The extensive world of Bedford
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The Bedford UK range covers all the lorry and psv categories except the 30 ton eightwheeler market. Graham Montgomerie looks at the different models
THE BEDFORD range in the UK is extensive, covering all the lorry and psv categories with the exception of the 30 ton eightwheeler market in which the company, like Ford, is a notable absentee.
To back up this coverage, there are 542 dealers in total, of which 537 hold the franchise for light vans, 67 for the KB pick-up and 12 for the bus and coach. The TM is catered for by 39 of these dealers, while 188 deal with the TK and TL.
The purely van side of the Bedford empire comprises the HA variants and the Cheyenne — the CF is also available in chassis cab form. The drive-lines are identical as far as the mechanical side goes with the only variations being in engine output.
The 1256cc (77 cu in) four-cylinder petrol engine is rated at 39 kW (53 bhp) for the Cheyenne and with its 7.3 to 1 compression ratio, two star petrol is adequate. If the automatic transmission is specified then the 8.7 to 1 Cr engine is fitted which gives 42 kW (56 bhp) on four star fuel.
' The standard output for the HA110 and 130 models is 32 kW (42 bhp) although the former can be ordered with an economy engine. This is based on the standard engine but has a CD carburettor, viscous drive fan, redesigned manifold and a modified camshaft to give a trade-off in power — 18 kW or 24 bhp — balanced against economy.
The HA 110 has a payload of 370 kg (about 6 cwt) while the 130 goes up to 546 kg (about 10 cwt). This figure includes the driver and passenger as Bedford is careful to point out, having been on the wrong end of a Court decision last year. Bedford was unfortunate in that the company was only doing what everyone else did but at least it clarified a confused situation.
The HA has been a successful vehicle for Bedford, assisted by the Post Office, who have bought 42,000 so far. It is difficult to quantify the split between 110 and 130 sales because of this one customer. Although the Post Office order a lot of HAs, the specification requested is half way between the two.
Bedford suggests that the Cheyenne is bought because it is more "car-like" in styling while the HA is more likely to appear as a commercial vehicle. Thus, the Cheyenne is aimed at florists, for example, whereas the fleet operator will take the HA.
The next stage up in Bedford's range is the CF which covers the
2.3 to 3.5 tonne category. Thr designation is now back in LIE Bedford following its rem, for the 1980 motor show w the vehicles were re-nar "small trucks",
One feature of the CF ranc that every variant is availabl an integral van or a chassis or a chassis cowl. It is a important part of Bedford ness as it accounts for 44 cent of the company's total duction.
There are two petrol eng available; a 1.8 litre (110 et. unit rated at 49 kW (66 bhp the lightest 230 model and litre (140 cuin) developing 5E (78 bhp) for the others. The sel option has a capacity 01 litres (140 cuin) and produce kW (61 bhp) at 4,000 rpm. I ford sales figures show thal trol engines predominate in lower weights whereas the sel engine is more popular a other end. Overall the spl 80/20 in favour of petrol Bedford has not noticed a r cuter trend one way or the c in this proportion.
The GM diesel option cost average an extra £750 over petrol version.
The 230 and 250 vans ha wheelbase of 2.69m (8ft' while that of the 280 and 3! 3.2m (10ft6in.).
For the chassis cab and 350 there is a special long wl base available at 3.56m (1 ift A close ratio four-speed ford gearbox goes into the diesel and both 230 pe models. In the 280 and 3E lower bottom gear ratio is id and, if a greater transmisI spread is required, there is 'e speed ZF option.
Laycock overdrive is now a Jlar production option (RPO) all short wheelbase petrol diesel models. There is a automatic transmission opwith the 2.3 litre engine but accounts for less than five cent of CF sales with the vast ority being specified for aminces — a market in which ford is very successful.
n interesting newcomer to Bedford range is the KB26 es pick-up. This is badged as adford but is assembled by u, a Japanese company in 2.h General Motors has a 33 cent interest. Introduced as the KB25 in May of last year, it already holds 16 per cent of the one ton payload pick-up market.
Following styling changes it , became the KB26 to which has been added a diesel option, the KBD26. The petrol engine is 1.6 litres (98cuin) capacity with a power output of 59kW (79 bhp) compared with the 4 OkW (54bhp) of the 1.95 litre (119cuin) diesel engine which carries a price penalty of £600.
The one wheelbase of 2.995m (9ftl0in) allows a load carrying length of 2.29m (7ft6in).
Bedford surprised many people at the time of the TL launch by announcing that it would not replace the long-serving TK but would be produced alongside it. Thus the full TK range is still available and Bedford is convinced that it was a wise decision. "The market will tell us when to phase out the TK".
The lowest weight TKs are the 570 and 750 models which are both available with a host of options.
The standard engine for the 570 and 750 is the four cylinder 3.6 litre (220cuin) diesel engine, although a 3.52 litre (215cuin) petrol engine is also available. This is an interesting feature of the Bedford range because the company can provide a petrol engine option up to the 121/2 ton category.
Bedford also produces a 5.4 litre (330cuin) six-cylinder diesel which goes in the 860, 1000 and 1260 chassis. A turbocharged engine option was introduced in April of this year and now accounts for 10 per cent of the TK sales.
This is expected to rise considerably in the future as existing vehicle stocks and the pre-committed buying pattern of the larger fleets have had a disproportionate effect on the turbo sales.
An 8.2 litre (500cuin) engine is also listed for the 1260 and this continues in the 1470 and 1630 chassis in both turbocharged and naturally aspirated form.
Gearboxes from Bedford, Turner and Eaton are listed with the four speed "home" box being standard for most applications with the Eaton and Turner five-speed boxes being standard with the big engine due to torque limitation. There is no specific design difference between the Eaton and Turner units; it is simply a question of dual sourcing.
An interesting statistic from Bedford is that where the fivespeed box is listed as an option, 30 per cent of TKs are sold so equipped.
A two speed axle does not come on to the scene until the 10 tonner.
The TK take-up is higher at the lower end of the weight scale. In 1981 to date, the TL took four per cent of the total up-to-71/2 tonne market compared with the nine per cent of the TL. In the 7.5 to 9.5 tonne total sector, the split is 38 and 17 per cent respectively whereas in the 16 ton market both are level pegging at six per cent each.
The main difference between the TL and the TK is the tilt cab fitted to the former. This tilts to 50° for access but retains the lift up rear quarter valances of the TK.
The same engine options are available for the TL and at the upper end of the category there is an upward trend in the power requirement. The most popular engine is the 8.2 litre unit which now accounts for 60 per cent of sales. he TL 1260 there are five Ise options and a tractive .4 short wheelbase model y for tippers although it popular as a road with a twin steering ion. The most popular ise according to Bedford the next-to-longest at Ift 7in).
2 litre engine is standard L 1470 and 1630 chassis !9 kW (173bhp) rating.
ye units take the TL up to Ines, although Bedford irs a 16 ton version. The ght TL 1930 uses the 8.2 gine while the 5.4 litre tandard in the 1630. The e specification varies bete two tractive units with onner having a Bedford )ur-speed box and a speed axle while the chassis comes with a five-speed box and an Eaton two-speed axle.
Over half of the 19 tanners are tailored specifically to meet operator requirements and are operated at 161/2 tons gross. Bedford has 45 per cent of the tractive unit market up to 20 tonnes. The total market is only about 600 units and is very much dependent on a few large customers.
The cabs for the TL variants are essentially common but the fender widths change. Up to the 860, which uses the narrowest front axle, one fender is fitted whereas up to the 1260 another fender is necessary to cope with the extra width of the higher specification front axle. Above the 1260 the front axle is moved back to accommodate the larger tyres.
Although the lowest weight TM for the UK is the TM 1700 16 tonner, Bedford does make a 15 tonne version but this is only for the Scandinavian markets which have different axle limits on 4 x 2 rigids. At first glance it would appear that this is a third Bedford 16 ton contender but the spec does not overlap as much as the TK and TL. It has a 155kW (208bhp) engine option which the others do not for a start.
The naturally aspiralced version of the Bedford 500 ,engine is rated at 113kW {151 bhp} and to date has accounted for the majority of sales but this rating is likely to be phased out by next August if the currenic trend continues. The engine is turbocharged to two power levels; one is the 208 horsepower unit already mentioned while the other is a 131kW (175bhp) version which controls the torque so that a low weight/low cost drive line can be tilted.
The 1700 comes with a choice of four wheelbases ranging from 3.66 to 5.23m (12ft to 17ft2in) with the next to longest at 4.9m (16ftl in) being the most popular.
On the naturally aspirated and low boost turbo engines, a sixspeed gearbox is fitted (Eaton or Turner — again dual sourcing) with an overdrive top. With the high boost engine a Fuller 609 gearbox is specified along with a modified version of the 11 tonne axle used by the other two.
The engine options for the TM 2600 six-wheeler start with the 500 engine again but include also the 6V or 8V-71 engines from fellow GM company Detroit Diesel although the 8V is really for export only.
Up to now the naturally aspirated 500 has been the most popular engine but, now the tc version is available, the market preference is likely to change rapidly as 150 horsepower is marginal fora 24 tanner.
Since the 2600 was introduced at the '76 motor show, 1455 chassis have been produced (up to August). Of these around 70 per cent have taken the 500 with the remainder being nearly all 6V-71.
The tc 500 powered TM six wheeler has the overdrive version of the Fuller 609 whereas the 6V-71 powered model uses the 609 with a direct top. The na
10 chassis uses Turner or Ean depending upon availability. The 6x2 chassis comes with a heelbase (to mid-bogie) of 38m (16ft81n) while the 6x' 4 is a standard wheelbase of 45m (14ft7in) although the 3dford option system car, ,rne up with a 4.8m (15ft9in) irsion if required.
The tractive units start at the II 2000 and TM 2500 which use e 500 engine. With the TM 50 this was introduced initially th the 6V-71 only but it now is the option of the turbo 500. About 50 per cent of the TMs e 500 derivatives but the balice has shifted because of the troduction of the E290 Cumins. Bedford says that the 8V is lost out to the Cummins but e 6V has not.
The 6V-71 has a capacity of 38 litres (425cuin) and delops 165kW (222 bhp). This mpares with the 221kW (297 ip) of the larger 8V-71. Both tgines operate on the twooke cycle.
The TM 3250 uses a Fuller box iereas the TM 3800 (both De)it and Cummins powered) es the Spicer SST 10, the me box selected for the Ley-Id Roadtrain.
The 3800 broke new ground r the UK market when it was nounced with a SoMA rear le and this component contin s in use except where the Ner revving Cummins E290 is ecified. The SoMA axle does it have a high enough axle tio to be compatible with the immins engine; hence the use a Rockwell axle.
Most manufacturers offer )ndard and sleeper cab op tions but Bedford goes one further by having three separate cabs: regular, full width and sleeper. The regular cab is only available with Bedford engines while the rest take the full width cab.
To enable the company to compete in Italy with its 8 bhp/tonne, the "Italian job" was created which used a turbocharged version of the bigger 8V-92 Detroit Diesel engine coupled to a Fuller 12513 box. A Rockwell axle is again fitted but this time for reasons of input torque capacity.
A few of these vehicles are in use with UK operators in their standard left hand drive form.
Ignoring the CF psv variants, the Bedford passenger range, as far as numbers of seats is concerned, starts with the VAS. This is aimed at the operation which is too big for a CF type application but does not warrant a full size bus or coach.
It can be specified with seating capacities ranging from 25 to 32 on a wheelbase of 4.17m (13ft8in). The Bedford 300 petrol engine or the 330-98 diesel are listed for this chassis which has been in production since 1960.
The SB,can cope with 36 to 41 seats and is the bus version of the old S-type lorry. This is not a particularly significant chassis as it is sold mainly for non-psv application like mobile libraries.
The current model identification system used by Bedford for the psv range 'looks over-complicated at first glance. The first letter of the type number indicates the chassis type while the second identifies the engine (e.g. L=8.2 litre diesel engine derated, N=8.2 litre turbocharged and so on). The third letter gives the gvw category, the fourth number the wheelbase and the fifth the transmission. The final digits specify that it is in chassis cowl form. Thus the YNT3VZO is a 4x2 coach chassis with the turbocharged 8.2 litre diesel engine in the gvw range of 12.25 to 15.88 tonnes. It has a long wheelbase and is fitted with the six-speed overdrive gearbox and a single-speed rear axle.
The Bedford YRT became the YMT when the 500 engine was introduced which became the YNT when the turbocharged option was brought in. The engine is available in a variety of ratings with the low boost turbo engine being introduced as a long-term replacement for the naturally aspirated engine to meet the noise regulations.
The YLQ and YMT (or their equivalents with different power units) are 10m and 11rn chassis respectively with the former covering the 45 to 50 seater category and the latter being able to cope with 55 seats.
Bedford considers the turbocharged YNT to have "the best brakes in the business" coupled with a good performance as it weighs less than most of the opposition. Operators are reporting overall fuel consumptions of around 14.6 lit/100 km (11.5 mpg) which means that with a 247 litre (55 gal) tank "the fuel will last longer than the driver allowed to drive".
Although Bedford still buil, the BLP, this is now for expc only and not for many territori, at that.
Bedford is heavily involved the 4x4 market both for CiViii4 and military application. The T 4-4 can boast some impressi, performance figures including tilt stability of 430 unladen or 2 with the load having a centre gravity 900mm (35.4in) abo, the frame. It can wade safely up to 750mm (29.5in) with a 1 5 approach.
The all-wheel-drive TM w. designed initially for the milita and can carry around 81/2 toi fully equipped (e.g. 10 tons law and payload). It is built for fo distinct usages — cargo, wins carrying, self-loading crar operation and tipper.
The military contract is f 2,000 units over a 21/2-ye period which will be completE next year.
The M type (based on the T has been in production sin, 1970 with a total of 34,500 cha sis being built to date. Bedfo has been a consistent contend in the 4x4 market over the yea with a total production (civiliz and military) of over 160,01 vehicles, half of these going f, export.