The humble Ford D series

[sandway]

Promotor lorry. Think its a D series!!!!!!

Bloody hell, I hope the driver survived?

I understand the driver was Roger Oakley and he did survive. I would think the photo was taken in about 75/6. Roger was driving another D series when I joined the company in 78. He left in about 82.

[DEANB]

Click on pages twice to read.

[moomooland]

[ERF-NGC-European]

To finish the sleeper-cab theme (thanks to Dean's scanned article!):

Robert

[moomooland]

[rastone]

Click on pages twice to read.

fordd1.jpg

fordd2.jpg

fordd3.jpg

fordd4.jpg

fordd5.jpg

fordd6.jpg

fordd7.jpg

fordd8.jpg

fordd9.jpg

fordd10.jpg

If you are able to get a brochure with the King's six x two on the cover I think you will notice that it isn't a
works County option but a conversion by somebody else.look very carefully.
Tony

[moomooland]

Ford works fleet Dagenham

[newmercman]

That is an impressive line up, a place for everything and everything in its place. My OCD hopes that they're all lined up in numerical order.

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[Dipster]

That is an impressive line up, a place for everything and everything in its place. My OCD hopes that they're all lined up in numerical order.

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I have a soft spot for Ford.

Many years ago a past girlfriend's dad worked at Ford, Dagenham, (Briggs Motor Bodies in fact I think), and developed lung cancer. He lost a lung and was unfit for a return to the factory. Ford kindly re-trained him as an HGV driver and put him on their fleet. Were they obliged to? I do not know but I do know he was very grateful and served FoMoCo faithfully for years afterwards.

[Bewick]

Ford fleet.jpg

Ford works fleet Dagenham

That is one impressive shot of the Ford Factory Fleet and I cannot say anything wrong about the Trader and the D1000 I ran at the start of my career in road transport, although I can say that it would have been impossible to have built the business up using only Ford Products ! Horses for courses and while I, personally, treated the Fords with the utmost respect and acknowledged their weaknesses many employed Drivers could not which resulted in the bad reputation the D1000's gained ! Just the thoughts of an old time operator ! Cheers Bewick.

[Stanfield]

This one was bought new by an ex workmate of mine Eddie Hartley (who was also Tipits late father) it was his 1st motor when he ventured into the world of owner driver during the 60s.

[Paul John]

That is a great shot, and Ford must of had faith in their own product. The three Transits seem to be petrol looking at the grills!
My father bought a 1965 C reg D series off the local brewery and hired it back to them for a number of years. Great 3 man cab, cheap and easy to maintain, especially with the tilting cab. I always found them comfortable and reliable and drove quite a few from 17 to 24 years of age.
I used to deliver Girling brake products from Cwmbran into Dagenam and the tractor plant in South Ockendon. Looking back those plants were huge with a lot more going on there than the average person could comprehend.

[ERF-NGC-European]

Unusual Ford D-series with sleeper. I think I put pics of it on this thread before but I'm not sure these aren't 'new'. Robert

[gingerfold]

Ford fleet.jpg

Ford works fleet Dagenham

There's one in the top left hand corner that's missed being in the line-up...it would probably made an odd number, I reckon there are 100 tractor units in the two lines. There was obviously some purpose for this photo. Any ideas anyone?

To answer the question about the employee transferred onto the works transport fleet. I believe that all Ford's own fleet drivers were internal transfers from within the factory. To get a driving job was considered as a promotion and it could take years to wait for a vacancy. Apparently Ford's works fleet drivers were on very high wages.

[DEANB]

Ford D roadtest 1965.

Click on pages twice to read.

[tonyj105]

Unusual Ford D-series with sleeper. I think I put pics of it on this thread before but I'm not sure these aren't 'new'. Robert

s-l16006.jpg

s-l16007.jpg

if i remember rightly its a locomotors conversion , definitely a ford approved conversion as its in the Ford approved body builders book i've got at home, when i was driving them i always looked at that photo with envy.
tony

[michel]

A D tractor with a Nicolas semi-trailer in Auxerre (Burgundy).Perhaps owned by a Ford agricultural dealer.

[ERF-NGC-European]

^^^^^^I've just re-sized it for you, Michel, so that now you can see the cab! Robert

[rastone]

Hi Paul,
Wolverhampton Low Level Station, they turned it into a parcel concentration depot, I can remember the D series and the Commer Walk-Thru vans running out of there, by 1981/2 it was shut for good, now half of it has been demolished and a Premier Inn and pub built there and the main station building is an Indian buffet venue, all 200 yds away from were I'm sitting typing this! Cheer's Pete

Only 200 yards away Pete, amazing.

Here'a a few more 'D' Series from the archives.

Ford double D HTS-001.jpg

Ford D Series MP-001.jpg

Ford D Series NC-002.jpg

That H.T.S.is a twin engined trial motor.Ford put out three of these.One to B.R.S and another to E.C.C.When the vehicle was running unladen or very lightly laden you could shut one engine down. It wasn't meant to be a vehicle to be a for marketing.I've got some details but can't find them but it is a copy of an artical in a magazine.I saw the B.R.S. one outside the Coach and Horses in Lower Tean on the old A50.I think Bedford made one I think Rotinoff made some.Youl find stuff on Google with more detail.

Tony

[robthedog]

Nmp

[robthedog]

2 still doing a bit in Marrakech this week

[robthedog]

Interesting

[Fergie47]

Interesting

"Interesting"....read ..butt ugly..

[Suedehead]

Interesting

Is it towing an Allegro vanden plas ?
Cant work out what that car is

[blue estate]

Interesting

Is it towing an Allegro vanden plas ?
Cant work out what that car is

I would say more like a Toyota or some other jap car


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[Dipster]

Interesting

Is it towing an Allegro vanden plas ?
Cant work out what that car is

I would say more like a Toyota or some other jap car


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I think it might just be an Australian Ford. They were imported in the 70´s I seem to recall. But I have not yet looked on Dr Google for pics.

[sas777]

Interesting

Is it towing an Allegro vanden plas ?
Cant work out what that car is

I would say more like a Toyota or some other jap car


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I think it might just be an Australian Ford. They were imported in the 70´s I seem to recall. But I have not yet looked on Dr Google for pics.

Agreed it does seem to have an Aussie built Ford look about it, bit like a Telstar or early Laser comes to mind. But I'll give it a go with a car I know was around in the UK in small numbers to match the (I think) age of the photo - reckon on a 1983 Hyundai Stellar. The indicator repeaters are like a Canadian spec one I saw on Wikipedia.

[Frankydobo]

The Ford has got a Bedfordshire registration. YNM starting September 1972.

[Suedehead]

There is no way that cab started its life on that chassis

[gingerfold]

There is no way that cab started its life on that chassis

Agreed, it's a ""bitsa", AEC front axle for starters. And, they're not very clear, could be Albion rear axle hubs.