Bedford MW's in service gallery

[mcspool]

Here´s another couple of "in service" pics, this time of various types of MW in use by the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade (hence my interest in the type):

 

 

Hanno

Edited December 1, 2008 by mcspool

[rippo]

a couple more i've found.

 

 

Look at the ladies all over the mw!!

 

 

Now that must have been cold!

 

 

 

 

 

 

That must of hurt. I guess the vacuum chamber would have been an early air bag!! is that an explorer lurcking in the shed behind?

 

 

This is a friend of mine, back in the 50's serving in berlin, they also had a aeroscreen water bowser. I've just notice the front tyres look small, or maybe its just the camera angle.

 

The one in goanna post bogged down in north africa has had a few mods, looks like an oy tow bar on it and the spare wheel and tool box added to the rear.

Edited December 3, 2008 by rippo

[No Signals]

 

The one in goanna post bogged down in north africa has had a few mods, looks like an oy tow bar on it and the spare wheel and tool box added to the rear.

 

Having been put right in another thread about radio bodies, do you agree that this vehicle also started life as one? The loadspace planking appears 'taller' by at least one strip than most?

[rippo]

hello mate,

That looks like a standard body to me. As far is i know it was only the sides and maybe the headboard of the body that were raised one plank, i don't think the tailboard was bigger. Also if you count the planks, there are six, mine has six also, so i don't think it has. I think the angle of the picture makes the sides look bigger.

Edited December 3, 2008 by rippo

[goanna]

When did the very last MW's end service in the British army ? Early 1960's maybe ...

 

Years ago I met a guy who claimed that his unit still had a MW on the books in about 1963 ... from memory he was stationed in Malaysia/Singapore or similar ...

[rippo]

I think it was probably more like the early 70s. I think memmingways had, and still has, one of the last mw's to be released, and from memory the 1970's rings a bell.

[goanna]

I think it was probably more like the early 70s. I think memmingways had, and still has, one of the last mw's to be released, and from memory the 1970's rings a bell.

 

1970's sounds too late ..but I'm no authority on this topic.. What is memmingways anyway ?

[rippo]

hello,

Memmingways is a old army dealers over here, they have a number of vintage vehicles stored around there yard. Here's a link to some pictures of it

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562232747IWGUHX

 

I don't think i'm far out with the 70's it could be even later. My dad had the ruddington cataloges from the 60's till the end and i think he looked it up in there when he did his mw.

I remember a matador came out in the late 80s, and two yellow ql's came out about the same time they weren't in bad shape, i think they had been on an airfield somewhere. We got a QL training chassis from our local T/A base in the early 90s, so it wouldn't suprise me if they still had some in store some where. There was a story doing the rounds once, probably in the early 90s, that the army had found some QL's and were going to loan them to mvt members, but we never heard anything more than that. It was about the time my dad was looking for his QL, so we weren't sure if someone was pulling his leg!! But then there were tails of steam trains, push bikes, and hand carts at castle donnington and this came from outside the military clubs.

[No Signals]

hello mate,

That looks like a standard body to me. As far is i know it was only the sides and maybe the headboard of the body that were raised one plank, i don't think the tailboard was bigger. Also if you count the planks, there are six, mine has six also, so i don't think it has. I think the angle of the picture makes the sides look bigger.

 

OK, so however unlikely it may seem at first sight, do you think there may have been two different standard bodies made? Post 9 ,shot 2 with the (Motley?) bren shows I would say the wheel arch cutting through the third plank from the top, post 53, 3rd shot though less distinct shows the same? It may be that these have wider planks but are the same actual final height?

 

The 'memmingways' vehicle you refer to has the following chalked on the door, which I guess may be something to do with an auction number, so maybe someone with an old catalogue might be able to 'finger' it.

MWD 2 6.6.14

P 69.5/R

 

Regarding last in service, I have spoken to an ex RAF guy who is adamant he used (more than ?) one at Brize Norton in the late 60's and early '70s. This(these) were all yellow C vehicles.

[rippo]

There are two versioms of the body the early hinged type and the later solid type. The hinged bodies were designed for the motley gun set up. Now looking at the picture in post nine i cant see any hinges and the body dose look lower. I think thats the later type solid body, and has been altered to give it the clearance the hinges would have done, the top plank has been removed,or maybr it was a bad week for wood and they only had larger boards.

 

The pictures is 52 53 show 3 boards above the wheel arch, the third board is where the hinge point is.

 

The only thing i know for sure is nothing was standard.

Edited December 4, 2008 by rippo

[Richard Farrant]

Regarding the MWR rear bodies, I think you will find them no different to the MWD GS body, the extra plank is secured to the canopy frame to stop things dissappearing off the desk and over the side ( at least that is one obvious reason ). Take a look at the following links of MWR's in service with the TA, one is rather unusual in that the canopy frame has been raised, could be a tall wireless operator? The extra boards can clearly be seen, especially on the B&W photo

 

www.flickr.com/photos/dhwright/3054583300/in/photostream

 

www.flickr.com/photos/dhwright/3061307301/

 

there are other interesting photos of Daimler scout and armoured cars in TA service postwar in the photostream on these links.

[No Signals]

Bereft of the knowledge gained from service to HM I think I am beginning to get a better idea of what qualifies as what! Below is what I initially assumed was the correct configuration for an MWR, I see now that it is not. Even though in places it is referred to as such. Cheers guys, if you dont ask you dont find out! Ignorance is not always bliss

[No Signals]

Anyone know any more about where the photos of the inflatables in post #45 were taken?

[mcspool]

Here's a nice pic of an early MW. Source: Conniford's Military Vehicle Data nr. 4

 

[Richard Farrant]

Below is what I initially assumed was the correct configuration for an MWR, I see now that it is not.

 

 

That MW in your photo, in service with the Danish forces, looks to be a RAF body, there is one in preservation in the UK. It may well be on a MWR chassis, which would have been equipped suppression, screened ignition, etc., neccessary for a communications vehicle.

[mcspool]

Bedford MW with 20-mm Polsten gun.

[rippo]

Thanks hanno,:tup:: thats a great picture, i've got that one in one of my books but that picture is much bigger and clearer. If barts book is right they only made one anti aircraft mw on the early chassis, more were made, but on the later cabbed version.

 

I can nearly see the number on the bonnet, is it Z416?

 

Note the smaller side lights on it and the shape of the back of the wing. Is that a plate on the steering colum support? mine has one there but i wasn't to sure about it, looking at that it might well be right. the mirrors in a strange place, it would be in the way of the door.

 

Judging by the fella pushing his bike past in the back ground it isn't in action. If that was a prototype would it have gone into service or just into test?

Edited December 10, 2008 by rippo

[sirhc]

If anyone wants to build a replica of this truck, I have a very good copy of this body which is no longer required.

 

Chris

[les freathy]

MW 200 gall water tanker in the Ponteloscuro area of the river Po in Italy 1945

[Degsy]

Nice pic Les, especially with the Cat (D7?) and the Fordson in the background but can anyone tell if its a WOT6 or WOT8:cool2:

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

[Tony B]

That purification set was also mounted on Dodges.

[sirhc]

The equipment on the back of that Dodge looks very different to the tanker on the MW.

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

The equipment on the back of that Dodge looks very different to the tanker on the MW.

It does a bit,Dont upset him its xmas:rofl:

[Tony B]

Why not? Upsetting me has never bothered you before :-D Was the Bedford stuff Stella Meta? I presume the tank was built to fit the vehicle. Very underestamated service the water purifiers.