Amelia Squariel: W/NG Toolkit

I'm very keen to have a toolkit with me on a bike trip. I'm not one of those guys that uses a mobile phone and an RAC card - I like to be able to deal with roadside breakdowns and adjustments myself. It gives me a great sense of security.

In making up a tool kit, I like to start with the tools originally supplied by the works and add to them through experience with the machine as I have done for the Square Four tool kit. The starting point for the bike's original kit is the parts list, which prewar carried pictures of all the tools. The parts list for many Ariels are available for download at the AOMCC website. In addition to the parts book, club member Ray Tolman has prepared a booklet illustrating the tools for the singles and a second volume specifically for the W/NG. This excellent volume shows some key pieces of information:

a photograph of each tool, and the tool roll
the works drawing for the tool
identification of the vendor of some bought in tools
the part numbers for the tool

Using the information available, you can piece together a tool kit - or at least, you can for most of the tools. Some of them are as rare as a rare thing, and have to be made...

Here is the basis of the tool kit illustrated in the 1940 W/NG parts book. Notably, this is one of the only W/NG parts books that actually has the tools illustrated in it:

Tools part numbers:

The tools are also pictured in the driver's handbook:

Here is the list shown above, retyped so that I can edit it:

Adjustable spanner: bought in - King Dick brand - 6" long
Pliers: bought in - Jenbro brand 7" round hole type
Double-ended spanner for steering head and wheel bearing adjustment. Made for Ariel.
Double-ended spanner for wheel bearing adjustment and engine sprocket locknuts, Made for Ariel.
Double-ended spanner (fits 7/16" and 1/2" nuts). Made for Ariel.
G1/59 Double-ended spanner (fits 5/16" and 3/8" nuts). Made for Ariel.
Double-ended spanner (fits 1/4" and 5/16" nuts). Made for Ariel.
Double-ended spanner (fits 3/16" and 1/4" nuts). Made for Ariel.
Ring spanner (fits 3/8" and 7/16" nuts).
Ring spanner (fits 1/4" and 5/16" nuts).
Tappet adjustment spanner.
Magneto spanner.
Tyre lever-cranked type.
Cylinder base nut spanner.
Clutch spring adjusting nut spanner.
Grease gun: bought in - Tecalemit type 7MC, the usual brass type - approx. 14 cm
Tyre lever-spoon type: bought in - Dunlop - approximately 6" long. Should be two of these.
Tommy bar. 7" total length including 1'' step
Screwdriver. 6" wire - no markings
Box spanner for cylinder head bolts - 5/16".
G1/123 Box spanner for clutch centre screws - 3/8" AF x 3/8" AF (same size both ends); absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
G1/122 Box spanner for flywheel oil purifier - 1/4" x 3/16"; absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
Box spanner for clutch centre nut - 3/4"; absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
G1/99 Box spanner for wheel spindle nuts - 1/2" x 7/16".
Tool roll.
Oil can: bought in - Wesco Type 200 folding spout
Tyre repair outfit.
Chain rivet extractor: bought in - Coventry Brand
Front chain spare links: bought in - Renold 5/8" x 1/4" in non-rattle tin box
Rear Chain spare links: bought in - Renold 1/2" x .305" in non-rattle tin box
Insulating tape: bought in - 4 ounce roll 1/2" x 25 yards
Carrier strap, web type 1" x 40" multi-purpose part
Dynamo strap bolt spanner.
Tyre pressure gauge and Schrader valve tool: bought in - Dunlop #6

What puzzles me is, why is there no spark plug spanner?

The tool list for the W/NG is clearly similar to that for the civilian singles, with some notable exceptions. Soldiers were clearly discouraged from getting too deep in the engine perhaps unsurprisingly, since there are no sprocket or gear pinion extractors included - but the cranked brake adjustment spanner is also excluded which is not used at the front on a W/NG but is very useful at the back, where the adjuster is hidden by a mudguard stay.

So here is my starting point, a jumbled collection of tools, some Ariel & left over from the SQ4, some unknown...

The hunt begins with our first eBay find, and progresses though raids of various toolboxes, car boot sales, more eBay, and kind people sending me tips...

Item 1. Abingdon King Dick adjustable spanner

Item 2, 7" Jenbro combination pliers

Item 3, steering stem spanner - the large one

Item 4, steering stem spanner - the small one

Item 5, 1/2" x 7/16" open spanner

Item 6, 5/16" x 3/8" open spanner

Item 7, 3/16" x 1/4" open spanner. Not a real one, that is in the SQ4 toolkit

Here's an anomaly. The parts book, which is 1945, shows this spanner as Double-ended spanner (fits 3/16" and 1/4" nuts). This example is marked 1/8" BSW x 3/16" BSW and is pre war - an example of the 'shrinking BSW Heads' phenomenon...

Item 8. 1/8" BSW x 3/16" BSW open spanner

Item 9 Ring spanner - 3/8" x 7/16"

Item 10 Ring spanner - 1/4" x 5/16"

Item 11 was in the SQ4 tool kit. Hex is miles too big for the four's tiny tappet nuts:

Item 11 Tappet Spanner

Item 12. Magneto spanner

Item 13 - a tyre lever, Dunlop, most definitely cranked

A rare item, thanks to Ray Tolman for putting me onto this one

Item 14, the cylinder base nut spanner

Item 15 - the clutch spanner

Item 16, A Tecalemit grease gun

There's a set of instructions on how these guns work here.

Item 17, 7" Dunlop tyre levers.

The Tommy Bar is easy - but I am going to have to get a lathe at some point. This one was filed up from a bit of an old stop cock key.

Item 18, Tommy Bar

Recently I turned up a tommy bar to the Ariel pattern Here it is, with a later civilian one alongside:

Item 19. Nice 6" wire form screwdriver

Item 20 Double ended cylinder head box spanner

Item 21, 3/8" AF double ended box spanner

Item 22 - Not a real G1/122 tube spanner, but will do the job

This large 3/4" x 7/8" tube spanner came from a large box of old spanners I bought somewhere for a fiver - its been worth that many times over. I might cut this one down - the parts book suggests its a single-ended spanner