Bournemouth Corporation 1935 Sunbeam MS2 Park Royal O69R
This shot is from the Ray Soper ‘Gallery’ contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
16/07/13 – 07:58
This looks like a ‘special’ on the Christchurch turntable. The turntable still exists in an office car park.
Bournemouth Corporation 1935 Sunbeam MS2 Park Royal O69R
This shot is from the Ray Soper ‘Gallery’ contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
16/07/13 – 08:02
Lovely shot of the ’38’ summer-only circular service travelling along Barrack Road. These services were aimed at visitors although locals like me also used them if convenient. The regular year-round ‘circulars’ in Bournemouth at that time were routes 33 and 34, usually the preserve of the B.U.T. trolleys
This shot is from the Ray Soper ‘Gallery’ contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
17/07/13 – 06:50
A nice view from the upper deck of a passing vehicle. This trolleybus is at a stop in Avenue Road where the Winton & Charmister trolleybus routes all departed from. The Council kiosk behind stood for many years, and beneath it were the local public WCs. Further up Avenue Road were the BCT offices at ‘Fairlight Glen’; this address appeared on the BCT Public timetables of the period. Note the lovely GPO stamp machines and letterbox behind the bus stop; all very modern at that time. 4d for second-class! Avenue Road was one-way at that time and had several trolleybus stops. It also had a ‘passing loop’ in the overhead to enable ‘through’ trolleybuses to pass those waiting at the stops. Route 25 ran along this road on its way from Westbourne to Boscombe. This bus on the 26 would have turned via ‘The Triangle’ just up the road.
This shot is from the Ray Soper ‘Gallery’ contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
26/04/12 – 11:35
This very vehicle No.296 was the first to enter service with the light green lining in 1962. For more detail see my comment here.
mf2b
17/07/13 – 06:48
This lovely shot is taken at the upper end of Gervis Place, I would say, or possibly opposite the Pavilion. The ‘Christchurch’ routes all departed from this end of the Square
Grahame Arnold
05/11/13 – 10:34
I have a photo of myself driving bus no 188 in November 1973 which was a Daimler. also a photo of bus no 213 a Leyland Atlantean. It was my last day as a driver so had some photos taken as a keepsake if anyone would like a copy please forward e.mail address.
This Sunbeam MF2B was one of the last trolleybuses built for operation in the UK, in 1962. In a disgracefully short career, the batch was withdrawn when the system was abandoned in 1969. The livery can only be that of Bournemouth, and the body is by Weymann, to H65D configuration. She’s in the yard at Mallard Road for an open day on 22 May 1983. Note the special “End of Trolleybuses” decoration. The open day marked 50 years since the opening of the trolleybus system.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies
04/09/15 – 07:19
Whenever I see pictures of these vehicles (and the equivalent Hull trolleybuses) with such clean lines, I always think what a pity the AEC Q was not resurrected after WW2, instead of attempting the Regent IV. We may have seen buses as handsome as this in the 1950’s.
Allan White
05/09/15 – 07:17
Beautiful photo of a very attractive vehicle in the lovely Bournemouth livery. You are so right, Allan, in comparing it with the AEC’s 3Q3 Q’s.
Copyright Ken Glazier
Here is a picture of LPTB’s 1934 Q5 on the open road, showing just how advanced the body styling was, in this case by Weymann, for this innovative chassis.
Chris Hebbron
08/09/15 – 06:56
I grew up with these beauties passing the end of my road, in Bournemouth. They were certainly clean-lined and to my eyes they still look modern. The last batch of MF2Bs with the red seats & cream interiors had an especially light and airy feel to them. However, mechanically the design suffered with weak half-shafts which had not been a problem with Bournemouth’s earlier B.U.T. and Sunbeam designs.
Grahame Arnold
22/02/17 – 07:03
I rode on 297 LJ on that fateful day in May 1969 as a schoolboy. My parents swapped tickets with me so I could ride on the "pretty bus". The final parade started at Bournemouth pier where I had a seat on 301 LJ (which actually was my favourite) As I’m sure you all know, 301 was the last British trolleybus to be built. What a waste!
Tim Barron
22/02/17 – 13:26
The last "proper" trolleybus, Tim. South Yorkshire PTE tried out a Dennis Dominator trolleybus in 1985, but the scheme went no further.
Roger Cox
23/02/17 – 06:41
The Dominator is preserved. www.dennissociety.org.uk/ Lots of nice Dennis vehicle photos on their site
John Lomas
03/03/17 – 10:29
You are correct Roger, the last "Proper" trolleybus built in the UK. I had forgotten about the Dennis! I also rode on the last Bournemouth service trolleybus & the last Bradford service trolleybus. Plus I sneaked onto the last/last "proper" trolleybus to move in the UK. The late, somewhat shambolic & no doubt highly illegal run in Thornbury depot the evening the Bradford system closed. (What fun!) Now, what was the fleet No of the Bournemouth Mf2b I rode on in the Black Country Museum some 12 years ago?
This shot is from the Ray Soper -Gallery’ contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
05/03/12 – 17:22
FEL 214 was immortalised in the 1966 Norman Wisdom film "Press for Time", probably the best part. Is it still in existence?
Nigel Richards
17/07/13 – 06:57
This scene would be unrepeatable today. The Pier Approach roads have gone; there is a flyover right behind where the bus is standing and the road where the bus stop was is now part of a general amusement area. The Pavilion which is visible behind the bus is still extant, but somewhat changed in appearance. I never travelled on these old open-toppers but I do remember them. They were probably hard work for the drivers as route 12 went up and down quite a few steep hills as it ran up from sea level at Alum Chine, then down to both piers before finishing at Hengistbury Head.
Grahame Arnold
18/07/13 – 07:41
Was this the bus that ended up in the sea in the climax to a ‘chase sequence’ in the film ‘Press for Time’. I haven’t seen the film but I do recall seeing a still of an ex Bournemouth TD5 open topper running into the sea in a book.
I think that the movie sequences in Press for Time were filmed in and around Teignmouth, Devon. Mind you, I could have done without the Russian dubbing! Good fun, all the same.
Having watched the film sequence again, there’s a bit of inconsistency. See if you can spot it. For most of the chase, the bus is on route 22, but briefly, in mid-chase, we see it operating a route 23 ! I can’t imagine why!
Petras409
19/07/13 – 08:49
To add credence to the Teignmouth/Tinmouth location, the first sighting of the TD5 also indicates the rear of an Atlantean in the background, sporting very much what looks like Devon General livery!
This shot is from the Ray Soper “Gallery” contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
17/07/13 – 07:06
This is taken at Southcote Road depot, originally a tram depot. I had many journeys on these Tigers, being regular performers on our daily journey to a neighbouring school to receive our school meals. The bus ride was definitely the best part of that experience!
Bournemouth Corporation 1955 Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/1 Park Royal B42F
RRU 901 was originally Bournemouth 264 – a Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/1 with Park Royal B42F body. It started life in Bournemouth 96 with an open rear entrance and front exit with doors in 1955. It was rebodied around 1957 for One Man Operation. It lasted until 1971 when it was sold to Burton on Trent (Maroon and Cream) and then transferred to East Staffs when Burton disappeared. It went into preservation in 1977 and went back to Bournemouth colours. It has had a bit of a chequered life in preservation and was in a sorry state in the early 2000’s. Around 2008/9 it moved to Scotland where it was extensively re-panelled and repainted in a Western Scottish style livery, which is the way it is currently. It had an overheating problem at Kirkby Stephen this year, but was in service on the Saturday, and since then the water pump has been removed and found to have been well and truly bodged by someone previously with a metal pin and black silicone mastic. It is seen in resting between duties at Kirkby Stephen West.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Ken Jones, with additional information from Malcolm Davies
02/06/15 – 07:15
That livery wouldn’t look amiss in Southport!
Pete Davies
10/06/15 – 09:05
Compare this to Stockport’s Tiger Cubs, built by Crossley to the same basic design. Some have said the Stockport version has more than a passing resemblance to the RF and the Monocoach.
Phil Blinkhorn
12/06/15 – 06:31
A sister vehicle, RRU 903 is preserved in Yorkshire in Bournemouth Corporation livery. These photos show it in Grassington (in company with a much newer preserved bus, Pennine Dennis Dart R717 YWC) and a rear view at the farm near Skipton where the vehicle is kept. The rear end is very unusual, with the emergency door on the offside. I had the privilege of driving this bus a few months ago. It was the first crash gearbox bus I had driven for many years, and it was a great relief to feel the gears engaging without a “crunching” sound.
Don McKeown
13/06/15 – 06:44
Did this bus (and the rest of the batch) originally have a rear door in addition to the front? This was the normal Bournemouth fashion for many years. Although now clearly removed, it might explain the unusual rear design for the emergency door. A study of the Western SMT liveried bus reveals a similar layout at the rear.
Michael Hampton
14/06/15 – 06:54
Bournemouth did convert it’s dual entrance Tiger Cubs to front entrance as early as 1957 and did the same with the 1951 Royal Tigers later on. The unusual rear arrangements probably result from that change. For comparative purposes here is a view of a Crossley bodied Stockport Tiger Cub on Park Royal design frames dating from 1958.
Orla Nutting
08/08/15 – 06:57
This batch of buses all had a rear open platform entrance, rather than a second door. The buses didn’t last long in this configuration before being rebodied, hence the “two” windows on the nearside as opposed to the one on the offside. On mine you can still see some of the framework for the steps underneath. This original set up would certainly explain why the emergency door is on the offside.
Malcolm Davies
08/08/15 – 11:39
I am still puzzled about access to that rear corner emergency exit. How would passengers get to use it in an emergency? Is the rear seat moved forward to creat a gap behind it, or is the rear nearside seat a ‘three seater’ with a space on the offside? It’s all rather unusual, but an expert with knoweldge of the interior layout will hopefully be able to resolve this puzzle.
Petras409
26/10/20 – 06:33
Close inspection of the picture of RRU 903’s rear suggests the rear offside seat pair is away from the rear end. Presumably, that would facilitate access from the gangway to the emergency exit, with clearances compliant with the C & U Regulations prevalent at the time of modification.
Terry Walker
31/10/20 – 06:26
Thanks Terry. Your suggestion has put my mind at rest. That’s 5 years of uncertainty finally resolved!
Bournemouth Corporation 1954 Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/13 Burlingham B42F
NLJ 272 is a Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/13 with Burlingham B42F body, new to Bournemouth Corporation in 1954. She is seen on Southampton Common, while taking part in the Southampton City Transport Centenary rally on 6 May 1979.
This second view is a close one of the Royal Tiger badge. Compare the Tiger with the ‘fleetname’ on the Ellen Smith Leopard published a while ago! See it at this link
Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies
27/05/16 – 06:20
That brings back many memories. These buses were regulars on our ‘school dinner run’ through Winton, in the early 1960s, between two schools. They were a brighter bus than the Park Royal bodied ‘RRU’ versions, but they could be rather warm on hot sunny days, in slow-moving traffic, as the rooflights had no means of shading.
Bournemouth Corporation 1943 Guy Arab II 5LW Weymann OB35F
This shot is from the Ray Soper “Gallery” contribution A Trolleybus tour in Bournemouth click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments to it. The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.
