This small Industrial estate in Enfield Street, Pemberton, Wigan now occupies approx 6 companies.
For many years it was the site of bus bodybuilder Massey Bros. About 1968, Northern Counties moved
on to the site, and remained there until about 2002.
Ray Smyth.
This Van Hool coach of Tyrers of Chorley, Lancashire was seen yesterday, Sunday 28.03.2020
parked in Hallgate, close to Wigan town centre. The young lady coach driver was waiting to
go to Wigan North Western Railway Station to collect passengers who were on a Northbound
London Euston to Glasgow Central train, and take them to Preston, because of trackwork on
the West Coast main line near Leyland.
Ray Smyth.
A Volvo coach with bodywork by Jonckheere of Travellers Choice, Carnforth, Lancashire.
I had a chat at Social Distance with the driver, and he told me that on a Monday morning,
he leaves Carnforth and goes to Bolton where he picks up schoolchildren and takes them
to a school in Wigan, then mid afternoon he picks up the schoolchildren and takes them
home to Bolton. Once empty, he parks the coach in the transport yard of James Booth, a
Bolton based tipper company, and then goes to a hotel for the night. He repeats this on
each school day and finally gets back to Carnforth on Friday evening. To me, it is a strange
job, considering there are decent coach companys both here in Wigan and also in Bolton.
Perhaps it is cheaper to pay for overnight stays in a hotel, instead of the cost of the 45 miles
each way from Carnforth to Bolton and Wigan, and the driving hours pay each day to and fro.
Ray Smyth.
11 October 1986
Severn Valley Railway
Kiddermister
Worcs
Eng;
Preserved Birmingham City Transport
JOJ 245 Fleet No 2245
1950 Leyland PS 2 Tiger
Leyland 600 eng
Metro- Weymann 34 seat single deck,
we had a fleet of these at Selly Oak Depot, mainly for use on the 27 Rte
A low bridge at Cadburys Factory in Bournville precluded the use of double decks.
They where lively motors, most where converted for one man ops ,
a not entirely satisfactory conversion. which meant the driver having to swivel to his left to take fares and issue
tickets,.
A Mercedes-Benz coach, BV69 LPL of Lakeside Coaches Ltd from Ellesmere in Shropshire.
It is seen here at Hallgate in Wigan town centre on Rail Replacement Service, waiting to
proceed to Wigan North Western Station to collect southbound passengers. Once loaded,
the coach would drop passengers at Warrington and Crewe, and do it all again Northbound.
Cheers, Ray.
cav551:
There doesnât seem to be much video of vehicles through the windows posted so, since there has been some comment on another thread, here is one of a Bristol KS5G from the front n/s seat. There is regretably some distraction from passengers talking however a good apprecitation can be had of driving a fully loaded underpowered vehicle with sliding mesh 1st and 2nd gears along a challenging route. The driver has got â â â â â â changes off to a T. Volume required.
I thought he did quite well there Cav , considering he probably drives it occasionally rather than every day only Reg Varney would have been better 
coomsey:
NMP off FB
0
Coomsey, What a great looking AEC Routemaster. Is it real ?, Is it a trick picture ? 
Cheers, Ray.
Nice picture and cleverly done because the view through bay four windows looks at first galnce as if it doesnât duplicate, but it would require a new rear subframe and if the rearmost axle is to be driven, then either reverting to underslung worm drive axles or a special for the second axle. The RM diff banjo is vaguely similar to the Bedford KMâs and the axle passes through the sidemembers creating an area subject to cracking. Even a trailing axle design will still create a challenge to accommodate the rear suspension unless the whole area is redesigned. Visually, altering the rear platform bulkhead positioning has caused a problem for the photoshopper as has the upper deck rearmost stanchion and n/s rear dome. I guess the red rectangles seen on the upper deck windows have something to do with scaling.
Ray Smyth:
coomsey:
NMP off FB
0Coomsey, What a great looking AEC Routemaster. Is it real ?, Is it a trick picture ?
Bit of photo shopping I reckon Ray but looks good all the same. Cheers Coomsey
11 October 1986
Severn Valley Railway
Kidderminster
Worcs
Eng.
Birmingham City Transport
JOJ 289 (2289)
Crossley built 1950
Crossley diesel engine.
54 seat double deck.
Round about 1955/6, i had the dubious honour, whilst larking about on the bus home, of breaking the front upper
near âside window with my elbow, of sister vehicle JOJ 482, (1482)âŚ
âThe following morning, along with the other miscreant, i was hauled up onto the stage in assembly and labelled
â as a vandal and accused of bringing the good name of Harborne Hill Sec Mod into disreputeâŚ
It cost us 14 shillings each, of which i had to find the odd 4 shillings out of my paper round earnings.
The City of Birmingham either forgot, or overlooked the incident as, in 1957 they employed me as a youthful
mechanic. A job i stayed with for 12 years.
I always felt somewhat aggrieved for being labelled as a vandal by the Headmistress though, after all, it had been a
accident and not a deliberate act. .and just to add insult to injury, a prefect gave me a rollicking for not looking
sorrowful enough whilst on the stage. Happy days,? yeah.!
Donât normally post here but well pleased with Cornish Pirates new bus
From Truronian Coches FB page Truronian Coaches
A lovely video on Aldenham Bus Overhaul Works (1960s):
youtube.com/watch?v=9XWTdys3TEA
Every detail about the 4-yearly overhaul of RT London buses
Froggy55:
A lovely video on Aldenham Bus Overhaul Works (1960s):
youtube.com/watch?v=9XWTdys3TEAEvery detail about the 4-yearly overhaul of RT London buses
Really interesting film Froggy, I had no idea about this but such a shame to see yet another excellent establishment gone along with all the skills learned over many years.
Kempston:
Froggy55:
A lovely video on Aldenham Bus Overhaul Works (1960s):
youtube.com/watch?v=9XWTdys3TEAEvery detail about the 4-yearly overhaul of RT London buses
Really interesting film Froggy, I had no idea about this but such a shame to see yet another excellent establishment gone along with all the skills learned over many years.
I totally agree, but maybe Maggie was for something in its closure?
coomsey:
Ray Smyth:
coomsey:
NMP off FB
0Coomsey, What a great looking AEC Routemaster. Is it real ?, Is it a trick picture ?
Bit of photo shopping I reckon Ray but looks good all the same. Cheers Coomsey
Hereâs one that genuinely was chopped about, in order to create an even longer version in the 1990s:
Bridge this gap by Woodâs Library, on Flickr
A bus of two halves by Woodâs Library, on Flickr
The accompanying text reads:
26 February 1994.
Just after RMA 29 had been split to insert the middle from RM 675, to create RME 1, at Melbury, Shaftesbury.
Back together again:
(1901) Together again by Woodâs Library, on Flickr
9 September 1995.
Progress on the lengthening of ex-BEA RMA29, with the vehicle now re-attached to its new length as RME1, and the Ailsa staircase now fitted in the new bay.
All done in the open in Dorset, a far cry from Aldenham Works!
Hereâs the finished article, actually running in service:
(2011-g-1) Poole parking by Woodâs Library, on Flickr
SHAFTESBURY KGJ603D BOURNEMOUTH 060511 by David Beardmore, on Flickr
KGJ603D RME1 (RMA29) âJoyâ - Red Bus Days of Keighley by MTBP (Chris Nelson) - York Bus Photos, on Flickr
What did that extend it to - 36â long?
ERF-NGC-European:
What did that extend it to - 36â long?
I donât actually know - it was a standard RM bay inserted, but I donât know how long they are. The âhalfâ bay in the RMLs was 2â6", so maybe itâs 5â extra - only a guess, though. However the vehicle in its original form was only 27â6", so perhaps itâs somewhere around 32â6"
