XS650

I suppose the very early OY's will be quite rare as the vast majority were left in France after Dunkirk. I have seen hundreds of 'Soldiers Photos ' of abandoned OY's in France and the majority seem to be on single tyres , does anyone know when they swapped from Twin Rears to big singles ? Couple of IWM pics here of early twin rears one at a French port dated 28/01/40.

Fair comment , perhaps the question should have been why no locking diffs on 4x2's? Would this have been a simple addition in WW2 ?

I wonder why these were not used on British 4x2 vehicles in WW2 , thinking particularly of the many 15cwt 4x2s that were used in combat roles . Expense ? technology? Reliability ? Had modern vans with LSD and it transforms them off road.

I worked with an ex RAF fireman who drove Alvis 6x6 fire crash trucks and in service they had a pile of sleepers near the fire station which they drove over to unwind their Salamanders ( not a euphemism😊). This was part of their routine.

Some Flickr photos of Leyland Martians in Aden-

Background Flickr photo of Alvis Salamander in Aden with RAF Land Rovers-

Would imagine some residual value is priced into the lease cost so will heavy MVs turn up at normal truck auctions amongst all the other civvy ex lease trucks and vans ?

Thanks for that , obviously much modified since beach days ! Don't suppose the reg.no. is still Q702OVL ? Curiously this comes up on car number detail sites as a 1999 Bedford Fire Engine! Craig

Hit the nail on the head here , clues in the name ' carrier' not a fighting vehicle , designed to carry the infantry's heavy weapons ( not The Infantry) in the field . However they did give the infantry an armoured vehicle of their own and certainly with the BEF were used to good effect in offensive roles against German infantry, specially in rearguard actions . Being so small , low and fast they were also difficult vehicles to hit. Despite the bright BEF idea of painting large white 'target' squares centre front and sides for recognition !

I would be very interested in seeing a picture of your ex Skegness machine. I assume it's not on your flickr site as can't see it. Craig

I always got the impression this was not a popular replacement for the Bedford MJ in the services , why was this ? Craig

Took these pictures of Alvis Mk6 's in Skegness in 1988 recently scanned them in and have been trying to find some info about them , pleased to hear one may still survive ! Craig

Towing the Brabazon airliner in Pathe news film titled 'Brabazon Plane' http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=58762

So say this year if my insurance runs out in June and my tax in August and I decide to park it up in the garage in May for a 2 year rebuild , don't fill in a SORN until the tax reminder comes , I will be fined for no insurance in July/August ?

...and the Airfix is the long wheelbase one .

Think your 're right looks like an A type , with odd wheel set up.

This RN Bedford J appears to have JI front end with un bedford like twin rear wheels, anyone know more.

A lot of the Brit stuff was the best IN ITS TIME Land Rover Series 11a's , AEC Trucks , Bedford Trucks , Morris Minors, Triumph Bonnevilles! all the best in the 1950's ,1960's and the world couldn't get enough of ' em . Problem was we never updated the designs and carried on building the same stuff. A big USA dealer in the 70's wanted to buy the Triumph Motorcycle factory because he said he could sell Triumphs to the guys who wanted to tinker with their bikes and Hondas to to the guys who just wanted to ride them. Think the tinkering aspect is why brit stuff still adored.

Considering only 500 Scammell Pioneers were built in ww2 the survival rate is amazing.

I remember seeing plenty of army Bedford RL's in UK with them fitted on the road in the 70's. When they were introduced they were a UK only thing , we were still quite an independent nation in the 1970's:D . The army tends to (has to ?) follow the letter of the law regarding road traffic acts. The Dept. of Transport was trying to reduce the number of incidents of cars driving under the back of parked lorries at night , often decapitating the driver.

Think you've nailed it there , the tracks do look like the rubberised ones and the rear door layouts the same.Never seen one of these before.

Anyone know what the 'bren carrier with high sides' thing is is 4th picture 535937 ? Looks like an APC ,something we didn't have in France 1940?

Spotted this in a rig yard in Hartlepool couple of years back , looks WW2, anyone know ?

Catching up with old threads , I know 5 years later! but you often see this question asked , the purpose of carriers is in their name , to carry things . They were not designed to carry infantry but to carry their heavy equipment mortars , hmg's , brens , ammunition, rations etc right up to the front line. They were very successfull in this role as they were small , fast , very low profile and hard to hit , and could travel almost anywhere a foot soldier could. Problems came when they were used for other things they weren't designed for. In fact I reckon the infantry would be able to use a carrier platoon on the front line in Afghanistan today!

Thanks for info,to me it sounds like a wartime issue to RN ,Haven't heard of that book have to look it up.