RAAF Guildford Aerodrome 1946

[Stuart Kirkham]

Photo showing a line up of military vehicles at the 'first' control tower Guildford Aerodrome (now Perth International Airport) 1946.

All five vehicles have number plates starting with the letter 'C'. I assume these vehicles are ex military and now Commonwealth owned/operated. The centre CMP has a box type rear body. What use did this rear body perform?

Can anyone identify the strange looking truck to the far left?

[Dianaa]

It is a tanker of some form and given the other emergency vehicles in the line up, likely a fire tender, the pipe above the cab maybe a spray nozze?

The grill and name device resembles those on the AEC buses of the era.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Dianaa

It is a tanker of some form and given the other emergency vehicles in the line up, likely a fire tender, the pipe above the cab maybe a spray nozze?

The grill and name device resembles those on the AEC buses of the era.

It is a S&D truck, Shelvoke & Drewry, made in England. This model was usually fitted with refuse collection body, cesspool or gully emptier equipment. According to Bart's book, S&D model W fire appliance was supplied to Australian forces in 1952, not a very rapid vehicle normally !

[Dianaa]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

It is a S&D truck, Shelvoke & Drewry, made in England. This model was usually fitted with refuse collection body, cesspool or gully emptier equipment. According to Bart's book, S&D model W fire appliance was supplied to Australian forces in 1952, not a very rapid vehicle normally !

Thanks Richard

The dates between the image date and the supply contract information seem to conflict.

Diana

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Dianaa

Thanks Richard

The dates between the image date and the supply contract information seem to conflict.

Diana

Diana,
The info from Bart's book was not conclusive but what is fact, is that the W model was introduced in 1947, so perhaps the date of the photo is incorrect.

S&D did a lot of interesting warwork, so this website may enlighten you further, http://www.shelvoke-drewry.co.uk/

regards, Richard

[Stuart Kirkham]

The first control tower (shown in photo) was constructed in 1946. This may be why the photo (found on the net) has the date 1946 attached to it. This tower was subsequently demolished in 1962. One could now conclude that the photograph was taken between these dates. Most probably late 40's or 50's. If so, the Shelvoke & Drewry truck would fit in nicely.

The CMP ambulance plate reads C- 58391. The Chev next to it reads C-75604. Cannot read the others unfortunately.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

It is a S&D truck, Shelvoke & Drewry, made in England. !

I think we should start a new sub-forum: UGLY POMMY trucks

An ideal candidate is the MCC model PV van

Only its mother would love that S&D

MIKE

[Mike Cecil]

Mike,

Are you able to read any of the 'C' numbers? I can then check and see if I have anything on them.

S&D: I'll bet it's an orphan, caste out to the Antipodes on the other side of the globe, as far from Mother England as possible: not even it's mother clould love it!!!

Mike C

[Stuart Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

It is a S&D truck, Shelvoke & Drewry, made in England. This model was usually fitted with refuse collection body, cesspool or gully emptier equipment. According to Bart's book, S&D model W fire appliance was supplied to Australian forces in 1952, not a very rapid vehicle normally !

You could be right Richard. It certainly resembles a gully emptier.

The attached image is taken from a 1956 Shelvoke & Drewry sales brochure for the ‘W’ type GULLY EMPTIER.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Stuart,

Pretty sure those registrations are post-war 're-issues' to the Dept of Civil Aviation. They don't correspond with Army or RAAF registrations. The Army originally issued both registrations, but the vehicles were different and at least one was disposed of to Royal Netherlands East Indies forces.

When did Guildford become a civil operated aerodrome? Might help to narrow down the date of the image.

Mike C

[Stuart Kirkham]

This might help Mike.

Early civilian operations

Full civilian operations at the Guildford Aerodrome commenced in 1944. The first commercial flight was an ANA service on 3 May 1944, and on June 13 1944 a Qantas plane bound for Ceylon via Exmouth took off from the Aerodrome.

The Guildford Aerodrome as it was then known was at best only a basic airfield. On a large open airfield with plenty of space, an unobtrusive control tower (as shown in photo) was hidden away amongst a collection of buildings inherited from the wartime operations at the site. The then Department of Civil Aviation inherited a large number of operating vehicles from the former military occupants, including an assortment of vehicles including "Blitz" wagons, Dodge command cars and weapon carriers, large trucks and various makes of fire tenders, jeeps and ambulances. Boarding aircraft at Guildford was described as being a bit like boarding a bus given the lack of passenger facilities at the time.

In 1948, the Horrie Miller owned MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co. (MMA) relocated from Maylands to Guildford. followed by newly-formed government airline Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) on 2 December of that same year, operating Douglas C-54 Skymasters on its Perth — Melbourne — Sydney route. Due to the lack of road transportation across the Nullarbor Plain, it was at this time that Guildford became the scene of very busy cargo operations. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and manufactured goods were being flown from east to west and back again.

The airport only received international status and was renamed to Perth International Airport in 1952.