For those interested in old buses (and coaches)

[jonny777]

3 hours ago, great central said:

 

Does this mean that someone has been telling me porkies and I'm only 48 years old??

 

Typo.

 

Apologies. 

[Mike_Walker]

Not all the vehicles listed there are High Wycombe based!  The recorder obviously also visited Uxbridge to see the trolleybuses which were certainly never seen anywhere near High Wycombe!

 

RT4195 is followed by ST 441 which I suggest means it was observed route 441 (Staines to HW) operated by Staines (ST) - HE had no involvement in that route.

 

GS50 is noted as MA meaning it was allocated to Amersham which did have GSs at that time although the didn't visit High Wycombe.

 

Likewise RF582 is notated WR (Windsor) and probably seen at Uxbridge.  RF622 is notated HE 363 which suggests it was High Wycombe allocated and on route 363 out to Penn.  I must admit I wasn't aware that HE had an allocation of RF buses that early.  I thought it was just RF coaches until much later.  One of HE's RF buses, RF673, is preserved by local enthusiast Peter Cartwright along with RML2440.

 

HE's allocation was consistently RT and RF only through the 1950's and early sixties.  It only changed with the arrival of GS28 for the new 442 route and the RMLs in 1965.  Green Line 711 was operated jointly with Reigate and as a result it was occasionally used for testing new vehicles which included the three trial single decks (AEC Monocoach, Bristol LS5G and Leyland Tiger Cub) and RMC4 - or CRL4 as it was originally known.

 

The "Firm Next Door" was much more exotic despite operating what, on paper, should have been an equally standardised fleet!

[Ian Smeeton]

Had a day out a week or two ago to visit one of the RBR Volunteers and play with his O gauge trainset.

 

After a couple of hours, he suggested getting his Bus out for a play!!!!

 

 

This Beastie!

 

 

A Dennis Lancet of 1932

 

 

 

 See Next Post

Edited August 29, 2021 by Ian Smeeton
Sp

[Mike_Walker]

Nice!  A 1932 Dennis Lancet with Short body new to Smith of Westoning.

[Ian Smeeton]

Young Thomas, one of our fairly recent volunteers has started coming into his own, having just passed  his 16th Birthday.

 

He had NEVER been on a bus before, which I find hard to believe, but there you are.

 

 

It put a small smile on his face, as after being a passenger for ten minutes round the paddock, he was put in the driving seat!

 

 

We all had a go. Slightly confusing as the pedals are laid out CAB rather than CBA, and steering was very much by the book, as there was insufficient clearance between the steering wheel and the  windscreen to let your knuckles pass through 12 o'clock.

 

It had been used as living accommodation  from 1946 - 1974 when our volunteer friend bought it as a wedding present for his wife. He is still having to make it up to her after 47 years!!!

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by Ian Smeeton
Sp

[jonny777]

1 hour ago, Mike_Walker said:

Not all the vehicles listed there are High Wycombe based!  The recorder obviously also visited Uxbridge to see the trolleybuses which were certainly never seen anywhere near High Wycombe!

 

RT4195 is followed by ST 441 which I suggest means it was observed route 441 (Staines to HW) operated by Staines (ST) - HE had no involvement in that route.

 

GS50 is noted as MA meaning it was allocated to Amersham which did have GSs at that time although the didn't visit High Wycombe.

 

Likewise RF582 is notated WR (Windsor) and probably seen at Uxbridge.  RF622 is notated HE 363 which suggests it was High Wycombe allocated and on route 363 out to Penn.  I must admit I wasn't aware that HE had an allocation of RF buses that early.  I thought it was just RF coaches until much later.  One of HE's RF buses, RF673, is preserved by local enthusiast Peter Cartwright along with RML2440.

 

HE's allocation was consistently RT and RF only through the 1950's and early sixties.  It only changed with the arrival of GS28 for the new 442 route and the RMLs in 1965.  Green Line 711 was operated jointly with Reigate and as a result it was occasionally used for testing new vehicles which included the three trial single decks (AEC Monocoach, Bristol LS5G and Leyland Tiger Cub) and RMC4 - or CRL4 as it was originally known.

 

The "Firm Next Door" was much more exotic despite operating what, on paper, should have been an equally standardised fleet!

 

 

More fool me for actually bothering to share notes of which I have no knowledge. 

 

I will not be making this mistake again. 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, jonny777 said:

 

 

More fool me for actually bothering to share notes of which I have no knowledge. 

 

I will not be making this mistake again. 

 

 

Just post a picture of the notes as you did with the above and Mike or someone else will be able to explain.

[40F]

On 28/08/2021 at 22:59, Mike_Walker said:

You wouldn't have seen a GS at High Wycombe until the mid sixties when GS28 was allocated for the then new route 442 serving the Hicks Farm estate.  And what's   a BS or HE?  HE was the garage code.

 

 

If you look closely it is not BS64 but GS64 compare the writing to the entry for GS50

Edited August 30, 2021 by 40F

[5 C]

Extinction Rebellion have been up to their tricks in London over the last couple of days including using a bus to block London Bridge:

 

In doing so they've added another chapter to this AEC Reliance's already colourful history

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

Makes you wonder if the owner was aware of the intention of the hirer.   Hiring by a single individual would be hard to link with what would have been a well-planned act but with steps taken to prevent prior knowledge of the intent.  Seaford & District's heritage fleet remains with its private owner following sale of the operational part of the business to The Big Lemon in Brighton.  

[Johann Marsbar]

This turned up in Ipswich yesterday.....

 

Photo courtesy of Owen Philips

 

Formerly based at Amberley museum this T-S Petrol Electric was recently purchased at an Auction and it is intended to use the complete running chassis in conjunction with an original lower saloon body that we have, to recreate an Eastern Counties Road Car Tilling Stevens open-top double decker of the 1920's.

The existing beginnings of the charabanc body that it has will be disposed of, just in case anyone is looking for one.....

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Vintage EN Leyland open topper.

 

[Johann Marsbar]

Former Ipswich Corporation Transport Garrett trolleybus No.26, with Strachan & Brown bodywork, which ran in the Town from 1926 to 1945.  After use as a summerhouse at Pin Mill until the mid 1980's it is now under restoration in the Long Shop Museum in Leiston (part of the former Garretts works).....

 

 

It's only recently returned there having been stored in Ipswich for about 26 years and work is currently under way to establish the integrity of the wooden bodyframe and to remove the metal body panels.

[Johann Marsbar]

A few from this weekends trolleybus event at the East Anglia Transport Museum...

 

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

What is the spacing on the wires? In the US, the spacing was/is 24 inches. One notable exception was Cincinnati, their spacing was 18 inches. That was because the rail trolleys were two-wire overhead spaced at 18 inches, Conversion was real easy and no expense for new overhead; drop the trolleycar poles and put up the trackless trolley's poles. Off you go!

 

A Baltimore Pullman-Standard that is now preserved at the Baltimore Streetcar Mausoleum Museum. I took this shot when it was being towed from a used car lot (being used as a storage facility):

Arriving at the Mass Transit Administration facility for short-term storage:

 

Baltimore lost its trackless in 1959, 2078 (along with 2076) were at this used car lot until around 1976 or so when the BSM acquired one of the trolleys; 2078 was chosen as it was in somewhat better body shape than 2076. A few years earlier, I had gotten the front rollsign out of 2076 and we put it in 2078 for the move; as far as I know it is still there as I never made any attempt to retrieve it. As an aside, for a number of reasons I do not believe that 2078 will ever move under its own power again.

 

My favorite shot of the move:

A little right-side cropping and add some trolley wire!

[PhilJ W]

Originally the early trolleybus systems wires were 18 inch apart but later 24 inches was adopted. Some systems retained 18 inch spacing to the end.

[Johann Marsbar]

15 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

What is the spacing on the wires? In the US, the spacing was/is 24 inches. One notable exception was Cincinnati, their spacing was 18 inches. That was because the rail trolleys were two-wire overhead spaced at 18 inches, Conversion was real easy and no expense for new overhead; drop the trolleycar poles and put up the trackless trolley's poles. Off you go!

 

 

24" was the standard here, though I believe 18" was used on some of the earlier established operations.  Ipswich Corporation was certainly the "narrower gauge" when the network was established in the 1920's. Certainly the BICC overhead equipment parts catalogue that I have states 24", though another from Alfred Wiesmann & Co doesn't for their products. 

Have got a hardback Ohio Brass catalogue from the 1950's as well in the collection....

[J. S. Bach]

4 minutes ago, Johann Marsbar said:

 ...snip... Have got a hardback Ohio Brass catalogue from the 1950's as well in the collection....

I have this one copyrighted 1948:

 

 

And a sample of the line hardware:

[PhilJ W]

4 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I have this one copyrighted 1948:

 

 

And a sample of the line hardware:

I wish there was a 'green with envy' button.

[J. S. Bach]

Ebay my friend, ebay! That is where that one surfaced, so I fished it out of the 'bay. I recall that I was the only bidder.

[Johann Marsbar]

14 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I have this one copyrighted 1948:

 

 

 

 

Thats the one that I've got.  It has Reading Corporation Transport date stamps from 1961 in it, so someone ovbiously gave it to my Father at some stage as he didn't get it when he worked at ICT.  These are the other two catalogues I have....

 

 

 

Interestingly, the photo on the front cover of the BICC one is taken at Sidegate Lane turning circle on the Ipswich system - the route being extended before any houses were constructed near that area.  The concrete roadway of the turning circle still exists to this day, but hasn't been used by buses since the late 1950's.

[J. S. Bach]

About that "green with envy" button! Seriously, those two are nice ones. I especially like the cover photo on the BICC catalog.

 

After quick look at the trackless on the cover, it looks like the pole bases may be set at 18 inches and the wire at 24 inches.

[Johann Marsbar]

9 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

About that "green with envy" button! Seriously, those two are nice ones. I especially like the cover photo on the BICC catalog.

 

After quick look at the trackless on the cover, it looks like the pole bases may be set at 18 inches and the wire at 24 inches.

 

Yes, that's a pre-war Ransomes built double decker with Massey bodywork, delivered when the wires had 18" spacing.  The overhead was completely rebuilt in Ipswich during WW2 (1942/43) as they had experienced considerable problems due to sparking as buses traversed any pointwork/crossovers which was somewhat a problem in the blackout, so by the time the Sidegate Lane route shown on the photo opened in 1947 that would be to the standard 24" spacing. I believe a stretch along Burrell Road retained the 18" spacing right to the end, as it wasn't used on a regular basis and was actually electrically isolated from the rest of the system.

[Gwiwer]

So having waited two years for bus events to resume and now having paid in advance for the Chesham Running Day this coming Sunday I am now anxiously awaiting news as to whether there is enough diesel available for this event to go ahead.  

 

If it's not one darned thing it's another   

[Johann Marsbar]

Quorn Bus Event yesterday....