| For a while the Bedford CF model was popular with London Transport as an alternative to the similarly-sized Ford Transit. A total of 91 were bought or leased between 1977 and 1987, the vast majority of which were short-wheelbase vans. There were five dropside trucks (of which at least three were long-wheelbase), but there appears to have only ever been one long-wheelbase van. This was 2261B, new in August 1980 and caught leaving the rear entrance of Chiswick Works on 8th October 1981. As with the Transit, the long-wheelbase Bedford CF van was quite curvaceous, with an almost domed roof profile and more prominent rear wheelarches. The van had a hinged cargo door in the nearside and most likely had twin hinged doors in the rear. As can be seen, 2261B was allocated to the Permanent Way Engineer and was based at Acton and Ruislip at times until it withdrawn in 1984, replaced by leased LWB Transit 3199F. Note the car (presumably privately owned) following behind. Was it just mis-management and trade unions that wrecked the UK motor industry or did the naff colour options play a part?! |
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Photo ID: |
6787 |
| Photo date: |
08/10/1981 |
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Extra Large. View regular size
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| Date added: |
01/06/2021 |
