Category: Photos

Priory Coaches – Bedford OB – ?? – 47

Bedford OBs

Priory Coaches of North Shields
194?
Bedford OB
Duple C27F

My thanks to the management of Priory Coaches North Shields, for allowing me to use this photo.
An impressive line up of Duple bodied Bedford OB’s from the late 40’s (exact year unknown) In the background is Tynemouth Castle, which overlooks the mouth of the river Tyne. To the extreme left, the white building at the top of the cliffs is the Coast Guard Station.

Bedford OBs cu

Above the roof line of the buildings you can see the medieval monument of Tynemouth Priory, which the company is named after, at one time a gold image of the Priory was displayed on the rear of their vehicles. The livery was two shades of green and cream, with gold leaf lettering and logo, the seats were upholstered in a dark rich red moquette material. Around 1953, the layout was altered and cream became the predominant colour. On the OB’s, the bulk of the body became cream, the roof, front and rear wings, lower skirt, radiator and bonnet tops were dark green, the wheels and the side flash below the window line was the lighter green. The present day fleet is mainly Volvo, and the livery is white with two shades of blue. The Priory logo is still used, but is no longer displayed on their vehicles, the lettering is now blue, but same shaded style font is still used.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Ronnie Hoye

12/05/14 – 08:42

Only a small number of Bedford OB coaches were produced late 1945 after the war with production increasing in 1946 a Bedford PSV circle listing would give you exact year. This listing provides date to 1st owner. Which may help you to date photograph. Sorry I do not have access to listing.

Alan Coulson

12/05/14 – 14:03

T. G. Chapman (Priory Coaches) of South Shields had the following OB/Vistas:
FT 5666: 04/46
FT 5679: 06/46
FT 5680: 06/46
FT 5884: 10/46
FT 5885: 02/47
FT 5892: 10/46
FT 5893: 01/47
FT 5894: 10/46
FT 5895: 11/47
FT 5896: 10/46
FT 6102: 11/47 (SMT body)
FT 6281: 01/48
FT 6358: 06/48
FT 6642: 05/49
FT 6795: ?
FT 6905: 1950
FT 7009: 1951
There were also 12 OB’s (6 Duple, 6 Plaxton FC30F) with FT registrations delivered between 7/46 and 12/48 to Taylor Bros. of North Shields. Some of the registration numbers of Taylor’s vehicles were in the same batches as the Priory (Chapman) ones, so I assume there was a connection between the two. This is according to the PSV Circle book on the OB.

John Stringer

13/05/14 – 06:37

John, I’m not aware of any connection between Taylor Brothers of North Shields and Priory Coaches, but that’s not to say there wasn’t one. Around 1960 ‘ish’ Taylor Bros became a subsidiary of Hall Brothers of South Shields, who subsequently became part of the Barton Group

Ronnie Hoye

13/05/14 – 13:08

Sorry Ronnie, an unfortunate typo crept into my comment above, the listed OB’s being those of G. Chapman (Priory Coaches), not Taylor Bros.

John Stringer

13/05/14 – 17:20

John, I note that one of the numbers listed is for the OB’s is FT 6905, as I said, I am not aware of any connection between Taylor Bros and Priory Coaches, however, Taylor Bros had a Daimler CVD6SD with C33F Burlingham body, registration FT 6909, only four away. The vehicle is pictured elsewhere on this site, and was last heard of tucked away in a corner of Wright Brothers depot in Nenthead, and awaiting restoration. The two depots were very close to each other, Priory was in Queen Street, and I think Taylor’s were literally just round the corner in Hudson Street. Another thing that I had quite forgotten, I don’t know when the business started, or if there was any connection between the two, but certainly from the end of the war until about the mid to late 60’s, the main Vauxhall / Bedford dealership in North Shields was also called Taylor Brothers, and they were on Tynemouth Road, which was only a stones throw from both the Priory and Taylor Bros depots. This is only speculation on my part, but the dealership changed hands at roughly the same time the coaches were taken over by Hall Brothers. death duties perhaps?

Ronnie Hoye

19/05/14 – 07:14

It was interesting to see the list of OB registrations from John Stringer, and they had me reaching for my Glass’s Index of registration numbers.
FT was the mark of the ‘County Borough Council of Tynemouth’, and was the mark allocated to it, when it became a County Borough, and commenced issuing registrations as and from 1st October 1904.
FT ran from then until January 1957.
John shows TF 5666 being registered on April 1946, and must have been only the 2nd vehicle licensed that year, because the year started at FT 5665.
Similarly in 1948 the year started at 6276, with FT 6281 being only the 6th licensed. It can be seen therefore that it was a very slow moving mark.
So it took 53 years to issue 10,000 marks, (an average of less than 200 a year), it must have been an easy job working in the Motor Vehicle Taxation Office in Tynemouth

Stephen Howarth

19/05/14 – 15:35

The DVLA seem to have stumbled upon a nice little earner in unused Tynemouth FT registrations. The BBC George Gently series is set in the early 70’s, in a recent episode I noticed an Austin with a numbers first LFT registration. Tynemouth did get as far as three letters followed by the numbers, but never with the numbers first. Incidentally, the 1 numbers, AFT 1 – BFT 1 Etc, were all Tynemouth Police vehicles.

Ronnie Hoye

20/05/14 – 16:33

The county borough of Tynemouth got as far as the start of the KFT series before it changed to AFT —B! It must have been getting a little busier in Tynemouths motor taxation office…

Tom Carr

20/05/14 – 17:20

I think we may have our wires crossed here, Tom. The first three letter FT registrations delivered to Tynemouth and District were the 1957 Willowbrook bodied Leyland PD2/12’s, they were AFT 49/53, but AFT 1 was an Austin Westminster for Tynemouth Police, and the first of every issue up to KFT were also Police vehicles. The fist issue with a suffix was in 1965 ‘C’ but the letters reverted to AFT. Under the local boundary changes of 1974, FT became a Tyne and Wear registration.

Ronnie Hoye

21/05/14 – 08:08

It wouldn’t have required a great deal of intelligence for the local villains to spot the unmarked police cars, then, Ronnie.

Roger Cox

15/06/14 – 07:57

Tom is quite right – Tynemouth got as far as KFT 333 before starting the year suffixes with AFT 1B in August 1964.
And he’s not wrong to say that it must have been getting busier in Tynemouth’s motor taxation office – by October 1974, they had reached the VFT-N series whereas Gateshead, which had made it as far as SCN 56 before adopting the year suffixes in July 1964, had only reached the RCN-N series…

Des Elmes

18/03/15 – 07:05

AFT 1 was also on a Humber Super Snipe which came chauffeur driven when I was a lad to pick Chief Constable J. J. Scott up who lived diagonally opposite my grandmothers.

Eddie Hill

Mid-Wales Motorways – Bedford OB – BEP 882

Mid-Wales Motorways - Bedford OB - BEP 882

Mid-Wales Motorways
1951
Bedford OB
Duple B29F

BEP 882 is a Bedford OB from the Mid-Wales Motorways fleet. She is seen at Dunsfold, on one of the occasions the “Wisley” rally wasn’t held at Wisley, on 10 April, 2011. She has a Duple B29F body and dates from 1951.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

United Oxford Hospitals – Bedford OB – NWL 804


Copyright Unknown

United Oxford Hospitals
1948
Bedford OB
Mulliner B31F

Bedford OB NWL 804 chassis 91874, with Mulliner B31F body number T324 was new in November 1948 to United Oxford Hospitals and is thought to have been attached to Churchill Hospital at Headington. In this view, it appears to have bars at some windows in the same fashion as sometimes applied to similar buses for service with the police. Ironically, for a hospital bus, it is carrying a healthy load. Photo purchased five decades ago, copyright unknown.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

05/02/15 – 06:32

Les, are you sure the bars are not just the frames of two half-drop windows ?
A nice little bus though.

John Stringer

05/02/15 – 06:32

Are they bars, or just half-drop windows?

Stephen Ford

05/02/15 – 16:27

Yes I’m sure they’re half drop windows as the metal tops to the fixed lower panes can clearly be seen level with each other. Considering that Mulliner bodies were usually for unpretentious working vehicles they turned out some very pleasing designs indeed – the hordes of Military buses, all three services, were grand looking vehicles.

Chris Youhill

06/02/15 – 06:44

This particular design of bus body for the OB was designed by Duple, being a development of the OWB utility body, and known as the Mk.II. After building a few, Duple found their production lines overwhelmed with building Vista coaches, and so in 1947 sub-contracted a batch of Mk.II’s to Mulliner’s of Birmingham. Two bodies are known to have been sent to Mulliners to assist in producing jigs. Following the sub-contracted batch, further orders were passed by the Vauxhall dealers directly to Mulliner’s, who continued to supply the design until 1950, very many of which were exported – especially to oil companies in the Middle East or South America. Dealers are believed to have referred to the Mulliner-built bodies as Mk. III. In 1949 Duple came up with a new, more stylish bus body known as the Mk. IV, and recommenced production of bus bodies for OB’s, being produced simultaneously with the older style Mulliners.

John Stringer

Tanner’s Services – Bedford OB – HOT 339

Tanner’s Services - Bedford OB - HOT 339

Tanner’s Services (Banbury)
1950
Bedford OB
Duple C27F

Here is another example of the Bedford OB with Duple C27F bodywork. Seen here in the livery of Tanner’s Services of Banbury, she was new in 1950 to the fleet of Grace, Alresford – the town at the ‘country’ end of the Mid Hants line. She’s seen here in the St Catherine’s park and ride car park in Winchester for the King Alfred Running Day on 1 January 2009.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

14/04/17 – 07:46

HOT 339, was owned by a couple of old friends of mine in Sutton Surrey. We took seats out so when we went on holiday in it we could sleep on the floor! That was in late 60s/early 70s. Coach was in Brown Motor Services livery!

Alan

15/04/17 – 07:49

The Mid Hants line between Alton and Winchester was regrettably and foolishly closed by British Rail in 1972, by which time it was worked by the SR “Thumper” DEMUs. I travelled on it very many times. The Alton -Alresford section is now the preserved Watercress Line. This OB was new to Grace in 1950, but, in 1952, it was purchased by A. T. Brady of Forest Green, t/a Brown Motor Services. When Brady retired in October 1970, the entire Brown Motor Services fleet and route network passed to J. D. Wylde’s North Downs Rural Transport. I worked for this operator at weekends away from my LCBS desk, in the course of which I drove HOT 339 a number of times. North Downs collapsed in the Spring of 1972, the fleet, by then consisting mostly of Albion Nimbus and Bristol LS types, was dispersed far and wide.

Roger Cox

29/09/17 – 07:45

Just happened across this thread. Travelled home from school (Holmbury-Guildford) on HOT in 1966 when she substituted for the regular Brady/Brown Bedford VAS 3255 PJ. Glad she’s still going strong. Wonder if Brady’s Nimbus is still around?

Macintosh

30/09/17 – 05:25

To fill in some more history of HOT 339. On dispersal from J D Wylde it went to Odd of Cheam (believed to be Dennis Odd) c/72, an early bus preservationist/collector.
Then to Whitehead of Tooting (date & use unknown) & to Andy Stopford, Tunbridge Wells for a caravan circa 9/85.
It was acquired by current owners, Bill & Connie Barton of Banbury in -/01 who restored it back to a coach. The Tanners livery was a company who Connie drove an OB for in her earlier life.

John Wakefield

02/10/17 – 07:23

The original operator of this coach, D G Grace of Alresford, trading as Grace Line, took over the local bus services of Blue Bus Services (also of Alresford) between that town and Winchester in 1949. This service operated until 14th August 1953, when Grace Line ceased to trade. After that date, Aldershot & District assumed the monopoly of services between Alresford and Winchester.
HOT 339 had operated on the service between the two towns when it was brand new, so its appearance at the King Alfred running day in Winchester in 2009 represented a welcome return to the city for this much travelled coach.

petras409

09/11/17 – 07:06

Brady’s Albion Nimbus is still about. Owned by travellers I believe.

Trevor

01/01/19 – 08:41

Hot 339 was owned, in the 70’s, by Alan Whitehart, booking clerk at West Sutton railway station and was mostly parked outside the station, which has since been demolished. I used to go to various bus rallies on HOT 339 in her Browns Motor Services livery and Alan would even fire her up to do an all stations run to Wimbledon if a train was cancelled…proper old school railwayman!

Shane

Richards Bros – Bedford OB – MDE 666

MDE 666

Richards Bros (Moylgrove)
1950
Bedford OB
Duple C29F

Bedford OB chassis number 140900 was new to Richards Bros, Moylgrove, Cardiganin in August 1950 with Duple Vista body 49265. After being withdrawn from service it stood idle at  the old Moylgrove depot for several years but this wonderful rebuild was returned from Cobus to Richards in October 2015. Seen here on a debut appearance at Cardigan’s Barley Saturday event. Looks good – sounds wonderful!

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

09/05/16 – 05:30

‘Looks good, sounds wonderful’ – a fair variation of a brewery advert from around forty years ago, and I’m sure the sight and sound of the reality ‘does you good’ as the advert continued. Thanks for posting. I have some (bought) views of the operator, but they don’t include this one. The livery is unusual, and may or may not appeal to some of our readers, but to the customers? Well, it was distinctive – no chance of confusion with a neighbouring or rival operator!

Pete Davies

09/05/16 – 08:25

Thanks for your input to this (and other) postings on this site Pete. There are colour photos of a number of vehicles, including a Titan, in this livery in my book. They generally suggest that the red was a a tad more maroon than here and that the blue was a shade towards air-force blue. One of Tony Moyes’ photos of this very bus shows the shades that I remember seeing on my arrival in Cardigan however a Peter Yeomans’ shot of SB BDE 800C is much closer to the colours shown above. In general these colours were used from the very early days of Richards Bros but I suspect that maybe slight variations were tried over the years.

Les

09/05/16 – 16:54

MDE 666 has not stayed in the ownership of Richards since new to them. By 12/01 it had passed to Philip James of Blaenporth for preservation/restoration but after stripping the body down Mr James did no further work on it.
In 6/09 he sold it to Cobus, who in turn sold it back to Richards after restoration.

John Wakefield

Gem Luxury Coaches – Bedford OB – ETL 221

ETL 221

Gem Luxury Coaches
1950
Bedford OB
Plaxton C29F

A rare sight today is this Bedford OB. Rare because it carries a Plaxton body rather than than the ubiquitous Duple Vista which survives in greater numbers. Chassis number 134198, body number 579 was new to C W Blankley (Gem Luxury Coaches) Colsterworth in June 1950. It is now owned by Mr Ken Edwards of Llanon in Cardiganshire and who shows it with pride at many events near and far every year. This view sees it in August 2016 at an event organised in honour of the memory of Stan & Wyndham Rees, formerly of Midway Motors, Crymych. Appropriately this well-attended event was held in fields directly opposite Midway’s depot in Pembrokeshire.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

25/08/16 – 06:12

Now this is a real beauty and an interesting one because the door is positioned further forward than on the contemporary Duple Vista. Judging by the small window ahead of the door, it would appear that this coach didn’t have a front seat beside the driver. I may be in a minority but I’d say this Plaxton body beats the Duple version on looks and style but without that much coveted front seat, I’m afraid several points must be deducted!

Chris Barker

26/08/16 – 05:11

I’m sure someone will know the actual dimensions but when seen alongside the Duple version, Plaxton’s offering was noticeably taller than the other. My personal opinion of the design is that the ‘fin’ shaped moulding towards the front spoils what is otherwise a decent design.

Les Dickinson

26/08/16 – 05:13

Sorry, Chris B – rare as it is, I am glad the Duple version was the most common. Somehow the Plaxton version just seems wrong. The deep windscreens give it a goggle-eyed appearance and the heavy streamlining makes the rear end look to be sagging. No doubt to save money, Plaxton seemed to have used a full-front, forward-control body design and adapted it to a normal control chassis. Duple, on the other hand, designed the Vista from scratch, with all the right proportions. Mind you, if this turned up to offer me a ride, I’d jump on board!

Paul Haywood

26/08/16 – 14:15

I agree with Paul, the Plaxton design was not as attractive as the more popular Duple Vista, and did not have the front seat beside the driver. I am not sure how many Plaxton bonneted ones were built and they went over to the even more ugly full front version which retained the original radiator grille & headlamps, none of these according to my records have survived.

EAJ 679

Only one other bonneted one EAJ 679 preserved with Lockett of Henfield ironically in almost same colour scheme to ETL 221 above owned by Ken Edwards of Llanon

John Wakefield

27/08/16 – 05:35

Despite being a huge fan of older Duple body designs, including the Vista, I have to help balance this thread by saying that I think the Plaxton K3 body looked really well on the OB, even preferring it (only just) to the Vista – a bit less dumpy and with neater windows, though the Vista may have looked slightly better from the back (not appreciable on these photos). It’s of course all in the eye of the beholder, as they say.

John Stringer

27/08/16 – 15:31

A photo of the rear of EAJ679 can be found at this link: //tinyurl.com/zc5fcmn  
Although it could be argued that the Vista rear with twin windows and other aspects like fake bumper is a little more fussy, I prefer it to the Plaxton, which is rather bland, some might argue plain. However, liveries can make a real difference to a PSV’s looks, as we all know.

Chris Hebbron

27/08/16 – 15:32


Duple


Plaxton

Photos of Duple Vista & Plaxton rears for comparison

John Wakefield

28/08/16 – 06:21

Yes, the rear view has clinched it for me. Duple wins with the pleasing windows, the more attractive mouldings and the colour break at the waist level, rather than, awkwardly, reaching to the floor with the roof colour.

Petras409

28/08/16 – 06:22

MYB 33

Here’s another comparison for the discussion. MYB 33 and ETL 221 are seen – front ends only – at Weymouth on 1 July 1979.

Pete Davies

28/08/16 – 10:41

I have to agree on one major point with Petras409. While I am a great admirer of both the Duple and the Plaxton designs – and their quality construction – I’m the first to acknowledge that the strange “archway” effect at the rear of the Plaxton is very distinctly “prewar” – and the same applies even on the full size versions. A real case of “spoiling the ship for a ha’porth of tar.”

Chris Youhill

28/08/16 – 16:25

I see that most here prefer the Duple rather than the Plaxton design for the OBs illustrated. I do tend to agree, but I do wonder whether it is because the Duple was so widespread, whereas the Plaxton was less common? I wonder what we would be saying if the quantities produced were reversed, and we would measure everything else by the Plaxton design? Would we be saying the Duple was too fussy? Just food for thought. . .

Michael Hampton

28/08/16 – 16:26

The frontal design of the Duple blends the bodywork neatly into the taper of the bonnet in a way that gives the design a classic, unified appearance. On the Plaxton, the bulkhead behind the engine forms a flat projection beyond the bonnet sides in a manner adopted by some other coachbuilders on bonneted chassis, Strachans, for example. Those were the days when Duple bodies were in the forefront of styling and construction. From the later 1960s they were the amongst the ugliest things on the road.

Roger Cox

25/12/17 – 06:43

Very nice vehicle!
I am trying to find out a little more about C W Blankley and Gem Luxury Travel. Does anybody know anything about them?

Richard Oakley

26/12/17 – 12:04

This is from memory only, and should not be considxered “gospel”.
I believe that some, if not all, Gem operations were acquired by Fairtax of Melton Mowbray, run by John Penistone on behalf of Midland Fox, during the latter companies widespread expansion scheme immediately after privatization. I seem to remember some marketing-led “Gem-Fairtax” references, but as this was about the time of my departure from Midland Fox to pastures new at Shearings I cannot be certain.

Malcolm Hirst

26/12/17 – 12:11

Further to my previous comment I have just read on a local history page comments by Mrs. Blankley about the end of the company. She said that post-deregulation it was impossible to sell bus businesses as “anybody” could start up and she sold the coaches.
I surmise therefore that Fairtax acquired the goodwill attached to the name. I have no recollection of any vehicles being taken over by Fairtax , but they could have “after my time”. It would be interesting to know what happened to their contracts and private hire book.

Malcolm Hirst

27/12/17 – 06:47

One thing which was notable about Gem (Blankley) was in being the recipient of what was, numerically at least, the first AEC Reliance, chassis MU3RV001. Body was Roe C41C, and looks a bit angular, I think we can say that Roe did quickly improve the design. https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/

David Call

28/12/17 – 06:27

Further info on Gem-Fairtax.
In British Bus Days there was a low-cost unit based in London Country area called Gem-Fairtax Ltd,whose head office was 30 Millstone Lane,Leicester (the Midland Fox head office).
Coincidentally (?) there was an unconnected (?) Fairtax operation based at the former Blands of Stamford depot, which was run (coincidentally?) by one Brian Garrett, the former owner/manager of Wreake Valley Travel which was a Midland Fox subsidiary after an anti-competitive buy out in early deregulation times.
By the time of the new Fairtax operation the original (Midland Fox) Melton Mowbray Fairtax operation had been remerged into Midland Fox. The “new” Fairtax had a number of minibuses from similar sources to some of Fox’s second-hand purchases which may or may not have been ex Midland Fox.
It all seems somewhat incestuous, and bearing in mind British Bus ( or rather Drawlane it’s immediate predecessor) and it’s financial methods not at all strange.
All this information is available on various different web sites,and while the connections might be somewhat tenuous, it is not difficult to draw certain conclusions which may or may not be correct.
Bear in mind also that Steve Telling (of Tellings-Golden Miller) was involved with Midland Fox at this time, that could explain the Gem-Fairtax connection in Surrey. Tellings-Golden Miller were actually the purchaser of V&M Grendon/Hills of Stockingford and NWP Travel (Powner) of Hinckley which were lumped together in one operation and subsequently disappeared without trace although the Powner premises were used by Midland Fox’s Hinckley minibus unit.

Malcolm Hirst

29/12/17 – 07:38

Cecil William and John Clifford Blankley began trading as the Gem Bus Service in 1926 with market day services to local towns using a second hand Chevrolet. Later a daily Grantham to Melton Mowbray service was added.
Lincolnshire Road Car acquired the business with five vehicles on February 28th 1935 and the brothers then became drivers for LRCC at the newly opened outstation at Colsterworth.
During the war Cecil Blankley restarted as Gem Coaches with a second hand Commer. A quite significant fleet was built up with a fair number of coaches bought new.

Nigel Turner

29/12/17 – 11:38

A couple of other titbits.
Midland Fox bought Blands of Stamford the location of the “new” Fairtax. The Melton Mowbray operation traded as Melton Bus and Coach for a time. The “new” Fairtax morphed into ” Fen Travel” and competed strongly with Viscount. It’s opening fleet included 2 VRs, and 2 ex Barton Leopards – all from the Midland Fox fleet.
While beyond the scope of the interests of people reading this website, it is quite probable that the financial manoeuvring of this labyrinthine is possibly even more interesting than the vehicles operated!

Malcolm Hirst

Lincolnshire – Bedford OB – LTA 752 – 1004

LTA 752_01
LTA 752_02

Lincolnshire Road Car Company
1950
Bedford OB
Duple B27F

LTA 752 is a Bedford OB with Duple B27F body, new to Western National in 1950, but seen here in Lincolnshire colours as a ‘semi toastrack’ for seafront duties at Skegness. The first views shows it in winter guise, while the second view shows it in summer guise. The first view, taken on the 1st January 2009 shows it visiting the King Alfred running day in Winchester, while the second view shows it in the Alton rally on 18 July 2010. I understand that, by 2012, it was with that very well maintained historic fleet of Lodge, High Easter.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

03/11/16 – 06:24

Like many Sheffielders at the time, the Dickinson family had holidays in Skegness. Four of these OBs were employed on the Skeggie sea-front service. Two were open both sides, the other two were only open on the nearside. Numbered 2091/2/3/4, the one pictured was 2094 at the time and came to LRCC, along with 2091, from Western National. 2092/3 came from Eastern National. For this young enthusiast they had to be ridden on each holiday.

Les Dickinson

03/11/16 – 06:25

LTA 752 is indeed with Lodge, Coaches of High Easter. lots of pics of it on Flickr.
It now has an entrance door to comply with latest rules & regulations. (cant have passengers falling out can we) Its the only survivor from those OB’s modified (by Duple) as open siders for Lincs Road Car on Skegness sea front service

John Wakefield

03/11/16 – 08:21

Oooh! I’d have insisted going to Skeggie as a child rather than as an adult if I’d known these beauties were doing the seafront duties! And all for 2d each way!

Chris Hebbron

04/11/16 – 06:20

The other plates were as follows;- 2091 -HUO 692; 2092 – ONO 88; 2093 – ONO 89. The first from 1947, the other two 1950. All these three to LRCC in 1958 I believe.

Les Dickinson

05/11/16 – 06:25

Just think 110 miles South and 2d to go “All The Way” would have a quite different connotation.
I’ll keep the day job!

John Lomas

17/11/16 – 07:07

Was this the bus which appeared on Watchdog tonight-but blue: the seats are distinctive…

Joe

17/11/16 – 10:52

LTA 752_3
LTA 752_4

Here are a couple of shots of mine of LTA by now in the Lodge era, arriving in style at the LVVS Open Day event, March 2013. During the day, it was offloaded, and the window panels removed, revealing the full “toastrack effect”

Rob Hancock

Porters – Bedford OB – HOD 75

Porters - Bedford OB - HOD 75

Porters (Dummer)
1949
Bedford OB
Duple C29F

HOD 75 was new to Western National in 1949. It has a Duple C29F body on the Bedford OB chassis, and the first view shows it in the Southsea rally on 8 June 1980. In this view it is in the livery of Porters of Dummer, near Basingstoke.

Porters - Bedford OB - HOD 75

This second view, taken in The Broadway, Winchester, and shows it in the markings of Mervyn’s Coaches of Innersdown, also near Basingstoke. It is about to pass NXL 847,  AEC Regal from Eastern Belle. The date is 1st January 2009 and it’s another King Alfred running day.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

03/04/17 – 08:43

In case anyone is (a) not familiar with the area and (b) interested, Dummer is the home village of Sarah Ferguson, Price Andrew’s “ex”.

Pete Davies

04/04/17 – 07:05

Is this the same OB that turns up in all those wartime dramas pretending to be ten years older than it is?

Ronnie Hoye

04/04/17 – 08:45

Not ten years Ronnie. It was in Foyles War from 1941/42, and I think Miss Marple – So only seven years ish.

Pat Jennings

20/05/18 – 06:08

I’m pretty certain that was the exact same coach that used to take us to school there was two that took us and Porters rotated them sometimes we had the vintage one in the photo and other times we had their ultra modern brand new one.

Paul

14/11/20 – 08:01

It appears in “Woman in Black Angel of Death”, supposedly in 1941 – eight years before it was built!

Ed

16/11/20 – 06:09

Not as bad as the Routemaster that turned up in Foyles War.
For a moment I thought I was watching Dr Who, and the Tardis had changed its disguise.

Ronnie Hoye

17/11/20 – 06:20

I understand that the series of Foyle’s War was filmed in Dublin, and the Routemaster was all that was available there.

Peter Williamson

Royal Household – Bedford J2 – PYY 28D

Royal Household
1966
Bedford J2SZ2
Duple C10F

Here is a view of PYY 28D. She is a Bedford J2SZ2, built for use as a Staff Bus for the Royal Household. The bodywork is a Duple Midland C10F. She started life with registration KLP 1D with the Royal Household and is seen at the National Tramway Museum, Crich, on 30 August 2004. The livery appears to be black. but it is really an incredibly dark and highly-polished green.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

05/12/13 – 06:57

Incredible, Pete. I’d forgotten all about this beast – but cannot remember where I saw it last.

David Oldfield

05/12/13 – 08:41

A fine vehicle indeed, and one that I’ve never heard of before. Presumably the impeccable dark green livery means it was supplied by Harrods “by appointment to H. M. The Queen, suppliers of motor omnibuses” – sorry, just another of my infantile mischievous thoughts !!

Chris Youhill

05/12/13 – 08:58

Nice one Chris – but don’t mock. You never know.

David Oldfield

05/12/13 – 11:39

I believe that ‘purveyors’ is the word, rather than ‘suppliers’, Chris! Much more classy!
What is the current situation of the vehicle? Many ‘royal’ vehicles/trains/yachts have very cossetted and long lives – is this one of them?
It’s a very stylish vehicle which hasn’t really dated.

Chris Hebbron

05/12/13 – 11:40

This is a very nice looking coach – reminds me of the Maidstone & District Knightrider in it’s livery style (although the M&D one was really black, I think). But is it cheeky to ponder why the Royal Household chose a Bedford coach? Why not go to their supplier of limousines, Daimler? A few years earlier, and they could have had that rarity, a Daimler Freeline. But in 1966, I suppose they would have had a Roadliner supplied to them – perhaps they had already heard of it’s reputation!

Michael Hampton

05/12/13 – 11:43

There was also a Bedford VAS3 with a Willowbrook DP20F body new in 1972. This vehicle had an outward opening door. It was often seen at Aberdeen railway station taken staff and luggage to and from Balmoral. This vehicle is now preserved as RBY 764 K.

Stephen Bloomfield

05/12/13 – 15:06

…..but before…..
The Monarch’s current ride is a Bentley.
The prior ride was a Rolls Royce.
Before that, they used Daimler cars – but pre-war it was Crossley cars…..

David Oldfield

05/12/13 – 15:07

Chris H,
She appears in the PSVC listing for 2012. That’s where I obtained the detail of her previous registration. Has anyone heard any rumblings about when the next issue may be out?
Think yourselves lucky, folks, as you nearly got a jet fighter after I hit the wrong button. Peter spotted the mistake before I did!

Pete Davies

05/12/13 – 17:51

By chance, Chris Youhill is nearly right because the Queen does use Harrods for her transport requirements.
In this instance, it is D & H Harrod Coaches of Downham Market, Norfolk who are “By appointment to her Majesty the Queen, Suppliers of Coach Hire”

Nigel Turner

06/12/13 – 06:36

I’m sure this is the one that was at the Kirkby Stephen Easter rally this year. I’ve seen it a couple of times at recent rallies.
I believe it has recently been advertised for sale in Bus and Coach Preservation magazine.

Eric Bawden

06/12/13 – 08:22

D-H_Harrod_Creast

Very good, Nigel. For the benefit of those including me who have always thought it was HARROLD, here’s a view of the Warrant. It is indeed HARROD.

Pete Davies

17/12/13 – 06:48

I can’t let the comment about Maidstone & District’s Knightrider coach go uncorrected. It was indeed a dark refined colour, quite different from the fleet colours. Although it might look black in black & white photographs – and some colour renditions, too – it was in fact dark blue.

Petras409

17/12/13 – 14:26

Thank you Petras for your correction re the livery of M&D’s Knightrider coach. It makes the comparison with the Royal Household coach more pertinent, as both could appear black to a casual observer, but are actually very refined liveries in their respective colours.

Michael Hampton

17/12/13 – 15:07

Petras409 makes reference to the Maidstone and District Knightrider livery of dark blue. I have recently acquired a M&D cap badge which is dark blue and not the usual Green. I was informed that it was for staff working on the Knightrider, can anybody confirm this?
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all

Stephen Howarth

19/12/13 – 06:50

Coaches belonging to Charles Rickards of London (later Frames Rickards) carried the Royal Warrant for many years. I imagine that there will be other operators, in addition to Harrod’s, with a Royal Warrant. Downham Market seems nicely placed for Sandringham.

David Call

30/05/15 – 06:54

PYY 28D has now reverted to KLP 1D and was seen at The Llandudno Transport Festival in May with these plates, and a check on DVLA web site confirms this.

John Wakefield

31/05/15 – 06:43

It would seem that the Knightrider was named after M&D’s head office, based in Knightrider House, Knightrider Street.
Was this coach designed for special work or what?

Chris Hebbron

06/06/15 – 08:10

NKN 650

Yes the Knightrider coach was designated into a series of its own LC1 (Luxury Coach), but was never operated in public service. It was effectively a directors’ limousine, used for high profile visits to outposts of the Maidstone & District empire. Its 16 leather seats were sumptuously laid out in a version of the Harrington Wayfarer body, mounted on a petrol engined Commer Avenger chassis
It was kept in a state of permanent readiness at Sittingbourne depot, in fine fettle, but clocked up a very low mileage.
The picture from the web (Commons copyright free) shows its midnight blue livery well. NKN 650 survives in restoration and must have involved very little restorative work by its current owners, after its undemanding life with M&D.
I was privileged to have a ride in it, on the occasion of a colleague’s retirement bash, while still with M&D. It provided such a quiet, refined ride. Possibly the most luxurious coach ride of my life – the only thing that was missing was the gin & tonic from the cocktail cabinet. This last comment is a lifestyle point, not a definitive statement about the presence (or absence) of such a fitment.

Petras409

07/06/15 – 06:19

Thx, Petras409 for the fulsome explanation and additional photo. In those days, a petrol engine still had the cache of seeming luxurious over a diesel. Did it have a Bedford engine, Petras?

Chris Hebbron

07/06/15 – 06:21

Interesting comment from Petras about “Knightrider” in respect of the drinks cabinet. Grossly off topic, I know, but readers might find this amusing.
I was using my ‘old dodders’ bus pass’ a few months ago, and was in Southsea, returning to Southampton. A lady in a wheelchair boarded, and commented on how old the bus was (S prefix, 1998). “Where’s the wide screen television?” she asked. “And the drinks machine?” The driver replied that he’d been naughty, and had been given this one by way of punishment (I suppose it’s better than a school run!) A few minutes later the lady had managed to fit the wheelchair into the space, and apologised thus: “Sorry about the delay in settling, folks, but my wheelchair’s put on a few extra inches since Christmas!”

Pete Davies

07/06/15 – 06:23

Why did M&D feel the need to have a dedicated Directors coach (Salford’s Committee coach comes to mind here)? I suppose at Salford there wouldn’t have been any other “suitable” [sic] vehicle for the Transport Committee to travel in, but surely M&D had enough front-line coaches to put one at the disposal of the Directors – neighbours Southdown and East Kent (companies with a similar commitment to coaching, and others such as BMMO and Ribble) didn’t feel the need for this extravagance . . . or was that the point, keeping ahead of the Jones’s?

Philip Rushworth

20/11/15 – 06:48

For Chris Hebbron’s information the Commer Avenger petrol engine was a six cylinder OHV Humber unit as also used in the Imperial Limousine and in the Commer QX lorry. For the Avenger and the QX it was mounted at an angle of 60 degrees to reduce intrusion into the cab.

Stephen Allcroft

17/10/16 – 09:08

>

Just to revert back to this post, I am trying to trace a subsequent Bedford that also carried the KLP 1D mark.
This was a 1985 Bedford PJK chassis No FT103932 with a cut down Duple Dominant 2 body C16F No 8507/0600 new to Kensington Palace in 6/85. This appeared on eBay in July 2014 with seats removed after an aborted attempt to turn it into a caravan. It was sold to a number plate dealer who sold off the KLP 1D mark to the owner of the J2 (PYY 28D) which is now re united with its original mark.
The PJK was reported to have been sold on with another (unknown) registration number to a school or charity organisation possibly for a greenhouse! I am trying to trace this vehicle so if anyone spots it or knows where it is I would like to know through this website.
The pic shows it in 2014 when it appeared on eBay.

John Wakefield

Vehicle reminder shot for this posting

08/11/17 – 07:15

KLP 1D

On 5th Nov, I was at the Lincoln Vintage Vehicle Society running event, and noticed this little charmer parked up among the other smaller exhibits. I thought, I have seen this somewhere before, and yes, it is there in the OBP site in some earlier guise. It carried various window displays about its illustrious history and the front window card stated “Lincoln via Aidensfield” which suggests where it had been in the recent past.

Rob Hancock

09/11/17 – 07:09

The Duple Dominant Royal coach has been found at Sutton House & Breakers Yard a National Trust property at 2-4 Homerton High Street, Hackney, London. Its been made into a greenhouse with the chassis and floor cut away to give ground level access.
Here is a link to pics of KLP 1D https://www.flickr.com/ and a link to the Sutton House web site. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

John Wakefield

10/11/17 – 06:46

If you are on a site which doesn’t readily accept right click Copy & Paste. You can usually use Ctrl C for copy and Ctrl V for paste.

John Lomas

BOAC – Bedford CAL – MFB 724

BOAC - Bedford CAL - MFB 724

British Overseas Airways Corporation
1960
Bedford CAL
Martin Walker B10F

MFB 724 is a Bedford CAL with Martin Walter minibus body, seating 10 passengers. The PSVC listing says she was new to a private owner in 1960 – the registration suggests somewhere in the Bath area – but is now resident at Brooklands, in the BOAC livery we see here. Photographed at Wisley on 11 April 2010.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

07/07/15 – 06:57

Martin-Walter later renamed themselves Dormobile, after the famous body of which this vehicle is a later example. Although the classic Dormobile was found mainly on the Bedford CA and successor CF chassis, they also built versions, especially camper versions, on other chassis makes, too. They later produced mini/midi bus bodies, mainly on the long-lived Morris/BMC/Leyland FC chassis, the one, in lorry form, with the cab door at a 45 degree angle between side and rear of cab, enabling it to open within the width of the vehicle. An example of a 1979 mini-body on LT Ford Transit FS24 is found halfway down the page here: //www.focustransport.org.uk/yltmini.aspx

Chris Hebbron