MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Tizer]

That didn't last long - Gloria and Stanley are a force to be reckoned with! The image is a postcard of a photo taken on 23 June 1919 at Scapa Flow. I have copied it from the Picture Postcard Monthly magazine. The caption says it shows the whaler Ramna stranded on the German battle cruiser Moltke which had settled in shallow water. The whaler was refloated shortly after the photo was taken.

A naval history web page shows this for Ramna:
RAMNA, hired whaler, Adty No 2018. Built 1908, 108grt, Leith-reg LH.366. Armament: 1-6pdr AA. Served in British home waters from 1.15. Purchased, sold 13.11.19. LINK
I guess it was on guard duty at Scapa but might have been used for other duties during the war.

This web site has lots of photos of ships at Scapa... LINK `The German Fleet in Orkney'

[Stanley]

That's very gratifying......

[Gloria]

image.png

What is this and what is it out of?

[Big Kev]

It's a 4 cylinder petrol engine, is it an old Austin?

[Gloria]

It's a 4 cylinder petrol engine, is it an old Austin?

Nope.

[PanBiker]

Vauxhall Viva?

[Tripps]

Judicious use of a powerful illuminated magnifying glass tells me it's "Reconditoned by Vauxhall Motors Ltd." Is that cheating?

[PanBiker]

Looks a bit like what was in our Bedford HE vans which was based on the VIVA hence my guess.

[Gloria]

Looks a bit like what was in our Bedford HE vans which was based on the VIVA hence my guess.

You're heading in the right direction but not quite there yet.

[plaques]

Looks more like a Vauxhall 6. Before my time. All my vauxhalls had big holes in the floors 'rot boxes' never got round to working on the engines too busy with the holes.

[Stanley]

Is it out of an earlier Vauxhall 12? The castings on the steering box look older than post war.....

[Gloria]

You were all close but not close enough, bit of a long shot you getting it exactly right, but I'll leave a little bit longer.
Clue, it's related to a recent mystery object.

[chinatyke]

Is that a sealed dipstick port? If so, is it a marine engine? Could it be one used in amphibious vehicles? It's a 6 cylinder distributor but it could have had another one on the other side of a 12 cylinder engine?Just suggestions to maybe inspire someone else...

[Gloria]

No sorry, you are way off.
I'll leave it until tomorrow and then reveal the answer.

[Tizer]

Agricultural machinery of some sort?

[Gloria]

Agricultural machinery of some sort?

Sorry no.

[Big Kev]

Is it in an old Vauxhall in an Opel dealership in Berchtesgaden, Germany?

[Gloria]

Is it in an old Vauxhall in an Opel dealership in Berchtesgaden, Germany?

No but I see where you're coming from, you just need to look elsewhere.

[StoneRoad]

Armoured car or light tank ?

[Gloria]

I shall add a picture tomorrow and you will all kick yourselves.

[chinatyke]

I've gone back to thinking it's only 4 cylinders. Other than that I'm clueless!

[Stanley]

Dormobile? Or is it a Holden?

[Gloria]

image.png

It's in the motor museum in Leyland, well worth a visit, all been done up.

[Stanley]

Oh God! And I drove one of them at the dairy as well!

[Tizer]

Well done, Gloria, that was a really good mystery object! I puzzled over your clue that it was linked to an earlier Object but was thinking of vehicles, not companies.

NB. As I wrote the above sentence there was a small insect, about 2mm long, crawling on my computer screen. I tried to flick it off but it was on the inside!