Buses, coaches, & lorries

Hi Larry, a very nostalgic early 1950s photo of Hexham main street taken from just beyond the old bus station. The United bus heading for Allendale looks like a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Tiger PS1 a United model unique to Hexham and Carlisle and possibly Gallowgate depots generally run on the 34 Carlisle Newcastle route plus the 36 express over the Military road. The Bedford utility turning out of the bus station I cannot identify however there are numerous possibilities of operator on Hexham country services, that looks like a Dennis tanker at the garage. The roof in front of the garage sign was a large toy and bike shop on the corner of the bus station. I bought a sit on toy mini digger there around 1977 for our small son after seeing an identical one when delivering to a farm one day up above Acomb and their son was having a great time shoveling up rolled oats on their barn floor. Also visible are the underground toilets where the four women are walking.
The site of the new bus station can be seen in the far distance where cars are parked.
Here are some old and new images of the area.
Cheers, Leyland 600.

IMG_8064 copy.jpg

Hexham old bus station..JPG

66  United Hexham Duplicate eb.jpg

Gerald, Your picture of ex Ribble 377, ERN 700, outshines the drab image that I posted earlier.
The 2 shades of green on the bus go rather well. I have attached a picture of Albion 1857, about
to set off to Penrith, I may have posted this picture before now, but I cant remember. Were there
Albions based at Carlisle and Penrith, or just at one or the other depots ?. Of the original 16 Albions
from 1964 and 1965, and when I was with Ribble from early 1968 for 2 years, 5 of them were based
at Wigan depot. During the 1970s many more Albions became Wigan based, including 1968, the
Albion Lowlander demonstrator, seen here at Skipton in its early days with Ribble. Cheers, Ray.

Ribble 1968 in Skipton.jpg

Ribble 1857.jpg

Ray Smyth:
Gerald, Your picture of ex Ribble 377, ERN 700, outshines the drab image that I posted earlier.
The 2 shades of green on the bus go rather well …………………

.

Photograph of Ribble 377 taken today:


377 is now owned by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust and is currently undergoing a full restoration.
Prior to it going to the Leonard Cheshire Home, it was converted in the Ribble workshops to carry several wheelchairs
in the rear part of the saloon. The front part contained bus seats for non-wheelchair users. Wheelchair access was by
a Wheelchair lift fitted into the rear bay of the bus.

Leyland600:
Hi Larry, a very nostalgic early 1950s photo of Hexham main street taken from just beyond the old bus station. The United bus heading for Allendale looks like a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Tiger PS1 a United model unique to Hexham and Carlisle and possibly Gallowgate depots generally run on the 34 Carlisle Newcastle route plus the 36 express over the Military road. The Bedford utility turning out of the bus station I cannot identify however there are numerous possibilities of operator on Hexham country services, that looks like a Dennis tanker at the garage. The roof in front of the garage sign was a large toy and bike shop on the corner of the bus station. I bought a sit on toy mini digger there around 1977 for our small son after seeing an identical one when delivering to a farm one day up above Acomb and their son was having a great time shoveling up rolled oats on their barn floor. Also visible are the underground toilets where the four women are walking.
The site of the new bus station can be seen in the far distance where cars are parked.
Here are some old and new images of the area.
Cheers, Leyland 600.

Hi Leyland 600. Did you ever call into the old cattle mart behind the County Hotel ? Tyneside

Tyneside, No I was never in there but my mate a livestock haulier from near me went there now and again. The site or part of it is now Marks & Spencers store.
Cheers, Leyland 600

Church Street in the centre of Liverpool in the 1950s. This location had a Police Officer on pedestrian crossing
duty every day from Monday to Saturday at all times that the shops were open. The Liverpool Corporation AEC
bus on the right is on route 10 to Prescot. The area is now free from traffic. NMP.

cattle wagon man:

Ray Smyth:
Ribble fleet number 570, a Leyland Leopard, and a Western Scottish Bristol RE at Lowther Street
bus station in Carlisle in the 1970s. NMP.
Ray Smyth

Hi Leyland 600 ,
If my memory serves me right , is that Ribble Leopard bus one longer ones that had the front 4 seats removed to bring it down from a 53 seater
to a 44 or 45 seater for the purpose of not needing a Conductor.Conductress ? I travelled on some of those Leopards between Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale in the late 1960`s .

Cheers , cattle wagon man .

That’s absolutely right - some of the 36’ Leopards were reduced to 45 seats, with large luggage pens on each side at the front of the saloon, due to a union agreement about one-man-operation. This would be around 1970-ish. This was most inconvenient when an 11 year old boy, on the way home from school, wanted to sit at the front and watch the driver! :laughing: They were later reverted to 53 seat

Even better, route 2 from Blackburn to Preston, deposited me at the end of Edward Street, Walton-le-Dale, where I could walk straight into the offices of Atkinson Vehicles at 4.55 pm to get a lift home with the old chap :slight_smile:

240 Gardner:
That’s absolutely right - some of the 36’ Leopards were reduced to 45 seats, with large luggage pens on each side at the front of the saloon, due to a union agreement about one-man-operation. This would be around 1970-ish. This was most inconvenient when an 11 year old boy, on the way home from school, wanted to sit at the front and watch the driver! :laughing: They were later reverted to 53 seat

Close scrutiny of one of Ray’s photos shows the absence of the front two rows of seats:

anorak.gif

240 Gardner:

240 Gardner:
That’s absolutely right - some of the 36’ Leopards were reduced to 45 seats, with large luggage pens on each side at the front of the saloon, due to a union agreement about one-man-operation. This would be around 1970-ish. This was most inconvenient when an 11 year old boy, on the way home from school, wanted to sit at the front and watch the driver! :laughing: They were later reverted to 53 seat

Close scrutiny of one of Ray’s photos shows the absence of the front two rows of seats:

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Yes Chris, These 36ft Leopards with 45 seats were very useful when it was " Wakes Weeks ", at which
time many Wigan people went to Blackpool for their " Wigan Holidays ". It was usual to load about 40
passengers, and their luggage was put in the steel frame area over the front wheels, and some cases
were loaded on and in front of the 4 front seats. Cheers, Ray.

Ray, There were two Lowlanders based at Penrith depot 1856 & 1857. I never thought they were as good looking as a 1500 Burlingham bodied PD3/4.
Cheers, Leyland 600.

Ribble fleet number 932, a Leyland Leopard DP Coach parked in the Ribble depot at Wigan, mid 1970s.
The vehicle appears to have been on local route 333 to Wrightington Hospital via Dangerous Corner.
The destination indicator is showing “Blank”, because 932 would have been at the time fitted with
a coach destination blind, bearing the names of Scarborough, Cheltenham, Torquay, and many other
far flung places. NMP.

This is the Wigan depot of Ribble on the A49 after it was rebuilt around 1970.
The building is now occupied by National Tyre Services, mainly for cars & vans. NMP.

Wigan Corporation fleet number 152 in Lord Street, Liverpool on route 320 from Wigan, Hope Street.
This Leyland Atlantean has bodywork by Northern Counties, Enfield Street, Wigan. NMP.

Wigan Corporation Leyland PD2 in the Platt Bridge area of Wigan, returning to
the town centre on route 320 from Liverpool. Bodywork by Massey Bros. NMP

These with permission from and thanks to Andrew Breedon.
Oily

Bielefeld Bridge Rochdale.
Oily

Bus Bielefeld_Bridge,_Rochdale,_Lancashire_Dr Neil Clifton cc by sa 2.0 -geograph.org.uk-_466486DrNC .jpg

A Leyland Atlantean, new to Wigan Corporation, and now part of Greater Manchester Transport
passing along Lime Street in Liverpool on route 320. The orange and white colour scheme was
never popular with most people in Wigan, they preferred the original Corporation colours of
Carmine Red and white, known locally as "Cherry & White. NMP.

Wigan Atlantean 320 Lime Street.jpg

The red car in the foreground must be a Renault 16. My Dad’ had two, when we were in London; a '69 and a '72 model. Fine, reliable and comfortable cars!

Froggy55:
The red car in the foreground must be a Renault 16. My Dad’ had two, when we were in London; a '69 and a '72 model. Fine, reliable and comfortable cars!

Spacious, comfortable and the first proper hatchback.
Oily

Wigan Corporation fleet number 20, DJP 468E, a Leyland Panther Cub, seen here at Melverley Street depot
on delivery from bodybuilders Massey Bros at Enfield Street, Pemberton, just 2 miles away.
The chap sat behind the wheel is Inspector Tom Taylor, who was the PSV driving instructor.
The date is July 1967, and one month later, fleet number 22 arrived, its reg number was EEK 1F,
it was the time when the change of “Year Letter” moved from January 1st to August 1st.
I believe that number 20, above, went to Malta after service at Wigan, and I have heard that
it is now back in the UK and being restored.
Picture is by local photographer, Frank Orrell.

Ray Smyth.