Bean Cars
Wednesday 10 March 2010
 

Bean Automobile Collection

Bean Automobiles

Three of the Beans in the Automobile collection

 

Bean Model 3

Bean Model 3 - 14 H.P. Built - 1925 Index - PE 2445

This car was converted to a pick-up truck in the early 1930's by it's second owners, Shepperton Motor Works, who used it in that form until about 1950.
It was purchased by Bill Best, at auction, in 1958 and restored back to the original 5 seater tourer form in 1974.
Original cost new was £ 345


Bean Model 4

Bean Model 4 - 12 H.P. Built - 1925 Index - XW 8431

The detailed history of this car is not known but we do know that for many years it was used as a funeral director's following car.
Note the spacious area for rear passengers, the very limited room for the driver and the division.
The vehicle is a very good example of an unusual body built on a standard chassis, quite a common practice in 1925.
Original cost new was £350./p>
Bean Model 4

Bean Model 4 - 12 H.P. Built - 1926 Index - FD 3435

This car is fitted with the original body made by the manufacturer and a feature of it is that it has four identical doors.
This was an attempt by Bean Motor Company to reduce costs by standardising parts at a time of great financial problems.
It was in a good original condition.
Original cost new was £275


Bean Model 6

Bean Model 6 - Short 14 Built - 1927 Index - SV 8671

This car was exported new to Australia as a running chassis and the body was fitted by a local firm in Adelaide, South Australia.
Thereafter it was used by two families over a period of 50 years and then acquired and restored by a Bean enthusiast.
Purchased unseen the car was exactly as described by the vendor. Some mechanical work has been carried out at Bredgar and the car is now in first class condition.
It was awarded a shield for the best Bean to complete the annual Daffodil Run - Maidenhead to Bournemouth - in April 2001, running a total of 240 miles on one weekend.
Price as a chassis - £245 Body available at £50.


Bean Autobus

1929 Bean Omnibus 14 Seater rear entry - Reg.No. UL1771

In September 1928 Mr Henry Arthur Turner decided to become an Independent Bus Operator and was granted Route 207, Railway Hotel, Barnes to Richmond Park Golf Club, London. He had Birch Bros. Ltd, Coachbuilders of Kentish Town construct a 12 seater bus body on a secondhand Bean 25 cwt. chassis that he owned.
Towards the end of 1928 he then requested Birch Bros. to supply a new Bean 30 cwt. chassis with a 14 seater body. Both buses were identical having rear entrances and longitudinal seating. Both were painted green with a grey roof and green upholstery.
The 12 seater was registered - YN 4594 in December 1928 and on 14 January 1929 the 14 seater was registered - UL 1771. Turner charged 3d ( 1.25p) for a 3 mile journey, quite expensive at the time. Even so in December 1930 Turner got in arrears with his payments and Birch Bros. repossessed both buses.
In March 1932 UL 1771 was sold at auction to F.E.Nutt of Golders Green, London who intended to start a local bus service to Colinade, but with the London Passenger Transport Board about to be formed he had second thoughts and sold the bus to an unknown purchaser.
The bus appeared again in 1941 when a Walter Church used it at a site near Hatfield as a temporary caravan to house his family during the Blitz. In 1945 Church sold the bus to a Mr. Ellingworth of Potters Bar, London who drove it to Dunsmore, near Wendover, Berkshire. He stripped the cab to form a kitchen with the body being used for living area. It was thus used at weekends for many years.About 1966 it was bought for restoration by Paul Oakford of Princes Risborough, Berkshire. Work was commenced but after 2 years he sold it to John Seear, who in turn sold it in 1988 to Kenneth Denham of Beaconsfield, Berkshire. It took 3 years total restoration to return it to the superb condition that it is in today.
And now, in September 2000, this fine example of a Bean Omnibus takes it place in the Bean Auto Collection at the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway.