bren gun carrier engine

[Paul Bellamy]

Hi Kevin,

The data plate in your first photo is a WD Workshop Rebuild plate, so the cylinders may have already been rebored once.

All the best,
Paul

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

These are then lists of repair shops with prefixes:

The following reference letters had been allotted to workshops and commands [by 1944]:

COMMAND WORKSHOPS, ROYAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS:
ALDERSHOT: ALD/-
CATTERICK: CAT/-
HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE: HWB/-
MILL HILL [LONDON] MHL/-
BOVINGTON: BOV/-
CHILWELL: [Central Ordnance Depot] CHL/-
BICESTER: BIC/-
LINWOOD: LIN/-
GREENFORD/- GRE/-
DONNINGTON: DON/-

R.C.E.M.E. WORKSHOP, BORDON [Hampshire]: BOR/-
GMC, CLECKHEATON: GMC/-
ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED: RRN/-
VAUXHALL MOTORS LTD., DUNSTABLE^: VMD/-
SELF-CHANGING GEARS LIMITED: SCG/-
DAVID BROWN LTD., HUDDERSFIELD: DBH/-
MINISTRY OF SUPPLY REPAIRERS, OTHER THAN THE ABOVE*: MS/-
WORKSHOP DETACHMENT, R.E.M.E., D.H. WICKHAM AND CO., WARE: DWW/-
WORKSHOP DETACHMENT, R.E.M.E., L.P.T.B., ACTON: LPTB/-
COMMAND WORKSHOPS, R.E.M.E. OTHER THAN THE ABOVE:
NORTHERN COMMAND NOR
SOUTHERN COMMAND SOU
EASTERN COMMAND ECO
WESTERN COMMAND WES
SCOTTISH COMMAND SCT
LONDON DISTRICT LON
NORTHERN IRELAND DISTRICT NID

It would appear that the serial number is indedd "MS" etc. so to this pooor brain it means that it was a garage or dealer such as Sydney Allard's Adlards Ltd or more probably in my opinion, Lincoln Cars Ltd of Brentford, Middlesex. Lincolns were THE major carrier engine rebuilder. Incidentally they were next to the Packard importers which had a V1 hit in '44. My late Godfather worked for Lincoln Cars and was using Packard's canteen when the missile hit. He was injured...by a piece of asbestos roofing tile! Several women were burned alive, presumably when a gas pipe caught alight. The Lincoln Cars foreman orgnaised a rescue party and was awarded the MBE for his efforts. No Lincoln Cars personnel were affected I believe save for two guys wrongly using the said Canteen!

[kevin powles]

Hi, Thanks for the info, on close inspection and referene to nigel watson book, stamped on the engine block top face is GEA or GAE 4006, indicating a Ford US unit supplied to the U.k., I am pretty sure this is a genuine carrier engine out of a british carrier, another further question I have is there seems to be a brass hollow tube blanked off on its top face adjacent to the oil relief valve in the valve gear chamber, i have removed it as it was badly corroded, can anyone tell be what it is for ?.

[Lynn Eades]

Can you post some pics? Also you pic of the block front will not blow up.
I have just read about the drain pipes for the water cocks being attached to the sump. Do you have that detail?

[kevin powles]

Hi Lynn, Will grab the camera and post some further pics.

Thanks Kevin.

[kevin powles]

Hi, More pictures of the Engine, Anyone got a sump for this engine. Block drain taps shown, not on the sump?.

[kevin powles]

More pics...................