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154 
BRS TURN!
Page 48
Page 49
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AS 'ODD DOWN TM MAN OUT'
CRITICISM of fuel consumption, but praise from the drivers for its comfort was the BRS verdict on the Bedford TM.
Two vehicles have been on trial with Western and Eastern BRS, both TM3250 tractive units fitted with the Detroit Diesel 6V-71 two-stroke engine.
During the test period, the Western TM operated out of the Newport branch where it was used mainly for transporting steel and some timber on flat platform 40ft trailers.
Over the total trial operating distance of 93,690km (58,158 miles), the average fuel consumption was 47.5 lit/100km (5.95mpg) which BRS regards as heavy for the average load.
Drivers did praise the comfort of the cab, interior noise level, good instrument layout and excellent field of vision.
The performance has been regarded as 'noticeably inferior' to the Rolls or Cummins 220 engined Seddon and ERF tractive units, against which it has been running.
The Western TM was off the road for a total of 301/2 days during the test, which BRS thought was high. No major problems were experienced, but radiator trouble occurred three times — for an unservi ceable core, repairs to the header tank and its subsequent replacement.
Based at the Burton branch, the Eastern TM was engaged in general haulage work, carrying a wide variety of cargoes. While it operated mainly with 40ft flat trailers, it also hauled the occasional boxvan.
This unit covered 43,700km (27,160 miles) at an average fuel consumption of 44.4 lit/100km (6.36mpg) — appreciably better than its fellow TM (probably because of a lower average load) but still on the high side, according to BRS.
During the early part of the trial period, the performance was reported as "poor", but this subsequently improved.
The branch engineer attributed this to a sticking loadsensing valve in the rear brake line, which was also responsible for the rapid wear of the rear linings which had to be renewed at 17,700km (11,000 miles).
The Eastern BRS Bedford was off the road for a total of 131/2 days, more than half of which were devoted to normal servicing.
A difference of opinion occurred over the engine and gearbox accessibility.
Eastern commented that the confined space around these components could cause complications if either unit had to be removed for major attention.
However, the Western branch engineer throught that the Detroit Diesel engine and the Fuller gearbox were "so reliable and durable that they would rarely have to be removed." The Bedfords were supplied to BRS free of charge for the trial period, with an option to purchase later.
This option has not been taken up, primarily because the engineers concerned were reluctant to take on an 'odd man out' engine.