Mid 1939 saw a complete revamp of Bedfords; with only the HC van continuing in production. The new range consisted of the K (30–40 cwt), MS and ML (2–3 ton), OS and OL (3–4 ton), OS/40 and OL/40 (5 ton) series, and the OB bus. Also on offer was a new 10–12 cwt van, the JC, derived from the new J Model Vauxhall car. Many of the trucks sold by Bedford between June and September 1939 were requisitioned for military use on the outbreak of World War II; many were abandoned after the retreat from Dunkirk, rendered useless to the enemy by removing the engine oil drain plug and running the engine. Because the German armed forces in 1940 were, contrary to their popular image, desperately short of motor transport, many of these captured Bedfords were repaired and pressed into service alongside Opel Blitz (also part of GM) trucks by the German armed forces – although the Bedfords mainly filled second line roles, including civil defence.

Production of the new range ceased, apart from a few examples made for essential civilian duties, when Bedford went onto a war footing. Production resumed in 1945.

Second World War[edit]

Bedford OYD Armadillo Mk III

The war-time Bedford QL, with the driver perched above the engine in a forward control cab, foreshadowed post-war truck designs
In 1935, Bedford began the development of a 15 cwt truck for the British War Office. This entered service as the MW in 1939, and 65,995 examples had been built by the end of World War II in 1945. The MW appeared in a bewildering range of roles, as a water tanker, general duties truck, personnel carrier, petrol tanker, wireless truck and anti-aircraft gun tractor – among others.

The War Office designated 15 cwt vehicles, such as the MW, as trucks, and larger vehicles as lorries.

The 1939 K-, M-, and O-series lorries were quickly redesigned for military use. This was largely a matter of styling, involving a sloping bonnet with a flat front with headlights incorporated and a crash bar to protect the radiator in a minor collision. The military versions were designated OX and OY series, and again were put to a wide range of tasks, including mobile canteens, tankers, general purpose lorries, and a version with a Tasker semi-trailer used by the Royal Air Force to transport dismantled or damaged aircraft. This variant was popularly known as the "Queen Mary". A number of Bedford OXD 1.5 ton chassis were converted to make the Bedford OXA armoured vehicle. A total of 72,385 OY and 24,429 OX lorries were built. The Armadillo was an OY fitted for airfield defence with Lewis guns and an ex-aircraft COW 37 mm gun.

Bedford supplied numerous trucks and tanks to the Soviet Union during World War II.

A radical departure from Bedford's design norms came in October 1939, with the development of a four-wheel drive, forward control lorry, which entered service in March 1941 as the QL, quickly nicknamed the "Queen Lizzie". As with the MW and OY / OX models, the QL went on to serve in a large number of roles, such as artillery tractor, gun porter, command vehicle, wireless lorry and petrol tanker, as well as the troop-carrying QLD, the most common variant. An experimental version used the track unit of a bren gun carrier, or Universal Carrier, as an answer to the German half-track vehicles, which had superior cross-country capability. Production ran at around 12,000 units per year between 1942 and 1944. Many QLs and other Bedford World War II military vehicles served with the British Army, and other forces into the 1960s, and many others were purchased for civilian use after the war.

After the evacuation of Dunkirk in June 1940, the British Army had around 100 tanks, most of which were obsolete and inferior to the German tanks of the day. Vauxhall Motors was given one year to design and produce a suitable heavy tank. In May 1941, the Churchill tank went into production at Luton, some 5,640 units and 2,000 spare engines being produced at Luton, and other sites under contract to Vauxhall. The resultant need to continue truck production brought about the development of the new Bedford Dunstable plant, which came online in 1942.

For wartime production the OB was temporarily replaced by the "utility" OWB, with which Bedford became the only British manufacturer authorised to build single-deck buses during hostilities.

A group of guys were standing near the F86 wood trailer and when they heard my accent commented that Australia was not the only place to have road trains.

The Aussie tipper blokes with their dog trailers would be pleased to hear they are considered road train drivers in Ireland.

The country roads are completely impossible for semi trailers in many places so twisty and narrow with stone walls either side. Eight wheelers are the go for heavy stuff but the super short single drive prime movers really help the trailers get into tight places.

We had to wait for half an hour on the south coast while a bus and car extricated themselves. Both vehicles were touching the walls on each side and the other vehicle in the centre. All at crawling pace and the only damage a car mirror.

The wood trailers (there was an almost identical Leyland outfit as well) were beautifully made - just for show.

Lang

My 1946 Ford Jailbar semi-trailer bus that I went to school in many, many years ago.
Built by J.A.Lawton & Sons for Mr Jim Abbott of Abbott's Tours, Victor Harbour SA.
Currently under massive restoration.

The WAGR had three very simular buses to these known as Fowler/Dyson 'Landliners' They were powered by two Ford V8 motors. One under the front bogie powering the rear wheels of the bogie and the other located at the rear of the trailer, driving the rear wheels.

The three buses were plagued with mechanical problems and were very tricky to drive. They didn't last long and were converted to semi trailers with Foden prime movers.

TDU
[/from a book by John Youngi]

I recently spent 3 weeks in China and spotted some interesting ways to transport motor vehicles on trucks.

One night we passed what appeared to be a very long tri-axle semi carrying 18 Audis.

18 sounds a lot but the bottom deck had 6 vehicles and the top deck had 12 vehicles on it. The top deck had 2 rows of 6 vehicles on it and the rear overhang was around 8 metres.

I didn't get the opportunity to photograph it (the bus driver didn't speak English and probably had no desire to keep the nut in row 6 happy)

A couple of day slater I spotted another one of these trucks parked on the side of the road. I was on a different bus, but again no photos.

A couple of days after that and whilst cruising down the Yangzi River I got some photos of trucks on a barge with tandem loads.







I did some Googling and you can buy these trailers for $50,000ish US and they are 2.8 to 2.9 metres wide, but I didn't get a length.

An AUDI A3 is 4.23m long so 6 of them need around 26 metres to fit on a trailer.

As the photos show the rear vehicles are overhung a long way and the bottom car appears to be parked on a ramp that is held up by a chain block each side of the ramp.

The trailer appears to be offset to the passenger's side so they don't project into on-coming traffic and only hit pedestrians!

It was built in 1945 for Dyson's Bus Service in Melbourne. It later saw service in WA.

It had a Ford V-8 in the "bogie" and another driving the rear axles which could be cut in when additional power was needed.

WAGR had three of these. They were called 'Landliner Cheetah's'. They were all converted to semi-trailer buses, pulled by Foden prime movers.

TDU

It would be the death knell for Australian manufactured Bus/Coachs & Semi trailers IF It ever happened..

The local bus/coach market is already being destroyed by Chinese and South American imports

Thanks for Berrigan view. Did you post it before, in a thread on semitrailer buses? Or had somebody else posted it from a history book?

Essendon Fields (Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Vic.) Benders International. Sun.29.3.15. (Roderick Smith)
This was at the Pioneer Express 60th anniversary rally. This had been a Pioneer Tours vehicle. I guess mid/late 1940s.
Although the excellent paintwork gleams, the gossip was that the company plans to repaint it into a Pioneer scheme.
History of Pioneer Tours / Ansett Pioneer:
flxibleclipperclub.com.au/wp/?page_id=1225
and www.ansettpioneer.com

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Cln
M80

Ded Ezy

S.C.P. 'semitrailer bus'
into Google n clik on Google images
mouse ovr the pic n sum will have HCVC address ... clik on m

Here 2 help the needy n not the greedy
cya

I was going to link the Berrigan back to that White thread. How common was Ford Marmion in Australia? We covered several other semitrailer buses around Australia too.
Mine today is another West Australian Government Railways bus, another modern Guy. There were three with scenicruiser bodies, and four as normal single deck, also with air suspension.

Perth station, Wellington St (WA). WAGR Guy G63. Mon.13.1.69. (Roderick Smith)
From Australian Bus Fleet Lists (which has a copy of the photo already): G63 WUM3257 MBB C34FT
Bus Preservation Society of WA (Whiteman Park) (G63); ex-Private Owner (Welshpool); ex-Symes Brothers Aerial Spraying (Geraldton); ex-XIO365 Kenwick Motors (Kenwick) (dealer); ex-UQD868 / WAG8963 / UAN437 Western Australian Government Railways (G63).
Other posters have disputed the WUM model code.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

There was a bit of a discussion on this bus in White semitrailer bus on the forum in 2012 ( photo has disappeared) where I said that it was a Murray Valley Bus lines bus, but Beaver disagreed with that as they never had Fords, I was told that's who's it was. But I am not old enough to no, what I know is only hear say,
Colin

I have had links to both photos with bus people: lots of views, but nobody with background knowledge yet.

What is the prime mover of the Berrigan semitrailer bus?

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Eddy, for what it is worth, we run Double Coin RR660 tyres on our semi tipper and truck and trailer. We have a lot of trouble chewing tyres out on short haul tipper work on our gravel roads.

I am told the RR660 is designed for buses that are screwing around on bitumen roads. We have been using them on the drives and the trailer axles for quite a few years now, and while they are not a cheap tyre, we are getting better wear out of them, than any other tyre we have tried. They do have a very thick tread.

I think a chap here who runs school buses is using them now, after seeing some we had in the tyre shop.

www.tyres4u.com.au/brandselector_doc-dcp...660_img-dc_show.aspx

RnR.

G'day

Well pleased to say that you can buy all new bushes and rubbers for hutch suspension. I've just replaced all mine in my float, and put whole new axles under it! Got the parts from maxi parts in Albury.

Cheers