Brumm brumm Bedford TK Trucks

[TugsW]

Okay guys, asking the collective knowledge on this forum...

I'm looking at transport for my horse, and want a 7.5t lorry rather than having to buy 4x4 and horse trailer.

Anyone know about Bedford TK's, I'm looking at them over a Ford Cargo/Iveco ? I'm after something simple to maintain that can sit for a few weeks without being used and have no more drama than a weak battery. There seems to be plenty of chassis about with horsebox body's on them. I'm assuming that parts are still plentiful and cheap (for a lorry).

Anyone any advice on what to look for, engines to stay away from etc? Would it get run down on the motorway by lorry drivers frustrated about being stuck behind an old truck going too sloooowww ???

Thoughts appreciated

[Trickster]

Okay guys, asking the collective knowledge on this forum...

I'm looking at transport for my horse, and want a 7.5t lorry rather than having to buy 4x4 and horse trailer.

Anyone know about Bedford TK's, I'm looking at them over a Ford Cargo/Iveco ? I'm after something simple to maintain that can sit for a few weeks without being used and have no more drama than a weak battery. There seems to be plenty of chassis about with horsebox body's on them. I'm assuming that parts are still plentiful and cheap (for a lorry).

Anyone any advice on what to look for, engines to stay away from etc? Would it get run down on the motorway by lorry drivers frustrated about being stuck behind an old truck going too sloooowww ???

Thoughts appreciated

The British Army used them and so does the bloke on the Magners advert so they must be ok if that helps

[Mr Hoarder]

As you are an Essex boy, and fairly close to the London low emission zone, you need to consider whether the truck is eligible to enter the zone without costing you !

I suspect a TK will not be Euro 2 compliant !

[G223]

How about a Merc 814? bombproof as bombproof can be, not very expensive, and very economical, a Iveco/Cargo will rot away below you, especially sitting, and a TK Bedford is ancient in comparison to an 814

Just a thought hope it helps

[delrs2]

agree with above,an 814 would be better,bomb proof especially with the old 6pot tho the turbo 4pot eco models arent that bad either,dnt get a bedford you will ave to set off a week in advance and probly suffer a bit of road rage lol

[driverace]

Trucks

Volvo FL6,go on knock that!!!

[driverace]

Truck

What licence have you got C or C1 ? as that governs what you have!

[TugsW]

Thanks guys with your ideas.

The British Army used them and so does the bloke on the Magners advert so they must be ok if that helps

Forgot about the Magners one Could make a proper entrance !!

As you are an Essex boy, and fairly close to the London low emission zone, you need to consider whether the truck is eligible to enter the zone without costing you !

I suspect a TK will not be Euro 2 compliant !

Yeah, as you know the communist mayor gave us the LEZ and made sure he got horseboxes and motorhomes too. The Euro rating soon going to be 4. The horse is stabled off of appropriately named 'Nags Head lane' and the zone runs right along that road. Checking out the TfL site shows petrol and Historic Vehicles (pre-73) to be exempt from charges. Since owning Mogsmex dads old XJR6 I've given up on worrying about petrol costs anyway, so I would be happy to repower a diesel into a petrol.

How about a Merc 814? bombproof as bombproof can be, not very expensive, and very economical, a Iveco/Cargo will rot away below you, especially sitting, and a TK Bedford is ancient in comparison to an 814

Just a thought hope it helps

Thanks for the advice about the Merc, I'll not discount it even though I have to consider the LEZ. The Merc might be modern to a Bedford but that has to be (marginally) more modern than a horse !!!

agree with above,an 814 would be better,bomb proof especially with the old 6pot tho the turbo 4pot eco models arent that bad either,dnt get a bedford you will ave to set off a week in advance and probly suffer a bit of road rage lol

Gd point about the road rage, sadly the London area has highest populous of "I'm more important than you/ wannabe gangsters", rolling around about in the road fighting getting my breeches and riding boots filthy is not the best look in the world. Esp turning up at a show with all those girls about !!

[TugsW]

Volvo FL6,go on knock that!!!

Okay can't knock a Volvo, bit (lot) more than I would want to pay though, horses seem to be the quickest way to financial suicide. Seen a old TK that would of been top of the range back in '79 for 6K ono, has to be no more than 4.5K /5K in todays climate. I really want to spend some money on my poor Custom and get it out on the road and join everyone else rather than just reading about it

What licence have you got C or C1 ? as that governs what you have!

Just a C1 sadly, no Yorkie bars here.......Could take half yard out with me if I had C licence

[Mr Hoarder]

Yeah, as you know the communist mayor gave us the LEZ and made sure he got horseboxes and motorhomes too. The Euro rating soon going to be 4. The horse is stabled off of appropriately named 'Nags Head lane' and the zone runs right along that road. Checking out the TfL site shows petrol and Historic Vehicles (pre-73) to be exempt from charges. Since owning Mogsmex dads old XJR6 I've given up on worrying about petrol costs anyway, so I would be happy to repower a diesel into a petrol.

How strange - I wondered if you might be at those stables, I helped fit a clutch master cylinder on a silver Iveco box about 6 weeks ago from there !
And I drove the Jag prior to you buying it

[Dobbo63]

tk

don,t for god,s sake buy a tk bedford, their slow, noisy, and the metal cab will be full of tin worm. im a lorry driver ov a 44 tonner, and i would say a merc 814 is a good buy. tho if your in london then the lez need,s to be thought about. iveco 7.5 toonner,s are good little truck,,s too , my mate has em for his horses, in fact i think he has one for sale.
steve.

[mk11jon]

My mate runs a fleet of DAF's and his missus has a daf horse box, they are nice and simple, dead reliable, cheap and easy to service and cheap to buy. He's had iveco's before and says he would never have another, they rust like hell and fall to pieces, just like fiat's which is all they are!

[TugsW]

How strange - I wondered if you might be at those stables, I helped fit a clutch master cylinder on a silver Iveco box about 6 weeks ago from there !
And I drove the Jag prior to you buying it

Small world, if your ever up at the yard again and see the Jag come and have a ride on the horse ! The Jag has now just clocked up 205K, have to say one of the best cars I've ever owned. I was only going to keep it as a stop gap runnabout motor.

don,t for god,s sake buy a tk bedford, their slow, noisy, and the metal cab will be full of tin worm. im a lorry driver ov a 44 tonner, and i would say a merc 814 is a good buy. tho if your in london then the lez need,s to be thought about. iveco 7.5 toonner,s are good little truck,,s too , my mate has em for his horses, in fact i think he has one for sale.
steve.

Thanks Steve for the reply, the LEZ is a part problem as I can sort of stay out of it, but not seen any cameras on the back roads . I'll keep my eye out for an 814. One of the reasons I was looking at a TK is I found one while being old and slow looks solid and was built from a new chassis and not some old skip lorry etc. My thinking is a good TK would better than a bad modern(ish) lorry.

My mate runs a fleet of DAF's and his missus has a daf horse box, they are nice and simple, dead reliable, cheap and easy to service and cheap to buy. He's had iveco's before and says he would never have another, they rust like hell and fall to pieces, just like fiat's which is all they are!

Thanks also Jon, I did wonder what DAF's were like, Ivecos seem to be a 'Marmite' truck. As you say some fall apart and are made from 'tissue paper impregnated steel' much like Fiats and Mercs cars from 10yrs ago. Problem for me is the LEZ as LGV's/HGV's etc all have to be Euro 3 rated (2002 onwards), and they cost a lot of money as a horsebox.

[graham John]

can you not ride the horse to the event ?

do they have a non trailered category



cheeRS

[TugsW]

can you not ride the horse to the event ?

do they have a non trailered category



cheeRS

Dear Sir.

Surely someone with such high status in the world of classic Rallye Sport vehicles should raise such an contemptuous issue with regards of trailering ...... The equine world understood years ago, it was better and safer to transport an obsolete form of transport to a show with a newer alternative.
(Ironic as I started this thread about Bedford TK's)

I am not aware of a non trailered category within the equine showing classes ....but I would imagine it would be something like "Arriving hot and sweaty on leather" ".....

May I suggest that 'if' such a class was used for your class of motor vehicle that it was changed to "Coming on beatacloth".

Your thoughts greatly appreciated,

Yours Sincerely

Mr S Wilson