McGRATH TRAILERS AND COMPANY HISTORY.

Tim, I made some noises a bit like that, the electric fence started snapping like a crocodile, Mrs Sarge was at work 8 k's away..... :'(

anyway the Volvo is Grahams favourite toy....

saved from my own stupidity :-X

/me

on a more serious note in Home Hill today saw an old Mcgrath axle with only five spokes on it have never seen on before had s cams took a photo poxy phone now just have to work out how to get picture off it. has any else seen a five spoke Mcgrath axle

My McGrath had chassis No stamped on right hand side in front of the legs. Digits were only about 1/4", plus of course the pressed metal plate on the rear. Sarge, the label you were looking at is for the landing legs.

That's a very tidy F86 and would scrub up nicely. Tell him about the AVTHG web site on www.hunteroldtrucks.com and once he sees it you will be his best friend.

PS For those who haven't twigged (most of us, lol) the little icon at bottom left of my (and others)post is to email directly without having to do a PM.

HI ALL,
TO MRSMACKPAUL, I HAVE AN OWNER OF A LATE 1940's SEMI-TRAILER WITH NO AXLE IN IT, AND IT SHOULD HAVE THE SPOKE HUB AXLE, WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO POST MORE INFORMATION, I WILL PASS THAT ON.
THIS IS HOW WE MIGHT JUST SAVE ANOTHER McGRATH TRAILER FROM THE SCRAP YARD, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND FORGET THE ELECTRIC FENCES, IT WILL BE SUMMER SOON AND THE SNAKES WILL BE OUT AND ABOUT.
REGARDS BILL

More questions. Just been to Dubbo show where there were heaps of McGrath trailers, all wearing the big "High tensile" stickers on the chassis. Some had "high tensile" in red, and some were in orange - what's the meaning (if any) behind the difference in colour??

HORNSBY AKROYD came across this tonight wasn't sure were to post it eg here or spread axle thing thought it might be of intreset had another look at axle trying to find out who it belongs to may take some time leave it with me and will see what happens

Howdy,

My 65 McGrath has same chassis No on both sides of chassis.
No's about 3/8 high.
As where Mammoth said, just in front of the legs.

Basil

HI ALL,
ESPECIALLY MRSMACKPAUL,
THANK YOU FOR FINDING THIS VERY RARE AND VALUABLE, ( HISTORICALLY ) ADVERTISMENT FOR THE OTHER McGRATH TRAILER COMPANY.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, VIN McGRATH WAS THE FAMOUS J.J. McGRATHS BROTHER, WHO I BELIEVE HAD WORKED TOGETHER BUILDING TRAILERS, UNTIL A FALLING OUT OCCURED, AND VIN STARTED UP, THE NEW McGRATH TRAILER COMPANY IN GEELONG ROAD FOOTSCRAY, IN DIRECT COMPETITION TO HIS BROTHER JOHN AND FREIGHTER TRAILERS.
THIS HAS BEEN MOST CONFUSING IN TRACKING DOWN THE HISTORY, BUT I AM LED TO BELIEVE THIS NEW COMPANY WAS SHORT LIVED, AND SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REAL McGRATH TRAILER EQUIPMENT COMPANY.
BREAKING NEWS, A 1934 McGRATH FOUR-WHEEL, TWO TON DOG TRAILER, IS BEING OVERHAULED WITH A VIEW TO HAVING IT EXHIBITED IN NOVEMBER AT SANDOWN, AND THE 1932 EIGHTEEN FOOT SEMI-TRAILER IN NORTHERN VICTORIA HAS BEEN OVERHAULED AND IS AWAITING HOT WEATHER PRIOR TO PAINTING, HERE ARE TWO VERY HISTORIC TRAILERS SAVED FROM THE SCRAP HEAP AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS HCVC VINTAGE TRUCK FORUM.
WELL DONE KEEP SEARCHING FOR MORE McGRATH TRAILERS AND COMPANY HISTORY.
REGARDS BILL.

I presume it's your ad in the latest TOMM mag??
Any results??

HI ALL
AND YES BK THE ADD IS MINE, BUT LITTLE HAS COME FROM THEM SO FAR, I'M STILL HOPING TO FIND SOME EX-EMPLOYEES WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO FIND SOME FAMILY MEMBERS.

I HAVE A STORY FOR YOU ALL;

AN ELECTRIC GENERATOR TURBINE ORDERED FROM SWITZERLAND ON BEHALF OF THE VICTORIAN ELECTRICITY COMMISSION WAS LANDED AT THE VICTORIA DOCKS IN JUNE 1939.
THE GENERATOR WEIGHED 54 TONS AND 8 cwt, THIS GENERATOR AND OTHER UNITS OF THE OUTFIT HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE COMMISSIONS POWER PLANT AT NEWPORT.
NO SUITABLE TRANSPORT UNIT, CAPABLE OF CARRYING SUCH A HEAVY LOAD WAS AVAILABLE.
L. ARTHUR AND Co A WELL KNOWN MELBOURNE HAULIER WAS GIVEN THE CONTRACT FOR SHIFTING THE HEAVY PLANT TO IT'S DESTINATION.
SEVEN DAYS AFTER AN ORDER FOR A SPECIAL LOW LOADING ARTICULATED TRAILER WAS PLACED WITH McGRATH TRAILER EQUIPMENT COMPANY, WHICH SPECIALISES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEAVY TRANSPORT VEHICLES, A 16 - WHEELED GOOSE-NECK TRAILER, WAS READY FOR THE ROAD AND THE BIG TASK.
THIS TRAILER WAS TO BE HAULED BY A 36 hp THORNYCROFT TRUCK, WITH 10 TYRES, THE HUGE CIRCULAR TANK-SHAPED GENERATOR WAS LOADED ON TO THE LOW SET TRAILER, TOTAL WEIGHT ESTIMATED AT 75 TONS,AND WAS CARRIED SUCCESSFULLY.
THE TRUCK WAS EQUIPED WITH AN AUXILIARY GEARBOX, WHICH PROVIDED EIGHT FORWARD SPEEDS, THE LOWEST OF WHICH WAS 98 TO 1, WITH A FINAL RATIO OF 8.25 TO 1.
ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE WAS CAPABLE OF HANDLING A HUGE PAYLOAD, AN AUXILIARY TRUCK LENT ASSISTANCE, IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF THIS HUGE LOAD.

ANOTHER DISCOVERY, IN MY PURSUIT OF McGRATH HISTORY, IF THIS HAS BORED YOU PLEASE TELL ME AND I WILL STOP POSTING, THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION.
REGARDS BILL