Tag: Roger Cox
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Gosport and Fareham (Provincial)
I first experienced the fascinating fleet of Gosport and Fareham, otherwise known as “Provincial”, when I moved from rural Kent to the Gosport area as an eight year old in the summer of 1949. Some of the Provincial AEC Regents and Regals seemed to me to be a bit elderly – I did not then…
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Reading Corporation Transport
Reading’s first motor buses were AEC YC types, and these were followed over the years by Guy and Karrier machines, including some of the decidedly dubious six wheelers from both makers. In 1929, the first of eleven Leyland TD1s arrived, and then from 1933, the Corporation turned to the AEC Regent, which, apart from four…
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Southampton Corporation
Southampton Corporation was one of the few operators to be tempted by the pre war Guy Arab, taking a total of eleven between 1934 and 1936. They proved to be sound purchases, remaining in service with the Corporation for 14 to 16 years. After the Guys, Southampton standardised on Leyland TD4 and TD5 Titans, and,…
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A Trip Over The Essex/Suffolk Border
In August 1969, I took a trip around Colchester and Sudbury, a region then particularly noted for its independent operators. These are some photos from that day. Roger Cox01/2014 Colchester Corporation Colchester ran its first trams in 1904, but the all conquering motor bus began to take over from 1928. The last tram ran in…
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Thames Valley ex Newbury and District Guy Arabs
In 1950 the Red & White group sold out to the British Transport Commission, and many of its smaller subsidiary companies were transferred to the management of the nearby Tilling operators. One such component company was Newbury & District which fell into the dubious care of Thames Valley, probably the scruffiest and least proud constituent…
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City of Oxford Motor Services
The City of Oxford company originated in 1879 as the City of Oxford and District Tramways Company Limited, which began operating its first horse drawn tramway route on 1 December 1881. By the turn of the twentieth century, tramway systems throughout Britain were being converted to electric operation, but, even so long ago, local environmental…
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Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited
The pictures below were taken in 1969/70, and, unless otherwise stated, are set against the somewhat brutalist backcloth of the Birmingham Bull Ring and its environs.The detailed information about the vehicles has been gleaned from the comprehensive Midland Red website:- http://midlandred.net/index.php Roger Cox03/2017 C2, Duple C26C, upseated to C30C in 1954, KHA 353, no. 3353…
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Some Bradford Trolleybuses
On Sunday 26 March 1972, the last operational trolleybus system in Britain, that of Bradford City Transport, came to an end after 60 years of public service. Here are some pictures (sadly not a comprehensive record) that I took on a visit in April 1970. DKY 709, No. 709 Karrier W of 1945, originally fitted…
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The First PTEs – Part Four – Salford City Transport
Not read from the beginning, click here In 1946, Salford Corporation Transport was in a mess. John Blakemore, who had started with the Department as a Points Boy was about to retire and his operation was a testament to his lax management style and lack of organisation. A reasonably modern bus fleet was in a…
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The First PTEs – Part Three – Stockport Corporation
Not read from the beginning, click here On October 31st 1969 Stockport Corporation Transport had a fleet of 148 buses plus a handful of service vehicles. The next day all had been transferred to the Southern division of SELNEC whose management may have been rather surprised to find they had taken on charge a 1926…