Jowett Bradford.
The Jowett photo shown below belongs to Keith in New Zealand, so thanks to him for ok'ing it being featured here (and to Paul B who first showed this van photo to me). As can be seen, it was employed on laundry duties in some remote areas of New Zealand, as Keith explains: "The lady in the car is Joan Andrews, my mother. My father took the pic, William (Bill) Andrews. Not only was the Bradford the business vehicle it was their only vehicle ... and their first car. It travelled many miles long distance, privately based in Te Kuiti (North Island NZ) and regularly travelled to Auckland. Keep in mind even in the late 1940s, NZ was still a new country, roads still left a lot to be desired, much of the main highway was still gravel."
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The Jowett van of 1946 - 1953
There were three incarnations of the Jowett Bradford, the CA, CB and finally the CC, all drawing on a design that first saw light of day prior to WW2. The Bradford was introduced in 1946, and an estate car version followed in 1947. Frills were few, but in the grim post-war years simplicity, reliability and ease of maintenance were key requirements for any business owner requiring a small 5cwt or 10cwt van. Rivals of the day included Fordson's E83W and Morris' Series Y. Whereas it's rivals featured four cylinder sidevalve engines, the Jowett featured the company's own flat twin under the bonnet. Early units produced a mere 19bhp, with later versions benefiting from a jump to 25bhp.
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The estate car, or Utility version, offered accomodation for passengers in the rear, and extra glazing let into the van's side panels. A pickup was also available, as was a rolling chassis, and a chassis/cab option, which coachbuilders would then use as a basis for their own specific requirements. Jowett vans, while having been produced in smaller numbers than many similar vehicles of the day, can still be seen at vintage and classic events, both in the UK and overseas, as this Jowett site, hosted in NZ demonstrates. The colour photographs below show various Bradford vans that I've seen at shows in the last few years. Anyone wanting to find out more about these old Jowetts might be interested to have a look at the Jowett Car Club site.
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Return to Old Vehicle Photos Page 6.
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