British TELECOM Vehicles
The Box Vans
British Telecom Box Vans
In the early days of British Telecom, lightweight box van designs were popular for medium to large utility vehicles.

Some box designs featured 'lift-off' bodies which could be (fairly) easily interchanged in the event of a faulty motive unit, or a requirement for a different set of content (tools/stores).
Photo: British Telecom Box Van.'Eich arbenigwyr cyfathrebu lleol.' B620 DLG © David Cott.
| EXIT | British Telecom Box Vans |
Introduction
Circa 1981, 'Lift-Off' van bodies were designed by British Telecom for use with its 15 hundred-weight vehicles (as above). Previously, vans used on installation or jointing duties could not readily be switched to take on a different job, without the time consuming unloading of tools and equipment from each vehicle. To better utilise the fleet of serviceable vehicles, a plastic lift-off body was developed which could be easily removed from the chassis by fork lift truck.

The revolutionary design consisted of:
  • A colour impregnated glass-reinforced plastic inner and outer skins filled with a layer of foam.
  • Aluminium uprights as the main load bearing members.
  • A plywood/foam based floor.
  • A single skin translucent roof.
  • A total weight of only 250kg.
  • Increase in load space from 5.66 to 9.06 cubic metres, due to design.
Box Vans
Austin Rover - Sherpa Box Van

Welsh Box Van - Austin Rover- Sherpa


Photo British Telecom Box Van B620 DLG © David Cott.
Austin Freight - Sherpa
The Sherpa box van used a lift-off body.


Photo: British Telecom box van B865 DVX © David Cott.
Sold out of service Box Van
This van (with side window) is likely to have been used by Planning or Survey Officers out on site, checking the routeing of ducts on new housing estates and at the site of major roadworks, involving telecom plant.


Photo: 'Sold out of service' Box Van D625 NKY © LSA 1998.
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