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I have an original No4T transit chest that is worth "restoring"Attachment 104759. It seems that someone has rubbed away over-paint to reveal what is left of older marks - the best is on the back and features "Weedon" in a short statement. As I'm planning a repaint does anyone no the rest of the phrase to re-apply it?
Many thanks in advance!
This chest may also get a new made lid and base due to their condition.
Weedon was a very large Royal Ordnance Dept and responsible for producing much that is out on the Lilsurps market today. I am sure there are many chests with there lettering laid out in clear speech for you to copy.
You may be able to carefully remove more of the "overpaint" on your chest to reveal more of the original lettering.
I found that with a couple of Bren transit chest the "overpaint", covering the stencilling, was easily removed by lightly rubbing over with fine wire wool soaked in methylated spirits. I don't know what kind of paint had been used to "overpaint" but it came off relatively easily. Obviously the aim is to remove the "overpaint" but not the original stencilling below.
Attachment 105124 This seems to be the bottom of the excavation on the back of the chest - this is the best contrast I got for it all with light sanding and a meths wash. Seems to be a couple of phrases:
( ) PALESTINE, NOT PRESERVED - I think the expedition port or rail head destination is missing ( ). The Palestine operations were active @1945 to 1948.
CHEST S.A. No 15 Mk1
OSD BARGE, WEEDON (NORTHANTS) - With the proposed '45 to '48 time frame, it may suggest that Weedon was using its GU Canal gate still then, unless BARGE is wrong.
(WT) 0 - 1 - 12
Anyone have or have seen similar / or other reads & ideas? This side is now back in Dark Bronze Green and I am sourcing the stencils for the above.
Every unit had its querky markings including colours for Companies and Battalions.
Great to see Palestine markings on there 1946-1948 as well. I have seen a chest being carried as the British Army cleared out in 1948 somewhere on film, could be on this link. I would leave that as it is great provenance if the insides are in tact.
Last British Troops Leave Palestine (1948) - YouTube
Great bit of film that Gil - thanks!
Now working up the excavation on the front side, found a few phrases again. Will be researching these for the full meaning / text.
Does anybody have rifle BA6247?
Photo with and without flash:
Attachment 105173Attachment 105174
With a little extra time on my hands and the ability to repaint a chest in the middle of my (bachelor) hallway, the "chestoration" is complete! I took the interior shot before stenciling and the last stencil shot while the paint was still wet last night. Its now ready t house my 1945 BSA kit - Ill look to get a CES display photo or two posed like the ones in the training manuals. I learned a lot about the chest world and have extra rebuild supplies on my ebay site and more info (with future updates) in my website blog. I often cross post here. I hope to be milling new dovetailed ends and interior partition blocks today, as I work towards building chests from scratch (have other rifles to house - plus my club friends). Many thanks to Sniper Shot for the stencil help! Cheers!Attachment 105538Attachment 105539Attachment 105540
It looks pretty enough but you severely devalued it from a collectability standpoint. If you're building new chests from scratch....why didn't you leave this one as as is and just make a replacement?