Bill Burton’s Jowett Bradford
Bill purchased
the van in 1996 from Peter Rodgers Car Sales in Huddersfield, it looked
the same as it does today except for the sign writing, in those days it
was liveried up as a bakers van, but Frank Hindmarsh, local sign writer,
soon had it painted in the livery of Mr W. Handley Burton from Reeth, as
it would have been back in the late 40s'.
The Bradford has a 1000cc twin flat engine, similar to modern day BMW
motor bike engine. The chassis featured half elliptic leaf springs front
and rear with beam axles. The front-mounted flat-twin engine produced 19
bhp (14 kW) and drove the rear wheels through a three speed
non-synchromesh gearbox.
In 1950 the engine was updated to give 25 bhp (19 kW) and synchromesh
was fitted to the top ratio. This improved the top speed to 53 mph (85
km/h). The 10 in (254 mm) drum brakes were operated mechanically using a
Girling system.
Its colour is Victorian Maroon & Black, and sign written with Bill’s
Fathers name as it would have been in 1946.
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