Retro Test 2 - TK Bedford | The Boys and the Bedford

This is the second instalment of a new semi-regular series we’ve called Retro Tests.
We’re going to sample trucks from the great era that spanned the early 70s, through until the early 90s, roughly … there are no hard and fast rules. To some degree we aim to investigate just how far we’ve come (if we’ve come that far at all), but the main thrust is to have a bit of fun, go on a nostalgic trip, enjoy a few laughs, and rekindle some fantastic yarns and memories from a great period in our transport history that’s now gone.
The main delivery media for the Retro Tests will be video, with print as the support - in other words, opposite from the magazine’s main test. We hope you enjoy watching and reading them as much as we do putting them together.
GET NZ TRUCKING MERCH www.nztrucking.co.nz/subscribe/
SUBSCRIPTIONS, SPECIALS & BACK COPIES www.nztrucking.co.nz/subscribe/
GET THE LATEST DIGITAL ISSUE issuu.com/nztrucking
INTERACT WITH US ONLINE nztrucking.co.nz
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook and Instagram: @nztruckingmagazine and find us on LinkedIn

[@truckertom3323]

I still have the scars on my right shine from that alligator toothed foot plate to this very day. ( The pain, the horror. ) She is Still a Beautiful looking Truck, even today. Greetings from England.

[@richardwestwell4902]

Standard "Lucozade" delivery truck when I joined the firm in 1974. The music from the opening titles of "The Sweeney" brought back memories as well.

[@paulbennell3313]

I remember when you couldn't go anywhere without seeing Bedford TK's being put to various uses. Always thought they looked and sounded awesome. Dad said they were the easiest trucks he ever drove.

[@NZTruckingMag]

They sure were great in their day!

[@enochpowel3030]

I drove the 220 and the the 330 as coal trucks in the early 80s passed my test in a 330 in1980.... Great video good luck from England

[@51WCDodge]

Ahh, happy memories. A lot of these ended up as horse boxes. If you had a female sitting on the parcel shelf, legs either side of gear stick....... I need a lie down.

[@brooklynroad8581]

great video. I worked in the parts dept for a vauxhall bedford dealer between 1971 - 1997 in the UK. Brought back some good memories, sold so many of those mirrors kept us hitting our bonus targets. well done

[@gm837228]

I love the PPE! OMG - that really made me laugh. Thank's for showing this beauty again. Dad had BMC and I always wanted a Bedford. lol. Greetings from Germany.

[@gideonstrydom8242]

Thanks again for bringing back precious memories. Those rope knots.... I've been shown time and time again by friends who did it as professionally as you, but I just can't remember it ever! Although I got my driver's license on my 18th birthday back in 1985, still in the time of the roping era, my guess is someone saw my predicament and designed straps and ratchets especially for me...

[@seancooke4127]

Sean here in Ireland. My first ride was a 1976 TK 1020 curtainside. She was 10 years old but a proper truck. Great brakes, good acceleration up to 35 mph/50 kph. Could smell a hill for 3 miles. Could manage 54 mph on a level straight with 2 feet on the pedal. Heater was ok but got cancelled out by the icy draught coming up your leg through pedal holes in the floor. Heavy steering with a half turn of slack. If you. She could pass tractors but her usual maximum of 45 mph meant you had to stay behind L Drivers. Luckily though I'm only 5 foot 4 so the cab was fine. Loved this. A true classic.

[@NZTruckingMag]

Great to hear your experience with the TK Sean. Thanks for sharing!!

[@-DC-]

Fantastic video my dad went from a Leyland FG to a TK on the milk in Belfast in the mid 70's can remember it being like a different world to the old FG , loving these retro tests .

[@XNick291X]

Imagine doing your NZ Class 2 training and test in that!

[@andysaunders3708]

I had an '80 Bedford JO. Lovely truck. Miss it.

[@stashedawayman1521]

Two of those TK Bedfords were the beasts of burden for three of my fathers brothers who were market stall contractors in London. The flat beds had a metal frame work on which to pack away all the upper wood timbers, iron corner supports and canvas tilts of the market stalls. The 6 or 8 ft. long wooden stalls, had folding legs and were stacked and roped down exactly as shown in this video. The markets worked were Portobello Road, Club Row (Sclater Street), Kingston and Bermondsey antiques market. The business operated out of two railway arches in Bermondsey for several decades and the market stalls can be seen on older videos of Portobello Road market here on KZbin.

[@NZTruckingMag]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

[@doveronefoxtrot4417]

They were an acquired taste for a driver. Who remembers the flap by your left foot you could flip open for instant air conditioning ! Lovely to drive on a hot summers day, black hard plastic seats, you literally stuck to them !

[@brentpage3643]

Interesting you mention Thames milk run with Ronnie Briggs, i lived up mount sea rd in my primary school days

[@simonhodgetts6530]

My grandad used to drive one of these for a steel stockholder in Wolverhampton. Once in a while, during my summer holidays he’d take me out with him! Happy memories!

[@NZTruckingMag]

Thanks for sharing!

[@davidcoleman6032]

Love the ppe🤣👍Great video, took me back!

[@9186SZ]

Great video, thank you for the fantastic nostalgic road test, look forward to more, best wishes from the UK

[@regd.2263]

The TK's i used to drive in the mid 1960's for Maynard's Original Wine Gums in North London, never had power steering and some had the handbrake that worked off of the propshaft like a disc brake set up. Before the TK they still had the TJ but were gradually replacing them with TK nice to see one restored back to better than new.

[@lucythemoggy1970]

that brake hiss brings back memories

[@aala7337]

Drove both TK and TL flatbeds,both easy to work on but obviously TL could tip cab,had no power steering but TL had a lever you raised that forced oil into all steering joints,that really helped.

[@tub19]

Remember my late Dad, driving tks with local TA unit. Drove in the back and also up front in the cab. Nice vid guys.

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Those side flaps came in handy for toilet breaks :)

[@kangaroostew0077]

Geez there a lot of these around. Some got a 253 V8 in Australia as a refit but I never drove one. I did drive a 1414Ford which went quite well.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Enjoyed the laughs. The Japanese took the baton and kept with the philosophy of just enough engine and brakes for the job. I collect hubodometers and could see this has a Veeder Root Mechanics brand installed.

[@beverlymitchell4641]

First truck I ever drove. With my dad millwall docks.pete

[@mickm234]

Superb video. Very funny. Thanks, from the Motherland... 😀

[@lesthiele4921]

Hi again guys, I watched this yesterday that how I came across your channel, take care and keep safe best regards to you all.

[@richardgriffin9676]

My dad drove one of this trucks. As a kid sat in it .

[@Heavyfueloil]

It would be cool to see a retro test on a 40s or 50s truck like a k Bedford or a gmc

[@richardgriffin9676]

You can't beat the smell

[@philipwatson2407]

Drove a few of these in the late 70s / early 80s, though more usually either the MK - the 4x4 variant - or the older RL (which was my favourite).

[@fruitychink]

Best truck ever . Stevens of Wick had them and I drove one when I was a student with the daily drive with fresh fish from Caithness to Billingsgate Fish Market in London

[@markswanson2716]

Hi, from Wick eh, I am a NZer but my family is from Wick. Grandfather came out in the 1930s. He was one of 12 kids, half of them came out to NZ. I checked the phonebook online and it looks as though there are plenty of Swansons still in Wick. I'd love to visit one day. 👍

[@fruitychink]

@@markswanson2716 Lots of Swansons in Caithness . My family croft was taken over by a Swanson . That was in Occumster (just outside of Wick ) . What did your grandfathers family do in Wick ?My grandfather was a herring fisherman from Newtonhill in Wick . There is a very good Wick Heritage Museum in Wick where there is lots of information .

[@walkonbynomore4343]

Classic truck ... would love to see you test the 650 GM model!!!!

[@ianinnes8063]

The first truck i ever went in the farm my father worked on as a shepherd had 3 bedfords 1 s type and two mks the one with the double bumpers on them . All 2 axle models with fold in side bodies on them to carry grain and both had demountable cattle bodies for them when i was around 5 years old i actually slept on that shelf behind the seats . On journeys to various places . Great trucks the bedfords just ran out of money to develop more modern trucks eg a tl replacement and a tm replacement often wondered if they had bn given more time and money what todays bedfords woulda bn like and how many woulda bn in operation . Great to see the old girl in action and the sweeney theme tune too lol . Thanks again guys .

[@NZTruckingMag]

Thanks for sharing your memories

[@marktepou9596]

Awesome video guys

[@lorenzoroberts6512]

Our first truck was a 7 ton bedford tk it was a strong dependable little truck then we had a 8ton ford cargo 1215 which is a nice looking truck but it gave us trouble like overheating, gearbox problems and diff problems right now we have a hino1521 and a fuso fighter from Japan they both work very good nice you got a nice bedford there guys keep it up cheers from trinidad

[@cliffordpedley3216]

Hi there nice to see the old Bedford when I started driving I worked for a coal merchant 1975 peacocks Gateshead he had a few and some over 3 ton & a fleet of laylands tippers &flat beds he had a few bull nose bedford s witch my brother drove I use to go all over the northeast Cumbria contact to tarmac roofing It was great before I got my hgv I loved driving lorries bean working over 40 years it's a great job if you get the right company

[@oldbloke100]

I had a TK with the blinker lights low down, not sure what model, 214ci powerhouse. the driver side main spring broke and used to push the clutch linkage up if you had your foot on the clutch, couldn't work out what was going on the first time it happened . Hahaha

[@richardmccrae5422]

We still use the j3 tipper round the farm for carting 8 silage and hay bales at a time she goes good most of the time but get to hill and she’s down to 1st climb up then down hill it’s both feet on the brake pedal

[@edrinsma3571]

Great video guys....did I hear a mention of Paul and Ronnie Briggs milk route in Thames?? Are you from Thames? I grew up in Thames at the Tip Top Ice Cream depot on Grey Street....had a few TJ and TK Bedfords there.....later moved to Rotorua and later Christchurch and drove the TKs, TJs and the D Series Fords for Tip Top...... Brought back many fond memories of the Bedfords!!

[@9_19Ming]

I love bedford tk🤎

[@brianwadley4633]

A tilt cab and more modern engines would have ensured continuation of the product

[@shingerz]

Great video nice to see i rem the British army having these they sounded great although they were slightly taller i hate to see the army using the man they look shite,didn't realise you kiwis had these trucks

[@andysaunders3708]

Lovely music!

[@martinburke362]

I drove a TK @7.5 tonne I was lucky it had the 5.6 diesel 6 in it went like the clappers but the diesel 4 banger and the petrol wouldn't pull themselves out of bed!!ps corn beef legs n bingo wings all the rage down under these days😆😆😆

[@brianlowe3529]

We had one and they were crap

[@SugmaDick]

One of my friends has one just like this but it sits higher

[@brianwadley4633]

A manufacture who were behind the times Had they stepped up they may stell be around

[@felixchaus]

Hi You absolytely need to make a teaching video about truckers hitch, there are several methods and ways shown on youtube, but none I have found claims to be weather proof Thanks in advance

[@patrickdaly685]

Did My driving test in a TK

[@grahamewells6336]

I had a Tk 330 4.5 tonner then the 5.5 tonner then 7.5 tonner

[@michaelguerin56]

The guy in the pink shirt looks more like a cross dresser, than a truck driver from the 1970s or ‘80s! 🙂 Is he a Rocky Horror fan?

[@grahamewells6336]

Wells Cargo 1972 to 1983

[@mickkingston1450]

1982 was the last in the uk

[@smudgealdrin1512]

Passed my driving test in a TK. Makes me laugh at the bull shitters who say they slept on the back shelf back in the day ... What ya 4ft tall & 1ft wide ???? Get outa here..

[@mohammadhussain2576]

I am still selling its parts in my city

[@NZTruckingMag]

Good on ya. Keep ‘em alive!!

[@andysaunders3708]

Horrible CF van steering wheel. Preferred the 4-spoker.

[@anthonynew8472]

Appalling sound you can't hear award just noisies

[@buffi944]

Won't be the mother land for much longer if you keep using cheap labour from Asia, look at the trucks no more Bedfordshire.

[@XNick291X]

Ironic because Isuzu operate out of the old Bedford factory in Luton