Welcome to this page, which has been established in response to interest from Series 1 enthusiasts wishing to know more about the SXF series of ex-Civil Defence Land-Rovers. By no way should it be considered a definitive history — but over the years I have collected a number of facts about the vehicles and their owners, and pass them on here for general interest. If anyone has any further information they'd like to share (or corrections they'd like me to make!), please contact me on sxf@teeafit.co.uk.
The 'Roll Call' feature rollcall.htm was written originally in two parts for the Land-Rover Series One Club newsletter 'Legend', and both were carried in Issue #77. The Database database.htm is as current as I can make it, but I'm aware that there are certain inconsistencies when compared (say) to the LRSOC Register of Vehicles — I've got all of theirs, but they haven't got all of mine!
Just for general interest, I've also included some notes surrounding the identity of 'Fido' — my wife Anthea's SXF870 fidohist.htm. Like most of the hardtop CD Land-Rovers, 'Fido' was a Reconnaissance vehicle, and there's notes on her intended duties at reconnaissance.htm There are also some notes about the Hardtops fitted to Home Office vehicles at hardtop.htm. Likewise, some HO vehicles carried pairs of amber lights at the front — more details at amberlights.htm
For general information about Land-Rovers (and other vehicles) in Home Office service, I can thoroughly recommend 'The Green Machine' by Barry R.Holliss and John C.Thompson, which was distributed by Athena Books Ltd, 34 Imperial Crescent, Doncaster DN2 5BU, and cost £24.45. However, I can't now trace Athena Books at that address, and their phone number is now a beauty salon. You may have to try secondhand-book sources.
Mike Mason has helped considerably with details about CD vehicles in service (and provided some very useful pictures). He says that if anybody is refitting an SXF back to CD Reconnaissance configuration and requires pictures of a fitted out unit, then he would be very happy to provide photographs and all the details, as well as the paint work and lettering used by the CD and AFS on their SXF vehicles. Contact me on sxf@teeafit.co.uk, and I'll happily pass on any queries to Mike.
Further to that, I'm often asked how best to recreate CD liveries and badges. I'm afraid I can't be of much help, but you may find the cdlivery.htm page interesting.
Oxford Diecast Models have a 1:43 scale model of Russell Hearn's Reconnaissance vehicle SXF455, in a limited edition of 2000. This vehicle also appears in a 1962 film 'Civil Defence In Action', made to show how the organisation works. Now visible in the East Anglian Film Archive, it demonstrates a Reconnaisance crew in operation (at 0752) and SXF713 on Field Cable Party duties at various points, including 0609.
There is an excellent website for Series 1 enthusiasts worldwide, which includes many photos, details of spares and suppliers, hints & tips, copies of manuals etc — just about everything the international community of Solihull vehicle owners could want! There's also a very active Forum, can answer virtually any question you may care to ask. Visit this thoroughly-recommended site at www.lrsoc.com.
To view the myriad excitements on the Teeafit Sound & Vision site, click here. In particular, Series 1 enthusiasts may wish to explore the details of the films of original footage from the classic 'First Overland' (1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition, London to Singapore) journey, now available worldwide on DVD for only £22, or download from Vimeo. But what happened to the two cars?... the story is told in 'After Overland'. Students of Land-Rover's early history may also like to see the 'Stop Gap' DVD, which features the man who was the 'Midwife' of the original Land-Rover, Project Engineer Arthur Goddard. Arthur not only tells some fascinating tales of how a rough sketch in the sand on a Welsh beach became the 'World's Best 4x4xFar', but also shatters some well-loved myths. There's also 'LR65' — a video record of Land Rover's 65th anniversary Celebrations at Packington Hall in Warwickshire.
Further details of all these can be found at www.teeafit.co.uk/tsv/dvdsales.htm.
GRAEME ALDOUS