Salisbury Plain

[Dreadnought]

Yep, this afternoon I took her for a run on Salisbury Plain Tank Training area, or as close to the Tank Area as I could get.....A challenger 2 looks a lot bigger when it is running alongside you and out accelerating you. got about 14 litres more engine than I have and about 60 Tons more weight. The Pinz performed admirably and I couldn,t find anything that stopped her or even slowed her down, with a diesel its a lot less fuss, she tackled most climbs at just over tickover. I did get the chance to meet one of the latest Pinzgauers used by the british Army in very similar configuration (full hard top) Don,t they sit low at the back??? quite the opposite to our 710,s.....any reason for that? better balance maybe, my 710K is really light on the rear end, I,m going to have to wind off the back brakes somewhat, as she locks up with the slightest provocation..even on good tarmacadam roads. Next time (soon as possible) I,m going to take my wife with the camera and get some good pics and bring them to you all. (Sorry I haven,t yet put up pics of the engine installation, but I am so busy enjoying her.)

[David Dunn]

716s have an automatic air leveling suspension system in the rear. With the engine off, they bleed down, only to reset on startoff. The payload capacity of a 716 is equal to the 712's payload.

[Dreadnought]

I,ll try and catch a pic of one of these 716,s on the move to illustrate what I mean, it does give them a sort of deliberate stance, like a dog bracing itself on its hind legs before a fight, seems to be quite a few of them around the Tidworth Garrison/Salisbury Plain area. I might get lucky and be able to park mine next to a stationary one.

[Garymartin]

Hi Dreadnought,
just reading your thread on Salisbury plain.From time to time I stay in Romsey,and would like to explore /drive on the plain.Do you need special permits/permission?
If not do you know of any useful maps I could source.

Regards.

Garymartin.

[Dreadnought]

Hi Gary, its a nice drive up to Salisbury Plain from Romsey, some of God,s country with very nice views especially coming down from the 'downs', but as for 'The Plain', it is actually criss-crossed by lanes which are marked on OS maps of the area. But it is so 'driven' by tanks and other assorted hardware that it is hard to follow these tracks. There are wardens to stop you straying where you shouldn,t. I doubt if any squaddie would ask you not to drive in any area unless they were playing with pyro or suchlike. The Wardens are a different kettle of fish and have different remits, I met one in person through contact on a Landrover site and he was in charge of keeping the deer in the right places and proportions and would turn a blind eye to anyone driving sensibly even in areas they shouldn,t be. But there are a few who could only be described as 'jumped up Napoleons with an overblown power complex' The sensible way to deal with one of these would be to keep hitting him in the mouth until he shuts up or goes to sleep or both. But sadly that is frowned upon. Just hope you don,t meet Napoleon if you do tell him you have strayed from the track and could he direct you back to it. Do not let him tell you that you have no right to be on the plain at all. There are clearly marked (on the map) tracks that you can use quite legitimately. I don,t think these wardens actually work for the MOD as is always the case and like the so called Television Licensing people are sub contractors thought they will doubtless show some fancy ID that proclaims them to be a General of the Army, but the beard and the combat trousers with a scruffy shirt is a dead giveaway. Good luck, the Plain and its tracks are a very nice drive but I haven,t yet found anything to really challenge a Pinzgauer. Regards Steve Cooper

[HOOPS PINZ]

Guys Im up there once a month on the plain. I took sum jeeps with me last Sat and we had a great time, you will not have a problem unless you stray off the tracks.
The plain is normally closed 1 weekend a month for army training but you just need to travel to other parts of the plain which the warden will tell you about.

If any of you fancy a trip let me know theirs not much to challenge you untill winter or if you use one of the RUPS which are now closed in the UK

Im only an hour away from the plain and have been green laning for 30 odd years

Can be a good day out

[Dreadnought]

Hoops, let me know when you are at the Plain again, I,m free most days of the week and weekends. I,m at cooper721@btinternet.com and I,m just up the road in Swindon (until next March when I.ll be in offroad heaven - Rural Poland). I once spent a lot of time on "The Plain" but I was in camouflage back then and the government was paying for my Diesel.