The Bedford OY is an army lorry (

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

) built by

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

for the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

and introduced in 1939. It was based on Bedford's O-series commercial vehicles with a modified front end and single rear tyres. It was designed for a 3-ton payload. The OYD was a general service vehicle, while the OYC was a tanker version for carrying water or

petrol Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...

. These vehicles were widely used during, and after,

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

but were later superseded by the

Bedford RL The Bedford RL was the British military's main medium lorry, built by Bedford from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The lorry was based on the civilian Bedford S type, first introduced in 1950. They superseded the Bedford QL, and were in tur ...

The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H14423

Technical data

* Engine: Bedford 6-cylinder, type WD, 3,519 cc (214 cubic inches) displacement, liquid cooled * Horsepower: 72 at 3,000 rpm * Transmission: 4-speed manual * Transfer box: None * Electrical system: 12 volt * Brakes: Hydraulic with vacuum servo assistance * Tyres: 10.50 - 16 * Fuel type: Petrol * Fuel capacity: 145 litres (32 gallons) * Range: 450 km (280 miles) * Maximum speed: about 65 km/h (40 mph)

Variants

*OYD - general service *OYC - tanker Derived non-military vehicles using OY and OX chassis *OWS - 5-ton short wheelbase *OWL - 5-ton long wheelbase *OWB - 32 seat bus

Bedford OX

Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-715-0212A-26A, Ungarn, Kolonne auf dem Marsch

The OX was a short-wheelbase version of the OY, designed for a 30 cwt (1.5 ton) payload. It had a semi-forward cab that resembled the 15-cwt Bedford MW. The OXD was a general service vehicle with a by by tall body, while the OXC was designed, in association with

Scammell Scammell Lorries Limited was a British manufacturer of trucks, particularly specialist and military off-highway vehicles, between 1921 and 1988. History Scammell started as a late- Victorian period wheelwright and coach-building business, G Sc ...

, for use with a

semi-trailer A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. In the United States, the term is also used to refer to the combination of a truck and a semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer. A large proportion of a semi-trailer's weight is supported by a tracto ...

. In the early part of the war, the addition of an armoured body to the OXD gave the

Bedford OXA The Bedford OXA was a British heavy improvised armoured car, produced during the Second World War. Development It was developed by mounting an armoured body onto a Bedford OXD 30cwt (1.5 ton) truck chassis, armed with a Boys anti-tank ri ...

(official designation "Lorry 30cwt Anti-Tank"). These were used for home defence.

Notes

References

External links

Bedford OYC walkaround
OY World War II vehicles of the United Kingdom Military trucks of the United Kingdom Military vehicles introduced in the 1930s {{truck-stub