cav551:
Mrs Karen Snooty and her opinion of the Scania Metropolitan:youtube.com/watch?v=1pNHPzvJy6I&t=98s
The main issue with the Metropolitan was severe corrosion. There were also gearbox issues . The London examples also suffered from LT’s obsession with ‘improving’ the basic product and tinkering with the automatic gearbox’s change points which resulted in repeated up down up down up changes at critical roadspeeds.
I love the comments on that video!
cav551:
Mrs Karen Snooty and her opinion of the Scania Metropolitan:youtube.com/watch?v=1pNHPzvJy6I&t=98s
The main issue with the Metropolitan was severe corrosion. There were also gearbox issues . The London examples also suffered from LT’s obsession with ‘improving’ the basic product and tinkering with the automatic gearbox’s change points which resulted in repeated up down up down up changes at critical roadspeeds.
Ive just googled it and you are quite right CAV the main reason they didn’t last long was the corrosion but i’m sure they had big transmission problems too. At the time the Regent mkv’s Atlanteans Daimlers and Bristols were the main stay of the fleet. I think they had just changed from Bradford Council to the PTE and that bloody awful green and cream
ramone:
Would this be yours Mr Webb ?
No,mine was PCL 553R fleet 238.That photo was taken at our Barking depot,I’ve tried to find out who original owner was with that Aberdeen reg.to no avail.There was a meat haulier from Aberdeen,whose name escapes me,that ran Marathons but I think they were all sleepers.
Chris Webb:
ramone:
Would this be yours Mr Webb ?No,mine was PCL 553R fleet 238.That photo was taken at our Barking depot,I’ve tried to find out who original owner was with that Aberdeen reg.to no avail.There was a meat haulier from Aberdeen,whose name escapes me,that ran Marathons but I think they were all sleepers.
TM Catto ?
Suedehead:
Chris Webb:
ramone:
Would this be yours Mr Webb ?No,mine was PCL 553R fleet 238.That photo was taken at our Barking depot,I’ve tried to find out who original owner was with that Aberdeen reg.to no avail.There was a meat haulier from Aberdeen,whose name escapes me,that ran Marathons but I think they were all sleepers.
TM Catto ?
James McIntosh Wholesale Butchers Aberdeen , if you google the registration the photo of it comes up for sale
Trucks galore is the website Chris
ramone:
Trucks galore is the website Chris
Thanks Ramone for the info,it was Catto I was thinking of.
Les Sylphides:
0
Nice picture with plenty of detail to comment upon apart from where is it and what year? Is the Austin a Devon, Somerset, Hereford or what? What are the other cars? What cabs are on the BRS lorries? Is the boxvan a Parcels lorry?
The London Tranport RF is on a Green Line route because the destination blind is a light colour. Green Line blinds were Yellow and I think I can just make out that the bus has roof level route boards each side. It also looks about to overtake the convoy (20 mph?) which means that as a limited stop service there are no bus stops for it ahead.
The three lane concrete road surface would hint that this is a major trunk road.
cav551:
Les Sylphides:
0Nice picture with plenty of detail to comment upon apart from where is it and what year? Is the Austin a Devon, Somerset, Hereford or what? What are the other cars? What cabs are on the BRS lorries? Is the boxvan a Parcels lorry?
The London Tranport RF is on a Green Line route because the destination blind is a light colour. Green Line blinds were Yellow and I think I can just make out that the bus has roof level route boards each side. It also looks about to overtake the convoy (20 mph?) which means that as a limited stop service there are no bus stops for it ahead.
The three lane concrete road surface would hint that this is a major trunk road.
I would think early to mid- '50s and a London suburb. The AEC Mammoth Majors appear to have the same cabs, probably Park Royal. I think that’s an Austin Devon, followed by a Wolsely and a Hilman; and what could be a Morris Eight light commercial. As you say, Greenline RF bringing up the rear. Someone will add or correct…
cav551:
Les Sylphides:
0Nice picture with plenty of detail to comment upon apart from where is it and what year? Is the Austin a Devon, Somerset, Hereford or what? What are the other cars? What cabs are on the BRS lorries? Is the boxvan a Parcels lorry?
The London Tranport RF is on a Green Line route because the destination blind is a light colour. Green Line blinds were Yellow and I think I can just make out that the bus has roof level route boards each side. It also looks about to overtake the convoy (20 mph?) which means that as a limited stop service there are no bus stops for it ahead.
The three lane concrete road surface would hint that this is a major trunk road.
Crikey! Could it be something like the North Circular? Reckon the Austin is an A40 Devon?
essexpete:
cav551:
Les Sylphides:
0Nice picture with plenty of detail to comment upon apart from where is it and what year? Is the Austin a Devon, Somerset, Hereford or what? What are the other cars? What cabs are on the BRS lorries? Is the boxvan a Parcels lorry?
The London Tranport RF is on a Green Line route because the destination blind is a light colour. Green Line blinds were Yellow and I think I can just make out that the bus has roof level route boards each side. It also looks about to overtake the convoy (20 mph?) which means that as a limited stop service there are no bus stops for it ahead.
The three lane concrete road surface would hint that this is a major trunk road.
Crikey! Could it be something like the North Circular? Reckon the Austin is an A40 Devon?
My instant thoughts were the north circular Pete, the only seed of doubt I have is the houses are semis whereas from memory most of them are terraced.■■
Kempston:
[My instant thoughts were the north circular Pete, the only seed of doubt I have is the houses are semis whereas from memory most of them are terraced.■■
Having had a look at a 1952 bus map I’m not seeing any Green Line Routes along the North Circular either. Looking at Street View there are similar Semis along Western Avenue, but not identical - these houses are quite distinctive with their tile hung bay windows. I’ve got the Austin.
My first thought was north circ,but also looks a bit like the A1 coming down to Apex corner to me-was it three lanes back then?
I have tried looking for the section of road without success. There have been huge changes over the decades with large numbers of houses being demolished to make way for road alterations…
I am no nearer with the AEC cabs though since I can’t find the copy of Classic & Vintage Commerciasl which had an article about AEC cabs.
I have worked out the Austin though. It is not an A40 Devon which has the headlights directly above the sidelights and further outboard . Its grille splits in half with the upper half lifting with the bonnet. That means it is not the two door Dorset either. The Somerset has the sidelights on top of the wings and inboard headlights. It also has a vertically bowed grille which doesn’t partially lift with the much smaller bonnet, it has louvres across the front beside the grille . The larger A70 Hereford is similar to the Somerset, both of which had a different shaped rear end to the Devon & Hampshire. The car is an A70 Hampshire.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … _front.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … n_Park.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … d_1954.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … 952_01.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … t_(1947-49_(30363407003).jpg
cav551:
I have tried looking for the section of road without success. There have been huge changes over the decades with large numbers of houses being demolished to make way for road alterations…I am no nearer with the AEC cabs though since I can’t find the copy of Classic & Vintage Commerciasl which had an article about AEC cabs.
I have worked out the Austin though. It is not an A40 Devon which has the headlights directly above the sidelights and further outboard . Its grille splits in half with the upper half lifting with the bonnet. That means it is not the two door Dorset either. The Somerset has the sidelights on top of the wings and inboard headlights. It also has a vertically bowed grille which doesn’t partially lift with the much smaller bonnet, it has louvres across the front beside the grille . The larger A70 Hereford is similar to the Somerset, both of which had a different shaped rear end to the Devon & Hampshire. The car is an A70 Hampshire.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … _front.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … n_Park.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … d_1954.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … 952_01.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … t_(1947-49_(30363407003).jpg
Well identified! 
cav551:
I have tried looking for the section of road without success. There have been huge changes over the decades with large numbers of houses being demolished to make way for road alterations…I am no nearer with the AEC cabs though since I can’t find the copy of Classic & Vintage Commerciasl which had an article about AEC cabs.
I have worked out the Austin though. It is not an A40 Devon which has the headlights directly above the sidelights and further outboard . Its grille splits in half with the upper half lifting with the bonnet. That means it is not the two door Dorset either. The Somerset has the sidelights on top of the wings and inboard headlights. It also has a vertically bowed grille which doesn’t partially lift with the much smaller bonnet, it has louvres across the front beside the grille . The larger A70 Hereford is similar to the Somerset, both of which had a different shaped rear end to the Devon & Hampshire. The car is an A70 Hampshire.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … _front.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A7 … n_Park.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … d_1954.JPG
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … 952_01.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A4 … t_(1947-49_(30363407003).jpg
