Railway Motors

[Merfyn Jones]

well spotted Merf but fairly sure its a Bedford O, pressed steel cab and them little bonnet handles.

 

 

Agreed, does look like a Bedford O, probably just a coincidence it looks like a B R fleet number, maybe sombodys phone number !

Certainly nothing like the Dennis. And a Bedford would have been numbered WR73##.

Merf.

[PhilJ W]

Agreed, does look like a Bedford O, probably just a coincidence it looks like a B R fleet number, maybe sombodys phone number !

Certainly nothing like the Dennis. And a Bedford would have been numbered WR73##.

Merf.

The Scammel Scarab used the Bedford 'O' cab. However the doors were different, on the Scammel they were narrower to accommodate the intake grill for the radiator just behind the drivers door.

[Adam]

The Yeovil area Morris FFK 's sound interesting, any links to pics?

 

I'm afraid not: as a native of Yeovil,I've tried the web for good pictures but have found none showing road vehicles (except in the background of the usual Summerhouse Hill panoramas looking down over Town station). Most photo's that I am aware of are in private, unpublished collections which I don't have access to. As for the published pictures. The one clear shot is in Michael Welch's Somerset and Dorset Sunset (at Glastonbury and Street Station), while there's one showing the rear of one in Derek Phillips' book on the Yeovil-Taunton route. The text of the book (and the captions) are pretty poor, but there are some interesting photos. Neither of these show the fleet numbers unfortunately.

 

Adam

[jcb 3c]

Incurring the wrath of the copywright gods possibly , but this does look like the BR colour scheme and its definetly a O series you can see the rad cap through windscreen.

Thanks for info PhilJW.

cue gratutious Kittybrewster Bedford O pic

http://www.gnsra.org.uk/gnsra_gallery_railwaymania_09.htm

[Merfyn Jones]

Incurring the wrath of the copywright gods possibly , but this does look like the BR colour scheme and its definetly a O series you can see the rad cap through windscreen.

Thanks for info PhilJW.

cue gratutious Kittybrewster Bedford O pic

http://www.gnsra.org.uk/gnsra_gallery_railwaymania_09.htm

 

Mystery solved ? The screen grab (which I havn't mastered yet) shows it to be D 84## , not DB so it is a Bedford OSS tractor unit of the Western Region, the trailer in front with container is Eastern Region, HT #### E.

Phil's mention of the Scarab and Bedford cabs is shown below. The rear , roof and windscreen area are the same. Doors completley different due to the wheel arches on the Beddie. Copyright, B R Magazine. p s It's in Liverpool

[Fat Controller]

I can't be certain but I think the crane may be a Ransomes product. The jib did not slew but was slewed by turning the whole machine. They were electric or petrol/diesel-electric powered. An earlier example with solid tyres is preserved at the Ipswich Transport Museum. The horseboxes used by the NFS were returned to their owners about 1941, possibly they were found to be unsuitable. The Southern boxes were on Bedford and Fordson chassis. The Lancashire Constabulary had a very similar vehicle on a Leyland Cub chassis.

I've seen shots of similar cranes elsewhere; they were mainly used inside the larger goods shed to lift objects that were too heavy to be manually handled. If the jib were kept horizontal, then it could be used to access the inside of a 12t van. They were quite common in locations like engineering works as well.

The Coles shot is definitely at Tyneside Central Freight Depot (which was in Gateshead, not Newcastle..) The old buildings to the right were part of Cowans-Sheldon, but the side specialising in derricks and winches for ships, rather than the railway crane side.

[jcb 3c]

Mystery solved ? The screen grab (which I havn't mastered yet) shows it to be D 84## ,

I had a feeling it was a tractor unit with all them trailers around .

Merf , I haven't mastered screen grab either ! however the excellent Pathe News site has a very usefull function ' View Stills ' and you can select the time interval, if you choose 1sec you can virtually view film frame by frame.

[Merfyn Jones]

 

Found a nice Scarab on Flickr, unusual for the British Railways lettering on the cab which the Eastern Region did on a few.

From some Commercial vehicle magazines read over the weekend. Mention of the Bedford O / Scammell Scarab cab being used on the big Scammels like the Constructor as well. Scammell aquiring the pressings after Bedford O ceased production in 1953.

Merf.

[PhilJ W]

http://www.flickr.co...ool-1340511@N22

 

Found a nice Scarab on Flickr, unusual for the British Railways lettering on the cab which the Eastern Region did on a few.

From some Commercial vehicle magazines read over the weekend. Mention of the Bedford O / Scammell Scarab cab being used on the big Scammels like the Constructor as well. Scammell aquiring the pressings after Bedford O ceased production in 1953.

Merf.

Scammell used the Bedford cab pressings from 1948. IIRC the story is that when the Bedford designers got together with the Scammel designers circa 1946 to discuss equipping the Bedford tractor units with the Scammel coupling it was mentioned that Scammel required a cab for their new models. Bedford offered the 'O' series cab to Scammel and the rest is history.

[DVLR Dave]

The cabs for both the Bedord O and the Scarab were made by the Wilenhall Motor Radiator Co. in Wednesfield in the West Midlands. The Scammell cab used some of the same pressings as the cabs for Bedford, though the Bedford cab was produced first.

[jcb 3c]

Did Scammell use the cab at the same time as Bedford or after they'd stopped using them ?-1952 ish?

[Merfyn Jones]

Did Scammell use the cab at the same time as Bedford or after they'd stopped using them ?-1952 i think ?

 

Yes, because the Scarab was introduced in 1948 (Despite the one in Swindon Museum in GWR livery)

Merf.

[PhilJ W]

Did Scammell use the cab at the same time as Bedford or after they'd stopped using them ?-1952 i think ?

Bedford started using the cab in 1939 and stopped using it in 1953. As stated above the Scarab commenced production in 1948 and continued until 1965. Bedford also used the cab on the lighter 'K' and 'M' models, this version of the cab is more likely the one used by Scammel as the front wheel arches did not intrude into the doors.

[Merfyn Jones]

Bedford started using the cab in 1939 and stopped using it in 1953. As stated above the Scarab commenced production in 1948 and continued until 1965. Bedford also used the cab on the lighter 'K' and 'M' models, this version of the cab is more likely the one used by Scammel as the front wheel arches did not intrude into the doors.

 

Forgot the K & M models Phil. They certainly got the moneysworth from them. Got one of those Coopercraft kits somwhere to finish.

Latest from my workbench (as they say) is somthing different, 7mm scale for a change. A kit from sombody who I don't remember of a personnel carrier in resin based on a Leyland DAF 45 but fitted the body to a Leyland Roadrunner chassis which is a diecast model from the days when they were a current model. Very pleased with the result although the body needed a lot of work to correct the errors.

[kevblokey]

Forgot the K & M models Phil. They certainly got the moneysworth from them. Got one of those Coopercraft kits somwhere to finish.

Latest from my workbench (as they say) is somthing different, 7mm scale for a change. A kit from sombody who I don't remember of a personnel carrier in resin based on a Leyland DAF 45 but fitted the body to a Leyland Roadrunner chassis which is a diecast model from the days when they were a current model. Very pleased with the result although the body needed a lot of work to correct the errors.

 

Looks stunning

 

Was the diecast base a matchbox by any chance?

[PhilJ W]

Forgot the K & M models Phil. They certainly got the moneysworth from them. Got one of those Coopercraft kits somwhere to finish.

quote]

The best thing you can do with the Coopercraft model is to use the windscreen and roof to correct the Airfix/Dapol Scarab.

[pitbull1845]

 

Now if only there was a 4mm ready to plonk model of that, I would have a fleet of them. Nice work sir, very nice.

[Merfyn Jones]

Was the diecast base a matchbox by any chance?

 

Sorry, can't remember who did it, but not Matchbox. No markings on the underside but possibly one of the European makers as a promotional model for Leyland DAF.

Merf.

[DVLR Dave]

Bedford started using the cab in 1939 and stopped using it in 1953. As stated above the Scarab commenced production in 1948 and continued until 1965. Bedford also used the cab on the lighter 'K' and 'M' models, this version of the cab is more likely the one used by Scammel as the front wheel arches did not intrude into the doors

 

As I stated earlier, the cabs both the Bedfords and the Scarab were built specifically for each chassis manufacturer by Willenhall, and they had spme panels in common. I wasn't , as far as I understand it, a case of Scammell receiving a Bedford cab, then altering it-Scammell designed the body of the Scarab to incorporate some of the pressings Willenhall was already using to make the Bedford cab-Willenhall then made up the cabs, the ones for the Scarab included Scammell designed rear panels and nose.

[jcb 3c]

Quiet on here

Being flicking thru flickr ,sure lots of these pics well known but possibly not all ,loads here from the yellow period and one singular blood and custard van .

Spalding 1980

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/4047949198/

Stratford Southern

Preston

Royston

Dingwall

Inverness

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12984138@N03/4804584245/in/pool-brblue

Scrapyard

Longsite depot Commer van and ?

English St . Hull Austin Cherry Picker

Shipley

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/4386311313/in/set-72157604142616475/

Kings Cross

Rustons Lincoln

Oakham

Pelaw

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/4874789917/

Failsworth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49572843@N00/5038998002/

Wensum Hymac

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49572843@N00/5026034820/

Edinburgh Commer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeupstairs/3348369633/

[Merfyn Jones]

Quiet on here Yes very. I too have been doing similar on Flickr and Fotopic. A few comments to your finds.

Being flicking thru flickr ,sure lots of these pics well known but possibly not all ,loads here from the yellow period and one singular blood and custard van .

 

Spalding 1980 A Leyland Terrier p,way bus, Bedford HA and a couple of Commer Walkthru vans.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/4047949198/

Stratford Southern Not a Bedford but a Leyland Boxer on left, A Bedford TK left centre and a Bedford CF minibus.

Preston One of the Dodge G08 lwb p way 22 seaters.

Royston A Bedford CFL van with one of the messing caravans.

Dingwall A Freight Rover Sherpa van and another messing caravan.

Inverness National Carriers 8 ton trailers x 4.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12984138@N03/4804584245/in/pool-brblue

Scrapyard One of many Commer Walkthru vans that had a short life when parcel delivery ceased.

Longsite depot Commer van and ? A Ford D dropside, mainly used by depots and works.

English St . Hull Austin Cherry Picker I have a shot of the front of this and it is a Morris WE 5 ton chassis. Livery unusual, was it cream or a manufacturers colour ?

Shipley A standard Terrier p,way bus and a HA van.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/4386311313/in/set-72157604142616475/

Kings Cross Another HA van

Rustons Lincoln Commer van or minibus ? and a Ford Escort mk2 van

Oakham Leyland Terrier and 2 other p,way buses along with rear of one of the 22 seaters.

Pelaw HA van GBT528S of the Eastern Region.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/4874789917/

Failsworth The van looks very like the Fordson E83W that is preserved at the Bluebelle Railway which has a coachbuilt van body. Very unusual.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49572843@N00/5038998002/

Wensum Hymac I feel the Hymac may be a contractor's but a good view of another of the messing caravans.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49572843@N00/5026034820/

Edinburgh Commer Looks a bit better than the scrapyard one !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeupstairs/3348369633/

 

Thanks for bringing us these jcb.

Merfyn.

[BernardTPM]

Quiet on here

Being flicking thru flickr ,sure lots of these pics well known but possibly not all ,

 

Royston

 

I thought at first that was a Mk.3 (1981) Escort van, but in close up thought it might be the short-lived Astramax ('86-'94), but the date is too early, so it must be an Escort!

[Merfyn Jones]

I thought at first that was a Mk.3 (1981) Escort van, but in close up thought it might be the short-lived Astramax ('86-'94), but the date is too early, so it must be an Escort!

 

I never took much notice, cos it's white ! I will go for a Escort mk3 too Bernard.

Funily enough despite us having a number of Astramax vans on B R, I have never come across a picture of one.

Merf.

[jcb 3c]

Anyone any takers for the distant truck at Longside it looks a bit like a Karrier Gamecock but surely 78 far too late for them.

I work in construction and you couldn't move for Astramax vans on the sites , very very popular in their time.

[Merfyn Jones]

Anyone any takers for the distant truck at Longside it looks a bit like a Karrier Gamecock but surely 78 far too late for them.

I work in construction and you couldn't move for Astramax vans on the sites , very very popular in their time.

 

Ford D. dropside. Similar were found at Reddish and Crewe works, both local to Longsight.

Merf.