Sherpa Freight Rover LDV alert

[chancer]

Owned 2 Convoy double cabs some years ago. Couldnt find pic of both together, but have a bonus of 2 Proton Impians...apologies for google maps image...

[Snipes]

On 21/07/2025 at 08:27, worldofceri said:

It has a gross weight over 3.5t, almost certainly due to starting life as a wheelchair accessible minibus, as mentioned.  Depending on what it’s registered as now, you’d need a C1 or D1 licence to drive it. Bit of a can of worms I expect, buying something like that.

Would the moulded lights in the roof on the front suggest it may have been an ambulance?

Convoys especially are one of those vehicles I paid no attention to only to realise they've disappeared. No feelings toward them, other than a mild reminder of how old I'm getting. I'd like a pre-facelift 200 for work. Can't be any less reliable than the ad-blu riddled Proaces we have to deal with, and they don't come with slidy driver's doors.

[worldofceri]

27 minutes ago, Snipes said:

Would the moulded lights in the roof on the front suggest it may have been an ambulance?

Minibus like this one I reckon. (Pic stolen from interwebs.)

[Snipes]

@worldofceri yeah I was just reading about the factory school bus builds. I think Ambulances would have had a more specific body on them, too. 

[eddyramrod]

A more specific body like this, perhaps?

Papped on-street in Fleetwood last year.

[Heavyspanners]

I'm a Sherpa owner. Not just any old Sherpa, either - it's a 1985 Freight Rover 255 (which of course is the best variant).
Originally supplied to British Telecom in Belfast as a bare chassis cab, then fitted with BT's own design of box body in the BT workshops.  Sold off in 1994, when it went to live on a farm. Farmer replaced the BT box body with a home-made pickup bed fabricated out of massively thick steel. It's a solid piece of work, but so heavy it must reduce the payload down to a packet of crisps.

It did duty as a farm truck until a few years ago when it was retired to the barn. Bought by me last year with the idea of swiftly recommissioning it (you may fall about laughing at this point if you wish) and putting it back to work. 
As you might guess from the phrase 'last year', that recommissioning job has taken a bit longer than planned. At the moment things are going wrong more quickly than I can fix them...



It's got the 1.7 litre O Series engine in low-compression commercial form.  This was the same engine used in the MG Maestro Turbo, so theoretically, upgrades are possible...

The blue paint job was done by the farmer, and it's, erm, 'farm quality'.



What makes it more interesting is that this is a one model year variant with some features (like the front bumper) unique to that one year. Everything else is a mish-mash of early/late Sherpa spec. I spend a lot of time flipping backwards and forwards in the Haynes manual, from the early model stuff at the front to the supplement at the back for later models, and most of the time my Sherpa doesn't fit in at either end.

So the spannering (and hammering, and swearing) continues. I'll start up a thread on it, if anyone's interested.

 

[Matty]

Thread would be ace ta 👍

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Heavyspanners said:

I'm a Sherpa owner. Not just any old Sherpa, either - it's a 1985 Freight Rover 255 (which of course is the best variant).
Originally supplied to British Telecom in Belfast as a bare chassis cab, then fitted with BT's own design of box body in the BT workshops.  Sold off in 1994, when it went to live on a farm. Farmer replaced the BT box body with a home-made pickup bed fabricated out of massively thick steel. It's a solid piece of work, but so heavy it must reduce the payload down to a packet of crisps.

It did duty as a farm truck until a few years ago when it was retired to the barn. Bought by me last year with the idea of swiftly recommissioning it (you may fall about laughing at this point if you wish) and putting it back to work. 
As you might guess from the phrase 'last year', that recommissioning job has taken a bit longer than planned. At the moment things are going wrong more quickly than I can fix them...



It's got the 1.7 litre O Series engine in low-compression commercial form.  This was the same engine used in the MG Maestro Turbo, so theoretically, upgrades are possible...

The blue paint job was done by the farmer, and it's, erm, 'farm quality'.



What makes it more interesting is that this is a one model year variant with some features (like the front bumper) unique to that one year. Everything else is a mish-mash of early/late Sherpa spec. I spend a lot of time flipping backwards and forwards in the Haynes manual, from the early model stuff at the front to the supplement at the back for later models, and most of the time my Sherpa doesn't fit in at either end.

So the spannering (and hammering, and swearing) continues. I'll start up a thread on it, if anyone's interested.

 

Commiserations. Show us more.

[catsinthewelder]

Theres what I think is a box body from one of these doing duty as a shed behind a barn about half a mile away.  Occasionally wonder about fitting it to my derelict Freight Rover 200.

[grogee]

9 hours ago, Heavyspanners said:

it's a 1985 Freight Rover 255 (which of course is the best variant).

Yep, extra points for the Freight Rover badge. 

Turbo upgrade: proceed with caution

[EyesWeldedShut]

On 22/06/2025 at 21:58, Dobloseven said:

Had a look at an ex Police V8 riot bus at a local van dealer.Oil light came on a lot.There'd just been an article in Practical Classics about the Rover V8 engine,with some details of "experts".Phoned one and he advised not to get involved.Don't think they were actually very quick as the engine was in a sub Landrover state of tune,and once turbo diesels became available,they were redundant.

I think they were redundant before they were built  Nah - they served a purpose.
Early 1980s Met wanted something to replace the Transits that were ageing. Eventually went with the V8 offering from Freight Rover - engines were similar to the later 110 Land Rover (so around 130 - 140 BHP) and were mated to a 3 speed (ZF??) auto box. Chuck a load of people and kit in them and drive around Central London - you can imagine the mpg.
To drive they were OK - you sat slightly higher than the Transit but they were a tad wider. Much more powah/faster tho'.  Even had heavy glass instead of perspex windows in the back so you could actually see out.
Fully laden they were a bit hippo-like to wallow around. With just two crew up front they went well and you could wind them up (eventually) to a reasonable speed.  Stopping was not so  good. There were also a couple of 'bunny hopping' accidents where the back end would lift and slide out when unladen - pre ABS days - braking load adjuster got the blame but (looking back) I think it was simply a case of too much speed, wet surface, bend/curve/camber, red mist, over braking. Later models probably got ABS?
Whatever - they soldiered on through until the late 1990s when Sprinters replaced them.
Mechanically they seemed to eat water pumps and brake pads. Engine access was a bit crap. Wouldn't want to run one privately.

Little Sherpas were used in the 1970s - 1990s as smol station vans.  The blue ones were run alongside SWB Transits - those needed an extra, two week, qualifying course to drive whereas the Sherpa was just a small, two day (I think) course after the three week Standard Car Course. When Transits went all the station vans became Freight Rovers, got painted white but were still Sherpas. Went OK, stopped OK but could be convinced to trip over if you abused them - just felt a bit unsteady on their feet m'lud (narrow track?)

Nicked some internet images of the type of shite I drove

[Cavcraft]

11 hours ago, Heavyspanners said:

I'm a Sherpa owner. Not just any old Sherpa, either - it's a 1985 Freight Rover 255 (which of course is the best variant).
Originally supplied to British Telecom in Belfast as a bare chassis cab, then fitted with BT's own design of box body in the BT workshops.  Sold off in 1994, when it went to live on a farm. Farmer replaced the BT box body with a home-made pickup bed fabricated out of massively thick steel. It's a solid piece of work, but so heavy it must reduce the payload down to a packet of crisps.

It did duty as a farm truck until a few years ago when it was retired to the barn. Bought by me last year with the idea of swiftly recommissioning it (you may fall about laughing at this point if you wish) and putting it back to work. 
As you might guess from the phrase 'last year', that recommissioning job has taken a bit longer than planned. At the moment things are going wrong more quickly than I can fix them...



It's got the 1.7 litre O Series engine in low-compression commercial form.  This was the same engine used in the MG Maestro Turbo, so theoretically, upgrades are possible...

The blue paint job was done by the farmer, and it's, erm, 'farm quality'.



What makes it more interesting is that this is a one model year variant with some features (like the front bumper) unique to that one year. Everything else is a mish-mash of early/late Sherpa spec. I spend a lot of time flipping backwards and forwards in the Haynes manual, from the early model stuff at the front to the supplement at the back for later models, and most of the time my Sherpa doesn't fit in at either end.

So the spannering (and hammering, and swearing) continues. I'll start up a thread on it, if anyone's interested.

 

Hell, yeah. Would love to see how you get on with it, it looks ace.

[warren t claim]

 

New Zealand 1992 daytime soap opera.

[Heavyspanners]

On 31/07/2025 at 07:09, catsinthewelder said:

Theres what I think is a box body from one of these doing duty as a shed behind a barn about half a mile away.  Occasionally wonder about fitting it to my derelict Freight Rover 200.

The BT box bodies seem to be rare things these days. Most people with ex-BT Sherpas couldn't wait to get rid of them, and put something a bit more useful on the back.

Or maybe just a bit more aerodynamic. Those BT boxes must have done terrible things to the fuel consumption.

 

[Heavyspanners]

As at least three people seem interested, I'll start a thread about my Sherpa thread as soon as I can find a moment.
I can't promise it'll be massively exciting to start off with, because the Sherpa hasn't moved (except for a bit of shunting from one side of the Sherpa Shed to another) since I got it.



The swift recommissioning job escalated quite quickly...

[grogee]

21 hours ago, warren t claim said:

 

New Zealand 1992 daytime soap opera.

Fuck me I think I remember that. 

I should have been revising for A-levels. 

Anyway, nice to see a Sherpa_LDV giving it some. 

[mk2_craig]

I think there’s one of those yellow Telecom box van bodies in a field near me, been there years. I can’t actually see it at the moment as the vegetation has grown but maybe it’ll become visible again this winter 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Heavyspanners said:

As at least three people seem interested, I'll start a thread about my Sherpa thread as soon as I can find a moment.
I can't promise it'll be massively exciting to start off with, because the Sherpa hasn't moved (except for a bit of shunting from one side of the Sherpa Shed to another) since I got it.



The swift recommissioning job escalated quite quickly...

They were never exactly swift BITD. 😀 Colour me interested.

[bramz7]

I miss seeing crappy Sherpas around..

This one may still be in situ but I doubt it. 

 

This B series diesel was in Hammersmith in 2011. 

This drop side was owned by an ancient old man who used it to collect scrap of all kinds. It probably had about 5 tonnes of wob in it. 

[Heavyspanners]

I don't know if this happens to everyone, but as soon as I'd bought my Sherpa I seemed to see loads of ads for other Sherpas popping up. When I bought mine, it was the only one advertised for sale on any of the various bits of the internet where old vehicles are sold, as far as I could tell. But as soon as I'd bought it, I started seeing Sherpas everywhere.

And still they come...

This one looks interesting. A very early LDV,  made just after the management buyout of the Leyland Daf van business after Daf went bust. Two litre Perkins Prima diesel. Still in MOT (just), but looking at the list of advisories it may not pass another one. The fact that it's on a trailer doesn't inspire confidence. I don't think these things are deal-breakers, but they're definitely price reducers.

12 weeks on Farcebook marketplace, and nobody's bought it. If I didn't already have all the Sherpas I can eat, I'd make an offer...

[MorrisItalSLX]

16 hours ago, bramz7 said:

This drop side was owned by an ancient old man who used it to collect scrap of all kinds. It probably had about 5 tonnes of wob in it. 

Interesting use of a facelift bonnet on an earlier body.

[Heavyspanners]

44 minutes ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

Interesting use of a facelift bonnet on an earlier body.

I like the Dexion, holding the front wing on. 

DVLA says it's on Sorn now, so maybe a full restoration to concours condition is in progress.

[Heavyspanners]

This is currently on FB Marketplace. I don't think Ollerton ever made a pickup, so I'd guess this was originally one of their faux-vintage vans, now with the back end chopped off. Seller says it's a "very rare pickup", which of course it would be, if it's someone's one-off DIY project.

I can't decide if the load bed is shorter than normal, or if it's sitting on an extra-long chassis. The cab is a long, long way further back than standard, that's for sure.

The asking price is £12,000 - and I genuinely had to look twice to make sure I'd got that right.