Here’s a little TK for you
We had a tk ,almost broke dad , we have got a picture some where in the bungalow some where . Dad bought it brand new and traded it in by 6month old and bought a Commer and that was it for a few years (he just kept buying Commers and Dodges ) ,then he bought the 308 merc and then that was it (we stuck with Mercs ) except the Lf and his Kangoo .
Not long to go now untill we get the new Vito .
JAKEY:
We had a tk ,almost broke dad , we have got a picture some where in the bungalow some where . Dad bought it brand new and traded it in by 6month old and bought a Commer and that was it for a few years (he just kept buying Commers and Dodges ) ,then he bought the 308 merc and then that was it (we stuck with Mercs ) except the Lf and his Kangoo .Not long to go now untill we get the new Vito .
Hi Jakey,
I was recently writing about the Seddon Pennine passenger chassis, like the one in photo below. Use in the Removal Trade on another site. We operated a total of six.
The reason they were popular is that they ticked most boxes.
Being a coach chassis they could accommodate a maximum length body without needing a wheelbase extension, and gave a softer ride for fragile loads.
The engine was easily accessible from the front, unlike most coach chassis that were mid engines under the body. The GVW was 13 ton, right weight for furniture.
The front wheels set back (Designed to facilitate passengers boarding coaches) gave great movrebility and made easier to access tight spots with such a large van.
Downside we found was we could buy 3 Bedfords to 2 Seddons as they were expensive chassis.
Although reliable were no better and achieved less mileage per engine than Bedfords.
Fuel consumption was about 8% down on Bedfords and parts were more expensive.
As far as Bedford TK’s (In integral or standard cab form) we operated well over 100 over the time we traded. All were successful, with the exception of three and 90% did over 300,000 miles before needing new engine short motors, with most doing approx. 700,000 miles in our operation. The three failures were one 4 cylinder diesel which was completely useless and cost us a fortune. We sold it after 2 years and unfortunately got it back when we took over the removal company we had sold it to and it only remained with us a further six months.
The other two were the 380 cu in a diesel engine that was not in production long. But the 6 cylinder engines 300 cu in, 330 cu in 466 cu in and 500 cu in were wonderful and produced much better fuel consumption than any similar sized engines available at the time. We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced.
I can only think your dad, Jakey was unfortunate in buying a TK with a 4 cylinder engine
Carl
Carl Williams:
JAKEY:
We had a tk ,almost broke dad , we have got a picture some where in the bungalow some where . Dad bought it brand new and traded it in by 6month old and bought a Commer and that was it for a few years (he just kept buying Commers and Dodges ) ,then he bought the 308 merc and then that was it (we stuck with Mercs ) except the Lf and his Kangoo .Not long to go now untill we get the new Vito .
Hi Jakey,
I was recently writing about the Seddon Pennine passenger chassis, like the one in photo below. Use in the Removal Trade on another site. We operated a total of six.
The reason they were popular is that they ticked most boxes.
Being a coach chassis they could accommodate a maximum length body without needing a wheelbase extension, and gave a softer ride for fragile loads.
The engine was easily accessible from the front, unlike most coach chassis that were mid engines under the body. The GVW was 13 ton, right weight for furniture.
The front wheels set back (Designed to facilitate passengers boarding coaches) gave great movrebility and made easier to access tight spots with such a large van.
Downside we found was we could buy 3 Bedfords to 2 Seddons as they were expensive chassis.
Although reliable were no better and achieved less mileage per engine than Bedfords.
Fuel consumption was about 8% down on Bedfords and parts were more expensive.As far as Bedford TK’s (In integral or standard cab form) we operated well over 100 over the time we traded. All were successful, with the exception of three and 90% did over 300,000 miles before needing new engine short motors, with most doing approx. 700,000 miles in our operation. The three failures were one 4 cylinder diesel which was completely useless and cost us a fortune. We sold it after 2 years and unfortunately got it back when we took over the removal company we had sold it to and it only remained with us a further six months.
The other two were the 380 cu in a diesel engine that was not in production long. But the 6 cylinder engines 300 cu in, 330 cu in 466 cu in and 500 cu in were wonderful and produced much better fuel consumption than any similar sized engines available at the time. We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced.
I can only think your dad, Jakey was unfortunate in buying a TK with a 4 cylinder engine
Carl
Are you being serious Carl ? “We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced”
Suedehead:
Carl Williams:
JAKEY:
We had a tk ,almost broke dad , we have got a picture some where in the bungalow some where . Dad bought it brand new and traded it in by 6month old and bought a Commer and that was it for a few years (he just kept buying Commers and Dodges ) ,then he bought the 308 merc and then that was it (we stuck with Mercs ) except the Lf and his Kangoo .Not long to go now untill we get the new Vito .
Hi Jakey,
I was recently writing about the Seddon Pennine passenger chassis, like the one in photo below. Use in the Removal Trade on another site. We operated a total of six.
The reason they were popular is that they ticked most boxes.
Being a coach chassis they could accommodate a maximum length body without needing a wheelbase extension, and gave a softer ride for fragile loads.
The engine was easily accessible from the front, unlike most coach chassis that were mid engines under the body. The GVW was 13 ton, right weight for furniture.
The front wheels set back (Designed to facilitate passengers boarding coaches) gave great movrebility and made easier to access tight spots with such a large van.
Downside we found was we could buy 3 Bedfords to 2 Seddons as they were expensive chassis.
Although reliable were no better and achieved less mileage per engine than Bedfords.
Fuel consumption was about 8% down on Bedfords and parts were more expensive.As far as Bedford TK’s (In integral or standard cab form) we operated well over 100 over the time we traded. All were successful, with the exception of three and 90% did over 300,000 miles before needing new engine short motors, with most doing approx. 700,000 miles in our operation. The three failures were one 4 cylinder diesel which was completely useless and cost us a fortune. We sold it after 2 years and unfortunately got it back when we took over the removal company we had sold it to and it only remained with us a further six months.
The other two were the 380 cu in a diesel engine that was not in production long. But the 6 cylinder engines 300 cu in, 330 cu in 466 cu in and 500 cu in were wonderful and produced much better fuel consumption than any similar sized engines available at the time. We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced.
I can only think your dad, Jakey was unfortunate in buying a TK with a 4 cylinder engine
Carl
Are you being serious Carl ? “We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced”
Have you ever driven a Bedford Marsden integral, in the eighties when they were new?
One Mercedes was a 1212 none turbo, the others were 1617 turbo charged. and soon got called the tin cabs.
Spend a week driving a Bedford with a warm sleeper cab and then change to a Mercedes, you would soon know why. Had the Bedfords had standard TK cabs the answer might have been different. The integrals seemed a completly different vehicle, just like a coach to drive.
Carl
I had never drove a tk for a living so I cannot say but a early Merc always seamed under powered .
The Mercs I have now are ok to drive and run ,although I find parts are expensive .
JAKEY:
I had never drove a tk for a living so I cannot say but a early Merc always seamed under powered .The Mercs I have now are ok to drive and run ,although I find parts are expensive .
Many cars today share te same chassis pan and are fitted with the same engines and same transmissions, but with diffeent bodies they are completly different vehicles. So it was with the Bedford TK. We had identically specified Bedford chassis cabs, some fitted with luton van bodies, some with boxvan, some that had had their cab, cut away to chassis scuttle and fitted with integral pantechnicon bodywork by either Marsden or Vanplan. The integrals were a completly different driving experience. So although you had not driven a Bedford TK, Jakey, even if you had driven one with a standard Bedford cab, you had not driven a Bedford-Marsden integral
Carl
Carl Williams:
Suedehead:
Carl Williams:
JAKEY:
We had a tk ,almost broke dad , we have got a picture some where in the bungalow some where . Dad bought it brand new and traded it in by 6month old and bought a Commer and that was it for a few years (he just kept buying Commers and Dodges ) ,then he bought the 308 merc and then that was it (we stuck with Mercs ) except the Lf and his Kangoo .Not long to go now untill we get the new Vito .
Hi Jakey,
I was recently writing about the Seddon Pennine passenger chassis, like the one in photo below. Use in the Removal Trade on another site. We operated a total of six.
The reason they were popular is that they ticked most boxes.
Being a coach chassis they could accommodate a maximum length body without needing a wheelbase extension, and gave a softer ride for fragile loads.
The engine was easily accessible from the front, unlike most coach chassis that were mid engines under the body. The GVW was 13 ton, right weight for furniture.
The front wheels set back (Designed to facilitate passengers boarding coaches) gave great movrebility and made easier to access tight spots with such a large van.
Downside we found was we could buy 3 Bedfords to 2 Seddons as they were expensive chassis.
Although reliable were no better and achieved less mileage per engine than Bedfords.
Fuel consumption was about 8% down on Bedfords and parts were more expensive.As far as Bedford TK’s (In integral or standard cab form) we operated well over 100 over the time we traded. All were successful, with the exception of three and 90% did over 300,000 miles before needing new engine short motors, with most doing approx. 700,000 miles in our operation. The three failures were one 4 cylinder diesel which was completely useless and cost us a fortune. We sold it after 2 years and unfortunately got it back when we took over the removal company we had sold it to and it only remained with us a further six months.
The other two were the 380 cu in a diesel engine that was not in production long. But the 6 cylinder engines 300 cu in, 330 cu in 466 cu in and 500 cu in were wonderful and produced much better fuel consumption than any similar sized engines available at the time. We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced.
I can only think your dad, Jakey was unfortunate in buying a TK with a 4 cylinder engine
Carl
Are you being serious Carl ? “We bought a total of 10 Mercedes and in every case the drivers preferred the Bedfords that they replaced”
Have you ever driven a Bedford Marsden integral, in the eighties when they were new?
One Mercedes was a 1212 none turbo, the others were 1617 turbo charged. and soon got called the tin cabs.Spend a week driving a Bedford with a warm sleeper cab and then change to a Mercedes, you would soon know why. Had the Bedfords had standard TK cabs the answer might have been different. The integrals seemed a completly different vehicle, just like a coach to drive.
Carl
My mistake.
No, i have never driven a Bedford Marsden integral but i have driven a Tk and a 1617.
Didnt realise you were talking about integral sleepers . . my mistake. 
Thought you were comparing a bog standard Tk cab to a Merc and i know which i preffered.
Perhaps you shouldnt have been a tight arse and specced sleepers on the Mercs.
Regards.
Carl Williams:
Here’s a couple of photos from Fox
I remember that livery (all over yellow with black & white lettering) very well
Here is another from Staite & Co Gloucester that might be easier to negotiate into a narrow streets on a housng estate!
Suedehead:
My mistake.
No, i have never driven a Bedford Marsden integral but i have driven a Tk and a 1617.
Didnt realise you were talking about integral sleepers . . my mistake.
Thought you were comparing a bog standard Tk cab to a Merc and i know which i preffered.
Perhaps you shouldnt have been a tight arse and specced sleepers on the Mercs.
Regards.
I’ve been in a couple of integrals helping out on jobs though never driven one. The room in them and the amenity compared to TK lutons that Iwas used to was astonishing, so I can see how many would have preferred them to a TK/KM luton or even a sleeper-cab 1617. On t’other hand, I always found the Bedford 500 a bit gutless so I suppose it’s horses fer courses.
I can’t actually remember the cameras filming us on one of our jobs, but they must have been there:
youtube.com/watch?v=HgzEBLa3PPk
Carl Williams:
Here is another from Staite & Co Gloucester that might be easier to negotiate into a narrow streets on a housng estate!
“Just drop that trailer in the corner of the yard, Drive. Your full one’s still on the bay”.
It’s only the speed that’s changed!
These lot must be very careful. Heaven help them if they accidently break a mirror. Will they have to change their name for 7 years and repaint their vans?
YES Carl , how would a clumsy porter deal with a breakage . 
JAKEY:
YES Carl , how would a clumsy porter deal with a breakage .
Hi Jakey,
In the early eighties I was travelling down to London on the train, when I chap sitting near to me said ‘I know you, you moved me’.‘The company?’ I asked. 'No you! ’ He replied. Well in those days it was a rarity, with well over 150 employees that I ever went on a removal, and it only could have been that we had a lot of people off ill. I quickly started worrying, ‘When did I last smash a mirror?’ when he told me that I had done an excellent job. ‘Thank heaven’ I thought as I was stuck on an express train with no where to escape for the next couple of hours.
It is a small world.
Carl
Lest not forget Pickfords.
The “careful movers”
Lest not forget Pickfords.
The “careful movers”