These were always one of my favorites as a lad.
An S type of Wirksworth Quarries,Dale Quarry, (Big Hole) later of course,to be swallowed
into the Redland Empire.They always looked well worked and unwashed.
Taken around 1958 at the entrance to Black Rocks,sure looks well used
and they always seem to have the offside sidelight glass damaged. 
By the whistling, Perkins R6 I think.
Mike.
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Not one of my fave motors, in fact we only ran it for less than a year, It was doing my head in with silly little faults that kept occuring, Regards Larry.
Did that have the 466 engine Larry ? Or did it have the 500 blue series engine ?
Just the 466, with the 5 speed Turner g/box, not a good performer at all, Regards Larry.
[zb]
anorak:
You didn’t see many of these! This is CM’s 40tonne roadtest of a 394bhp TM4400 in 1980:
2
1
0The magazine tried four other vehicles, whose fuel consumption ranged from 6.3 to 6.7mpg, at average speeds from 38.0 to 40.1mph. In the defence of the Detroit engine, the Bedford had done less than 1,000 miles, so its 5.6mpg may not be completely representative. That wind deflector cannot have helped either- it looks as if it may increase wind drag. Why did Bedford not submit a properly-prepared vehicle, I wonder?
Perhaps if the air deflector was set up,it might have done better in the fuel economy stakes ? :idea.
■■■■ it,just noticed the last line of youre post 
I had a KM on an R plate, it had the 5 spd box and a two speed rear axle, it went ok apart from the rear overhang, IIRC their long wheelbase chassis would only allow a 22’ body, this one had a 26’ flatbed, so the extra 4’ was all hanging out the back 
It made the steering a bit on the light side if the load distribution wasn’t spot on 
The same firm also had a 16ton TM, but I never drove that, it didn’t stay around long, they got rid of all the rigids soon after, so can’t say if it was any good or not
I also had a drive in an Italian spec 4400, that was impressive, I can still hear the howling engine now, had a light load of groupage on, so it didn’t have to do any real work, but it was very fast all the same, until then the biggest thing I’d driven was a 2800 Daf, so 400hp was going to leave an impression 
I did try to buy a TM with an E290 ■■■■■■■■ it had a recent reman engine in it, but the bloke wanted a fortune for it, so never did that deal, I quite liked the look of them and as [zb] says, with a ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell driveline and a decent size cab, there wasn’t anything bad about them
I started off as a o/d with a TK a 7.5 ton 330 5 speed turner overdrive box ,It started life as a 10 tonner but had the helper springs done and downrated to 7.5 I went everywhere in that ended up with 3 of them in the end 2 flats one box.Later I had a ex
Ryder Crosby doors TM with a E290 uprated at ■■■■■■■ and tbh done everything my Transcons did and stopped better
mrken:
I started off as a o/d with a TK a 7.5 ton 330 5 speed turner overdrive box ,It started life as a 10 tonner but had the helper springs done and downrated to 7.5 I went everywhere in that ended up with 3 of them in the end 2 flats one box.Later I had a ex
Ryder Crosby doors TM with a E290 uprated at ■■■■■■■ and tbh done everything my Transcons did and stopped better
I drove an ex ryder crosby doors Tm egc157x we also had egc159x both had the ■■■■■■■ engine I drove it for a year and it certainly marched on had spicer 10 speed splitter g/box which I found ok to use it was old when I had it but I liked it and it never hardly used a drop of oil, however the U bolts holding on the rear axle did shear and had to be towed in , they were thinner than normal so the fitter told me not a mechanic so cannot confirm, there is a picture of a Tm in crosby doors colours on the TM thread on here, I drove 4 wheeler rigid tm when my motor was being repaired for about a week it was nothing to write home about and the gear lever kept coming lose and would not engage.
I have always had a soft spot for bedfords particularly the O ,A, MW, and S types as these are the ones my old man drove when I was a kid and spent many days in the school holidays with him , great man my dad drove diamond Ts tank transporters throughout the war in nth africa and italy , I remember the double passenger seats in all the old bedfords all had the problem for me as a kid as I would sit on the front edge and if anyone recalls the bottoms were held in place with two large wing nuts at the front and if they were lose it would tip forward and there was storage space underneath. I was a butcher for about 20 years and I worked for a firm who had J type with a 4 pot diesel and we used to overload that and abuse it everyday from smithfield meat market to holloway nth london it only did 6 miles a day wonder what happened to that. Its very true bedfords were every where in my youinger days such a shame we no longer make anything anymore, the TK sales figures must be very high it was such an improvement to what it replaced my old came home with a new one in 1960 I think it was it replaced an O typehe had before as a kid I thought it space age, good thread this and some nice old pics keep it up, fredm
newmercman:
I also had a drive in an Italian spec 4400, that was impressive, I can still hear the howling engine now, had a light load of groupage on, so it didn’t have to do any real work, but it was very fast all the same, until then the biggest thing I’d driven was a 2800 Daf, so 400hp was going to leave an impressionI did try to buy a TM with an E290 ■■■■■■■■ it had a recent reman engine in it, but the bloke wanted a fortune for it, so never did that deal, I quite liked the look of them and as [zb] says, with a ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell driveline and a decent size cab, there wasn’t anything bad about them
Maybe the sales back-up was considered to be inferior to that of ERF, SA et al, considering the perception of Bedford was as a supplier of vans and smaller lorries. Bewick might be able to expand on this, when he resurfaces.
Must admit to being a fan of Bedfords.
The first one I drove was a 1962/3 TK under 3 ton ULW, so could drive it at 17. It was ex Rhymney Brewery (S. Wales) and was 14 years old when we got it. It had a 300 engine with 4 speed box, used locally picking up and delivering engineering supplies and partial loads for transshipping. Replaced it with a D reg 66/7- 330/5 speed absolute flying machine, ran Heads of the Vallley’s to London and Midlands weekly.Great work horses easy and cheap to maintain. At 17/18 felt like a proper lorry running up and down the road. Replaced 7.5 tonners with a 16t TK with a 381 motor underpowered but trouble free.
A few years later worked for a Bedford dealer in W London, worked on old TKs up to TLs and TMs. In the latter years the Tls, tilting cab and new blown engines were a great improvement, and the TMs with the L10 250, and 14l E290 surprised a lot of drivers when on demo. Shame it all went south late 80s.
We had one fitter who could tune the two strokes and make them run sweet, road tested them but never had a load behind one.
One of our demo TMs 14l E290 was sold to an owner driver who ran Scotch from the smoke, and reckon at 38000kg it was as good as anything out there in 1985.
mrken:
I started off as a o/d with a TK a 7.5 ton 330 5 speed turner overdrive box ,It started life as a 10 tonner but had the helper springs done and downrated to 7.5 I went everywhere in that ended up with 3 of them in the end 2 flats one box.Later I had a ex
Ryder Crosby doors TM with a E290 uprated at ■■■■■■■ and tbh done everything my Transcons did and stopped better
I had that Ken for a few days when the Transcon was being tested was nice cab and a good kip to, big bed
had that poxy box what a Roadtrain had .I had one on Woodcocks before I worked for you it was the worst motor I have ever drove had the skinny day cab and a yanky engine in screamed like ■■■■ reved like a motor bike and couldnt pull your skin back.Pulled one of Jessys tilts back once out of Dover come up the way in 2nd gear could still hear it when I got home .Pair of them really Fords and Bedfords could not make a decent heavy motor between them all bought in parts like a ■■■■■■■ kit car, you had some oddballs really
Thank you Bill for your kind advise on vehicles let us try not to go off the subject .IIRC TTL of Rainham had a TM with a L10
and a rear axel from a Raba or something like that.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Just the 466, with the 5 speed Turner g/box, not a good performer at all, Regards Larry.
The one I drove had the same engine and a five speed gearbox,but had a two speed axle and was a flying machine.
The only thing that would live with it in 1970 was the Ford D1000 with the 360turbo.
Cheers Dave.
Seven Bedford’s in this shot of Thermalite’s yard, Shepherds House Lane, Reading, in the 1950’s. Had a ‘shotgun ride’ in most of them as a youngster!
Pete.
windrush:
Seven Bedford’s in this shot of Thermalite’s yard, Shepherds House Lane, Reading, in the 1950’s. Had a ‘shotgun ride’ in most of them as a youngster!
Pete.
Thats a great pic Pete.The Bedfords with the Fodens and Leyland Comets at the top of the yard.
Cheers Dave.
[zb]
anorak:newmercman:
I also had a drive in an Italian spec 4400, that was impressive, I can still hear the howling engine now, had a light load of groupage on, so it didn’t have to do any real work, but it was very fast all the same, until then the biggest thing I’d driven was a 2800 Daf, so 400hp was going to leave an impressionI did try to buy a TM with an E290 ■■■■■■■■ it had a recent reman engine in it, but the bloke wanted a fortune for it, so never did that deal, I quite liked the look of them and as [zb] says, with a ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell driveline and a decent size cab, there wasn’t anything bad about them
Maybe the sales back-up was considered to be inferior to that of ERF, SA et al, considering the perception of Bedford was as a supplier of vans and smaller lorries. Bewick might be able to expand on this, when he resurfaces.
I’ve just crawled out of the Black Lagoon,ooh! it’s bloody " taters" in that cave with only “H” and “Nosser” for company !! As far as I could re-call Anorak, by the time Bedford got their act to-gether with the,no doubt,fairly decent driveline you describe, it was too late but those TM’s weren’t such a good advert for a,shall we say, premium haulier.Well OK if you had a contract with GM hauling their spares( like SOM !) But otherwise the TM wasn’t up to the job when compared to Scanias and Volvos as well as the Sed/Atks and ERF’s.I’d tried a few demos from Sed/Atk and ERF trying to get me enthused about the E290,to no avail so I sure wasn’t going to give Bedfords a kick of the ball !!! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
[zb]
anorak:newmercman:
I also had a drive in an Italian spec 4400, that was impressive, I can still hear the howling engine now, had a light load of groupage on, so it didn’t have to do any real work, but it was very fast all the same, until then the biggest thing I’d driven was a 2800 Daf, so 400hp was going to leave an impressionI did try to buy a TM with an E290 ■■■■■■■■ it had a recent reman engine in it, but the bloke wanted a fortune for it, so never did that deal, I quite liked the look of them and as [zb] says, with a ■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell driveline and a decent size cab, there wasn’t anything bad about them
Maybe the sales back-up was considered to be inferior to that of ERF, SA et al, considering the perception of Bedford was as a supplier of vans and smaller lorries. Bewick might be able to expand on this, when he resurfaces.
I’ve just crawled out of the Black Lagoon,ooh! it’s bloody " taters" in that cave with only “H” and “Nosser” for company !! As far as I could re-call Anorak, by the time Bedford got their act to-gether with the,no doubt,fairly decent driveline you describe, it was too late but those TM’s weren’t such a good advert for a,shall we say, premium haulier.Well OK if you had a contract with GM hauling their spares( like SOM !) But otherwise the TM wasn’t up to the job when compared to Scanias and Volvos as well as the Sed/Atks and ERF’s.I’d tried a few demos from Sed/Atk and ERF trying to get me enthused about the E290,to no avail so I sure wasn’t going to give Bedfords a kick of the ball !!! Cheers Bewick.
Thank you Mr. Bewick. I’m surprised you did not take to the E290- it seemed to be the engine of the moment, in the late 1970s.
