1980 - 1993 Cold War defrost and Desert War (1) warms up (Page Two of Two)
the 1980s was the last decade of the Cold War
There are too many vehicles (and still some to come) to fit onto just one page, So the 1980 to 1993 page has been split into two. This is the second part
the 1990s up to the Draw-down included the first modern Gulf War years
Bedford MK, AWD and Bedford TM Series Lorries
In Desert Storm (1) Camo colours...
in the 1980s the basic green of BAOR Camo changed to be more green and the black to have more deep blue content. (like old oil)
In Norway (and first IFOR) Camo Colours, (Black, Beige, White)
and an MJ version in Blue White
Bedford lost a major bid for Military Lorries to the MoD and then went bust. They were bought out by David John Brown (entrepreneur) in 1987 and he made at first the old models and later a completely new look as “AWD Trucks.”
The new look was however considered to be not so practical for the Army. The cab could hold three people, but there was no space for kit, even for gas-mask and noddy suits let alone weapons and personal kit... While that is only a minor problem for the Signals (with cunning plans and space in the WBB) it was for transporters with flat beds or Pallet cranes, etc. and no lockable own space.
New 3 or 4 “universal camouflage” colours (below) introduced in the 1990s did nothing to make it look any better!
AWD had continued with the old style MK cab on their civilian TL and TM range and attempted to regain the Army’s interest with this slightly more modern look based on the old Bedford MK cab. This had enough space for kit as had been proven for years.
They introduced the AWD TK (see Drawing below) but too late and AWD Trucks went bankrupt in 1992 and was bought by dealer network Marshall of Cambridge.
Marshall UK already had a good reputation and relationship with the MOD, as Marshall’s had modified vehicles, and built bodies and special equipment based on commercial Vehicles since WW1. Since the 1950s mainly based on Land Rovers and Bedfords) Marshall’s supplied the Army “Bedford’s” again in the new reworked cab version from 1992 onwards.
Leyland (Leyland DAF)
