Big Boys Toys.

Ha Ha...Good one. Most expensive janitor ever. After 11 years retirement, I am still being paid well. Best career ever. I.U.O.E. Local 501 [retired] ...J.D.

 

I paid $240.00 to operate an excavator in a gigantic sand box in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dug holes, stacked tractor tires and drove around. One of the most fun things I've ever done, besides riding my SM 2800 miles.

 

the diggers about 300 ton the dump truck is a cat 777 100 ton payload or four buckets

 

Have oowned a few of these - hence stollydriver. Amphibious Alvis Stalwart.

 

Did some training at the Alvis plant then went on to play with these,

 

Was always an Alvis machinery fan. Owner Saracen, Stalwart, Saladin then went on to heavy armour - specialised in Northern Ireland stock - rebuilding for film / drama work.

 

Humber Pig

 

My favourite toy was Alvis Saracen ( similar to this)

 

My Stalwart was purchased by Borden Camp for their museum MK1 full swimmer - she took an age to restore as I found her in part form. It was the biggest airfix kit ever.

 

Isn't/wasn't there a dealer's yard at the side of the southbound A38 between Burton-on-Trent and Lichfield that sells/sold ex WD vehicles? North of seven years since I was down that way so things may have changed. Another possibility is that I am just plain wrong, unlikely though that is!

 

My first job in the Army was command of a troop of 30 Mk2 Stollies. Great fun, very capable and very thirsty with a phenomenal backfire!
For the spotters amongst you the Mk II is readily identifiable by triangular side windows to improve visibility entering water. The driving position is central like a McLaren!

 

This one is near to me (Kansas translation 155 miles).



be a great morning bike trip with a great roadhouse for lunch.

http://www.kansastravel.org/prairienuthut.htm

 

two 12 cylinder Detroit Diesel two stroke engines - AKA as the buzzin dozen

 

Drove one of these for 3 or 4 summers

 

While those machines would be fun to play with for a few hours, it must be a rough way to make a living. I know a few old operators. They look twice thier age. I was in a different branch of the Operating Engineers Union. One branch handles heavy equipment . My side handled all the stationery stuff, like boilers, water chillers, cooling towers, fans, pumps, electrical, etc. We share the same pension plan. I think I got the better end of that. Indoors in an office building keeping lawyers, bankers, and other high rollers from getting thier shirts sweaty. Just up to my arm pits in politics, but the work was not bad most of the time. ...J.D.

 

Any idea what this is Stolly, I snapped it as it pulled away after filling up, couldn't get a closer pic

 

That's a Daimler ferret scout car, 4.2l 6cyl Rolls Royce engine.

Humber ones are similar, but have a squarer front.

Haha.. Edited because carrot fingers spelled Daimler "Demailer!"

 

Not sure if the place is still trading.

My mate bought his first bike from them. IIRC, it was a small capacity s/c Harley Davidson. Came in army camo complete with rifle holster. He was absolutely gutted when it was stolen some months later.

 

Incidentally, did you know that the army tried to shoehorn a Rolls Royce engine into the Series one land rover? Same engine as they had fitted in the champ. Trying to rationalise parts and servicing.

I think that's why they went with the Landy over the champ, straightforward part supplies, and simplicity of design /repair. The Austin champ is rater complicated... They brought the Austin gypsy out late 50's to compete with the Landy. Unsuccessfully, for military contracts.

 

The Austin Champ could go backwards as fast as it could go forwards. I rode in one at a show once. Scared the bejeebers out of me. Might have been different if I had hold of the steering. Bit like riding as pillion......