76RL004 Oxford Diecast Bedford RL Bomb Disposal

Bedford introduced the RL truck in the 1950s and it continued in production until the early 1970s. Like many Bedford vehicles, it served its time primarily as the British military’s main medium weight lorry of the period.  It was based on the civilian Bedford S truck and was used in a non-military capacity too. With a split windscreen and the signature Bedford radiator grille, the truck had all-wheel drive and bigger wheels for optimum ground clearance. Originally a 3-tonner, it was increased to 4 tons to facilitate its cross country payload requirements.  During its lifetime, over 74,000 rolled off the production line and many of these survived in civilian use well into the 1990s, being used by the emergency services, commercial operators and even, as we see here, as a Bomb Disposal School vehicle.

Bomb Disposal Broadbridge Heath was a bomb disposal training school and headquarters for the Royal Engineers in West Sussex. It trained bomb disposal personnel from all branches of the British Armed Forces, as well as from other countries. It also conducted research into bomb disposal techniques. 

It was a major centre for the training of bomb disposal personnel during the Cold War and played a vital role in ensuring that the British Armed Forces were prepared to deal with the threat of unexploded bombs and other explosive devices.

The second release of the Bedford RL in 1:76 scale shows it as it was used from the 1950s when the Bomb Disposal Units (UK) Royal Engineers moved their headquarters from Chatham to Broadbridge Heath near Horsham in West Sussex.  Decorated in dark green with red masking to the front wings and rear mudguards, the canvas back is moulded in a slightly lighter green on a black chassis. The interior is also black.  Registered 58 BS 56, the front nearside wing of the truck features the crown and lion insignia of the Bomb Disposal School while a plate carrying the initials BDS sits on the wing on the driver’s side.