Bedford TJ/J Series Crew Bus

[Gary Madgwick]

I am working on drawings for the Bedford TJ/J1 crew bus used by the RAF and am looking for colour pictures or colour information so I can complete painting guidelines as this is for a new 1/72 scale 3D printed and then resin cast model kit.

I am also looking for the Bedford J1 ambulance with military markings as this will follow on shortly.

Thank you.

 

Gary

Edited January 23, 2023 by Gary Madgwick
pictures added

[john1950]

I think there is a crew bus at Carlisle Airport.

[10FM68]

I have these which both came from the internet.  I cannot credit their originators, though the first is from the Imperial War Museum.

Edited January 23, 2023 by 10FM68

[Sean N]

Gary, no photos, but we bought some of the last J type ambulances from the MoD, and I've worked on a number of others.

In my experience they were generally similar to your second photo above, all white with body colour front bumper, radiator grille, wheels, hubcaps and indicator shells, red crosses between the two side windows and large red crosses on the lower half of each rear door, and in one or two instances (but not all) a large red cross on the roof. One RN ambulance was navy dark blue (BS) as 10FM68's second photo.

Chassis, engine etc. were black. Mirror arms black or body colour. 'BEDFORD' lettering and headlamp surrounds chrome. Door shuts and panels and metal surfaces in the cab were body colour. Interior surfaces were typically in white or cream formica / plastic / grp trim panels. Black rubber mat on the cab floor. It's a while ago now but I seem to remember one vehicle with 'Army Medical Services' on the sides as your photo, others carrying no identification, and RN vehicles carrying 'RN' on the side in black for white vehicles or white for blue vehicles. Tyre pressures and fuel type (petrol) in black lettering on white vehicles or white for blue vehicles.

Obviously the caveat is I saw them at the end of a long service life during which they may have changed. Having said that all were very original and I don't recall any having been repainted.

Your third photo is the heavier duty J2 chassis, while 10FM68's are 1950s  A / D types.

Clive has some good articles about vehicle paint here:

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Sean N
add link

[10FM68]

There's also this one of the net and still in service - again I don't know who to credit.  Not in colour, of course, but it's a fair bet it's white and that the crosses are red!  Those will be orange indicators on the wing tops rather than blue flashing lights, I suspect.

[Sean N]

Yes, they are indicators