Morris the Milk Float

On 24 June 2003 I was given a float: a 1940's Morrison Electricar tipper truck. It had been sitting in a garage for nearly 15 years, yet it still ran sweetly.
 
Don't you think it's beautiful?

Admittedly I had never planned to own a float, but I do have a nice big garden and prefer ecological vehicles to the others. So when one was advertised on a local newsgroup I tentatively showed interest, and suddenly found myself Morris' guardian. It's as simple as that.

So, what does one do with a float? My initial idea was just to restore it for fun, perhaps got to the occasional vintage rally, but not give it any significant use. However, enthusiastic friends have convinced me otherwise. Girton has recently bought a community shredder, to encourage people to turn hedge and tree prunings into mulch and compost. It's a heavy beast, and putting it into a car entails much time and effort, and isn't good for people's backs. Clearly an ecological flatbed truck is just the job. And if this, why not other recycling/reuse projects?

So in October 2004 a small committee formed itself to restore Morris and use it for various projects around Girton. Our first task was to try to interest various charities and in this we were highly successful. Organisations such as Tools for Self-Reliance were keen for us to collect for them; while both the Girton Town Charity and CCORRN (Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network) have agreed to provide funding for the restoration. We envisage a launch of the project in Spring 2005.

History

The registration document lists the first registration as 1955, though the "A" registration plate dates from 1961. However an expert suggests that certain components clearly indicate that Morris must be pre-1950. I'm still hoping to explore its earlier history.

It was given to Friends of the Earth in around 1990, to launch a waste-paper recycling scheme. They put a lot of time and effort into doing it up. Then the bottom dropped out of the waste-paper business. There was no point in struggling on without any outlet for what they collected. So Morris went into a lock-up garage for safe-keeping and was effectively forgotten for many years, until the lock-up was required for other purposes. It then became imperative to find alternative accommodation for Morris.

Present state

Morris is in remarkably good shape for a 50-year-old. When first we discussed moving Morris to Girton we assumed that there would be a number of problems: 15 years is a long time for batteries, brakes and tyres. We were surprised to find the tyres still firm; one brake was binding but that was not hard to fix. The batteries were 40 airforce surplus Ni-Cd cells, which seemed to recharge happily, and Morris was soon able to move under his own power. However, he arrived in Girton towed by a Land Rover.

• The battery cages were badly corroded
• The batteries fail to hold sufficient charge
• The tyres, though having deep treads still, were beginning to crack and were brittle. They give very little grip.
• The steering was very sloppy
• There was no mirror, no screen wiper, no front numberplate, no headlight.
• Some wheelnuts were missing, and one stud broken
• One brake cylinder was binding
• The king pins were worn
• The rear lights and numberplate board was attached with a cable tie

Happily, the original owner's handbook has survived, with exploded pictures of the important bits. Also, I quickly discovered a number of people more than willing to help with the restoration. One in particular, who had spent much of his life maintaining local dairy fleets, still has a number of useful spares which would be otherwise almost impossible to source. I was therefore able to sort out the brakes and tighten up the steering straightaway, and fit a headlight.

To great hilarity I booked it in to the local garage for a safety check and apart from the itms above they gave it a clean bill of health.

All of the metal chassis has surface rust, but is generally sound. However the battery cages were completely gone, and the Ni-Cds were housed on the flatbed. Happily, a Girton resident who has just spent a year restoring a Foden tractor had already offered to help with welding if necessary, so I contacted him one Friday. He came round straightaway to measure up, and within 24 hours I had new cages!

Battery cages: old and new

Part of the rusty battery cage	Bernard's wonderful new cages

FoE had found a set of 40 airforce-surplus Ni-Cd cells which still seemed in good condition. However (perhaps because of a few bad cells) they don't seem to hold much charge. On the first outing I came to a sudden halt just as I entered the double-white-line section of Girton Corner. We pushed Morris into the drive of a private house there, and almost imemdiately a car pulled in alongside: the owner wishing to access her property. She was very kind and allowed us to recharge the batteries there. But clearly, this is something of a problem.

Here the Girton Town Charity stepped in: they were happy to provide us with funding for new batteries. So now the new cages contain four nice Elecsol 125s.

Batteries: old and new

The Ni-Cd batteries (10 cells each)	Four new Elecsol batteries in the new cage: a perfect fit

Girton Town Charity also provided enough funding to furnish Morris with a winch.

Wheels with no grip

Pirelli Electruck tyre. Note the lack of wheelnuts!	In the wet Morris was skidding even on the level...	... and mounting the hardstanding unaided was just impossible.

Housing

Go to the building of the workshop
Go to the digger disaster
Go to the de Lacey home page

Page last updated: 20. 11. 2004 by webmaster.