Alway’s liked the TM, had a roomy cab which was very quiet thank’s to that sealed gear-linkage, but, like all thing’s tin, it did’nt like our climate!! 
. Would’ve liked to have seen the re-vamped 38ton AWD version that was meant to have joined the AWD TL in the late 80’s-early 90’s, but unfortunatley AWD did’nt last the course!!!, does anybody know if a prototype was built??, i know some Mulidrive-type TM’s were built, but never did see a pic of the planned ‘new’ road-going 38tonner.
Mark R:
What would you have chosen in 1983, a Bedford TM or a Scania 112?.
If it was a 4400 with an 8V92 Detroit in it no contest.That could blow the doors off of a 142 let alone a 112.
Hi Herberts from Farmborough Somerset are still running at least 2 TM’s 6 wheeled tippers. Immaculate with I think Bedford engines
Gavin
In the late 70’s possibly 78/79 the company I work for hired a TM with Detroit engine from Ryder Truck Rental Dukinfield it was brand new truck at the time I would take it home at nights the following morning started it up and set of put almost stalled it but just caught it to keep it running, but instantly I knew there was something wrong I jumped out of the cab and saw white smoke coming out of the air intake pipe above the cab and the exhaust making a strange noise, I turned off the engine and panic set in how do I explain this to the boss, after building up some courage started it up again and it was perfect no trouble. I told the mechanics at Ryders, they say the engine was probably running backwards drawing air in through the exhaust and using the air intake pipe as a exhaust, the mechanic said he had heard of this happening but never actually seen one do it.
Carryfast:
Mark R:
What would you have chosen in 1983, a Bedford TM or a Scania 112?.If it was a 4400 with an 8V92 Detroit in it no contest.That could blow the doors off of a 142 let alone a 112.
Cooks of Cornwall had one with a 370 ■■■■■■■■
Never drove it myself,other than shunting around the yard,but travelled in it a fair bit.
There wasn’t much that passed it and i’m talking about getting out of Cornwall and Devon which was hard going 15/20 years ago before the dual carriageways were built.
i,m sure that there still is a tm in the yard at aveley, dunno who owns it, but the yards shared by curries and stobarts
an a few others, but there was a light blue tm in there. 
when you see how long a truck cab design can last,look at the magnum and daf ,the tm looks like a high roof and a few other tweaks and it could have went on for a few years.must say i always thought they looked quite smart.
HI YUNGNAD
IF YOU GET A CHANCE NEXT TIME YOUR IN AT THAT DROP SEE IF THE TM STILL THERE COZ EVEN IF IT IS ROUGH THERE IS ALWAYS BITS TO USE OR SALVAGE FOR NEXT PROJECT NEXT PROJECT IS 6X2 TM SLEEPER TAG AXLE MANAGED TO GET TM SLEEPER MINUS ENGINE BUT HAD 14 LITRE IN IT SO NOT A PROBLEM CAB NOT BAD REST OK JUST NEED TO WAIT AND SEEIF TIME AND MONEY SPARE ,ALL IN A SHED SO OK,MIND YOU SOME FOLK THINK THE TRUCKS A SHED GOT A BIG ENOUGH JOB RUNNING 6 TRUCKS AT THE MOMENT
Hi, My other half has a TM in dry storage
langp29:
In the late 70’s possibly 78/79 the company I work for hired a TM with Detroit engine from Ryder Truck Rental Dukinfield it was brand new truck at the time I would take it home at nights the following morning started it up and set of put almost stalled it but just caught it to keep it running, but instantly I knew there was something wrong I jumped out of the cab and saw white smoke coming out of the air intake pipe above the cab and the exhaust making a strange noise, I turned off the engine and panic set in how do I explain this to the boss, after building up some courage started it up again and it was perfect no trouble. I told the mechanics at Ryders, they say the engine was probably running backwards drawing air in through the exhaust and using the air intake pipe as a exhaust, the mechanic said he had heard of this happening but never actually seen one do it.[/quote
Those two stroke motors could often be a bit tempremental to start especially cold.But that engine running backwards scenario was much more common with the Gardner than Detroits and I’ve had a Gardner powered shunter running backwards loads of times.I think that those Ryder ones were probably like most other Detroit powered TM’s in Britain in having the small 6V71 motor which was a bit gutless considering it was only 7.0 Litres and had no turbocharger.That’s probably why it took some getting getting moving from standstill because where the yanks were using that motor to run small rigids we were using them in 32 tonne artics.The next up to that one was the 8V71 which,even though it was’nt turbocharged,could sort out most ■■■■■■■ powered stuff.
After 25 years as a driver I am now working for the MOD as an instructor and up until last year we had a fleet of TMs.
Most were 4x4s but we also had a few 6x6s as well, it was always a good day out with a student driver on a TM. We would do some motorway driving followed by a bit of off road work and then some A and B class road work. But the Bedfords were old motors and most of them were suffering from the effects of old age, with a lot of them enduring quite bad attacks of
“tinworm” on the cabs and as many more suffering from confused and worn out elecrictal systems!
We did have 1 TM chassis and cab which was used for the training of vehicle mechanics and this TM had never been outside in its entire working life and the cab was in absolute mint order but its gone now along with the rest of the fleet.
We now have in there stead a fleet of MANs which are “state of the art technology”, but most of them are on the lorry park with VOR plates in the windows, come back Bedford TMs all is forgiven!
regards doublereduction. 
A detroit & 13 speed fuller 16 eaton with a bigger cab cheeper to buy & repair the Scania would still be in the dealership for me.
Hi my dad wolrked for a man called Bradley. This was his Bedfrod TM. It was one of the first TM’s to have the ■■■■■■■ E 290. It flew !Sorry the picture quality wasn’t very good blame it on the scottish snow and a crap camera !!
Sorry for the last spelling it was worked and Bedford . Bloody typo !
stravaiger:
Usual sources.Hope it’s useful…jimremoved
You could keep the ■■■■■■■ version I’ll second that advert but they should have gone for the 4400 if power is really what they wanted.
Carryfast:
stravaiger:
Usual sources.Hope it’s useful…jimremoved
You could keep the ■■■■■■■ version I’ll second that advert but they should have gone for the 4400 if power is really what they wanted.
Stop drooling Carryfast !! That Scottish & Newcastle fleet engineer must have been cosuming too much of his own product to make a statement like he did on the advert !! Bewick
Bewick:
Carryfast:
You could keep the ■■■■■■■ version I’ll second that advert but they should have gone for the 4400 if power is really what they wanted.Stop drooling Carryfast !! That Scottish & Newcastle fleet engineer must have been cosuming too much of his own product to make a statement like he did on the advert !! Bewick
Better days then bewick it’s just a shame that I was born too late to be emloyed on that firm and the only thing which would have passed me on a night trunk would have been that 4400. 
Carryfast:
Bewick:
Carryfast:
You could keep the ■■■■■■■ version I’ll second that advert but they should have gone for the 4400 if power is really what they wanted.Stop drooling Carryfast !! That Scottish & Newcastle fleet engineer must have been cosuming too much of his own product to make a statement like he did on the advert !! Bewick
Better days then bewick it’s just a shame that I was born too late to be emloyed on that firm and the only thing which would have passed me on a night trunk would have been that 4400.
Yea Carryfast but I remember in the early 90s I was asked to quote for a massive chunk of S&N traffic so if I had been sucessful you may have got me as your Guvnor a lot earlier than anticipated !! I think I might have re- introduced them nice little ERF 4 wheelers with the Gardner 4LK engine and put you onto Pub Deliveries —Majic!! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
Carryfast:
Bewick:
Carryfast:
You could keep the ■■■■■■■ version I’ll second that advert but they should have gone for the 4400 if power is really what they wanted.Stop drooling Carryfast !! That Scottish & Newcastle fleet engineer must have been cosuming too much of his own product to make a statement like he did on the advert !! Bewick
Better days then bewick it’s just a shame that I was born too late to be emloyed on that firm and the only thing which would have passed me on a night trunk would have been that 4400.
Yea Carryfast but I remember in the early 90s I was asked to quote for a massive chunk of S&N traffic so if I had been sucessful you may have got me as your Guvnor a lot earlier than anticipated !! I think I might have re- introduced them nice little ERF 4 wheelers with the Gardner 4LK engine and put you onto Pub Deliveries —Majic!! Cheers Bewick.
Maybe but from the mid 1970’s until that fleet engineer got the bullet I’d have been happy and I’d have then jacked that well paid job in to start up on my own driving one of those brilliant beasts on Continental work singing you don’t get me I’m not part of the union
Passed my class one in an old B.O.C. Transhield TM . think it had ■■■■■■■ engine & fuller 9 speed . Remember it being a right old boneshaker