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How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Remember when going scotch (if from the south), or going down to the smoke (if from the north), was long distance?
When Middle East work was readily available?.
When driving a 111 or F89 meant you were truly the king of the road?
Recall those companies long gone, where every day was an adventure?

What ever happened to those drivers you spent hours with.. where did they go? and recollect on those characters in the industry sadly no longer with us.
This forum is for us all to indulge in a little nostalgia and remember with rose coloured glasses how much better it was in the olden days

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48 posts • Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2

How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby jastrebsi59 » Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:22 pm

Ex military
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby andrew.s » Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:18 pm

during the second world war many of the 3 tonners and 1500cwt army and raf bedfords were abandoned during the fall of france(the troops escaped at dunkirk). the BEF ( British Expeditionary Force) left a massive 64,000 vehicles behind!!!(plus all of their medium and heavy artillery) many of these vehicles continued to give sterling service to the nazi's after they were gratefully captured,as most of the german army was still heavily reliant on horses.only the best equiped german frontline units were mechanised in 1940.the germans were particularly fond of the bedfords.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby revman » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:31 pm

ImageImagemy first drive summers spent at spennymoor
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:48 pm

Heres the remains of a one 1957 , Regards Larry
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:52 pm

Another good old workhorse, Bedfords were the best in those days, Regards Larry
227.jpg
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Carlc » Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:23 pm

I remember Crendon Concrete from Goole had loads of old ex army Bedfords. Some of them had hand operated semafore indicators and if you were going a bit quick (over 25) the metal arm would not come down you had to slow down a bit. They used ones with a jib for erecting and flat backs for pulling the cabin and carrying the gear.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby TIDDERSON » Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:06 am

Another one past it's prime. Blackburn Bros. ex coal lorry Godalming Surrey
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Wheel Nut » Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:24 am

Carlc wrote:I remember Crendon Concrete from Goole had loads of old ex army Bedfords. Some of them had hand operated semafore indicators and if you were going a bit quick (over 25) the metal arm would not come down you had to slow down a bit. They used ones with a jib for erecting and flat backs for pulling the cabin and carrying the gear.


Crendon and JL EVE ran those ex military Bedsteads
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby jastrebsi59 » Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:07 am

The first lorry my uncle drove was the MS type tipper for the NCB when they built the coke works at Fishburn County Durham his pal drove a tipper like the John Gornall one for a sand and gravel pit near Thorpe Thewels i remember as a very young boy him calling at my Grandmothers for a cup of tea ,i can not remember the name of the company that ran the Quarry ,i think the livery was grey and red (anybody?) it would be in the late 40s early 50s
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Stanfield » Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:44 am

http://www.transportphotos.com/road/photos
BC00009-26 Bedford OW.jpg
BC00009-35 Bedford OW.jpg
VS01062 Bedford W.jpg
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Frankydobo » Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:06 pm

Those war time pattern Bedfords were certainly bought in many numbers after the war along with the heavier makes which would be used for heavy haulage and recovery. The civilian market had suffered during the war years as you would expect as most production had been adjusted to turning out military requirements, ammunition, buttons and buckles etc, as well as vehicles. So after the war many firms that had operated before 1939 bought these vehicles as they were cheaper and it gave the many ex forces drivers a chance to start up hoping to make a living in transport as some did. The well known O Series had just came out before the war and it was modified to enable cheap manufacture of the bonnet and wings from flat panels for quick and easy replacement but mainly to cut down production cost and metal which rapidly became in short supply during and for a spell after the war. The 'Bull Nose' Bedford as the O series was more commonly known eventually became the more often seen type but the ex forces flat front Bedford still served for many years in its new civilian role. Bedford then and previous to the war made a damn good reliable and economical vehicle that could be used in many forms as the pics above show. Below is a Bedford sales poster from the time. Cheers Franky.
LastScan.jpg
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:02 pm

Harry Goodwill.jpg
Harry Goodwill in his young days haurling opencast coal, Regards Larry.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:40 pm

208.jpg
I took this when I was in Malta somes years ago, Regards Larry.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby paul motyka » Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:00 pm

Butler lorries.jpg
A mixed fleet from E.BUTLER & SONS (MALTBY) I think the ones to the right are J type bedfords,hope that is right.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby haddy » Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:06 pm

Here's one from West Norfolk BRS.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby haddy » Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:21 pm

Frankydobo wrote:Those war time pattern Bedfords were certainly bought in many numbers after the war along with the heavier makes which would be used for heavy haulage and recovery. The civilian market had suffered during the war years as you would expect as most production had been adjusted to turning out military requirements, ammunition, buttons and buckles etc, as well as vehicles. So after the war many firms that had operated before 1939 bought these vehicles as they were cheaper and it gave the many ex forces drivers a chance to start up hoping to make a living in transport as some did. The well known O Series had just came out before the war and it was modified to enable cheap manufacture of the bonnet and wings from flat panels for quick and easy replacement but mainly to cut down production cost and metal which rapidly became in short supply during and for a spell after the war. The 'Bull Nose' Bedford as the O series was more commonly known eventually became the more often seen type but the ex forces flat front Bedford still served for many years in its new civilian role. Bedford then and previous to the war made a damn good reliable and economical vehicle that could be used in many forms as the pics above show. Below is a Bedford sales poster from the time. Cheers Franky.
LastScan.jpg

Hello Franky, did the British Army ever use the "O" series during the war? I've only ever seen "OW" series in WW2 films. Cheers Haddy.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Ray Leggy » Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:50 pm

Realy enjoyed looking at the BEDFORDS the first lorry i learned to drive in belonged to A ROWE BARNSLEY on an outcop at KIPPAX took the coal to Temple Newsam screens 1953 school hols loved it Johnny Rowe taught me to drive (BLESS HIM) they bought all their lorrys from mod
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby jastrebsi59 » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:12 pm

more Bedfords
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby jastrebsi59 » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:22 pm

Quite a few old Bedfords on Youtube
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:22 pm

083.jpg
Another old Bedford, & a good workhorse to say the least, It belonged to my cousin who ran it for a long time, Leyland engine with a two speed axle it pulled 14 ton in its its day, Regards Larry.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:36 pm

Harry Goodwill June 1944.jpg
Harry Goodwill June 1944, & he is still about, well into retirement mind you, But still remembers the good old Bedford days, he ran nothing else, Regards Larry
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:27 pm

351.jpg
With courtesey of the Blackett Family.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby OssieD » Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:47 pm

My old man drove an OW Bedford with a rag top for Ferguson Television in the late fifties doing shop deliveries, he used to let me ride in the back, can you see that allowed today?, my first lorry was an O type Bedford tipper early sixties, petrol engine good old motor but didn’t like stopping.

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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby albion1938 » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:58 pm

Father's first new lorry after the war, early 1946.
Bernard
froybedford.JPG
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby Lawrence Dunbar » Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:11 pm

albion1938 wrote:Father's first new lorry after the war, early 1946.
Bernard
froybedford.JPG
Nice photo, an earley curtainsider Eh, Great stuff, Regards Larry.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby albion1938 » Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:34 pm

Lawrence Dunbar wrote:
albion1938 wrote:Father's first new lorry after the war, early 1946.
Bernard
The attachment froybedford.JPG is no longer available
Nice photo, an earley curtainsider Eh, Great stuff, Regards Larry.


It's a shame the picture's damaged, but you can see enough. The back part of the canvas tilt, you can see a moulding holding it down, was loose and could be rolled forward for overhead loading of heavy items such as boilers, using a block and tackle on a gantry. By the way, everybody thinks the flat bonnet/tinwork on the wartime Bedfords was for economy/ease of construction, but the main reason was that the civvy O types only had a little gauze air filter on top of the carb, the military needed a big oil bath filter for off road/desert use, there wasn't room under the civilian bonnet, hence the square military front to make room, and to standardise, the few civvy vehicles released had the same front end. The body on the Bedford in the picture was heavily modified in 1955 into a box van, and fitted to a new series 3 Austin, picture attached, have a close look at the headboard and you can see it's the same framing!
rlm488.jpg

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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby paul motyka » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:57 pm

Fred & Geoff.jpg
Early one from E BUTLER & SONS (MALTBY) OET 136? Fred bagley & son.Pic copyright of Geoff,freds son.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby tyneside » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:48 pm

Not sure if this a Bedford. Perhaps Larry or someone can help.
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby rigsby » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:17 pm

looks like an austin to me , but not sure of the vintage
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Re: How many hauliers started with these old Bedfords

Postby lemonmouth » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:21 pm

Definately an Austin.........Or a Birmingham Bedford as they were sometimes known :wink:
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