Jones's van (Dad's Army)

Dad's Army

Jones's van is owned by the fictional character Lance Corporal Jones (portrayed by Clive Dunn) from the British television sitcom Dad's Army (1968–1977), who used it as a butcher's delivery van.^[1] The van first appeared in the first episode of the third series, "The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones", which was first broadcast on 11 September 1969;^[1] it made a total of eighteen appearances until 1977, when the series ended.^[1][2]

While it is doubtful that a small local butcher like Jones would have needed so large a van in real life, let alone have been able to finance its running costs during wartime,^[2] the van becomes essential in the series as a means of primary transportation of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon.^[2][3][4] The platoon uses Jones's van as transport and an improvised infantry fighting vehicle for their manoeuvres.^[3] Jones, who is proud of his van, is often reluctant to allow various modifications needed for the platoon's activities.

Other appearances

A different van was used for the 1971 Dad's Army film, a 1930s closed cab Ford Model AA (registration plate KR 9378).^[5][6] Once the film was released, the van was housed in a private museum in Reading, before being sold at auction to a man from Lincolnshire, shortly before the year 2000.^[5] As of February 2026, the van is part of the Dad's Army collection held at the Bressingham Steam and Gardens.^[6]

In 1979, the original van was seen in episodes of Dick Barton: Special Agent, with the distinctive side panels (sign-painted with J. Jones Family Butcher") covered to disguise the van.^[7] The van also appeared in the comedy crime film The Stick Up (1977), driven by lead actor David Soul, and the spy film Eye of the Needle (1981).^[8] It appeared in the documentary Don't Panic!: The Dad's Army Story (2000), where it was driven by presenter Victoria Wood.^[7] Having been fully restored, the van appeared in the 2016 Dad's Army film.^[9]

Manufacturing and use in Dad's Army

Jones's van is a 1935 two-ton Fordson Model BB box van (registration plate BUC 852), 3445 cc, one of the first commercial models produced at Ford's Dagenham factory when it opened in 1931.^[1][2][5] During World War II, it spent most of its working life in Central London,^[1][10] being used as a confectioner's van and a baker's van.^[10] In the 1960s,^[1] long before Dad's Army was first broadcast in 1968,^[5] it was discovered in a dilapidated condition in Streatham, London by Frank Holland, an assistant property master for the BBC.^[1][2][5] Holland contacted Fred Wilmington, whose company loaned vehicles to the BBC; after enquiring with the police as to the vehicle's ownership, Wilmington purchased the van, which had been stationary for months, and restored it to full working order.^[2][5]

Later, Paul Joel, a designer working on Dad's Army, saw the van among Wilmington's stock of vehicles and obtained it for use in the series.^[1][2] Joel had to persuade Wilmington's company to make the vehicle roadworthy, which they "just about did".^[11] At the request of Joel, holes were cut into the van's side panels and part of the roof was altered by Wilmington's company,^[4][5] to allow the cast members to point their rifles out of the van to defend against enemy invasion.^[3][4] Additionally, the van was repainted navy-and-white,^[4] and "J. Jones Family Butcher" was sign-painted on its side panels.^[2] The florid, late-Victorian-style lettering was designed by Joel, to reflect the personality of Corporal Jones and to reflect his butcher's shop.^[5][11] On one occasion, a large gasbag was strapped to the roof when the van was converted to run on gas for its debut appearance.^[5] Joel "really enjoyed" designing the van,^[11] describing it as the "most delightful" of the "big prop[s]" he worked on for the series.^[5]

When filming studio sequences involving the van in motion, a blue screen was placed alongside the van; a moving background would be displayed onto the screen, imitating the van's movement.^[12] Combining scenes filmed on location and studio sequences involving the van was challenging and "a very complex job", according to sound supervisor Michael McCarthy; the footage for both would have to be intercut with one another for the scene to appear smoothly.^[11] When not used for filming by the BBC, the van was kept in its Dad's Army paintwork; however, false sides were constructed, which could be slotted into channelling on the side of the vehicle, allowing the van to be used as a regular-looking vehicle in other programmes.^[5]

Among the assorted period vehicles used in the series, which were carefully chosen in order to keep the series authentic, the van, according to writer Graham McCann, "became a great favourite", being used in "a series of memorable set pieces".^[4] Many people volunteered to sit behind the van's steering wheel in-between filming, according to Clive Dunn.^[4]

After Dad's Army

When Dad's Army ended in 1977, the van was sold to a Ford dealer in Finchley, where it was displayed prominently in their showroom.^[5] It was sold at auction on 26 November 1990 to the Patrick Motor Museum in Birmingham.^[5] On 3 December 2012, the van was auctioned by Bonhams, where it was sold to the Pearson and Jenkins families for £63,100, including the buyer's premium. The Jenkins family donated their half of the van to the Dad's Army Museum in Thetford, while the museum began raising funds to buy the other half of the van;^[13][14] the museum had previously been intending to purchase the van at the auction.^[15] By the end of December, the museum had raised £10,000 of the £63,100 required for purchase.^[14] By the end of March 2013, when £20,000 had been raised, the van went on public display at the Charles Burrell Museum after a period of cosmetic restoration.^[16]

By February 2016, the van was fully restored for use in the Dad's Army film. The restoration, completed at the van's original Ford Dagenham factory where it was built, included a full engine rebuild, a clutch replacement, and the fitting of new wiring looms. Following restoration, the van was rehoused at the Dad's Army Museum.^[9] In 2017, the van and volunteers from the Dad's Army Museum took part in the Lord Mayor's Show.^[17] In December 2022, the van was named Vehicle of the Month by Facts Disc.^[7] A book detailing the history of the van, titled Jones's Van: The Journey, was published by Chris Garrod in April 2026.^[1][18] The book was released in part to help fund the restoration of the van, which required repairs worth £10,500, including the replacement of axle carriers and the replication of van parts that were no longer available.^[1] By the start of May, £1,200 was raised by supporters of the Dad's Army Museum.^[1] By the start of June, the funds had been raised, with plans for the van to attend the Old Buckenham Air Show and the Royal Norfolk Show, the latter for the first time. However, the van broke down at the Bressingham Steam and Gardens, requiring additional funds of £1,500. Despite this, the van is expected to attend the 2026 Lord Mayor's Show in London.^[10]