The Bedford M series was a line of commercial vehicle chassis, the first variants of which were made in 1939 by Bedford. It was a normal-control four-wheel chassis designed to carry loads of 2-3 tons, offered in two wheelbase lengths and used for lorries and small buses.
Bedford M series at a glance
| Maker | Bedford |
|---|---|
| First variants | 1939 |
| Type | normal-control four-wheel chassis |
| Load capacity | 2-3 tons |
| Wheelbases | 10 ft 0 in and 11 ft 11 in |
| Engine | six-cylinder petrol, 76 bhp |
| Gearbox | four-speed, single dry plate clutch |
| Rear axle | floating, spiral bevel final drive |
| Brakes | Lockheed hydraulic, Clayton Dewandre vacuum assisted |
| Lorry variants | MS, MSZ, MSC, MSD, MST, ML, MLZ, MLC, MLD |
| Bus use | 12-16 seats, MLC or MLZ |
History of the Bedford M series
Chassis and mechanicals
The Bedford M series was a normal-control four-wheel chassis designed to carry loads of 2-3 tons. Two wheelbase lengths were offered, 10 ft 0 in and 11 ft 11 in, and each was fitted with the standard six-cylinder 76 bhp petrol engine. A four-speed gearbox with a single dry plate clutch delivered power to a floating rear axle with a spiral bevel final drive. The brakes were Lockheed hydraulic units with Clayton Dewandre vacuum assistance operating on all four wheels.
Lorry variants
The lorry range used two basic designations. The MS was the short-wheelbase model on the 10 ft 0 in chassis, with MSZ as chassis only, MSC as chassis and cab, MSD as a dropside lorry and MST as an end tipper. The ML was the long-wheelbase model on the 11 ft 11 in chassis, with MLZ as chassis only, MLC as chassis and cab and MLD as a dropside lorry.
Small buses
In the years between the deletion of the WHB small bus in the mid-1930s and the introduction of the Bedford CA, the limited demand for 12-16 seat buses was met by examples of the M series, either the MLC or the MLZ. Plaxton converted some MLZ chassis to forward control in the 1950s, using the same scaled-down Consort body as fitted to similar Austin or Karrier buses. An MLC converted to a 12-seat school bus by Lee Motors for Dorset County Council survives in preservation.
Design and features
- Normal-control layout: a conventional four-wheel chassis with the cab behind the engine.
- Two wheelbases: 10 ft 0 in for the MS range and 11 ft 11 in for the ML range.
- 76 bhp six: the standard six-cylinder petrol engine across the range.
- Vacuum-assisted brakes: Lockheed hydraulic brakes with Clayton Dewandre assistance on all four wheels.
- Bus-capable chassis: the MLC and MLZ were used for 12-16 seat buses and school buses.
Bedford M series versions
- MS: short-wheelbase lorry.
- MSZ: short-wheelbase chassis only.
- MSC: short-wheelbase chassis and cab.
- MSD: short-wheelbase dropside lorry.
- MST: short-wheelbase end tipper.
- ML: long-wheelbase lorry.
- MLZ: long-wheelbase chassis only.
- MLC: long-wheelbase chassis and cab.
- MLD: long-wheelbase dropside lorry.
- Bus conversions: MLC or MLZ chassis with 12-16 seat bodywork.
Other Bedford military and commercial models include the Bedford OY and the Bedford QL. More are in the Bedford collection.
Sources
- Bedford M series, English Wikipedia: chassis, lorry variants, bus conversions
- Bedford M-Serie, Italian Wikipedia: variant designations and bus use
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