East Yorkshire Motor Services
1961
AEC Bridgemaster
Park Royal H45/28RD
I don’t think there were many rear entrance Bridgemasters built – you did not see many 30ft rear entrance buses they were usually 27ft 6in. Note the luggage rack just inside the door there would also be space under the stairs this was probably for tourists suit cases in the Bridlington area. The Bridgemaster had a low floor on the lower deck so it could have a normal seating arrangement upstairs but still be able to negotiate the Beverly Bar. The registration number is something like 1703 AT but the angle is not good to see clearly worked it out from now found fleet list reg 4703. If you look at the bus behind it is a full fronted Leyland Titan with the Beverly Bar roof.
A full list of Bridgemaster codes can be seen here.
25/11/11 – 17:03
Does anyone have photos or a list of those Bridgemasters and Renowns that carried the illuminated “It’s Best By Bus” slogans on the offside? I grew up on Longhill Estate, firmly in EYMS territory, and I can remember those signs looming out of a foggy winter evening whilst heading home after spending the afternoon being dragged around Hammonds or the Co-op.
Andrew Ottaway
26/03/12 – 14:28
Despite the design, these (nos 700 to 715) had tapered upper deck profiles for the Bar operations as did subsequent Bridgemasters, Renowns and Fleetlines 825-36/52-7/66-72.
The first four Bridgemasters 696-699 did not have this.
Malcolm Wells
26/03/12 – 17:03
I lived on the West Hill Estate in Bridlington until December ’63 (aged 5-7). Buses from this batch (700-715) worked the Estate route from new – The domed roof buses (as I saw them) hardly ever appeared thereafter.
When I moved to Leeds I drew pictures of green Leeds buses with a luggage rack inside the rear entrance – I just assumed all rear-entrance buses had luggage racks there, having experienced nothing else!
703 seems to be very photogenic – there’s a photo of the same vehicle in the specialist AEC Bridgemaster book! I’d love to know how many of the 16 in the batch worked out of Quay Road 61-63.
Barry Parker
27/03/12 – 15:56
Andrew, here’s a link to an EYMS Bridgemaster with a raised advertisement panel. I don’t know if it’s an illuminated one though. //www.eyms.co.uk/
John Darwent
28/03/12 – 08:29
I’m not sure about this, but I believe all the buses with raised advertisement panels were illuminated, but I think that this would have fallen into disuse at some period.
Keith Easton
28/03/12 – 11:27
Andrew – Here’s a link to the ‘It’s Best by Bus’ advert on EYMS Bridgemaster 725 //www.eyms.co.uk/
John Darwent
06/06/12 – 17:40
I found these posts very interesting as I was employed as a bus driver at Anlaby Road depot from 1963 till 1970 upon which I left for Australia. Yes I well remember driving a Bridgemaster the first time through the Beverley Bar and ducking my head !!!! another time which makes me smile, we were coming along Hessle Road into town in a saloon and when I pulled up at the bus stop my mate opened the door and said to this guy who was full as a boot ” we are full upstairs ” and he said ” ok mate I will wait for the next one so I can have a smoke” happy days.
Tony Frost
07/06/12 – 07:03
Nice anecdotes, Tony!
Chris Hebbron
06/09/12 – 07:34
Photograph of 3747 RH with the illuminated “It’s Best By Bus” slogan on the offside for Andrew 1st comment above.
John Thompson
24/02/13 – 08:14
Thanks for the replies, and particularly John’s links.
Andrew Ottaway