📌 Morris Commercial CS8 15 cwt Light Truck, IWM Duxford.
Seen at the Land Warfare Hall, this example of a Morris Commercial CS8 is the ''Compressor Truck'' version, the Truck was also known as the ''Morris 15 cwt'' was a Light Military Truck used by the British Army during World War Two. Introduced in 1934 it was the most numerous vehicle of that size in the Army at the start of the war but was replaced by other vehicles.
In 1933 the War Office issued a specification for a new type of purpose-built Light Trucks able to carry 15 cwt loads, the specification stipulated a short wheelbase, good ground clearance, a semi-forward driver's position and the use of commercial components as much as possible but with the usual cabin eliminated to simplify production. It was planned to issue one 15-cwt truck to every Platoon in a re-equipped mechanised British Army to carry Personnel and equipment. Morris, Ford, Commer, Guy and Bedford all tendered vehicles to meet the requirement and in 1934 Morris was the first to produce a design, the CS8, which used elements of Morris' civilian C range, the S denoted a 6-cylinder engine and 8 referred to the nominal wheelbase in feet.
The CS8 was a two-wheel drive two axle Light Truck designed to carry 15 long cwt loads, it was powered by a 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol engine that delivered 60bhp at 2,800rpm and driven through a four-speed transmission, its suspension was by live axles on multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs, unladen weight of the vehicle in standard General Service Cargo form was 18 cwt (1.94 ton) it was 13ft 10in in length and 6ft 4in in width with an 8ft 2in long wheelbase. Early models featured open cabs with aero screens (small sections of glass to deflect the wind from the driver) folding canvas canopies and roll-up canvas doors, these were later replaced with full windscreens and metal-skinned half doors.
The CS8 was produced with a number of bodies, the majority were the ''General Service'' Cargo variant but there was also a Water Bowser, Fire Tender, Wireless Truck, Fuel Tanker, Compressor Truck and Command Post (''Office'') truck bodies. Additionally there was also a variant that carried the 2-pounder Anti-Tank Gun ''Portee'' on the rear body. The CS8 had a maximum speed of 40mph. Some of the bodies were too long and heavy for the standard wheelbase which caused severe handling problems, particularly the Wireless Truck. There was also a variant rated to carry 8 long cwt loads, called the 'PU8' which shared the same engine and drive line but had improved performance, a four-wheel drive version of the PU8 was also produced called the PU8/4.
In the years leading up to World War Two the CS8 was the most numerous 15-cwt truck in service with all branches of British Forces, and was also supplied to Commonwealth countries. A large number of CS8's were left in France after the Dunkirk evacuation and captured by the Germans, in Wehrmacht service they were sometimes fitted with new bodywork. In 1941 Morris ceased production of the CS8, in favour of their C4 model which used a 4-cylinder engine but was otherwise similar to the CS8 except the wheelbase was increased to 9ft to rectify the handling issues of the CS8. Early in the war the Army decided it no longer needed 8-cwt trucks and production of the PU8 also ceased in 1941. A stretched CS8 chassis was the basis of the Morris CS9 Armoured Car.
▪︎Type: 15 cwt Truck
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Used By: British Commonwealth / Germany (captured)
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: Morris Commercial Cars
▪︎Manufacturer: Morris Commercial Cars
▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1941
▪︎Number Built: 21,319
▪︎Variants: General Service Cargo / Water Bowser / Fire Tender / Wireless Truck / Fuel Tanker / Command Post ''Office'' / Compressor Truck
▪︎Specifications: (General Service Cargo body) / Mass: 1.94 ton / Length: 13ft 10in / Width: 8ft 2in
▪︎Powerplant: 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol, 60bhp at 2,800rpm
▪︎Payload Capacity: 15 cwt
▪︎Drive: 4x2
▪︎Transmission: 4F1R
▪︎Suspension: Multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_CS8
📌 Morris Commercial CS8 15 cwt Light Truck, IWM Duxford.
Seen at the Land Warfare Hall, this example of a Morris Commercial CS8 is the ''Compressor Truck'' version, the Truck was also known as the ''Morris 15 cwt'' was a Light Military Truck used by the British Army during World War Two. Introduced in 1934 it was the most numerous vehicle of that size in the Army at the start of the war but was replaced by other vehicles.
In 1933 the War Office issued a specification for a new type of purpose-built Light Trucks able to carry 15 cwt loads, the specification stipulated a short wheelbase, good ground clearance, a semi-forward driver's position and the use of commercial components as much as possible but with the usual cabin eliminated to simplify production. It was planned to issue one 15-cwt truck to every Platoon in a re-equipped mechanised British Army to carry Personnel and equipment. Morris, Ford, Commer, Guy and Bedford all tendered vehicles to meet the requirement and in 1934 Morris was the first to produce a design, the CS8, which used elements of Morris' civilian C range, the S denoted a 6-cylinder engine and 8 referred to the nominal wheelbase in feet.
The CS8 was a two-wheel drive two axle Light Truck designed to carry 15 long cwt loads, it was powered by a 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol engine that delivered 60bhp at 2,800rpm and driven through a four-speed transmission, its suspension was by live axles on multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs, unladen weight of the vehicle in standard General Service Cargo form was 18 cwt (1.94 ton) it was 13ft 10in in length and 6ft 4in in width with an 8ft 2in long wheelbase. Early models featured open cabs with aero screens (small sections of glass to deflect the wind from the driver) folding canvas canopies and roll-up canvas doors, these were later replaced with full windscreens and metal-skinned half doors.
The CS8 was produced with a number of bodies, the majority were the ''General Service'' Cargo variant but there was also a Water Bowser, Fire Tender, Wireless Truck, Fuel Tanker, Compressor Truck and Command Post (''Office'') truck bodies. Additionally there was also a variant that carried the 2-pounder Anti-Tank Gun ''Portee'' on the rear body. The CS8 had a maximum speed of 40mph. Some of the bodies were too long and heavy for the standard wheelbase which caused severe handling problems, particularly the Wireless Truck. There was also a variant rated to carry 8 long cwt loads, called the 'PU8' which shared the same engine and drive line but had improved performance, a four-wheel drive version of the PU8 was also produced called the PU8/4.
In the years leading up to World War Two the CS8 was the most numerous 15-cwt truck in service with all branches of British Forces, and was also supplied to Commonwealth countries. A large number of CS8's were left in France after the Dunkirk evacuation and captured by the Germans, in Wehrmacht service they were sometimes fitted with new bodywork. In 1941 Morris ceased production of the CS8, in favour of their C4 model which used a 4-cylinder engine but was otherwise similar to the CS8 except the wheelbase was increased to 9ft to rectify the handling issues of the CS8. Early in the war the Army decided it no longer needed 8-cwt trucks and production of the PU8 also ceased in 1941. A stretched CS8 chassis was the basis of the Morris CS9 Armoured Car.
▪︎Type: 15 cwt Truck
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Used By: British Commonwealth / Germany (captured)
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: Morris Commercial Cars
▪︎Manufacturer: Morris Commercial Cars
▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1941
▪︎Number Built: 21,319
▪︎Variants: General Service Cargo / Water Bowser / Fire Tender / Wireless Truck / Fuel Tanker / Command Post ''Office'' / Compressor Truck
▪︎Specifications: (General Service Cargo body) / Mass: 1.94 ton / Length: 13ft 10in / Width: 8ft 2in
▪︎Powerplant: 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol, 60bhp at 2,800rpm
▪︎Payload Capacity: 15 cwt
▪︎Drive: 4x2
▪︎Transmission: 4F1R
▪︎Suspension: Multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_CS8