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Driven by Mike Astbury of Manchester Central Area.. |
PMG 827 E - More Details
The Ford Thames radio van (based on the Anglia) was a conversion by Dormobile specially produced for the GPO. The interior was fully lined. A roof light was fitted to provide light for working in the back. To fit side windows to the vans would have meant payment of car tax. A 12 volt fluorescent provided light at night. Note also the roof light and aerial. Radio vans did not have ladder racks.
Compare with Ken Bennett's telephone van.
The passenger seat was moved back by its own length so that the operator/driver could sit in it and work on the equipment in the rear. This seat had no safety belt * and could not be used by a passenger. Behind the driver's seat was a partition that prevented equipment being thrown forward in the event of emergency braking. Behind the partition was a low work bench with hooks on top to secure radio receivers. There was a 12 volt power connection and an aerial connection which was wired to the fibreglass whip aerial on the roof. Below the bench were two rows of small drawers for holding suppressers, and odds and ends.
PO RS - New Livery
The lettering was now white, no one seemed to know why when telephone vans now had bottle green lettering. It was quite noticeable that the vehicle attracted many more flies wasps and bees after its colour was changed.
Notes
The 'PMG' part of the license plate used the initials 'Post Master General' as the GPO once had dedicated blocks of registration letters.
** The wearing of seat belts in the UK was not compulsory until the Eighties.
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