Bedford IDs please

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

To my poor eyes it looks as though a '1' is missing then? What do you thik..won't be the first time!

Thanks for the advice by the way. The chap who worked there thought that the photos dated to 1940 which seems to make sense now.

Incidentally, am I right in saying that there were military bonneted Bedfords as well as the 1940 ML? MS and K?

David,

Now you have enlarged it, there is only one "1", but as I said, that is in an unused group of numbers, adding a "1", brings it straight up to an early MW contract, and also there is another photo in Bart's Bedford book, of probably the same street, but taken from a high elevation and appears to be near the Luton plant. The contracts of MW's in that shot are the same, T8102.

I am not sure what you meant in the last paragraph. The ML, MS and K were civvy pattern bonnets, which were slightly longer than the O-type. There were some civvy Bedfords with the square bonnet, built for Min. of War Transport, you had to have their permission to obtain them. They were OW long wheel base chassis and would have civilian wheels and twins on rear.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Richard, I found a letter in an old magazine saying that the RAF had civvy-fronted tankers...MSC?? It said that there were wartime military K and MS lorries as well as the ML from 1940. I might nsee if I can find the letter again.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

Richard, I found a letter in an old magazine saying that the RAF had civvy-fronted tankers...MSC?? It said that there were wartime military K and MS lorries as well as the ML from 1940. I might nsee if I can find the letter again.

Sorry David, I now understand what you meant. Yes there were civilian bonneted Bedfords in military service during the war. ML ambulance and tanker for the army is one, as well as the RAF tenders and tankers. Royal Navy also had some. The large bonnet was to accomodate the WD air cleaner, so it would seem a vehicle that was non-tactical might have the civvy bonnet.

I have got a list, but not to hand right now.