Handy Bendy Crossley!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This was supposed to be in '1945', but the front end looks pre-war to my uninformed eyes. The Census List has a one-off listed:

L 398051 V.3277 LORRY 3TON 4 X 4 G/S

It looks like a 3-tonner, and so this may be the prototype. [/COLOR]V.3277 would date to around February/March 1938.

Just found some more info: THE Crossley 3-tonner FWD 4 x 4 trialled in 1938, that did not do well because of being under-tyred. It was returned to Crossleys and they altered the axle ratio and steering, fitted 11.00 tyres instead of 10.50 and larger shock absorbers.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
[
This was supposed to be in '1945', but the front end looks pre-war to my uninformed eyes. The Census List has a one-off listed:

L 398051 V 3277 LORRY 3TON 4 X 4 G/S

It looks like a 3-tonner, and so this may be the prototype.

David,

With that census number, I would guess it to be near the beginning of the war. When these trucks came in to service, I think they were mainly used by the RAF.

Richard

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

From the mid 1930's re-armament of the British forces started and Crossley again became heavily involved with its previous customer the Royal Air Force. As the number of RAF squadrons grew so did the need for ground transport and this was at first satisfied by the IGL3 petrol engined truck with over 700 being supplied. In 1935 a new War Office specification was issued for a medium 3 ton 4 x 4 truck that was to replace the 6 x 4 IGL type and in 1938 an order for a prototype was placed. This vehicle was of an advanced design with independent suspension, the new 38/110 bus engine and a 5 speed gearbox. It performed well but in the end because of pressures to get production underway and ease of repair the War Office requested a simpler vehicle. The final design, known as the FWD or Four Wheel Drive, had an 11 foot wheelbase and used a conventional suspension, the drive train of the 2 axle IGL and the proven 30/70 engine. The name often used for these, the Quad or "Q" type, is not strictly correct as "Q" was the specification title used by the War Office and so could be applied to vehicles from several manufacturers of differing designs.

This is a RAF crane in France with Poclain crane apparently. Given the above information, what are the thoughts on the chassis above having independent suspension or not please? Looks conventional type to me!

The considered opinion is that the COMMERCIAL MOTOR photo truck is indeed a late model because of the step on the front mudguard that was not in the early models, Also, as I said it appears to have conventional rear suspension!

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
Given the above information, what are the thoughts on the chassis above having independent suspension or not please? Looks conventional type to me!

Also, as I said it appears to have conventional rear suspension!

David,

The suspension is conventional leaf spring, front and rear. What you can see in the picture is chassis twist. Chassis's have to be able to flex somewhat.

Richard

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This is a photo of a Crossley '1940 pattern' foamer at RAF Museum Cosford:


Note the step on the front mudguard: I may be 10,000% wrong again but that photo at the top looks as though it may have been a prototype of 1938, especially as it has a wooden 'body' of the type used on WD trials vehicles of the period. It also has Trade Plates attached which the other 1938 WD trials chassis used if they did not have Middlesex CC regos/WD Census Numbers.

[Pete Ashby]

David

the truck in your last post is a Crossley Q 30 used by the RAF from mid 1930's onwards for crash tender foam/water from a 300 gal tank.

The RAF had 11000 chassis of the 4x4 Q type with either open or closed cab. body types included:
crash tanker, semi trailer tractor, GS, signals van, mobile workshop ( I know where one of these is if your interested in a bit of restoration), and recovery.

Old and antiquated even by the standards of the day and ugly as punch there is one restored that I know of in this country so someone loves them.

Pete