BUSES, COACHES, & LORRIES.

[Leyland600]

Hi Tynside that bus deep in the snow heading for Stanley via Flint Hill looks like a Venture Atkinson with Willowbrook body. Deep snow was/is a regular feature around Consett which Venture drivers could cope with. Looks like a busy time at Worswick St with the Northern Guy setting off for Jarrow.
Cheers, Leyland 600.

[tyneside]

Hi Tynside that bus deep in the snow heading for Stanley via Flint Hill looks like a Venture Atkinson with Willowbrook body. Deep snow was/is a regular feature around Consett which Venture drivers could cope with. Looks like a busy time at Worswick St with the Northern Guy setting off for Jarrow.
Cheers, Leyland 600.

Hi Leyland 600. I am well used to the snow, I was born and lived in Eighton Banks on the hill top at the other side of the valley, above Birtley & Washington. Depending on exactly where you stood in the village you could see either Durham Cathedral or right over to the west past Burnhope and Pontop Pike transmitters. Over to the East was a view of the coast between the Wear and Tyne.
A couple of mile north on Old Durham Rd brought you to the top of Sherrif Hill and a panorama over Newcastle and up towards the Cheviots. Before digital Tv I could unplug the Ariel lead from my set and still get four stations.

Did you know Hunter Bros from Tantobie ? they used to run a few service buses in the Stanley / Consett area and also some tippers.

As a kid in the fifties I can remember standing in a very busy Worswick St. station with my mam waiting for the 75 which ran over the Tyne Bridge up Deckham and Sod House Bank to Sherrif Hill, along to Wrekenton and Eighton Banks down Black Fell to Chester le Street and then up to Houghton le=Spring, quite a journey.

Tyneside

[kevmac47]

A few from the North East, I believe the single decker in the snow was taken at Flint Hill, Stanley in 1963

Tyneside

Keep those old "Northern " shots coming "Tyneside" your rattling my memory banks! That single deck 24 to Jarrow would be a duplicate, probably due to the queue of punters standing at Worswick St. The regular "24" to South Shields was always a double decker. That pic was probably taken on a Saturday, you could guarantee being hammered all the way from Worswick St to South Shields. I was a "duck" from 1965 til 1968 when I turned 21 and went driving. I was about 8st then, probably due to all the running up and down the stairs on a decker!! Regards Kev.

[VALKYRIE]

TruckNetUK . Old Time Lorries . Buses,Motorcoaches & Lorries . Details Added To Some Photographs .3 .Page 24.VALKYRIE . Tuesday,29th January,2019.

J.F.G.,Wednesday,9th January,2019. Page 22,post 12,Historic photographs.

1.
Albion PMB28/Northern Counties B32R Single Decker Bus,Chassis No.7503A, GG 4001,Glasgow,7-1931,Baillie Brothers,No.33,Yoker,Glasgow.One of a batch of five,33-37.J.F.G.1SS#

Albion PMB28,Northern Counties B32R Single Decker Bus,Chassis No.7503A, GG 4001,Glasgow,7-1931,Baillie Brothers,No.33,Yoker,Glasgow.One of a batch of five,33-37.J.F.G.1SS#

2.
Guy Arab MkIV/Northern Counties M.E. L27/28R Double Decker Bus,Chassis No.FD72375,Body No.4884, GCS 213,Ayr,12-1954,Western,No.GY1128,Scottish Motor Traction,Kilmarnock. J.F.G.1SS#

Guy Arab MkIV,Northern Counties M.E. L27,28R Double Decker Bus,Chassis No.FD72375,Body No.4884, GCS 213,Ayr,12-1954,Western,No.GY1128,Scottish Motor Traction,Kilmarnock. J.F.G.1SS#

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

J.F.G.,Wednesday,9th January,2019. Page 22,post 16,Leyland HRV photograph.

3.
Leyland Retriever WLW3,1946-1954 Leyland-Cabbed,Workshop-Recovery - Bodied,Recovery Crane-Equipped,6x4 Heavy Recovery Vehicle-HRV-Breakdown Lorry-Wrecker-Tow Truck,Isles.Stanningley,Leeds.Ex-WW2 military vehicle.J.F.G..1SS# After de-mob this Leyland was modified and converted in to a heavy recovery vehicle,a 1946-1954 -style Beaver-Hippo-Octopus Cab was fitted and this HRV was probably re-engined with
a (Leyland? ) diesel-oil engine.

Leyland Retriever WLW3,1946-1954 Leyland-Cabbed,Workshop-Recovery - Bodied,Recovery Crane-Equipped,6x4 Heavy Recovery Vehicle-HRV-Breakdown Lorry-Wrecker-Tow Truck,Isles.Stanningley,Leeds.Ex-WW2 military vehicle.J.F.G..1SS#

.......And this how the above Leyland looked in its original military form when in service with the British War Department-War Office-Army in
World War Two :-

4.
Leyland Retriever - WLW, WLW1, 1C, 2A, 3, 3A, 4, 4A, 4B variants,Covered Fixedside-Bodied,Overhead Gantry Crane-Equipped,3-Ton,6x4,Breakdown Gantry Lorry,WW2 British military vehicle.ArmyVehicles.DK.1#

Leyland Retriever - WLW, WLW1, 1C, 2A, 3, 3A, 4, 4A, 4B variants,Covered Fixedside-Bodied,Overhead Gantry Crane-Equipped,3-Ton,6x4,Breakdown Gantry Lorry,WW2 British military vehicle.ArmyVehicles.DK.1#

.Leyland Retriever - WLW, WLW1, 1C, 2A, 3, 3A, 4, 4A, 4B variants,Covered Fixedside-Bodied,Overhead Gantry Crane-Equipped,3-Ton,6x4,Breakdown Gantry Lorry,WW2 British military vehicle.ArmyVehicles.DK.1#.jpg (110.13 KiB) Viewed 1784 times

This is a typical example,as there were many different body types and applications.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dean B,Wednesday,9th January,2019. Page 22,post 18,From the Leyland Journal,December 1965.


Leyland Tiger PS1 buses transport guests to the opening of the new Hydro-Electric 400-Mega-Watt Electricity Generator Station at Cruachan Dam,Scotland,which was opened by Her Majesty The Queen on Saturday,15th October,1965.

These Leyland Tiger PS1 buses,operated by W.Alexander & Sons Midland Ltd,had long service lives starting in the late 1940s-early 1950s and ending in the late 1960s - and in some cases possibly in to the early 1970s! - at least one other Alexander division did operate some of its Leyland Tiger PS1's in to the early 1970s.


These Alexander Midland Leyland Tiger PS1's started their lives as front-line Bluebird luxury motorcoaches,in Bluebird blue,with black and white relief,livery.They were eventually relegated in to service bus roles.
The Leyland Tiger PS1 in the photograph below,QV,is preserved as a motorcoach and almost certainly transported some of the guests to the opening of the Hydro-Electric Power Station at Cruachan Dam :-


5.
Leyland Tiger PS1 Halfcab Full Canopy/Alexander C35F Motorcoach,Chassis No.483094,Body No.3703, CMS 200,Stirling,6-1949,Alexander Midland,No.PA181.Preserved.Picssr.1#

Leyland Tiger PS1,Halfcab Full Canopy,Alexander C35F Motorcoach,Chassis No.483094,Body No.3703, CMS 200,Stirling,6-1949,Alexander Midland,No.PA181.Preserved.Picssr.1#

______________________________________________________________________________________________

OilTreader,Saturday,19th January,2019. Page 23,post 9,Scania K,Albion,etc.

6.
Scania K124EB6/Irizar PB C42FT,6x2-Trailing Axle,SD Motorcoach,Chassis No.YS2K6X20001851583,Body No.102557, SA06 ASH,4-2006,G.Ashton,St Helens.DaveCollier-OilTreader.1#

Scania K124EB6,Irizar PB C42FT,6x2-Trailing Axle,SD Motorcoach,Chassis No.YS2K6X20001851583.Body No.102557, SA06 ASH,4-2006,G.Ashton,St Helens.DaveCollier-OilTreader.1#

7.
Albion Victor PH115/1953 Reading FB32F SD Bus,Chassis No.25026I,Body No.2908,built 4-1939,653,Guernsey,now DFP 496.Originally Heaver B29F,Watson,St.Martin,Guernsey.Alan.Farrow-Flickr-Picssr.1# Now preserved by Bowring,Lydney.

Albion Victor PH115,1953 Reading FB32F SD Bus,Chassis No.25026I,Body No.2908,built 4-1939,653,Guernsey,now DFP 496.Originally Heaver B29F,Watson,St.Martin.Alan.Farrow-Flickr-Picssr.1#

8.
Leyland Leopard PSU4E/4R/1987 Plaxton Paramount 3200 C45F Motorcoach,Chassis No.7701549,Body No.8710LLP2C01R, WUG 127S,ex-CSU 937,1978. 8-1977.New to Wallace Arnold.OilTreader.1#
One of four such motorcoaches operated by Wallace Arnold Devon,they were originally Duple C45F-bodied and were used for touring in areas
which have narrow roads,lanes,bridges,etc.

Leyland Leopard PSU4E,4R,1987 Plaxton Paramount 3200 C45F Motorcoach,Chassis No.7701549,Body No.8710LLP2C01R, WUG 127S,ex-CSU 937,1978. 8-1977.New to Wallace Arnold.OilTreader.1#

9.
Dennis 30 CWT/Short B19R SD Bus,Chassis No.51600, UF 1517,Brighton,6-1927,Southdown,No.517.Amberley Museum.Flickriver.1#

Dennis 30 CWT,Short B19R SD Bus,Chassis No.51600, UF 1517,Brighton,6-1927,Southdown,No.517.Amberley Museum.Flickriver.1#

.Dennis 30 CWT,Short B19R SD Bus,Chassis No.51600, UF 1517,Brighton,6-1927,Southdown,No.517.Amberley Museum.Flickriver.1#.jpg (168.02 KiB) Viewed 1784 times

10.
Tilling-Stevens Express B10A2/Short B31R Single Decker Bus,Chassis No.6909, UF 6805,Brighton,10-1930,Southdown,No.1205.Southdown Omnibus Trust.FlickrHiveMind.1#

Tilling-Stevens Express B10A2,Short B31R Single Decker Bus,Chassis No.6909, UF 6805,Brighton,10-1930,Southdown,No.1205.Southdown Omnibus Trust.FlickrHiveMind.1#

VALKYRIE

[Leyland600]

Hi Tyneside, I remember Hunter Bros from Tantobie on summer Sundays they used to bring coach loads of working mens club outings etc as did lots of other Co Durham operators over here to Cumbria on excursions to Keswick. I lived near the junction of the Wigton to Penrith road B5305 where it crossed the main A 595, just past the junction was a small lay by with an RAC call box but usually occupied by a bus or coach on a comfort stop but at the same time refilling bladders with bottles of beer being handed out through the centre rear emergency door. All the crates of course were stacked up against the door VOSA would have a fit today if they came across such a scene. There were some rare vehicles used Northern in particularly used to turn up with those old Guy Arab service buses with 5 LW Gardners similar to the one shown above producing a tedious run from the North East.
Happy carefree days and no tachographs Cheers, Leyland 600

[Ray Smyth]

Southport Corporation Leyland PD2 "Half Cab" converted to "One Man Operation"
The sign attached to the radiator grill says "Please Pay Driver".
Click on picture for full image.

[Ray Smyth]

Liverpool Corporation Crossley bus with Crossley bodywork
on "Limited Stop" route 500 to Speke, seen in Lime Street in
the centre of Liverpool. There were about 50 Crossleys in the
fleet, dating from 1949/1950. From memory, most of them
were based at Garston Depot. Ray Smyth.

[Leyland600]

Hi Ray, I can never understand why the Ribble PD3/4s 1500s & 1700s were never tried as OMO buses at least there was plenty room over the bonnet to issue fares not as cramped as a half cab. They were a lot more reliable than the early Atlanteans.
Cheers Leyland 600

[240 Gardner]

I drove this Leyland Leopard many times during my 2 years with Ribble from early 1968.
ECK 900E, fleet number 900 was a fine machine to drive.
Ray Smyth.

Not nearly so smart in the beastly NBC livery:

Untitled by Chris Roberts, on Flickr

[Derf]

Here's my current steed (rumour has it she has a new livery coming...)

[Ray Smyth]

I drove this Leyland Leopard many times during my 2 years with Ribble from early 1968.
ECK 900E, fleet number 900 was a fine machine to drive.
Ray Smyth.

Not nearly so smart in the beastly NBC livery:

Untitled by Chris Roberts, on Flickr

Hi Chris, Thank you for posting this picture of Ribble 900. I agree with your remarks regarding the NBC livery.
The location looks very much like Lytham Road in Blackpool. Early in 1970 I left Ribble and joined Robert Baillie
Transport of Portsmouth, based at their Wigan depot, from which time I rarely remember seeing either of Ribble
Wigan based 899 or 900. Other than a couple of weeks in the Summer, we didn't do any Coach work, and these 2
machines were used on Stage Carriage work as "One Man Buses". I assume that they were transferred to Blackpool
or one of the Liverpool depots. Another of my favourite machines was 1760, Leyland PD3. Ribble at Frenchwood
always referred to a bus or coach as a "Machine". Kind Regards, Ray

[Ray Smyth]

Hi Ray, I can never understand why the Ribble PD3/4s 1500s & 1700s were never tried as OMO buses at least there was plenty room over the bonnet to issue fares not as cramped as a half cab. They were a lot more reliable than the early Atlanteans.
Cheers Leyland 600

Gerald...Yes, the 1500s & 1700s PD3 Leylands would have been more suitable for "One Man Operation", and also
the Albion Lowlanders, 5 of which were based at Wigan during my time at Ribble. The drivers of the Half Cab
buses on OMO must have gone home after each shift with a "Cricked Neck", after all, the passengers he was taking
fares from, and issuing tickets to were not on his left, but stood behind him. Perhaps the drivers seat had some
means to swivel to the left, so that he could see what he was doing. Kind Regards, Ray.

[Froggy55]

Found this morning on a French Forum. The one on the right is obviously Perkins-powered, but surely some of you will say more about these two Tappins coaches.

[windrush]

Tappins coaches.jpg

Found this morning on a French Forum. The one on the right is obviously Perkins-powered, but surely some of you will say more about these two Tappins coaches.

Remember them well from my Reading days, a distinctive orange and black livery and Didcot (which back then was still in Berkshire!) based. I believe they are still in business, somebody will know?

Pete.

[oiltreader]

Tappins established early 1900s moved to Didcot 1930s still going today. part of Heyfordian, the livery I remember was orange and black.
Oily

[Ray Smyth]

Tappins coaches.jpg

Found this morning on a French Forum. The one on the right is obviously Perkins-powered, but surely some of you will say more about these two Tappins coaches.

Bonjour Froggy, The coach on the left could be an Albion, judging by the Saltire badge
on the radiator grille. Probably a Perkins P6 in the coach on the right. I don't know much
about Tappins, but they both have Berkshire County Council Reg. Numbers...RX, which
became Reading in the 1974 re-organisation. Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.

[Leyland600]

Hello Froggy, The coach on the left GRX 932 is an Albion Victor FT37 model built about 1952-3 with Plaxton bodywork with a full width partition behind the drivers seat. I travelled in an identical Plaxton bodied AEC Regal Mk III from Cumbria to Devon and back on a school geography trip circa 1955-6 and was fortunate enough to ride on the passenger seat in the cab most of the time. The coach belonged to Kirkpatricks Coaches of Brigham near Cockermouth. Photo attached disembarking the Torpoint ferry, Note the baulks of timber under the back wheel to avoid the tail end of the coach grounding on the ferry ramp. Ferry lifts were away in the future back then.
The Bedford JRX 129 with Duple 36 seat body dates from May 1954.
Cheers Leyand 600

[Froggy55]

Thanks to the four of you for the informations. A pity we have no coulour pictures of their orange & black livery.

[Ray Smyth]

Another one of several unpainted Liverpool Corporation buses, a Leyland PD2, seen here in
Water Street, between The Royal Liver Building on the left, and The Cunard Building on the right.

[Ray Smyth]

This is the same Leyland PD2 as seen above. It is also at the Pier Head, Liverpool.

[oiltreader]

Thornycroft.
Oily

[240 Gardner]

Thornycroft.
Oily

I recall meeting Simon Longden in the 1990s, when I was looking after Bowker's Thornycroft, and I remember him telling me about his little bus.

I'd thought it had previously been restored as a lorry but, looking at this link, perhaps I was wrong: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-int ... cMu-RWaha7

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Leyland PD2 Fleet No. 1397 in Carlisle.
Claire Pendrous picture.

[Ray Smyth]

Hope Street, Wigan, early 1970s, Leyland Leopard 206 is passing the Ribble Office
on its way to Lower Adlington, 206 was based at Wigan Depot. It has just had a
repaint into NBC "Poppy Red", whilst the Leyland PD3, fleet No.1547 on route 320
to Liverpool is still in Ribble deep red. 1547 was based at Liverpool Depot.

The building above the rear of 206 shows a sign..."WHELANS". David Whelan was
a local man who was a professional footballer with Blackburn Rovers, this was one
of several shops that he owned. He later owned JJB sports shops which numbered
up to nearly 300 stores throughout the UK and in Europe. He was, until recently,
the owner of Wigan Athletic F.C.

Ray Smyth.

[cav551]

Valkyrie's picture of an Army Leyland Retreiver in the first picture has reminded me of passages in John Dutton's 'The Forgotten Punch in the Army's Fist'. This recalls the amazement of the US troops in Korea when they encountered some of the vehicles REME still had in use. The Scammell Pioneer created amusement but the second hazy picture shows the Divisional Commonwealth Telecommunications Workshop Mobile Inspection Team's Z Wagon.

...." built onto a Dennis chassis, which carried a brass label engraved 'renovated in 1927', [it] dated from the pre-windscreen era, probably of WW1 vintage, with a top speed of of 15mph via two gearboxes. At that speed in a normal European climate, windscreens were not necessary, but here they most definitelt were! On one occasion as an American convoy passed them on the road, the whole lot ground to a halt, open mouthed, as the Yanks took in the vehicle's unique features."

[Carl Williams]

In 1929 Eddie Howe started his OK bus service from Bishop Auckland via Spennymoor. An hourly service but because it was the year of the Great Exhibition in Newcastle he soon found he couldn't cope with the amount of passengers. So he approached Emmersons of Bishop Auckland and they ran the service between them. Emmersons went on to name their business as OK Motor Services Ltd, and soon greatly exceeded Howe in size.
One week Howe would run one bus (Which usually needed a second for duplicate) and Emmersons ran two and next week Howe ran two with two required for duplicates.
Howe's garage was in Marmaduke Street Spennymoor just up from ours and in fact my Grandfather who had established our haulage business in 1919 taught Eddie Howe to drive. Howe ran orriginally RIOs & then went onto AECs which he ran exclusively until as he was approaching retirement he bought three Bedfords.
He always ran 6 busses. 2 service busses, 2 semi-coaches & 2 Coaches.
When in the late 60s Eddie decided to retire he sold the business onto OK.
Here is a selection of his busses.

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Albion Lowlander fleet No. 1855, about to depart from Victoria Square, St Helens,
on the 45 minute journey to Wigan. It appears that 1855 has just returned from Frenchwood,
Preston, having been repainted, and received the new type of fleetname in lower case letters.

[240 Gardner]

Hope Street, Wigan, early 1970s, Leyland Leopard 206 is passing the Ribble Office
on its way to Lower Adlington, 206 was based at Wigan Depot. It has just had a
repaint into NBC "Poppy Red", whilst the Leyland PD3, fleet No.1547 on route 320
to Liverpool is still in Ribble deep red. 1547 was based at Liverpool Depot.

Ray Smyth.

Ribble Leopard 206 by Mike Rhodes, on Flickr

[240 Gardner]

Ribble Albion Lowlander fleet No. 1855, about to depart from Victoria Square, St Helens,
on the 45 minute journey to Wigan. It appears that 1855 has just returned from Frenchwood,
Preston, having been repainted, and received the new type of fleetname in lower case letters.

Before....

UCK855 by 21c101, on Flickr

& after

https://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@ ... mrM-PQFZEV

[Ray Smyth]

Ribble Leyland PD2 Fleet No. 1461 leaving Victoria Square in St Helens for
the 45 minute journey to Wigan. The number blinds are in need of some
attention. The bus should be showing 352 on the number blinds.