The aeroscreen Bedford MW is somewhat of a rarity but John Carroll came across two at Wartime in the Vale this year
Under the heading of ‘Severe WD Tests in Wales,’Commercial Motor magazine of September 18, 1936, reported on the War Department (WD) motor vehicle trials in North Wales. These trials are said to have been carried out in the area around the town of Llangollen. They were for vehicles, of both experimental and production types within three categories, namely 15-cwt, 30-cwt and threeton lorries and it was noted that most of the larger machines were six-wheelers.
The vehicles undertaking the trial were required to make a climb of the famous Horseshoe Pass. The pass, which dates from 1811, gets its name from the horseshoe-shaped turnpike road that was constructed across the Clwydian range of hills.
A ‘stop and restart’test was held at the steepest section of the hill near the summit at 1,368 feet.
Reportedly, all but one of the vehicles made satisfactory ascents and all but one succeeded in maintaining their positions on a gradient of 1 in 5 when using the hand and foot brakes separately.
The fastest ascent was made by a Bedford carrying its payload of 30 cwt. The next day’s session included a c…
