This beauty was still working in 2004 apparently. Nmp
Kempston:
This beauty was still working in 2004 apparently. Nmp0
Showing up as âSORNâ now.
I remember a trip on either this, or one of itsâ sisters in 1968. Our school Transport Society had arranged a trip from Wakefield to Rose Grove and Lostock Hall loco sheds (last outposts of steam on the railways, but only for a couple more weeks), and then on to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. It was during the school holidays, and all us kids were outside school well before the appointed departure time, as was the coach - but no teacher. We couldnât go unsupervised, so it looked for a while like we would be going nowhere. Then one of the lads said he thought he knew where the teacher lived, it wasnât far, so off a couple of them went searching. They returned about forty five minutes later with a very hung-over teacher, looking like heâd slept in a hedge bottom. Once underway, said teacher ordered everyone off the back seat, laid out on it and slipped straight back into the coma heâd just been roused from. He would not have noticed that the sky was darkening, and rain was falling very heavily. Progress was slow in the Bedford, no Motorway over the Pennines back then. The driver announced that if we wanted to get to Ravenglass with enough time for a train ride, weâd have to skip the shed visits - it was up to us. A show of hands said we were going non-stop to Ravenglass. When we arrived, the weather had improved somewhat, so the comatose teacher was left to stew in the coach while the rest of us got on with our visit. He was only just coming round when we were ready for setting off home. He staggered off the bus, threw up mightily against a tree before rinsing some of it back off with a bladder full of the digested remains of last nightâs beer, the toilets being too far away for his fragile body to manage. His last words before going back to sleep were " has anybody got any Anadins?
The things we remember!
fodenway:
Kempston:
This beauty was still working in 2004 apparently. Nmp0
Showing up as âSORNâ now.
I remember a trip on either this, or one of itsâ sisters in 1968. Our school Transport Society had arranged a trip from Wakefield to Rose Grove and Lostock Hall loco sheds (last outposts of steam on the railways, but only for a couple more weeks), and then on to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. It was during the school holidays, and all us kids were outside school well before the appointed departure time, as was the coach - but no teacher. We couldnât go unsupervised, so it looked for a while like we would be going nowhere. Then one of the lads said he thought he knew where the teacher lived, it wasnât far, so off a couple of them went searching. They returned about forty five minutes later with a very hung-over teacher, looking like heâd slept in a hedge bottom. Once underway, said teacher ordered everyone off the back seat, laid out on it and slipped straight back into the coma heâd just been roused from. He would not have noticed that the sky was darkening, and rain was falling very heavily. Progress was slow in the Bedford, no Motorway over the Pennines back then. The driver announced that if we wanted to get to Ravenglass with enough time for a train ride, weâd have to skip the shed visits - it was up to us. A show of hands said we were going non-stop to Ravenglass. When we arrived, the weather had improved somewhat, so the comatose teacher was left to stew in the coach while the rest of us got on with our visit. He was only just coming round when we were ready for setting off home. He staggered off the bus, threw up mightily against a tree before rinsing some of it back off with a bladder full of the digested remains of last nightâs beer, the toilets being too far away for his fragile body to manage. His last words before going back to sleep were " has anybody got any Anadins?
The things we remember!
Great story Fodenway, we had a teacher like that back in the day 
he used to come in stinking of drink with an occasional black eye as well.
A 1971 Daimler Fleetline with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan, new to
Southdown. This picture shows it in Crosville livery, I would like to find out a bit
more about its history, Perhaps an enthusiast may have some information.
I found the photo on an email.
Ray Smyth.
Buzzer:
Buzzer
33 seat Burlingham bodied Guy Arab Mk3, new to Green Bus of Rugeley in Feb 1949.
Ray Smyth:
A 1971 Daimler Fleetline with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan, new to
Southdown. This picture shows it in Crosville livery, I would like to find out a bit
more about its history, Perhaps an enthusiast may have some information.
I found the photo on an email.Ray Smyth.
Hello Ray
I have a copy of a book " A History of Crosville Motor Services " by R.C Anderson dated 1981.
This gives an explanation of = " Recent further acquisitions of Daimler fleetlines in 1980 were purchased from Southdown: HDG900 â 14 TCD370 J --TCD384 J with Northern Counties highbridge 71 seat bodies, built in 1970 .
Cannot make out the full fleet number below the windscreen but your registration number is correct for that batch.
Regards
John
J.F.G:
Ray Smyth:
A 1971 Daimler Fleetline with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan, new to
Southdown. This picture shows it in Crosville livery, I would like to find out a bit
more about its history, Perhaps an enthusiast may have some information.
I found the photo on an email.Ray Smyth.
Hello Ray
I have a copy of a book " A History of Crosville Motor Services " by R.C Anderson dated 1981.
This gives an explanation of = " Recent further acquisitions of Daimler fleetlines in 1980 were purchased from Southdown: HDG900 â 14 TCD370 J --TCD384 J with Northern Counties highbridge 71 seat bodies, built in 1970 .
Cannot make out the full fleet number below the windscreen but your registration number is correct for that batch.
Regards
John
Fleet no is HDG902
Thank you to J.F.G. and Dennis Javelin for the information. Best regards, Ray.
Dennis Javelin:
J.F.G:
Ray Smyth:
A 1971 Daimler Fleetline with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan, new to
Southdown. This picture shows it in Crosville livery, I would like to find out a bit
more about its history, Perhaps an enthusiast may have some information.
I found the photo on an email.Ray Smyth.
Hello Ray
I have a copy of a book " A History of Crosville Motor Services " by R.C Anderson dated 1981.
This gives an explanation of = " Recent further acquisitions of Daimler fleetlines in 1980 were purchased from Southdown: HDG900 â 14 TCD370 J --TCD384 J with Northern Counties highbridge 71 seat bodies, built in 1970 .
Cannot make out the full fleet number below the windscreen but your registration number is correct for that batch.
Regards
John
Fleet no is HDG902
Thanks Dennis Javelin, My book gives a breakdown of the fleet numbering of Crosville , from 1958 the numbering scheme was changed to one in which the classification is made up of a group of letters H = Double deck ( highbridge ) D = Daimler Fleetline, G = Gardner engine.
Regards
John
Blackpool Cprporation S&D Freighter-based âtoastrackâ bus, early thirties. The gentleman with the flat cap standing in the centre is my grandfather, the occasion was a Chapel outing from Clayton West and Scissett.
Ray Smyth:
A 1971 Daimler Fleetline with bodywork by Northern Counties of Wigan, new to
Southdown. This picture shows it in Crosville livery, I would like to find out a bit
more about its history, Perhaps an enthusiast may have some information.
I found the photo on an email.Ray Smyth.
Southdown fleet no. 372, Daimler CR6GLX/ Northern Counties H40/31F, new to Southdown in October 1970. Beyond that I canât say. Hope this helps.
Dennis Javelin:
oiltreader:
Snapped at Rownhams Services this month, a living van now but a service bus originally I wonder where? credit to eastleighbusman for the photo.
OilyThe Ministry of Defence bought a lot of these buses in the 80âs, all bodied by Wadham Stringer. They also bought a lot of Leyland Tigerâs as well during this period. The Tigerâs were 12m but the Dodge chassis was 10m (I think) so this gave them flexibility. When the Dennis Javelin was introduced in 1987 it gave operators the option of 8.5m, 10m, 11m and 12m chassis. This suited the MOD better so from then on in they mostly used this chassis for all their needs. The bus in the pic is probably one of the Dodge batch but re-registered with a civilian reg no when it was sold on by the MOD.
Thatâs what I thought - bog basic spec ex-MOD, possibly ex-RAF.
mushroomman:
0Somebody might remember this place.
Couldnât tell you where, but I remember Plaxton-bodied Yelloways coaches (AEC and Leyland) in Plymouth (and Exeter and Bristol andâŚ)
Just a heads up a week Sunday 6th of August is The Provincial societyâs Gosport Bus bus rally at Stokes bay lots of old and new buses there
For CAV551.
You asked me about the bus in the âWorld On Fireâ tv series. and Iâve tried to send you a pic of the bus in a PM but it wonât let me so I hope you donât mind me putting it on here.
This is the bus on set.
^^^
Thank you. Your later PM with pics received.
That is a very attractive design I think the Ribble 425 shows it off nicely.
So next question do you know any more about this one? Which is turning out of Crescent rd in the centre of Tunbridge Wells into Mount Pleasnt rd. From what I can find out is an integral bus by Saro with Gardner engine.