Another L.U.T bus on the 320 route on its return to Wigan. This bus is a Bristol RE with bodywork
by Plaxton of Scarborough, and was new in early 1974. By this time, the route of the 320 leaving
Liverpool had changed, The Bristol is seen turning from St Johns Lane and onto Lime Street.
The main entrance to Lime Street Railway Station is directly behind the camera.
Also in the picture are 3 Leyland Atlanteans and a Bristol of Liverpool Corporation, and a Crosville
Bristol Lodekka. Regards, Ray. NMP
Ray Smyth:
Standerwick Leyland Atlantean No.18 is seen here in the early 1970s. I think it is at
Victoria Coach Station in London. The Leyland is showing the later type of fleetname in
“Lower Case” type of letters. When these coaches were new, they were known as a “Gay Hostess”,
I wonder what they would be called nowadays ■■ Regards, Ray. NMP
Yes, I think it is Victoria. You can just see the rear of one of those 1965 batch of rather elegant 36ft Park Royal bodied AEC Reliances of East Kent in the background! Robert
tonyj105:
my dad started his company with a coach , the foden, while he was still driving a lorry for another company, he then progressed onto vho443 a lovely bedford, and added a thames trader to the fleet , by 1965/66 the haulage was growing like topsy so the 2 belle vega’s he was running at the time had to go
the bedford ob was one he drove for sheltons in wollaston
tony
Hi Tony,
Bere Regis in Dorset had VHO443 from 1968 to 1971.I guess when your Dad sold it.
Brilliant,tks, nice to see the old girl went to a good home. I now have several photos of dads lorries and buses both before he aquired them and after he sold them. He loved that coach.
Tony
The well remembered Spiers of Melksham was founded by two brothers, Bill and Albert, and they built a successful haulage business that was nationalised in 1948. They then bought the Warminster Motor Company, that was a car trading and repairs business. WMC also ran a fleet of coaches, mainly serving the Army camps around Warminster. At partial de-nationalisation of road Transport in 1952, Bill Spiers re-established a road haulage business; Albert Spiers bought Butler’s Coaches of Henley on Thames, which was a retirement sale. Albert traded as Spiers of Henley on Thames, which in addition to a medium sized coaching business included a travel agency. The Spiers brothers remained close and supported each others businesses in difficult times, their respective sons and daughters have also remained close to the present day. Here are photos of some of the coach fleet, including some of the rarest models ever to grace our roads.
Here are a few photos of the celebration of Marjorie Nelson’s ( nee Stevenson) She was the first conducter of her father’s co.Stevensons of Uttoxeter.Her nephew basil who lives in Canada is leaning on the rad. of the preserved ex L.T. Decker.The first photo is of Marjorie in her " uniform" I have more photos I took of the bus and I took and some of the seat that Basil gave to the town and is now at the local bus station.
1937 Bedford WT belonging to Alan Creswell ( ex NFC Tonbridge). For some reason I forget he wanted it to attend shows, but couldn’t make all of them himself so I took this to several rallies for the 1986 season. It went on the London to Brighton that year with me driving a l/h drive Dodge slide bed as tender vehicle which Alan Borrowed from Addington Motors. This is probably Hellingly with the family. IIRC we had my six month old daughter’s carry cot in the back …without her in it!! On one trip coming home it backfired as we came through Reigate. There was a man standing at a Pelican crossing with his dog as we approached , the noise spooked the dog and it ran round and round in circles tying the man’s legs to the lamp post with its lead. Another occasion it did the same thing going past Merrydown in Horam. The backfire spooked Dobbin who set off at a rate of Knots through the factory yard with Mrs Snooty frantically waving her arms about. Pleasant memories.
Last few weeks of the London RT in revenue service. Route 62 kept RT buses which were only 7’ 6" wide because of a narrow bridge at Chadwell Heath. Route 87 was the penultimate route.
Ensignbus of Purfleet repatriated RT8 in totally derelict condition from the USA. The bus now forms part of their large Heritage Fleet and can be seen in London service, along with most of the rest of the fleet, when there is trouble on the railways. Their website makes interesting reading if you search for the restration blog.
tonyj105:
my dad started his company with a coach , the foden, while he was still driving a lorry for another company, he then progressed onto vho443 a lovely bedford, and added a thames trader to the fleet , by 1965/66 the haulage was growing like topsy so the 2 belle vega’s he was running at the time had to go
the bedford ob was one he drove for sheltons in wollaston
tony
Hi Tony,
Bere Regis in Dorset had VHO443 from 1968 to 1971.I guess when your Dad sold it.
Here’s a photo,copyright Malcolm Smith.
Regards
Richard
0
looking into my bygone buses book, my dad bought it from finchley coaches in nov 1960 and sold it to thomas in croydon in may 1964.
my dads last 2 coaches were both bedford bella vega’s , this one is 900DBD , with yours truly hanging out the window in blackpool. this one was sold to moore in saffron walden, ARP900B went to overstone coaches
Ribble Motors purchased 16 Albion Lowlanders with Alexander 13ft 6ins high bodywork during 1964 and 1965.
During my time with Ribble, they were mainly used on the very busy 352/362 route from Wigan to St Helens,
even though there were no low bridges on that journey. Then, in the late 1960s, Wigan depot had 5 Albions,
they were 1851, 1852, 1853, 1855, and 1861. In later days, more Albions arrived at Wigan depot, including
fleet No. 1968, Reg. No. 747 EUS, Albion Motors demonstator. I knew that they were powered by a Leyland 600
engine, but only discovered recently that they were tweaked up to knock out approx 140 bhp.
Click on picture twice for better image. Ray Smyth.
Regards, Ray. NMP
