Information to id truck

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

Thanks for your updates and ID of the truck being a Bedford, much appreciated. Also that it could be possible ex army. Definately something to ponder over. Once I get some more information from my brother in WA could helpt. He did look at some sort of fitted plate but he said it was too rusty to read. I suggested a bit of elbow grease. I would like to have a look myself because I would know what to look for, but he is a bit to far from here in SA for a Sunday drive. I will post more when I hear more from the west.

Tony

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Little Jo

Hi Guys

Thanks for your updates and ID of the truck being a Bedford, much appreciated. Also that it could be possible ex army.

Tony

AFAIK, either British Army or NZ Army. The Australian Army did not use the Bedford RL, but that is not to say that this could not be a RAAF Bring-Back from Malaysia or such. Who knows what those guys got up to in Butterworth and Singapore.

[William Ormsby]

Here is an example of NZ Bedford RL's in Malaya, probably mid 1960's. There were British owned and NZ owned units that got swapped around a bit. Dad I recall saying had the shiny painted ones and the British ones they got temporarily swapped (Borneo?) were matt finish.

The unit on the left is a RL "pig" armoured Bedford, built by Royal Engineers? in Singapore. NZ looked to have a small fleet of these but photos seem to be a bit rare on the ground.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

AFAIK, either British Army or NZ Army. The Australian Army did not use the Bedford RL, but that is not to say that this could not be a RAAF Bring-Back from Malaysia or such. Who knows what those guys got up to in Butterworth and Singapore.

All the British Army RL's had a large military air cleaner known as the FVRDE type, this meant that there was a large panel in front of the windscreen secured by Dzus fasteners to access it, with a small flap in it to access the radiator filler. The RL in the photo shows the standard type cab with the civilian market access panel. It appears that military RL's supplied to other countries did not have the FV filter, not sure about NZ ones though. Also no cupola in the roof.

I worked on a good many British army RL's in the 70's/80's.

[Lynn Eades]

Lionel, the info I presented was from an "Authorised" Service parts book for the Bedford 3 ton four wheel drive "R" series trucks printed in October 1958 issued by Vauxhall Motors. So I believe it covers all "R" models, available to the world market, at the date of print.
Inside is a letter from the Army to the Manager of G.M. NZ. and mentions the 180 Bedford vehicles on order No. 260387 (6th April, 1960)
The truck in the subject photo would be an "R". It shows the front diff and if you look at the bumper it sits well above the center of the front wheel. An "S" model cab sits much lower and the bumper sort of lines up with the wheel center. The oval that the front lights mount in is an "R" Bedford feature.

[Richard Farrant]

Just as an add on regarding headlamp positions, I have seen photos of RL's that were supplied to Danish and Belgian armies which had the headlamps in same position as an S type. I believe they were lowered for British use to comply with road traffic regulations, the Bedford QL headlamps had to be lowered in postwar use.