Ford Anglia 307E Van Photo's - GPO

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Ford Anglia 307E Van Photo's - GPO - Album No 2

Shown below is a copy of a GPO Instruction detailing the Ford Anglia Van.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS INSTRUCTION

J TRANSPORT AND MECHANICAL AIDS
2 Vehicle Data

MOTOR TRANSPORT

Minor Van, Type 4 (Ford)

1. General - This Instruction describes the Minor Van, Type 4 (Ford). It is fully interchangeable with other types of Minor Van, the types of duties for which these are intended being given in B 3550.

2. Description - The vehicle is a modified Ford light van of welded pressed-sheet-metal construction. The overall dimensions are: length 12 ft. 6 in., width 4 ft. 11 ¼ in. and height 5 ft. 4 ½ in.

A general view of the vehicle is shown in Fig 1. Cab and body sections are separated by a wire-mesh partition as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to enable the body to be locked without restricting access to the cab (see par. 14). Accommodation is provided externally for an extension ladder and internally for a step ladder, pruning rods, tools, stores, E.I.s etc. The rear doors are fitted with hook and eye door stays which should always be used when a door is open to avoid minor accidents due to doors swinging in the wind.

3. Ladder carrier - A horizontal type of ladder Carrier is provided on the roof for a Ladder, Extension, No. 4, 4A or 5. At the rear end of the carrier a roller is fitted to facilitate the placing and removal of the ladder.

The roller should be oiled periodically to ensure smooth and easy rotation. The ladder should be secured at the front and the rear by the straps provided for this purpose, and should be so positioned that the ladder does not overhang the rear of the vehicle. To allow for the difference in the bottom rung position on the various types of extension ladders Nos. 4, 4A and 5, two sets of staples for anchoring the ladder securing straps are fitted on the ladder carrier. Only one extension ladder of the specified type may be carried on the ladder carrier and, except for the special provision mentioned in pars. 11 and 12, nothing else may be carried on the roof or on the ladder carrier.

4. Cab - Seats in the cab provide for one passenger in addition to the driver, the driver’s seat being adjustable. Two wire-mesh containers for E.I.s, log sheets, diagram folders, works and other papers are mounted on the wire-mesh partition, one container being positioned behind each seat. The vehicle tool box is located immediately behind the passenger’s seat.

A hat and coat hook is provided in a central position on the partition behind the seats. The fire extinguisher is accommodated in the cab.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

5. Step ladder accommodation - Steps, Folding, 5-tread (see par. 6) may be carried within the body where they are secured by a strap, in a central position immediately under the roof (Fig. 2). The aperture at the top of the partition, through which the steps must pass, is provided with a separate hinged wire mesh panel as a security measure when steps are not carried. To clear the aperture for the accommodation of steps, only the top fastening of the wire-mesh panel should be undone; the panel will then hinge downwards. When the folding steps are being inserted, place the top of the steps on the lower edge of the aperture in the dividing partition; raise the bottom of the steps as near to the horizontal as possible and push them forward until the top of the door framing and the rear support for the steps can be cleared; lift the bottom of the steps fully up under the roof and pull the bottom of the steps back into the rear support; then fasten the steps securely to the rear support with the strap provided. The foregoing procedure should be reversed to remove the steps.

6. Requisitions for Steps, Folding, 5-tread for use on these vans should be endorsed ‘Folding tread type required’.

7. Rack units - Accommodation for stores and tools is provided by rack units which can be fitted on either side of the interior of the body and which are illustrated in Fig. 5. When the van is supplied A units only are fitted, the near-side unit being modified to fit over the petrol tank housing. B and C units are available as optional fitments, being mounted on top of the A units as shown in Fig. 2, using the right-angle brackets which are supplied with the vehicle. The brackets supplied with the upper units should be retained.
If, on certain duties, less rack accommodation than the initial two A units is required and extra clear floor space is necessary, one or both A units may be removed (see also par. 9).
Figs. 2 and 3 show a typical layout for the load carried by a rural territorial maintenance officer. Owing to the many variations in the circumstances under which minor-type vans may be employed it is not practicable to lay down any specific layouts. Much must be left to the good sense of each officer concerned in making the best use of the facilities available. The principle of keeping heavy items on the lowest level possible should always be observed. Telephone instruments, spare parts, cords, small stores etc.

should be carried in suitable cartons to prevent chafing and rattling, and every effort should be made to utilize the special containers available for certain items, e.g. Gloves, IR. and Dials, Automatic.

8. Supply of additional rack units - When additional units are required, requisitions for Minor Van Fitting, Unit A, B or C should be forwarded to the Supplies Dept. On receipt of the additional items an appropriate entry should be made on the vehicle tool list (A 1112).

9. Recovery of rack units - Standard units surplus to requirements should be returned to the Supplies Dept. direct and surplus modified A units scrapped locally, the vehicle tool list being amended accordingly. The special nuts (Simmonds elastic stop nuts) provided for the set screws securing the component units together should not be used for other purposes but should be secured to their relevant units and returned, together with the brackets originally supplied with the B and C units, to the Supplies Dept.
The top unit mounting brackets originally supplied with the vehicle must be retained on the vehicle to allow for future changes in rack units requiring their use.

10. Large diameter coils of wire - A simple saddle type of fitment mounted on the rear of the vehicle cab/body partition is provided as an aid to the tidy stowage of large diameter coils of wire (Fig. 2). A piece of twine or soft copper wire should be used to secure the coil of wire to the wire mesh of the partition and so prevent chafing of the coil.

11. Pruning rods - When pruning rods are carried they may be placed on the floor of the vehicle, their front ends being passed through the aperture provided for this purpose in the dividing partition (Fig. 3). The rear end of the rods can then be secured to an anchorage set in the vehicle floor beside the rear support of the off-side A unit. Alternatively, they may be carried on the ladder carrier by means of brackets bolted to the near-side of the ladder carrier (see M 0048).

12. Survey rods - Survey rods may be carried on the ladder carrier in the same manner as pruning rods (Fig. 4) but it is essential that the set of survey rods be equipped with the modified pruning rod holster specified in M 0048, to ensure that a rod cannot be dislodged in transit.

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

13. Maximum permissible load - The maximum load that a Minor Van, Type 4 (Ford) may carry without any fittings is 5 cwt. 2 qrs. 17 lb. (this excludes the weight of the driver, which has been taken as 168 lb.). Hence, if a passenger (average weight 168 lb.) is carried when two A units (each weighing approx. 34 lb.) are fitted, then the total weight of tools, stores etc. must not exceed 397 lb. The B and C units each weigh 26 lb. and the load carried must be reduced accordingly when these units are fitted. A periodical examination should be made by the driver to ensure that surplus items are not carried and that the maximum permissible load is not exceeded. A simple check can be made by weighing the van in its moving condition, i.e. with driver, passenger, stores, tools, racks, petrol, oil etc. The gross moving weight must not exceed 22 cwt. 3 qrs. 9 lb. Any weighbridge charges involved should be passed to Freight and Cartage.

14. Locking arrangements - Cab and rear doors are equipped with FP 750 series locks to enable the contents to be safeguarded when the vehicle is left unattended for short periods. For extended absences additional security can be obtained by padlocking the rear doors. A hasp and staple are fitted to the rear doors for this purpose. The vehicle tool box is also equipped with a hasp and staple.
Padlocks, 1¼ in. are the correct padlocks for use on this class of vehicle.

[NOTE:- Padlocks, 1¼ in. are sometimes of the spring self-locking type. To prevent the accidental locking of keys inside the van body, it is recommended that the padlock keys should not all be carried together.]
A spring clip is fitted on the rear door to prevent chafing by the padlock.

15. The spare wheel - The spare wheel is housed beneath the rear of the body floor in a drop-front type of carrier which is raised or lowered by rotating the hexagonal head set in the rear off-side of the floor (Fig. 2), using the wheel brace.

16. Towing - Minor Vans, Type 4 (Ford) are not suitable for towing any type of trailer or for use as a power unit to assist working operations, and officers are forbidden to use or attempt to use the vehicle for these purposes.

17. Re-enamelling or retouching - The outside of the van has a synthetic enamel finish. Attempts to retouch any scratched or damaged parts should not be made by the staff using the vehicle. Work of this nature will be undertaken by the Workshop Supervisor / Mechanic-in-Charge when necessary and during periodic overhauls.

18. Signwriting - Standard inscriptions for signwriting are given in C 0015.

19. Speed limit - See D 0022.

END