For those interested in old buses (and coaches)

[Joseph_Pestell]

From an idea floated in the "for those interested in old cars" thread.

 

It seems that there are plenty of us on RMWeb who are interested in old buses (even if we were not bus spotters as such). Quite a few of us, such as Coachmann, even had a career in buses. Several own or have owned vintage buses. Others have an interest in buses, even if only to make sure that we have the right model crossing the bridge on our layout.

 

For myself, I have always been much more a trains and trams man. But for many years, I was a member of the Norbury & South London Transport Club where there was a strong bus following and I used to regularly go to see the May Brighton run and other local rallies such as Cobham Museum Open Day. In my childhood, I explored much of London and surrounding areas on Red and Green Rover tickets. So I still have great affection for some of the rarer LT vehicles of the 60s and 70s: FRM 1, RFs, RLHs,.....

Edited May 15, 2017 by Joseph_Pestell

[Judge Dread]

I'll start the ball rolling with a view of WAT 652 , on the left, which I had a part share in the 70's.  Alongside is VRH 644 which is still owned by the East Yorkshire Motor Services company. As can be seen they both have a shaped roof which allowed them to pass through the Beverley Bar, 652 being the last example so built. That bus is now owned by a gentleman in Halifax.  They are both A.E.C. Regent Mk 5's but with different body manufacturers. 652 by Charles Roe and 644 by Willowbrook. The young lady alongside "Sputnic" is my eldest daughter Heidi who was born in 1968 and has always requested that no-one should work out her age.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Judge Dread

[Enterprisingwestern]

In a similar style to JD, a bus I once had an interest in, at it's birthplace.

 

 

From the days when Doncaster had proper buses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike.

[Judge Dread]

Official picture of Sputnik in 1957 outside Charles Roe's and back again in 1984 when the factory changed  hands.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Judge Dread

[Joseph_Pestell]

Nice pictures from Doncaster. Do they still have that awful bus station? I remember pulling in there in 1980 on the overnight coach from Scotland.

[eastglosmog]

A couple of pictures of a Bedford OB/Duple of 1949 taken at Gloucestershire Steam fair in 2015.

[leopardml2341]

A chance for me to give this pic another outing:

 

 

Restored single handedly by yours truly (2001-2005).

Edited May 12, 2017 by leopardml2341

[leopardml2341]

In a similar style to JD, a bus I once had an interest in, at it's birthplace.

 

1-img200.jpg

 

From the days when Doncaster had proper buses.

 

7-img188.jpg

 

6-img189.jpg

 

5-img190.jpg

 

4-img191.jpg

 

3-img194.jpg

 

2-img195.jpg

 

9-img204.jpg

 

8-img205.jpg

 

Mike.

Mike,

 

Don't know if you knew already, but Doncaster pics 1-3 and possibly 5 are buses which carried refurbished trolleybus bodies. The thicker front upper deck first pillar betrays this.

 

Rgds

[Co-tr-Paul]

Great thread idea, about time !! 15 years Bristol based with many stories.... .

One question, how old is old ??

[37114]

Great idea, I always had a soft spot for the much maligned Daimler DMS.

[leopardml2341]

Great thread idea, about time !! 15 years Bristol based with many stories.... .

One question, how old is old ??

I wondered that when I posted my pic above, but as it's nearly as old as me, I thought it's old enough Edited May 12, 2017 by leopardml2341

[laurenceb]

As step entrance buses can no longer be used in ordinary service how about say about 20 years?

[RANGERS]

As step entrance buses can no longer be used in ordinary service how about say about 20 years?

Purely a personal view but I'd suggest it has to be at least 30 years myself. The early low floors (Dart SLF, Solo etc) are now approaching 20 and step entrance though they were, I still can't regard even a 30 year old Dennis Dart as "old".

[laurenceb]

On her last day in service

[leopardml2341]

On her last day in service

FRA_0545 a.jpg

Today?

[laurenceb]

31/12/2016. The last day of step entrance buses in normal service

[Dave47549]

.

Edited October 4, 2021 by Dave47549
Removed pointless guff

[phil_sutters]

Buses on display at Brighton & Hove Buses 75th birthday celebration. I know that a coach has crept in but look what it is named.

Edited May 12, 2017 by phil_sutters

[laurenceb]

Not normally a fan of green buses but Southdown were something special.

[HitchinLoco]

Few of my collection over the years.

[Co-tr-Paul]

Can't we have coaches too... ?

[HitchinLoco]

Few Coaches for you, hope of interest,

 

G W.

[Gwiwer]

As one who has had an interest in buses for nigh on 60 years and for some of those years drove them for a living this topic is most welcome. I regret now not using (relatively costly) film to record such beasts as they seemed too everyday and mundane. They, like all machines, have finite lives and pass into history.

 

My specific interests are with the fleets of Southdown, Provincial (Gosport & Fareham), Western National, London Country and London Transport.

 

Among some classic, lesser-known and downright odd vehicles it has been my pleasure to encounter, ride and in some cases drive have been:-

1. Southdown's Queen Mary PD3 fleet of which every batch differed in some respects to the others including some PD3/5 semi-automatic models and oddities 257 (nicknamed The Boiler because its experimental heater usually boiled over) and 315 (likewise but bodied in the final panoramic style and most unusuall for Southdown it had a non-matching registration GUF250D when a 315 mark would be expected).

2. Western National's diminutive Bristol SUS type, very few of which were built, which was the largest we could get into Mousehole until replaced by the LHS.

3. Provincial's enduring "make do and mend" policy which saw older chassis bought cheaply and rebodied (often by Reading's and often to unique and full-fronted designs) for further service. The same innovative approach saw some vehicles fitted with Deutz air-cooled engines, one with a Ruston unit and a mobile shop rebuilt as a single-deck bus! Oh what I would give to go back to the line-up of deep green deckers at the old drive-through Gosport Ferry bus station.

4. The green RT and RCL types run by London Transport country area / LCBS. The RT was such a design classic but green ones were less common of course. The RCL was perhaps the ultimate development of the rear-entrance Routemaster; intended for Green Line service they lasted only a couple of years there before economies saw them cascaded to bus use. Most ended up on the 370, 405 and 414 of which the latter was usually the start and finish of my 1970s Green or Golden Rover jaunts. They had replaced RTs on the route which was forgiven because they were supremely comfortable. And with a huge engine designed for sustained higher speeds they moved.

 

I doubt I'll ever wax lyrical about Wright StreetLites in years to come. Current buses just don't have the same attraction.

[kevblokey]

A couple of pictures of a Bedford OB/Duple of 1949 taken at Gloucestershire Steam fair in 2015.Bedford OB Duple 1949 2.JPGBedford OB Duple 1949 1.JPG

Not just any old bus either, ex Metropolitan Police (Non PSV)

[HitchinLoco]

As one who has had an interest in buses for nigh on 60 years and for some of those years drove them for a living this topic is most welcome. I regret now not using (relatively costly) film to record such beasts as they seemed too everyday and mundane. They, like all machines, have finite lives and pass into history.

 

My specific interests are with the fleets of Southdown, Provincial (Gosport & Fareham), Western National, London Country and London Transport.

 

Among some classic, lesser-known and downright odd vehicles it has been my pleasure to encounter, ride and in some cases drive have been:-

1. Southdown's Queen Mary PD3 fleet of which every batch differed in some respects to the others including some PD3/5 semi-automatic models and oddities 257 (nicknamed The Boiler because its experimental heater usually boiled over) and 315 (likewise but bodied in the final panoramic style and most unusuall for Southdown it had a non-matching registration GUF250D when a 315 mark would be expected).

2. Western National's diminutive Bristol SUS type, very few of which were built, which was the largest we could get into Mousehole until replaced by the LHS.

3. Provincial's enduring "make do and mend" policy which saw older chassis bought cheaply and rebodied (often by Reading's and often to unique and full-fronted designs) for further service. The same innovative approach saw some vehicles fitted with Deutz air-cooled engines, one with a Ruston unit and a mobile shop rebuilt as a single-deck bus! Oh what I would give to go back to the line-up of deep green deckers at the old drive-through Gosport Ferry bus station.

4. The green RT and RCL types run by London Transport country area / LCBS. The RT was such a design classic but green ones were less common of course. The RCL was perhaps the ultimate development of the rear-entrance Routemaster; intended for Green Line service they lasted only a couple of years there before economies saw them cascaded to bus use. Most ended up on the 370, 405 and 414 of which the latter was usually the start and finish of my 1970s Green or Golden Rover jaunts. They had replaced RTs on the route which was forgiven because they were supremely comfortable. And with a huge engine designed for sustained higher speeds they moved.

 

I doubt I'll ever wax lyrical about Wright StreetLites in years to come. Current buses just don't have the same attraction.

https://johngodwin.smugmug.com     Have you seen this site, sure you will have many memories brought back if not.  Gordon W.