chrisgrove Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Pictures of wartime vehicles showing the rear are rare! Was there a standard rear light for militay vehicles? Pictures of restored vehicles are no good as they invariably have updated rear lighting to make them road legal. And where was it placed? I do remember that only one rear light was then required. I am particularly interested in the Austin K2 and Bedford ML (and possibly the several Morris) ambulances, all of which had the same or very similar bodies. A photograph would be very useful. Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 From about 1943 onwards there was a standard pattern of rear light but the visible lenses area is so small they would not be safe driving at night out-side of a built up area. This is the post-war version of the light which had a window for number plate illumination and a wire braided cable. Both missing on war-time production. https://www.buyexmilitarysurplus.co.uk/products/Rear-Tail-Lamp-Number-Plate-Lamp-N1-CM-500.SA.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisgrove Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Thanks REME. Any idea what the lens diameter of the wartime version was? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 This is the war-time Lucas tail lamp (in red primer) shown with an axle flood lamp which I fitted to my Tilly as it would have been. I also fitted the more modern lamps and indicators for the sake of safety. I guess the lens is about 1" diameter. Can double check that tomorrow. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Part Numbers were Tail Light WD-T1 or WD T2 (Lucas AT201L) Flood Light B-WD-AF1 Tail and Flood.docx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Right Andy, the axle flood lamp with the 'B' prefix is the Butler type as my NOS lamp, which are easier to find than the 'L' Lucas type. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 The lens of the wartime tail light is three quarters of a inch in DIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 29 minutes ago, Ron said: Right Andy, the axle flood lamp with the 'B' prefix is the Butler type as my NOS lamp, which are easier to find than the 'L' Lucas type. Ron 2 Lucas lights:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-AT201L-rear-lamps/162977547731?hash=item25f23805d3:g:Ji8AAOSw1m9awkJy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 36 minutes ago, wally dugan said: The lens of the wartime tail light is three quarters of a inch in DIA Cheers Wally. That will save me measuring mine Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 There were lots of the original war-time pattern on the market 20 years ago but not sure what the availability is now.The link I posted may be your only choice to retain the war-time look. On the front of vehicles you can modify side lights to flash and you can buy magnetic light clusters and Number Plates or modify something to hang on the rear of your vehicle, so hopefully on current restorations no one is drilling holes in wings to fit modern lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Yes that's exactly what I did at the front of my Morris and Austin Tilly. I soldered wires to 'Stop/tail-light' bulbs and mounted them inside my original sidelights. At least with no MOT's these days, there's no one to criticize them flashing white. However, both vehicles have amber indicators at the rear. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Probably lots of things you can do with LED's as well now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 I have a small stock of Lucas T1 tail lamps NOS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy66 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 4 hours ago, Adrian Barrell said: I have a small stock of Lucas T1 tail lamps NOS. Still can use a tail lamp for my Morris C4 project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 How much are those lamps Adrian? Maybe send two to me in UK for me and Guy. I'll meet up with him at some point. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64EK26 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 21 hours ago, Ron said: This is the war-time Lucas tail lamp (in red primer) shown with an axle flood lamp which I fitted to my Tilly as it would have been. I also fitted the more modern lamps and indicators for the sake of safety. I guess the lens is about 1" diameter. Can double check that tomorrow. Ron Hi I after two tail lights, and a axle floodlight for my Bedford MWC restoration see http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/36001-bedford-mwc-restoration/ Cheers Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goanna Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) Ron Being a early production Morris , maybe your PU/8 would have been fitted with the rubbolite tailights . Edited April 8, 2018 by goanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Yes you are right! As this original pictures shows, a Lucas Rubberlite bolted to the right side of the body. As you can see, I have more adequate lights fitted, but I do have a NOS Rubberlite with original cable, so I might as well fit it and just wire it into the others. Regards Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 2 hours ago, Ron said: Yes you are right! As this original pictures shows, a Lucas Rubberlite bolted to the right side of the body. Hi Ron, The 'Rubbolites' were not Lucas, they were made by Flexible Lamp Co., hence the FL/ prefix on the army part number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Quite right Richard. I just looked at mine, and it's made by Flexible Lamps Ltd. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64EK26 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi I picked up one of these at Newbury 4x4 today The markings say B-WT-1 on the rear and the lens body screws in (different to the one in the photo recently posted) Which is actually a side/stop light Can you still get these bulbs ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 I think that's a post war Butlers lamp. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Herbert Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 64EK26 No, that lamp is marked B-WD-T which stands for : Butler = the manufacturer WD = War Department T = Tail I do not think that those double fillament bulbs are still available but happy to be proved wrong. Note that both stop and tail are 6w and the bulb can be inserted either way round as the pins are the same difference from the tip and it makes no difference. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 1 hour ago, 64EK26 said: Hi I picked up one of these at Newbury 4x4 today The markings say B-WT-1 on the rear and the lens body screws in (different to the one in the photo recently posted) Which is actually a side/stop light Can you still get these bulbs ? That is a wartime lamp. It is shown in my 1943 spares book for my WOT2. If it had a cut-out at the side, then it is post-war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) This lamp appears in the Vocabulary of Army Ordance Spares Section LV6-MT3 in 1943 listed as Lamp Stop and Tail Type No. 981 or B/WD/T1. The example pictured is missing the cover over the cables. How many vehicles during the war continued to be fitted with stop lights? Most early war parts lists detail the light units fitted under particular contracts but as has already been said, after about 1943 most vehicles probably featured the standard Lucas type. Edited April 8, 2018 by REME 245 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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