Bedford military-front and civvy-front types

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by David_Hayward

These Pearsons rebuilds included S 5582815 and I think 5582817, and date to late wartime. However, IWM photo KID 3087 clearly shows what I believe to be a newish vehicle, number H 5582702, and in fact the 1942? photo in Liverpool shows Census Number H 5582746 in front. So, these were originally classified as tractors, but rebuilt/converted to SPMs. Interestingly the same vehicles may have been 'assembled' by Pearsons and then rebuilt by them, although I use that word loosely.

David,

I have watched this thread with interest and have found the original large photo of the F60B outside Pearsons, Census no. H5582746 ( in thread "C39Q truck" dated 28/2/04 ). It is my conclusion that this was not a rebuild from another vehicle, but was produced in Canada as a SP Bofors. It is from Contract No. SM 2645 and shown in Chilwell list as prefixed "S". The most likely answer is that it was never intended to be "H", just a mistake on someones part, either in the Ministry of Supply or Pearsons. it is not the first time I have seen a Wartime photo of a vehicle with the incorrect prefix. Another from this contract, 5582742 is shown in the Canadian Vehicle Data Book issued during the war and is prefixed "S".

The photo would date no earlier than 1944, I am sure, going by the sequence of Census numbers, because in those batches prior to this vehicle are Austin K6 Gantry trucks which did not arrive until 1944 and also a contract for BSA M20 m/cycles which were supplied during 1944.