Leyland Beaver

[JakLomas]

Hi does anyone have any pictures of a Leyland Beaver X-ray wagon as this was the truck my Grandad drove round British Army Camps during his time in the RCT 1967-1973.

 

Thanks Jak

Edited January 8, 2013 by JakLomas

[Saint Johnstoun]

If you look on the Science Museum site you will find photos of the preserved Leyland Beaver X ray van which appeared recently in Call the Midwife on BBC Television.

 

There were 62 of these Leyland Beavers recorded of which most have been identified as X ray vans. They towed trailers with Lister Generators installed inside - the generators were not new but ex Searchlight units which had been mounted on the back of Leyland Hippo Lorries.

 

I will post a more complete list in due course - the current one only shows 30.

Leyland Beaver X Ray vans.doc

Edited February 28, 2013 by Saint Johnstoun
more information

[Saint Johnstoun]

Here is an updated list. As you can see there are gaps.Leyland Beaver 12B list.doc

[Ivor Ramsden]

Re SJ's list of Beavers, the West Yorkshire Archives Service have got the Leeds motor vehicle registration cards which will include the one for NUM593. The cards don't contain a lot of information but they do have the chassis number, so you could reduce your "unknown" list by one.

 

Their website is: http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/archives-leeds.asp

[FEC]

Re SJ's list of Beavers, the West Yorkshire Archives Service have got the Leeds motor vehicle registration cards which will include the one for NUM593. The cards don't contain a lot of information but they do have the chassis number, so you could reduce your "unknown" list by one.

 

Their website is: http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/archives-leeds.asp

This is the only image I Have of of a beaver trailer and a Hippo in the back ground

When I was 16 I worked on maintaining the NHS chest Xray units. Leyland Hippo with Beaver trailers. We got to dismantle eight of them once they had been BER'd/finished with in the late 70's. The lase one I saw was tucked away in the Liverpool Royal Hospital grounds in the mid 80's. But she was in a terrible state.

One of the magic memories I have of Hippo Xray units is a chap named Jo Dash, who was the paint charge hand, hand painting the lettering on the broad side of the units. It was something mesmerising-the level of skill and perfection.

[dgosden]

You may have seen my post of yesterday (5/12/2013) regarding my research work in connection with the NHS vans. My research work is part scientific, part photographic.

I know they were continuously updated, refitted and re equipped, e.g. the original 35mm X-Ray and film units being replaced by larger (70mm and 100mm) units in 1957. I believe 'on board' film processing came to an end then too.

Can you describe the final arrangement of van and trailer.... Was there still a generator, details and what kW was it?

Was it a separate trailer or another vehicle entirely?

My starting point is way back in 1948 when the first ones were ordered but also researching the entire years until the last was withdrawn from service.

Any help you can give would be very much appreciated.

Regards,

David Gosden

 

This is the only image I Have of of a beaver trailer and a Hippo in the back ground

When I was 16 I worked on maintaining the NHS chest Xray units. Leyland Hippo with Beaver trailers. We got to dismantle eight of them once they had been BER'd/finished with in the late 70's. The lase one I saw was tucked away in the Liverpool Royal Hospital grounds in the mid 80's. But she was in a terrible state.

One of the magic memories I have of Hippo Xray units is a chap named Jo Dash, who was the paint charge hand, hand painting the lettering on the broad side of the units. It was something mesmerising-the level of skill and perfection.