jcb 3c

The AEC Matadors were only used by the army as artillery tractors however the RAF used them in many roles. On many layouts of yore I have seen Matadors dressed up as coal man's lorries a most unlikely use for a heavy weight 4x4 , just getting into the cab is a major effort !

In answer to original question yes the army did use the Fordson Thames ET6 as a 3 ton cargo truck so the Pocketbond Classix army version would do ( though not totally accurate as uses civilian drop side body ), In the early 50s the army bought a number of fairly standard Thames ET6 , Bedford OL and Austin Loadstar trucks as 3 tonners with twin rear wheels and typical army fixed side tilt bodies. They will have lasted well into the sixties. They must have worn out the 72,000 Bedford OY 4x2 3 tonners made during the war ! See army ET6 here ( worse for wear on disposal !)- http://miliblog.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/creative-ideaz-gallery/creativeshow.php?pid=8463 Discussion here- http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_843448-Thames-ET6-1951.html As an aside the RAF also had Thames ET6 's converted to 6x4 for the longer 'house' type bodies . To replace the wartime WOT6 models. http://miliblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fordson-et6-thames-sussex-3ton-6x4-signals-70-av-20.jpg

Nice BR Fordson ET6 on flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/67384646@N08/31474392933/in/photostream/

Like the Leyland Hiab tipper, can just see this parked behind the gates of some dodgy scrapyard ! Being ultra critical the rear mudguards imho would look a bit better with just the vertical pieces , as this is how most are. But I guess this is the unmodified EFE body ?

Del Prado did a nice 1.43 Bedford M series, in the ' fire engines of the world' series . This 3 ton Bedford was made 1939-1953 and was a common sight into early seventies. The Del Prado models come up all the time on ebay very cheaply . In the same range there are some interesing European trucks from various eras in 1.72 scale . They must have made miilions of all the set because mint boxed models are very common.

I like the Perth pictures , the crane looks interesting wonder if it's BR. Something different at Sheffield station an electric Dodge Walk Thru- https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_sweeney/15635011713/in/faves-36748588@N03/

An interesting line up , BR Bruff and maybe the Sherpa , the Dennis Emergency Tender was quite a film star appearing in many Londons Burning and THe Bill episodes whilst with London Fire Brigade. http://www.fire-engine-photos.com/picture/number22470.asp

Just looking at the Gamecock drawing , did they really only have a 3 speed gearbox ? Always thought 4 speeds was too few on a lorry this size !

Nice working pic here and interior of a NCL Commer Walk Thru van LJH799J ( from one of the highspots in British cinema !)- http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_746013-Commer-Walk-Thru-KC40-1971.html

Everyone seems to have moved to 'Road Vehicles Group' but there is a really good article with plenty of photos on BR / NCL road parcel vans at Woking depot in the 1970s in current July 'Vintage Road Scene' magazine . Including a BR Atkinson Borderer which moved 'BRUTES' full of parcels on long distance because it was cheaper than a train ! http://www.roadscene.com/view_issue.asp?ID=5920

The only place I have ever seen these little cranes used is on deep sewer pipeline contracts where they are/were used to lift materials up and down the manhole shafts . They used to be called 'trench cranes' in the industry. Maybe they were used elsewhere before widespread forklift use but not seen any evidence.

Wonder why some manufacturer doesn't do a 'decades' series of vehicles. ie say a dozen best selling cars and maybe commercials from each decade -1970s, 1980s, 1990s ,noughties , now , I am sure they would sell well to modellers and also people who owned or used them.

Nice view of a green FG personnell carrier at Bedford St.Johns- http://johnlaw.railfan.net/jlphoto.cgi?bedstjohnse70s.jpg

I agree , specially as these 1930s cars were a common sight well into the 1960's

For your period just about everything from WW2 would still be in service . The RAF airfix kits are quite good as well , Recovery , Refuelling and Emergency . Though I was dissapointed to find out recently that in the last one the Austin K6 fire tender never existed in WW2 and was a postwar civvy vehicle never used by RAF !

I have no problems at all with banger racing , how many restored Morris Oxfords, Ford Granada's etc does a country need !

Theres one on ebay now , a lot of money ! But I seem to remember a better one than this or is it my fading memory ? There are also on ebay similar plastic Hong Kong 1.43 models of a Atlantean and an LT AEC? single deck bus which don't look too bad. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BBRB-VEGA-MAJOR-MOTOR-COACH-FRICTION-POWERED-MADE-IN-HONG-KONG-BOXED-/390493883536?pt=UK_ToysGames_DiecastVehicles_DiecastVehicles_JN&hash=item5aeb3fcc90#ht_1682wt_1094

Interesting , is HEP308N a real BR van ? Merf

Test - what is the BR vehicle part seen in bottom right corner at Hull Southcoates - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thanoz/6272320013/in/photostream/

I work next to a Portacabin hire depot and there delivery drivers would consider a 6ft 6in overhang as tiny ! They don't worry too much about being well over width either.

Got a soft spot for the Bedford OY 3 tonner ,major factor in winning the war IMHO , tough , simple reliable and available ,73,000 made for the military in WW2 and served in every theatre from start to finish. And to think the mad Land Rover owners campaign back in the 1980s stopped government selling Land Rover to Bedford Trucks because they weren' t British ! Leading to GM pulling out of truck making in UK and closing Bedford down , our biggest truck factory Doh! !

Some nice conversions there Merf. Picky point but would the ex military OWL not be an OY? Thanks for the heads up , The Covered Goods Shed thread is a cracker for vehicles , I have this DVD but forgot how many vehicles are in it , however I know from experience once you start 'stilling it out' its amazing how much turns up .

Nice models Merf . Wonder if any of the current RTR makers will do the Commer/Dodge walkthru ?

Nice film , I know the city well . Not a BR truck though but interesting all the same

Could almost equip a 1939-1940 BEF battalion now with the Oxford releases ! I feel sure a lot of military modellers are buying these and its nice to see British vehicles suitable for early war modelled. Just need a Morris C8 15CWT and a Bren Carrier and we are there !