The GPO's choice of smaller vans for telephones duty closely mirrored those chosen for use as mailvans, with the Minor, Minivan and even the Marina/Ital-based models all making an appearance. However, the Austin Maestro gained far greater acceptance with BT than it did with their former colleagues at the Royal Mail.
Morris Minor
The Minor van formed the mainstay of the GPO's small van fleet for almost two decades. In fact, it was due almost entirely to the patronage of the Post Office that this van continued in production for as long as it did. As was the case with those supplied for Royal Mail duty, early Telephones examples were fitted with black rubber wings and raised headlamps.
Austin A35
In the early 1960s, the GPO bought two Austin A35 vans for evaluation purposes. This one was kitted out as a Telephones van, while the other one (940 EXU) received the Royal Mail livery. No further A35s were purchased by the GPO.
Minivan
Marina/Ital
With the demise of the Minor and the fact that the Marina wasn't ready to replace it immediately, the Post Office turned mainly to the Bedford HA for its Telephones van during the 1970s. BL did, however, get consolation orders for 1000 Marina-based vans as Telephone Utilities in 1972/73.
With the end of Bedford HA production in 1982, BT turned to BL for its small telephone utility and leased 2035 Ital '440' models (plus 117 '550' models for use as Radio Investigation Vans) in 1982, 3976 '440' models (plus 34 '440' RI vans) in 1983, and 2,794 '575' models in 1984.
A typical vehicle from the BT's 1980s deliveries of Ital-based vans, photographed when new in Reading in May 1983.
Austin Maestro
After the Ital, BT moved onto the Austin Maestro City 500 for use as telephone utilities and bought 467 in 1984, 3658 in 1985, 3252 in 1986, 2195 in 1987, 4170 in 1989, 6708 in 1990, and 1,032 in 1991 after which the diesel engined Ford Escort was favoured with BT orders.
This view shows a standard vehicle from the 1986 delivery, photographed in King's Lynn in May 1990.
This one, photographed at Norwich in July 1989, carries BT Payphones livery.
Some of the Maestros were finished in BT's reversed livery of dark blue and yellow lettering for Business Systems' duties. This one, from the 1989 delivery, photographed at Somerton in August 1990.
Land Rover
As with the Royal Mail, Land Rovers were used for those hard-to-get-to areas...
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This page was compiled by Declan Berridge, based on information and photographs supplied by Chris Hogan of the Post Office Vehicle Club.