mark4974 Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi folks, I know it isn't straight forward tracing a vehicles history but I have obtained a key card with the details of my Bedford QLD. I was hoping someone may be able to confirm some of the research I have already done and perhaps fill in the blanks. WD No: 65RE44 - 65RE32 to 67RE63 refurbished after the war as "Binned" lorrys. Engine No: 32140 - This is actually the chassis number so made in 1944. Tech type: Binned - Does anybody know what this is and who would have used them? Stores vehicle?? Converted to: 5241718 - Is this the old census number? Unit from: S2790 - Any ideas? Unit to: 16 BVD BAOR - 16 Base Vehicle Depot. Based at Olen, Belgium. Does anybody know what a BVD's purpose was? Also found on the doors when restored was a black triangle with an upside down red triangle inside. Hamburg was written underneath. I'm presuming this was 3rd Armoured Divisional sign. Any ideas and comments are welcome. Cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi folks,I know it isn't straight forward tracing a vehicles history but I have obtained a key card with the details of my Bedford QLD. I was hoping someone may be able to confirm some of the research I have already done and perhaps fill in the blanks. WD No: 65RE44 - 65RE32 to 67RE63 refurbished after the war as "Binned" lorrys. Engine No: 32140 - This is actually the chassis number so made in 1944. Tech type: Binned - Does anybody know what this is and who would have used them? Stores vehicle?? Converted to: 5241718 - Is this the old census number? Unit from: S2790 - Any ideas? Unit to: 16 BVD BAOR - 16 Base Vehicle Depot. Based at Olen, Belgium. Does anybody know what a BVD's purpose was? Also found on the doors when restored was a black triangle with an upside down red triangle inside. Hamburg was written underneath. I'm presuming this was 3rd Armoured Divisional sign. Any ideas and comments are welcome. Cheers, Mark Mark, From what I know and have learnt on 29 years of QL ownership is that L5241718 is the original census number and it was from Contract no. S2790 for QLD GS vehicles. Not sure what you mean by 'engine no 32140 is actually the chassis number' as the engine numbers did not match the chassis numbers on production. regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark4974 Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Thanks Richard, The chassis number of the QLD is 32140, the engine number is 32813. Interestingly I have two rebuild plates with the engine. One stating it was rebuilt 26.2.54 by 22 Base Workshop REME. The other rebuilt dated 22.11.54 by 32 ARMD workshop REME. It is now being completely rebuilt by me after the head gasket went and I found a small hole in the side of the number 5 and 6 cylinders!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi Mark, Nice to piece together a bit of history of your vehicle. Mine was still in military service up until when it was auctioned off in 1987. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark4974 Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi Richard, Mine was bought from LW Vass in 1977 (not by me!). As the Bedford expert can you shed any light on the term binned? My father is ex REME and remembers QLs from their workshop having storage bins, but cannot remember how they were configured (he's 81 and his memory isn't as good as it used to be!) Do you know of any photos and who else would have used them? I'm guessing RAOC/RASC? Thanks, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi Richard,Mine was bought from LW Vass in 1977 (not by me!). As the Bedford expert can you shed any light on the term binned? My father is ex REME and remembers QLs from their workshop having storage bins, but cannot remember how they were configured (he's 81 and his memory isn't as good as it used to be!) Do you know of any photos and who else would have used them? I'm guessing RAOC/RASC? Thanks, Mark Mark, I am not sure of the exact configuration, but would assume stores bins up each side with a walkway down the centre. There was a purpose built Binned vehicle in the 1950's, the Ford E2 3 ton 4x4 and that had an enclosed body, but I think the QL's were normal canvas tilt cargo bodies. Operators could likely have been RAOC or REME. I've never come across any photos of QL Binned wagons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisgrove Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hi folks,I know it isn't straight forward tracing a vehicles history but I have obtained a key card with the details of my Bedford QLD. I was hoping someone may be able to confirm some of the research I have already done and perhaps fill in the blanks. WD No: 65RE44 - 65RE32 to 67RE63 refurbished after the war as "Binned" lorrys. Engine No: 32140 - This is actually the chassis number so made in 1944. Tech type: Binned - Does anybody know what this is and who would have used them? Stores vehicle?? Converted to: 5241718 - Is this the old census number? Unit from: S2790 - Any ideas? Unit to: 16 BVD BAOR - 16 Base Vehicle Depot. Based at Olen, Belgium. Does anybody know what a BVD's purpose was? Also found on the doors when restored was a black triangle with an upside down red triangle inside. Hamburg was written underneath. I'm presuming this was 3rd Armoured Divisional sign. Any ideas and comments are welcome. Cheers, Mark A Base vehicle Depot is a warehouse where vehicles that are not immediately needed for issue to units are held. They are available for issue to units that are short of vehicles for whatever reason, or to units entering theatre. They may even be pre-allocated to reinforcement units. The divisional sign you describe is almost certainly that of 3rd Infantry Division, though, on vehicles, the black triangle is normally painted on a red disc. There was no 3rd Armoured Division until 1978 when all the divisions in BAOR were armoured. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisgrove Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 (edited) Hi folks,I know it isn't straight forward tracing a vehicles history but I have obtained a key card with the details of my Bedford QLD. I was hoping someone may be able to confirm some of the research I have already done and perhaps fill in the blanks. WD No: 65RE44 - 65RE32 to 67RE63 refurbished after the war as "Binned" lorrys. Engine No: 32140 - This is actually the chassis number so made in 1944. Tech type: Binned - Does anybody know what this is and who would have used them? Stores vehicle?? Converted to: 5241718 - Is this the old census number? Unit from: S2790 - Any ideas? Unit to: 16 BVD BAOR - 16 Base Vehicle Depot. Based at Olen, Belgium. Does anybody know what a BVD's purpose was? Also found on the doors when restored was a black triangle with an upside down red triangle inside. Hamburg was written underneath. I'm presuming this was 3rd Armoured Divisional sign. Any ideas and comments are welcome. Cheers, Mark A Base Vehicle Depot is a large warehouse where vehicles not immediately needed by units are stored. They are available to units short of vehicles for whatever reason, or to units entering theatre. They may even be pre-allocated to reinforcement units. The divisional sign you describe is almost certainly that of 3rd Infantry Division. There was no 3rd Armoured Division until 1978 when all the divisions in BAOR were armoured, 3 Div then continued to use the same sign, though these were generally no longer painted on vehicles. A binned vehicle is, as you suggest, one designed with bins and cupboards inside in order to carry stores. Chris Edited December 2, 2016 by chrisgrove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 Mark,I am not sure of the exact configuration, but would assume stores bins up each side with a walkway down the centre. There was a purpose built Binned vehicle in the 1950's, the Ford E2 3 ton 4x4 and that had an enclosed body, but I think the QL's were normal canvas tilt cargo bodies. Operators could likely have been RAOC or REME. I've never come across any photos of QL Binned wagons. Hi Mark,I'm not familiar with the QL, but Bedford RLs I recall having 4 rows of bins, with the two centre rows back-to-back, and therefore 2 walkways. Also worth knowing that later Thomas bins were fibreglass, but the original ones were, I believe, aluminium, which is what would have been used in the QL's day. I wish you luck finding them. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark4974 Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 Thanks Steve, The plan is to convert the QL into a REME workshop vehicle. I'm in the process of rebuilding the engine so a job for next year. Does anybody know where I can find photos or plans of workshop bodies? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 Thanks Steve,The plan is to convert the QL into a REME workshop vehicle. I'm in the process of rebuilding the engine so a job for next year. Does anybody know where I can find photos or plans of workshop bodies? Mark Mark, The workshop vehicles, correctly termed Machinery truck, were not built on QL chassis' originally and I think it was prior to the Korean War where they were transferred from the Fordson WOT6 trucks (that were fitted with them from new). Looking at pictures of Korea, it seems that the QL was the mainstay 3 ton 4x4 used, probably a logistical move, meaning keeping it one type makes spare parts easier to handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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