Identity of BRS lorry from 1954

[colin penfold]

Hi all,

 

I have seen a photo of a BRS lorry taken in Newbury in 1954

 

The fleet number was 55649

 

Can anybody help with the registration number, make and model, and if possible suggest a source of a 4mm scale model??

Thanks in anticipation

 

Colin
 

 

[Merfyn Jones]

BRS fleet numbers had letters and numbers, so that is no help. Would need to see the picture for an identification.

Merf.

[Arthur]

Can you provide a reference for the photo Colin, is it in a book?

 

Short of that, can you describe it? How many axles, body type, cab shape, windscreen shape, radiator, is there a badge positioned somewhere? If we can boil it down a bit, we could link to some photos of likely candidates.

[The Stationmaster]

The answer might lie in this little book -

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Road-Services-1952-Allan/dp/0711027684

 

or even somewhere in here

 

http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=32044&start=2370

[colin penfold]

sadly it's in a book that was otherwise not much interest to me so I chose not to buy it - a Photographic album of Newbury in the 1950s. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Newbury-1950s-Local-History-Higgott/dp/185306887X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398964573&sr=8-1&keywords=newbury+1950

 

The numbers I assumed to be fleet numbers were on the box van body left and right of centre up near the roof line.  The registration number of the vehicle was not visible in the photo. Could it be S5649. It was a box van with ( I think) a Morris type pointed bonnet.

 

I may have to reconsider and buy the book so I can share it with you guys. EDIT, Just weakened, will share as soon as it comes

[colin penfold]

Can you provide a reference for the photo Colin, is it in a book?

 

Short of that, can you describe it? How many axles, body type, cab shape, windscreen shape, radiator, is there a badge positioned somewhere? If we can boil it down a bit, we could link to some photos of likely candidates.

 

Book arrived today, in the interests of research and not for sharing, here is the relevant area of the picture. Looking more closely I think the number is S5649 and the first letter of the reg number is E 

 

[Porco Rosso]

Looks like a Bedford O series to me.

 

See http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/len_rogers/aug2002/batch1/bedford_breakspear.jpg

[colin penfold]

Thanks Red (can I call you red?) that certainly looks a match

[coachmann]

It looks like a Bedford O Type introduced in the late summer of 1939, so very few appeared before the war. It continued in production with 13 varieties until 1953. They were swift machines (I worked on them on BR Parcels in 1959).

[colin penfold]

Thanks Larry, would you be aware of any available 4mm models? I'm thinking that body might be refrigerated?

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks Larry, would you be aware of any available 4mm models? I'm thinking that body might be refrigerated?

I doubt it's refrigerated Colin - no sign of any plant to do that.  But a good bet that it was an insulated body if it was involved in the meat trade.

[peanuts]

Have a look at the oldtimers threads on trucknet colin realy good sauce of info 

[Porco Rosso]

This site has kits - you just order the cab, chassis and body to suit

 

http://www.roadtransportimages.com/

[Arthur]

Yup, Bedford O series

 

RTI models do a resin cab

 

http://www.roadtransportimages.com/bedford/bedford-o-type-cab-intro-1939-1945-52/flypage-ask.tpl.html

 

RTI make resin components, cabs, chassis, wheels, body etc., you buy the bits to assemble the lorry you want. You can also buy some bits and kit bash them onto Oxford/Corgi/Base Toys bits.

[Arthur]

Springside also do a whitemetal kit, I built one a good while back and they appear to be still available;

 

http://www.springsidemodels.com/id45.htm

 

The kits RV7 to RV11 and RV13 are the relevant ones.

 

 

Edit. The BRS meat haulage fleet had dark blue cabs with cream insulated van/container bodies.

[colin penfold]

Thanks chaps.

 

Any ideas about the lettering and availability of transfers for same?

[colin penfold]

Might this be the body style? Sorry fat finger syndrome edit to add pic

 

[Porco Rosso]

Thanks chaps.

 

Any ideas about the lettering and availability of transfers for same?

Fox Transfers do BRS stuff

 

http://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/products.cgi?categoryid=387&ordernumber=699252521460

[Arthur]

As do Langley and RTI. Just added an edit above, the BRS meat 'fleet' had dark blue cabs with insulated vans/containers in cream.

[colin penfold]

Superb guys thanks so much for all the help

 

I'm guessing this was not the local delivery lorry for regular parcels and merchandise, but a specialist meat lorry.

 

is there a definative fleet list anywhere online?

[Arthur]

Yes, BRS was divided into groups, general haulage (red), parcels (green), tippers (grey), meat/insulated (dark blue & cream) and heavy haulage, Pickfords essentially (dark blue).

 

I've never found an on-line listing Colin but in the 1950's and 60's Ian Allan did BRS ABC's. The fleet numberings changed several times over the years so you'd need the ABC for the period of interest. They appear on eBay now and then, sometimes reasonably priced but sometimes not; there's a '53 edition on there now for £45.00.

[Porco Rosso]

Just possible the "body" is a container. Notice the diagonal strapping on the body sides and what could be loops on the roof, a bit like this (but obviously not quite the same).

 

http://www.britishroadservices.talktalk.net/images/g24%20large.jpg

 

The ones in the background have the diagonals

[PhilJ W]

Yes, BRS was divided into groups, general haulage (red), parcels (green), tippers (grey), meat/insulated (dark blue & cream) and heavy haulage, Pickfords essentially (dark blue).

 

I've never found an on-line listing Colin but in the 1950's and 60's Ian Allan did BRS ABC's. The fleet numberings changed several times over the years so you'd need the ABC for the period of interest. They appear on eBay now and then, sometimes reasonably priced but sometimes not; there's a '53 edition on there now for £45.00.

Livestock lorries were painted a medium brown colour. There were plenty of them in a BTF film about the Isle of Wight.

[PhilJ W]

You can just catch a glimpse of a brown liveried BRS livestock wagon here @ 2.31

It appears the brown livery was replaced by red c. late 50's

[Merfyn Jones]

There is no complete fleet list for BRS available on line or in print.  The same applies for British Railways, although I would love for someone to prove me wrong.

Merf.