction. Body 4K1. This shows its North American origins. Almost identical to US vehicles. On each side of the body are stowage lockers and racks for equipment and spare parts for repair and maintenance. A 24 foot extension ladder is stowed on the nearside and poles for a derrick on the offside. The roof has sliding panels to allow the derrick to be erected. The derrick and its associated winch are for lifting telegraph poles into position. 8 foot digging spoons and 12 foot poles are carried. More, heavier, poles and the fittings (crossbars and insulators) are carried in the trailer.
    Background: 3ton 4 X 4 134" wheelbase Cable Layer. Body 3H2. This carries a power line layer. The body has drop sides at the front to allow the loading of cable drums, six of which are carried. The tilt frame has four hoops but no longitudanal members. The hoops can be quickly removed and stowed at the front to allow free operation of the cable layer. Three rifles are mounted on the front panel.

    Mike
     
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  14. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Noel,

    While looking for another vehicle I have found the body code for the Office. It is described as 3ton 4 X 4 Caravan/Office Body 5W3. This is a 12 foot all steel knock down body.

    Mike
     
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  15. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    P1010571.JPG
    Foreground. CMP 3 ton 4 X 4 134" wheelbase with body 4H2, Derrick. An engineer vehicle with a well body with seats down each side and externally opening lockers under. At the front of the body is a winch driven by power take off. A collapsible derrick is stowed on the offside floor. This can be erected at the rear and to facilitate its operation the tilt frame is readily dismantled. There is a cable guide at the rear and folding support legs. Body 4H1 Winch is identical except for the derrick. Vehicles with pneumatic tyres carry a spare wheel in the front offside.
    Centre. CMP 3ton 4 X 4 158" wheelbase with body 5K1 Petrol Tanker. This carries a 650 gallon, two compartment petrol tank with a compartment at the rear for hoses and a pump.There is a firescreen between the cab and body and the exhaust pipe is re routed.
    Background. CMP 3 ton 4 X 4 158" wheelbase with body 5W6 Dump. The body is a 12 foot steel knockdown GS modified for the dump role. The bearers are strengthened, the tailgate is hinged at the top, a partition is fitted half way along the body and there is a tarpaulin cover which can be extended over the load via rollers. A Gar Wood hydraulic hoist tips the body. This vehicle is believed to have been for carrying tarmac and was introduced very late.

    Mike
     
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  16. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Here it is sitting next to my dad's picture on the mantelpiece :)

    Bren carrier.JPG
     
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  17. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    This day 70 years ago.

    I ask your indulgence while I wallow in more nostalgia. It is vaguely about models and certainly about WWII. Almost the only thing about WWII I can remember in fact.

    I, and all ancestors as far as I have traced them, came from Whitby. My maternal grandfather was a grocer whose business failed in the 1930s. He moved to the area of Croydon to manage a branch of Home and Colonial (a chain of grocery stores). Some of his children moved with him but my mother returned to Whitby to marry.

    In late February 1945 grandfather died and my mother and I travelled to Croydon, well Sutton actually, for the funeral and help sort out his affairs, all the men been away on military service. This day in 1945 saw me on a train from Whitby to Kings Cross.

    On March 5th 1945 an attack by V1 pilotless aircraft was launched and Croydon seems to have received more than its fair share of them. My memories are dim but I do remember being put in a Morrison Shelter under the dining table. This was a simple steel box with a stout grill on the front. Some time during the night my uncle who was in the Fire Service was brought home with an injured leg, suffered when a wall fell on him.

    It seems this attack lasted some three weeks and was launched by new improved long range V1s.

    We did not stay long but returned to Whitby with four cousins who were to stay with us to avoid the raids. As it happened there were not to be anymore but of course we did not know this.

    On return to school I was asked about my visit to the south and began to tell of my adventures when the strict spinster schoolmistress terminated my narration by saying ‘We do not talk about the war here’. That was probably pretty well the attitude of middle class Whitby.

    I was then condemned to visit relations around Croydon every summer for more than a decade. This was supposed to be a thank you to mother for taking in my cousins. Not a fair exchange. Who would want to go to Croydon and leave sunny Whitby, my friends, toys, bike, boat etc. Not all bad though Croydon Aerodrome was the air transport hub of the Empire.

    Most of these journeys were made unaccompanied. It was possible to travel from Whitby to Kings Cross without changing trains in those days. A carriage from Whitby was added to the back of an east coast train at York. In the earIy days I was given sixpence to give to the guard for keeping an eye on me and sixpence for the porter.

    Finally to the point. I have bought this nice model of a LNER express locomotive to commemorate those days.

    P1010572.JPG

    I still go to Kings Cross a couple of times a year but now from Leeds.

    Mike
     
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  18. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    BEF Medium Artillery.
    WWI had been an artillery war. Guns had been developed and produced in large numbers so that in the years between the wars the ordnance depots were full of guns and ammunition. There was little need or incentive to develop new artillery weapons. As new tractors were introduced the existing stock of guns were updated with pneumatic tyres but the guns that went to war in 1939 were much the same as when they were in service in 1918.

    P1010575.JPG P1010576.JPG
    AEC Matador 4 X 4 Medium Artillery Tractor. This was new in service, in fact trials were still being carried out when the war started. It proved a very successful vehicle, remaining in service throughout the war and well beyond. This early version differed only in details from the better known later ones. The cab roof had a different shape and the body had a door only on the nearside. It was powerful, had good cross country performance and had a chassis winch. I like this particular model. It is more toy than competition winner but it was fun to load it up. There are seats for eight men at the front of the body, the nearside ends of the benches hinge upwards to allow access. Shells are stacked at the rear and held in place by chocks. Further forward and down the nearside are boxes for charges and fuses. A spare wheel and rifle rack are on the offside. Of course the real vehicle could not have its roof removed. It was sheet metal supported by twelve metal uprights.

    The gun is the 6" Howitzer of WWI but fitted with steel wheels and pneumatic tyres.

    P1010577.JPG P1010578.JPG
    Matador with roof in place and towing a 60pdr gun. Again a WWI gun updated, together with its limber, with pneumatic tyres. For transit the gun barrel is released from the recoil mechanism and pulled back to rest on the trail.

    The 6" Howitzer was the main weapon of the medium artillery with a smaller number of 60pdrs which had greater range.

    Mike
     
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  19. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Guy Quad Ant 4 X 4 Field Artillery Tractor with No 27 Trailer and 25pdr MkI.

    P1010579.JPG P1010581.JPG
    The Guy Quad Ant was the first of the 4 X 4 Field Artillery Tractors to enter service. The more famous Morris version was delayed as Morris were busy completing orders for 15cwta and 6 X 4 30cwt etc. 396 Guy Quad Ants were ordered and most were delivered in time to go to France, and be left there. The body was similar to that of he Morris and had seating for six men including he driver, a winch, stowage for some ammunition and gun equipment and a mounting for a spare wheel or gun platform. Objects on the front of the mudguards are scotches. These are placed under the wheels when winching.

    No 27 Trailer is the ammunition limber designed to carry thirty two rounds of 25pdr ammunition.

    25pdr MkI was in fact the WWI 18pdr Field Gun with a relined barrel and new breech to fire 25pdr ammunition. It is almost impossible to tell the difference so the best clue is the ammunition trailer. Although this was a stop gap until the definitive 25pdr was ready almost 1000 were converted and this is the version which served with the BEF.

    Mike
     
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  20. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Two CMP oddments.

    P1010582.JPG P1010583.JPG
    Chevrolet 3ton 6 X 6 with cab No13 and body 8E1, Machinery 'L'. This was a woodworking lorry with three benches, one with a circular saw, one with a planing machine and one for working with hand tools. The steel body had two drop side panels on each side which gave a larger working area. This could be further extended by additional sections carried in a trailer. Awnings could also be erected for weather protection. This particular body remained in production when most machinery types were superceded by 4 X 4 types. Power came from an external source, a towed generator.

    P1010584.JPG P1010586.JPG
    Ford 4 X 4 tractor with 6ton semitrailer. 3000 of these were produced, mainly for the British. The Canadian Army used FWD tractors with similar trailers. (Yes the trailer is slightly banana shaped. Must be warmer in the house than I thought.)

    Mike
     
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