Bedford OB

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A restored Bedford OB, formerly of Southern Vectis on the Isle of Wight was used

The Bedford OB was a line or coach model that Bedford released in 1939. It replaced the Bedford WTB .

Like the WTB, the OB was powered by a six-cylinder petrol engine with a displacement of 3.519 l. The engine was also known as the 28 hp engine, as it was rated at 28 taxable horsepower. The new type differed from its predecessor mainly in the construction of the chassis. Bedford designed an independent frame for the OB for the first time, while slightly modified truck chassis were used in the previous generation. The chassis had a wheelbase of 4,420 mm and is to be regarded as a short schnauzer (has a short bonnet under which the front part of the engine is located; the rear part protrudes into the passenger compartment and has its own cover). The OB had a manual four-speed gearbox and a floating rear axle. The hydraulic brakes are vacuum-assisted. The gearbox, cardan shaft and differential gear were arranged so that the bus had a lowered central aisle. Most of the bodies were manufactured by Duple , but 46 other bodywork companies , including Plaxton, Mulliner, SMT and Thurgood, made bodies for the OB. The superstructures were designed for 26 to 29 passengers.

Only 73 pieces were built before the Second World War . In 1942, production of a simplified version, the OWB, began according to the specifications of the Ministry of Supply. The superstructures with 29 to 32 seats, which were now mostly made of wood, came from Duple and Roe. The bus also had wooden seats, among other things. After around 3,300 buses were manufactured, production of the OWB was ended in 1945 and the OB was reissued and manufactured until 1951. A total of 16,164 chassis were built, 12,766 of which were OB, a number that makes this type one of the most successful in the world on this scale. Many OWB were converted to the standard of the OB after the end of the Second World War. The bus was replaced by the Bedford SB , which, with 33 seats, was too big for many operators. It was not until 1961 that Bedford introduced the Bedford VAS, a successor in the order of magnitude of the OB.

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Commons : Bedford OB  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files