Hi Rik,
A very nice set of spanners you have there.
My canvas tool roll does not have a date on it but was from a group of 3 W/NG tool rolls found in the bottom of an empty barrel in an old cycle shop in the UK.
There was rust damage to many of the original tools but I had the seller sort out the best for me. I topped up a few of the missing spanners but most are original from the roll.
Here are photos of the roll, front and back.
The civilian canvas rolls have only the one fastener strap, and the flap is angled to one side. I also have a full set for my 1937 RH Single Port.
You will note the W/NG spanner list shows only the one strap on the canvas roll. More information needed, I guess, to straighten this out.
Ray
I've attached a copy of the parts book drawing to my original post. The Shelley pliers are not shown but they are listed on the pre-war WD list of "Tools and Equipment to Complete the Scale Authorised in Equipment Regulations"
The dynamo strap spanner only appeared in later lists but I have one and it's handy so I keep it there but the roll is becoming a little difficult to stow away.
My tools have a little more rust now. The 16H tool-box lets in water better than it drains it !
As far as I can tell, the original 16H roll was leather (or rexine ?) but would have been replaced by LV7.MT2/6704 - Rolls for tools, Motor Cycle which may well have been canvas.
There are some oddities in the WD authorised equipment lists as the adjustable spanner is listed as 7", as are the pliers. Quite apart from this being an odd size, it doesn't fit with the illustrations which show them being the same length as the 6" gearbox spanner - and they wouldn't fit the tool roll anyway.
Any chance of a photo of the RH kit to compare with the NG ?
Interesting that the kit included 'King Dick' and Jenbro - rival manufacturers. Nortons are a little more straightforward as R.T. Shelley / (Abingdon) King Dick were part of the group (the profitable part !).
The 'RD' Ringed Box Spanners are an Abingdon design but not always marked as far as I can tell.
It's nice to have these kits right but I'm not sure if the illustrations were always 100% correct for all periods.
Do you have any period photos of the Ariel kit ? There are some of WD Nortons in use but they're never quite close enough for exact comparisons.
Hi Rik,
There is very little I can find for original photos.
It took me a number of years to sort out spanners by looking on e-bay and scouring the net.
I would be very interested to find period photos of the tool kit.
Ray
Hi Rik,
I do have this orphan hanging about in my files. Can you identify just what it is and for?
Ray
An interesting booklet Ray! The cover says "Contract No. 294/C/11082", this 16H contract was ordered on July 3rd 1941. I'm not sure when production started, but this book must have been printed "shortly after" this date.
On October 1st 1942 the REME (Royal Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) was formed. The REME was responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles (amongst other things), and started a new book numbering system: e.g. “Book No. 100/R.E.2”, which is the driver’s handbook for the WD/CO. The REME numbering system can be deciphered like this:
- 100 always means “Instruction Book” or “Driver’s Handbook”, 101 is a “Workshop Manual” or “Maintenance Manual”.
- The R.E. abbreviation obviously means Royal Enfield (whereas NC means Norton, BC stands for BSA… .
- The last number is a model code: 1 = WD/C, 2 = WD/CO, 3 = WD/CO/B, 4 = WD/RE.
The purple ink stamp in this book is this REME code, so that stamp is post October 1942. On books that have been printed after October 1942 this REME number was usually printed on the cover of the book.
I am impressed with the quality of enthusiast, wealth of information and activity level of this group. Good on you all.
I do not have a Norton and will most likely never have one so, if there is a person out there in need of such a booklet, I would be willing to trade it out.
It would be good to have it reunited with an enthusiast.