Bedford Lorries,Motorcoaches,Buses and Vans.TruckNetUK.
PART 1,PAGE 3.
Generally speaking,Bedford was in the standard quality league,compared to the high quality
league marques such as AEC,Scania,Foden and Atkinson - these were designed for longer service lives and heavier weights - BUT,some Bedfords soldierd on way beyond on their normal service lives 
.
I once overheard a schoolboy motor vehicle enthusiast remark to a friend that “Bedfords are tinny and sound as though their falling to bits”.This was in the 1980s,so he was referring to Bedford TKs,etc.And I agreed with him,but it doesn’t mean to say that Bedfords were no good:They were good .
The following photographs will bring back a lot of happy memories 
…either seeing,riding on, and/or driving these Bedfords in Civvy Street and/or in the military and at historic motor vehicle rallies .
This is my salute to Bedford motor vehicles,with,hopefully,some interesting comments -personel,
historical,factual,informative,etc .It does not document every model of Bedford motor vehicle.
My favourite Bedford vans,lorries,motorcoaches and buses are:-
Bedford HC/JC/PCV Van NUO 497,1947-1952:-
flickr.com/photos/fryske/4696969950/
A relative of mine learnt to drive and passed his driving test driving one of these,he said that it was a good vehicle to drive .
Bedford CA Van 857 JOA,1952-1969:-
flickr.com/photos/22009880@N06/3006161506
Very popular as Vans,Ice Cream Vans and Dormobile Camping Motor Homes .
The Bedford marque started production in 1931,and it’s lorry,bus and motorcoach range was the W-
Series for most of the 1930s decade:-
WS 30 Cwt,1932-1939.
WHG Short Wheelbase 2-Ton,1931-1939.
WLG Long Wheelbase 2-Ton,1931-1939.
WTH Short Wheelbase 3-ton,1934-1939.
WTL Long Wheelbase 3-Ton,1934-1939.
WHB Motorcoach/Bus 14-Seat Model,1931-1933.
WLB Motorcoach/Bus 20-Seat Model,1931-1935.
WTB Motorcoach/Bus 26-Seat Model,1935-1939.
NOTE:Some Bedford lorry models were also bodied as buses and motorcoaches.
The Bedford 27 HP Petrol Engine of 44 BHP was the standard engine,which was uprated to 57 BHP and
then to 64 BHP.This engine was replaced by the new Bedford 28 HP 72 BHP Petrol Engine in 1938,which went on to power the new K,M and O range from 1939.
The 30 Cwt and 2-ton models were re-styled with the 3-ton models 1934 styling in that year,and in
1938 the whole range was re-styled with the front end styling and radiator grille of the later
K,M and O models which replaced the W-Series in 1939.But the 1934 style cab was retained - this
cab was replaced on the K,M and O models with a smoother,curvier and streamlined cab.
Bedford WS 30 Cwt Dropside 4x2 Lorry UG 1223 1932 W Robinson Leyburn
flickr.com/photos/homer----s … 441715714/
Bedford WS 30 Cwt Van-bodied 4x2 Lorry CLB 311 1935
flickr.com/photos/preservedt … 211390173/
Bedford WS 30 Cwt Dropside 4x2 Lorry FRJ 104 1938
flickr.com/photos/austin7nut/4384574935/
Bedford WHG 2-Ton SWB 4x2 Breakdown Lorry AKP 213 1933
flickr.com/photos/homer----s … 472981072/
Bedford WLG/Vincent Horse Box VN 9729 1937
Parked next to Foden S39 Sabrina Foden 4AXB6/32 4x2 Showmans Ballast Road Locomotive,UUJ 664J,1971:-
rides.webshots.com/photo/1078665 … 0927NIpojk
Bedford WLG/Duple or Harrington Pump Escape Fire Engine ELG 479 1937
fire-engine-photos.com/pictu … r13155.asp
Bedford WLG 2-Ton LWB Flat-bodied 4x2 Lorry - with a differance:It has an Australian Holden
pressed steel cab and was assembled by General Motors Holden in 1938:-
truck-photos.net/picture/number870.asp
Bedford WTL 3-Ton LWB Dropside 4x2 Lorry - a portrait-painting of one in a wonderfully evocative circa 1934 Bedford advertisement:-
flickr.com/photos/mr-bg/4940704237/
Bedford WTL 3-Ton LWB Dropside 4x2 Lorry AOY 372 1934 Hall and Company
flickr.com/photos/tipperman/8043742227/
Bedford WTL/Duple B20F Bus YS 3611 1936
flickr.com/photos/dscn8785/4597984587/
Bedford WTH/Scammell 4x2 Boxvan-bodied Articulated Lorry of 1938 with the K,M and O-Series styling
This had an unusual High Tower Double Cab for added crew accomodation,and was operated by
Guest, Wood and Ling Ltd., of Bristol, Bath and London.
historicroadways.co.uk/k-004.htm
Bedford WTB/Willmott C20F Motorcoach AJT 176 of 1939
flickr.com/photos/gezzasgallery/5993659921/
Bedford W-Series Motorcoach and Bus history and information:-
wakefieldfiles.co.uk/Bedford-Wseries.htm
Now when I was kid in the 1960s I was quite familiar with all post 1938 Bedford motor vehicles.
But I had to wait until the 1970s when I saw my first Bedford W-Series lorry in the flesh-metal! 
…as far as I can remember…and this turned out to be the Bedford WTL Breakdown
Lorry of 1937 of H.Askey Transport,Sheffield :-
Bedford WTL 3-Ton 4x2 Breakdown Lorry 1937 Arundel Motors Ltd (H Askey) 296 Middlewood Road
Sheffield,from page 45 of Heritage Commercials,August,2010. H Askey Transport Livesey Street
Sheffield South Yorkshire S6 2BL.I well remember this 1937 Bedford WTL and had a good look at it several times,and I’m delighted to know that it’s being restored :-
gb.zinio.com/page/;jsessionid=7F … =45&acf=PG
Does anyone know it’s registration? Please. Thanks.
THINGS TO COME* - IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
(*With thanks to H.G.Wells .)
Listed below is Bedford’s new lorry,motorcoach and bus range for 1939 et seq that replaced the
W-Series range.World War Two started on Sunday,3rd September,1939,and the last photograph of a
Bedford W-Series in this Post is of an iconic motor vehicle of the Homefront in Great Britain
during World War Two 1939-1945 :-
Bedford WLG AFS Heavy Pump Unit Fire Engine FYH 104 of 1939 Auxiliary Fire Service
Note the Fire Engine Enthusiast dressed in period AFS uniform and metal helmet standing behind the right hand side of the cab.Altogether a wonderfully evocative sight and sound,which brings
back bitter-sweet memories of The Blitz which is part of a fascinating period of Modern
British History :-
flickr.com/photos/23875695@N06/5693970339/
All we want now is to listen to the delightfully eerie and beautiful musical sound of a British Home Office Standard Design 1938-1945 Carter Gents of Leicester Tangent Air Raid Siren! :-
youtube.com/watch?v=erMO3m0oLvs
airraidsirens.com/forums/vie … 5fc96becd0
geocities.ws/foxeye121/sirens.htm
I’ve actually operated a hand-cranked version of the Gents Tangent Air Raid Siren - it’s exciting
great fun!
Bedford K 30-40 Cwt,1939-1953.
Bedford M 2-3 Ton,1939-1953.
Bedford O 3-5 Ton Rigid,1939-1953
Bedford OSS/Scammell 6- 8 Ton Tractive Unit,1939-1953.
Bedford OB Motorcoach/Bus,1939;1945-1951.
Bedford OWB Wartime Utility Bus,1942-1945.
All had the same styling,but the O models had shorter bonnets - and were the best looking!
PART TWO OF Bedford Lorries,Motorcoaches,Buses and Vans WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY .
VALKYRIE.