Bedford 1969 Identify Body

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CCCC
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Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by CCCC »

Came across it on ebay , can't say I've seen a body like this.
Has it had some DIY manipulation to the front or was this manufactured like this.
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Timbo52
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Timbo52 »

Tas Coach Lines No. D150 Mees Bedford VAM @ New Norfolk Depot.jpg
Tas Coach Lines No. D150 Mees Bedford VAM @ New Norfolk Depot.jpg (101.36 KiB) Viewed 20993 times
Your picture is most likely of a coach built by Mees as is the one in this picture. They were certainly a bit different but had a look of their own.
CCCC
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by CCCC »

Timbo52 wrote:
Tas Coach Lines No. D150 Mees Bedford VAM @ New Norfolk Depot.jpg
Your picture is most likely of a coach built by Mees as is the one in this picture. They were certainly a bit different but had a look of their own.

Thanks for that , yes I now recall seeing similar on here in the past.
Denv12
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

CCCC wrote:Came across it on ebay , can't say I've seen a body like this.
Has it had some DIY manipulation to the front or was this manufactured like this.
It a Mee Body bus.I think they built in Melbourne.They were built in the 1970s and 1980s.I dont know what year they went out of business.The front was their design.

Here's an earlier post I made.
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 48&t=78301
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Last edited by Denv12 on Thu Oct 13, 2016 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CCCC
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by CCCC »

So how would one describe this front end design ???

Plenty of words I could use to describe it.
Certainly one of the most unique front ends of an Australian manufacturer that stand out , not to everyone taste.
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

[quote="CCCC"]So how would one describe this front end design ???

I wonder what their inspiration was? Someone has to know.
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system improver
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by system improver »

Denv12 wrote:
CCCC wrote:So how would one describe this front end design ???

I wonder what their inspiration was? Someone has to know.
It's a "lantern" front. It was popular in the late 40s and 50s in the USA. It was also used by some Australian bodybuilders in the 50s and 60s e.g. Weber, Freighter and Symons & Fowler. The concept is simple. It allows the driver to see further down on the road in front as well as providing extra "ventilation". This was in the days when glass technology was not as it is now. Mee continued with their style into the 70s. I have attached some pics:
Freighter (1965), Weber (1950) Symons & Fowler (1958):
36359_129509233756174_2496485_n.jpg
36359_129509233756174_2496485_n.jpg (81.89 KiB) Viewed 20930 times
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Denv12
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

Even the Adelaide STA AEC's had them. FReighter Lawton.
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boronia
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by boronia »

But Mee doesn't seem to have provided the lower windscreens, which may have actually reduced forward visibilty?
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system improver
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by system improver »

boronia wrote:But Mee doesn't seem to have provided the lower windscreens, which may have actually reduced forward visibilty?
The ones in the photos have had the glass covered up. Almost all of those that I have photos of, have glass lower portions - some bigger than others. I have attached the first with this design, on an Albion Viking chassis new 6/65 to Calder Hwy Coaches of Bendigo and one of the last that went to Sampson's Tours of Adelaide in 1971 before returning to Mee's in 1972. The engine up the front may have influenced the design.
JFS (2).jpg
Transparency0008 - Copy (Large) (Custom).JPG
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

Mee bodied buses and one owned by Mee's Tours.What are the odds? Were those 2 companies related?
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by krustyklo »

It a Mee Body bus.I think they built in Melbourne.They were built in the 1970s and 1980s.I dont know what year they went out of business.The front was their design.
Mees are still around at their depot in Northern Rd, Heidelberg West. The back of their depot can be seen on Kingsbury Drive, with buses occasionally temporarily parked up on the grass verge there. If I think of it, I'll take a photo. No idea when they stopped building buses, for all I know they still do.

To add to SystemImprover's comments, Mees lantern fronts had the lower windows, at least all the ones Mees owned did. I frequently went to school on a Mees lantern front bus. The Fords they had had the lower windows, as shown in SIs last photo (although I the ones I rode were red/green, then their brown scheme).

In fact, the last lantern front in quantity in route service in Melbourne was retired not all that long ago with the last of the MAN Mk I.
Mee bodied buses and one owned by Mee's Tours.What are the odds? Were those 2 companies related?
Yes, pretty sure both were at the same premises I refer to above in Heidelberg West. What I wouldn't give for a digital camera and to go back for a while 30 years to the days of the quirky Mees school buses, the Dysons Elwoods, the East West Bedfords (and quirky Isuzu)... I must admit I love Pete Kane's old photos from that era for that reason.
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by boronia »

This was a motorhome built in the early 1970s, I believe it is a Mees body
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by CCCC »

So how would one describe this front end design ???

I wonder what their inspiration was? Someone has to know.[/quote][/quote]

It's a "lantern" front. It was popular in the late 40s and 50s in the USA. It was also used by some Australian bodybuilders in the 50s and 60s e.g. Weber, Freighter and Symons & Fowler. The concept is simple. It allows the driver to see further down on the road in front as well as providing extra "ventilation". This was in the days when glass technology was not as it is now. Mee continued with their style into the 70s. I have attached some pics:
Freighter (1965), Weber (1950) Symons & Fowler (1958):
36359_129509233756174_2496485_n.jpg
[/quote]

Lantern front , good to know , thanks for the explanation and pics to explain.
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

I would like to suggest that the topic title be changed. Its great to see a small builder remembered.Thats a lot of replies. Would like to get some history of the company and some feedback by company staff too.I'd like to know how many vehicles they built,what chassis',etc.Someone must know.The photos posted are great too.
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by 3805 »

Just wondering whether any of these unique looking vehicles have been preserved or restored?
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by GM »

I think R E Mee did advertise in T & BT years ago? GM
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by Denv12 »

GM wrote:I think R E Mee did advertise in T & BT years ago? GM
Yes,they did advertise in the magazine.If anyone has any 1980s editions can you have a look then scan the ads?

Here's a post I made on MEE bus builders:
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 48&t=78301
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by CCCC »

Denv12 wrote:I would like to suggest that the topic title be changed. Its great to see a small builder remembered.Thats a lot of replies. Would like to get some history of the company and some feedback by company staff too.I'd like to know how many vehicles they built,what chassis',etc.Someone must know.The photos posted are great too.

Suggest a name change
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by E.L.Wood »

the original picture looks like it may have been ex Hurstbridge B.S., they had a 2 door Bedford SB which was white with a blue stripe. Denair may have a shot of it to post
yolo seems to be a bit of a trend!
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Re: Bedford 1969 Identify Body

Post by system improver »

E.L.Wood wrote:the original picture looks like it may have been ex Hurstbridge B.S., they had a 2 door Bedford SB which was white with a blue stripe. Denair may have a shot of it to post
Good get! I think it is the Mee bodied Bedford SB3 that was new (8/69) to Northcote BS as KJM 185, then went to Dyson's, then to Hurstbridge.
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Re: Bedford 1969 it may well be this one

Post by DENAIR »

13.jpg
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