ex WD vehicles that might have been seen in civil use 1950's/60s?

[Nearholmer]

GPO Bedford QLs, oodles of 'em. https://www.britishtelephones.com/vehicles/flatbeds/019.htm

 

And, GPO ex-army Fodens https://www.britishtelephones.com/vehicles/flatbeds/039.htm.

 

If you ferret around that website, there are a lot of ex-military vehicles in both "as bought" and "converted" condition. Scope for endless kit-bashes from Airfix kits!

Edited March 20, 2022 by Nearholmer

[PhilJ W]

Also after the war NFS vehicles were disposed of as surplus to requirements. The Austin K2 ATV's were basically a van and needed little if any alteration for their new owners. Many became mail and parcel vans for the GPO. A couple of the Fordson auxiliary pumps where the pump had its own engine ended up with showmen who simply replaced the pump with a generator set. Also popular with showmen were the Tilling Stevens searchlight trucks. Like the TS buses before them they were petrol electric, the earlier TS19 using an electric motor for traction and the later TS20 with conventional gearbox and a generator driven off the front of the crankshaft.

TS20

TS19

Edited March 20, 2022 by PhilJ W

[Mike Harvey]

Borough of Dover ex US forces Chevy? Van.

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Mike Harvey
Re-uploaded photo

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Mike Harvey said:

Borough of Dover ex US forces Chevy? Van.

 

 

Or possibly sent over for civilian use. Even London Transport had some American Ford lorries complete with left hand drive.

[Mike Harvey]

Soon after the NFS was disbanded in 1948  the joint workshops of Kent Fire Brigade and the County Council Ambulance service converted several Austin K2 ATVs to service vans. The high roofed bodies had glazing around the upper walls on all four sides and a full height central hinged door at the rear. The ambulance fleetvan was painted white, and the more numerous Fire Brigade vans were dark green. They turn up in the background of a few workshop and fire station photos.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Mike Harvey
RE-UPLOADED PHOTO

[javlinfaw7]

Ex-military 15cwt vehicles were very common as tow trucks with some lasting into the seventies.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/31/d3/5431d32c8d3f2051362c6252aff79c2f.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/34/25/cb/3425cbe960efd232d77a176ebe224fe2.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/4176/33782158503_f42cec9706_c.jpg

[Merfyn Jones]

Slightly off topic, but RMWeb is back, thank goodness.

Even after the war a number of ex  army vehicles saw civvy use and as this is a Railway modelling site, here is one of a number of Humber 4x4 vans bought by B R for recovery work. This one seen mid 1970s at Basingstoke.

[Fat Controller]

13 hours ago, Merfyn Jones said:

Slightly off topic, but RMWeb is back, thank goodness.

Even after the war a number of ex  army vehicles saw civvy use and as this is a Railway modelling site, here is one of a number of Humber 4x4 vans bought by B R for recovery work. This one seen mid 1970s at Basingstoke.

I was trying to remember where I'd seen a photo of this one. Same running gear as the Humber 'Pig', used in Northern Ireland.

[Sitham Yard]

Nice to see RMweb back congratulations to all concerned. I am looking at published photos of Leyland Retriever and Hippo both purchased by civilian transport companies 1947. The Retriever (rated 3 ton by military - same as Austin K6) has civilian type twin tyres on the rear axles but military tyres on the front axle. The Hippo (rated 10 tons by military) has civilian tyres all round with twins on the rear axles. Both have flat bodies with mudguard on each wheel. Another popular 6 x 4 in the same weight category was Foden DG6.  

[Invicta]

An unusual one - The Century Theatre was built 1948-52 around 4 30-foot trailers, which link together to form a 200-seat theatre. Naturally enough at that period, the towing vehicles were ex-WD

 

It toured 1952-74 before becoming a permanent theatre at Keswick for about 20 years, then moved to the former Snibston Discovery museum at Coalville in the 90's, where it still operates as a theatre- I saw a show there last weekend.

 

The towing vehicles are described as ' four large ex-RAF tractors', some descriptions I've read mention Crossleys, although this photo clearly shows Matadors

[Sitham Yard]

I am looking at a book "Classic Commercials in Colour" by B.S. Watson which appears to be available online at a reasonable price and is recommended. Many interesting photos taken in the 1960's and 1970's including a 1947 registration Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) Chevrolet C15 still in use by a jobbing builder/joiner in 1964. Makes me realise that vehicles like this that spend a lot of time stationary on site can last a long time due to their low mileage.   

 

Andrew