1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

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aussieneil
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1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by aussieneil »

Sydney 'paraplegic bus' 1975
Sydney 'paraplegic bus' 1975
$_20 (10).JPG (58.79 KiB) Viewed 30905 times
Hello all. I'm wondering if anyone can shed any light on this short wheelbase Bedford I'm considering purchasing.

According to the owner, who purchased the bus in 1986, it was a Sydney-based 'paraplegic bus'. Apparently it was built in 1975, and he identified it as a KDL model, which I have never heard of. I assume it is Australian-built, as it was originally fitted with the 292 Mexican Chev 6-cylinder motor (since replaced with an Izuzu 6BD1 diesel).

He began a camper conversion on it when he purchased it, and for some years afterwards, but it was never completed and he hasn't done anything to it in the last 17 years.

Can anyone shed any light on the Bedford model/chassis, or its Sydney history?
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boronia
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by boronia »

KDL would have been a lightweight version of the Bedford TK truck chassis.

This would seem to be a custom body to carry multiple wheel chairs, usually belonging to specialist institutions caring for people with disabilities.

There is a touch of Freighter design in the front
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paulgersche
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by paulgersche »

I was thinking that the front resembled a "Superior" body!

Paul
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system improver
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by system improver »

paulgersche wrote:I was thinking that the front resembled a "Superior" body!

Paul
Yep, Superior.
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boronia
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by boronia »

IIRC, Superior also built ambulance bodies, so their involvement in this seems logical.
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LB608
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by LB608 »

it looks like the paraplegic school bus that ran around Newcastle in the 70's, was painted Blue and had a wheelchair lift in the back,it was always parked at Gordon Ave Bus Depot,and driven by Volunteers from there,it was sign written Newcastle Cripple Children's Asociation
aussieneil
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by aussieneil »

I wonder if it was Newcastle, rather than Sydney, that this bus operated in the approximately 10 years it was in service. It would be great, if highly unlikely, to find a photograph lurking somewhere!
LB608
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by LB608 »

It may well have been sold to Sydney after use in Newcastle,i will check my photos to see if i have one, but doubt it
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E.L.Wood
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by E.L.Wood »

Superior built a number of buses for what is now known as Special Needs contracts, however it appears as if very few photographed or recorded their existance.
yolo seems to be a bit of a trend!
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Reo
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by Reo »

Pye's Coaches in Gosford also had a paraplegic bus in the 80's, built on a Mitsubishi chassis.
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boronia
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by boronia »

There was an operator up Berowa way in the 1990s who specialised in special needs transport.
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Reo
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by Reo »

One of Pye's Disabled Mitsubishi Canter's courtesy Pete Kane collection )
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Reo
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Re: 1975 Bedford Paraplegic bus from Sydney

Post by Reo »

..
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Pye`s%20Bus%20Service%20Mitsubishi%20RXF-686%20(2).jpg
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