question Bedford RL Ambulance

Would any one be able to supply me with information or photographs about Bedford RL Ambulances that served in the late 50's early 60's for the Army. Commer, Bedford and Fordson applied for the tender and was trialed by all 3 services. The Army and royal navy eventually accepting the Bedford RL. :-D

Would any one be able to supply me with information or photographs about Bedford RL Ambulances that served in the late 50's early 60's for the Army. Commer, Bedford and Fordson applied for the tender and was trialed by all 3 services. The Army and royal navy eventually accepting the Bedford RL. :-D

I thought it was the Fordson E3 that got the contract. 782 were supplied under Contract no. 6/VEHS/7980.

Cannot recollect a RL ambulance

didnt know there was a Bedford RL ambulance, Bedford supplied the J type though

Mark

I have virtually all the FVRDE Design Specs for the 1950's trucks, no sign of any for RL. I can only find these two with different bodies.

FVRDE Spec. 9528 Body, Equipment & Mounting for Truck, 3 Ton, 4x4, GS (Ford) Ambulance (Spurling), FV13302. 1955

FVRDE Spec. 9562 Body, Equipment & Mounting for Truck, 3 Ton, 4x4 GS (Ford) Ambulance (Mulliner) FV13305. 1955

I've found one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bedford-RL-Military-Ambulance-/230549827409

I own a bedford rl ambulance but it is an ex afs hoselayer converted by Heathrow airport for use as a major trauma unit. When I got it it still had blues and twos also working emergency radios, a coachbuilt sign on the cab and heaters in the cab and rear. It is now a replica Royal Engineers bomb disposal truck. see my profile gallery.

I have virtually all the FVRDE Design Specs for the 1950's trucks, no sign of any for RL. I can only find these two with different bodies.

 

FVRDE Spec. 9528 Body, Equipment & Mounting for Truck, 3 Ton, 4x4, GS (Ford) Ambulance (Spurling), FV13302. 1955

 

FVRDE Spec. 9562 Body, Equipment & Mounting for Truck, 3 Ton, 4x4 GS (Ford) Ambulance (Mulliner) FV13305. 1955

Are these designs the fordson? or ford not sure of the differance, what is the differance between the 2 types?

I thought it was the Fordson E3 that got the contract. 782 were supplied under Contract no. 6/VEHS/7980.

 

Cannot recollect a RL ambulance

Was the fordson supplied to all 3 services? Do you know how long where they in service? Do any still survive to this day?

Thanks

Andy

Are these designs the fordson? or ford not sure of the differance, what is the differance between the 2 types?

Both designs refer to mounting on 3 Ton 4x4 G.S. (Ford) basic chassis and cab (FVRDE Specification 9104). I'm afraid I don't have 9104, I only have 9103 which as it happens covers the Bedford RL.

Was the fordson supplied to all 3 services? Do you know how long where they in service? Do any still survive to this day?

Thanks

 

Andy

Hi Andy,

I am not aware of RAF or RN having any of these Fords. There were three body types within the contract, E2 was a Binned Stores Vehicle, E3 was the Ambulance, with bodywrk very simialr to the E2 and lastly, E4 was a Light Anti-Aircraft Tractor, with 5 ton winch. The contract was dated July 1951. I think the last version in service with the Army, was the Binned Stores, a vehicle type which would generally only go out on exercise as it was not a general service type. My guess is that most would have been disposed of by the mid 1970's. there was a Binned Stores at Beltring this year and I believe the there is a similar one in the REME Historic Collection. There was a LAA Tractor in a museum in the North of England if I recall.

Andy, I see you are confused about whether Ford or Fordson is a different vehicle, my memory say that the badge on the front was actually "Thames", the army literature calls them Ford and the makes parts book says EnFo !

Are these designs the fordson? or ford not sure of the differance, what is the differance between the 2 types?

there was also the FV 13304 which was an ambulance version utilising Binned Stores Bodies

The Bedford RL version was FV 13126 used by the RN.

TED

there was also the FV 13304 which was an ambulance version utilising Binned Stores Bodies

 

 

Hi Ted,

I forgot about the converted Binners, they are easily spotted having bigger windows that the other two ambulance bodies.

FV13302

Hi Ted,

 

I forgot about the converted Binners, they are easily spotted having bigger windows that the other two ambulance bodies.

Morning Richard, I remembered late last night I have the user handbook for the Ford E series; The Ambulance "proper" had 2 high level windows each side, the ex binners a single window high level to the rear of each side. Attached is the RL ambulance ; The body detail and innner detail is identical to the Ford E3 version.

At about this time the RAF bought the Ford Sussex 6x4 heavy ambulance; a real heap of rubish in fact less capable than the WW2 Fordson WOT1 6x4.

TED

Morning Richard, I remembered late last night I have the user handbook for the Ford E series; The Ambulance "proper" had 2 high level windows each side, the ex binners a single window high level to the rear of each side.

Hi Ted,

Thanks for posting these photos, I should have specified in my original reply, that the Army did not have RL ambulances, but opted for Fords. At that time all three Services had there own Procurement arrangements with these sort of odd arrangements, but much later it all came under one. Here is a photo of a converted Binner, showing how larger windows were retained in the new ambulance role.

There was a binned store on the Bedford but the dims page for this RL body is missing from my manual does anyone know if the Ford E2 and RL shared the same binned stores body please ??

TED

Ted, difficult to say I haven't time at the moment to read through the two FVRDE Specs but the Ford was Spec 9518 issued in 1952 & the RL Spec 9536 issued in 1953.

Ted, difficult to say I haven't time at the moment to read through the two FVRDE Specs but the Ford was Spec 9518 issued in 1952 & the RL Spec 9536 issued in 1953.

Clive / Ted,

According to WO Code No. 12710 Data Book of War Dept GS "B" Vehicles ( post 1946), there is a slight discrepancy of internal measurements of the Stores Binned bodies of Ford E2 and Bed RL. Also the RL version has a cutaway in lower edge of body to access fuel tank filler, so not a straight swap over.

Clive / Richard Richard is the discrepancy very much please ?? I was hoping they would be near identical as is the case with the ambulance bodies. You may have guessed there could be a model to make at the end of this !

regards TED

Ted well I have compared the two FVRDE Specs line by line & they seem to be identcal. Something that might help as the Data Book only gives the internal dimensions of the body. The external dimensions are:

Length 172"

Width 88"

Height 82 9/16" at top of camber excluding roof ventilators.

One little touch I like, "A Storemans folding stool shall be provided."

Clive / Richard Richard is the discrepancy very much please ?? I was hoping they would be near identical as is the case with the ambulance bodies. You may have guessed there could be a model to make at the end of this !

regards TED

Hi Ted,

I don't think the discepancy is enough to worry about if your model scale is 1/76th ! The Ford is listed as;

Body interior - length 13' 11 3/8" width between racks 2' 3" height 6' 3 1/2"

Bedford is;

body interior - length 13' 11 5/8" width 6' 11" height 6' 6"

Thank you Richard 1/76th it is so I will call those dims identical what was ther old saying in industry "close enough for government work"

thanks again

TED

Both designs refer to mounting on 3 Ton 4x4 G.S. (Ford) basic chassis and cab (FVRDE Specification 9104). I'm afraid I don't have 9104, I only have 9103 which as it happens covers the Bedford RL.

Would you be able to supply a copy of the design?

Would you be able to supply a copy of the design?

Generally they are 6 page documents but there are no drawings, these are given as FV codes but are not integral with the Design Specification document itself unfortunately. Was there anything in particular you were after?

Generally they are 6 page documents but there are no drawings, these are given as FV codes but are not integral with the Design Specification document itself unfortunately. Was there anything in particular you were after?

I was after the dimensions of the box body, didnt see the previous email.

Thanks