Canadian 2 1/2 ton 1950s

[Ed Storey]

Here is a BATUS 101-Inch Forward Control Land Rover with a FL Series licence plate.

65-22 68FL15 101-Inch Forward Control.jpg

[David Herbert]

For those not familiar with the 1950s series of British army registrations, the letters were assigned in alphabetical order but with some codes reserved or not used. So BC is later than BB and EA is later than both. It is possible that FL was reserved for BATUS but I suspect not. The letter pairs did not refer to particular dates but most followed on from each other so do actualy help to date vehicles. Within each letter pair vehicles were allocated numbers in blocks at the time of purchase contract. A block of numbers could start at 00XX01 and end anywhere, so there might well be a completely different vehicle type starting at say 02XX01 (leaving 200 possible vehicles in the first block) and the next block could start at 42XX01 (leaving 4000 possible vehicles in the second block). The blocks were almost always bigger than the actual number of vehicles delivered but also it was possible for identical vehicles to be registered in more than one letter pair - for example FV434 REME fitters vehicles with ED and FA registrations.

So the Land Rover 101 is over 4600 registrations later than the 2 1/2 ton trucks and there could be all sorts of other things in between (and also gaps)

While on the subject, letter pairs starting with X, Y or Z were for renumbered vehicles that had had WW2 style registrations and the RAF had letter pairs starting with A.

Once a vehicle received a registration of this style it kept it for life, regardless of conversions etc. So Humber Pigs kept the registration of the 1ton trucks that they were converted from for example.

In the 1970s it got much more complicated...

David

[Robin Craig]

Dear David and all,

The statement "It is possible that FL was reserved for BATUS but I suspect not" is correct in the "not" part.

There were blocks of registrations for various fleet acquisitions, the 2 1/2 ton wagons were done one a local system that is currently being unraveled, exactly what field expedient program was used is unclear but I have inquiries ongoing in various domains that will reveal all in good time.

[super dave]

Here is a few pictures I took a couple years ago of some. there is one if I can find it is of a British made truck I believe with the same paint pattern.

[Ed Storey]

Here is a colour photograph taken in the same vehicle park.

S62-2 Land Rover 33GT55.jpg

[jdmcm]

Just something so cool about the GMC M series trucks...I remember them as a kid, the trucks lined up at Mewata Armouries in Calgary. We used to walk up and down the rows of them and I remember thinking...one day!

[Kolten Hooper]

A little bit off topic but here is a Kijiji ad for a Series 3 Land Rover and trailer which the seller claims to be ex BATUS. I have also included an image from the ad for future reference, when that ad is no longer active.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ler/1220139714

I have no relation to the seller or ad.

[super dave]

A little off topic but I found those pics but not sure what kind of truck it is.