I have attended most of ‘Transpire’ The Chesterfield Bus Society’s bus rallies since they started. This year I was there in the morning when it was cool and bright.
I am of a generation that grew up with half cab buses so I find it difficult to accept the Leyland National or Bristol VR as being ‘vintage’.
The standard of presentation as usual was immaculate and Transpire are to be congratulated on another well attended and successful rally.
However, it is the half cabs that I will concentrate on.
3156 WE
A Leyland PD2/20 with Roe H33/26RD bodywork. It was new to Sheffield’s ‘C’ fleet which was wholly British Railways owned.
With the formation of the ‘National Bus Company’ and its taking over control of the railways owned buses, it passed to
‘Yorkshire Woollen District’.
It saw further service with ‘Don’s of Dunmow’ in Essex before being preserved in 1997 with the South Yorkshire Transport Museum collection.
CDB 224
A Leyland PD2/1 with Leyland L53R bodywork in the livery of the ‘North Western Road Car Company’ to whom it was new in 1947.
MHY 765
A normal control Leyland Comet ECPO/1R with Duple C32F bodywork delivered by ‘Gliderways’ of Birmingham to ‘Orient Coaches’ of Bristol.
225 LRB
A Leyland PD2/20 with Weymann bodywork that was new to Chesterfield Corporation Transport.
HVH 472D
A Daimler CVG6LX with East Lancs bodywork in the colours of 'Huddersfield Corporation Transport'. who bought it new in 1966. It eventually passed to 'West Yorkshire PTE' in 1974 until entering preservation in1972.
It is interesting to note that there was still a market for half cab buses which were still being sold 7 years after the introduction of rear engined double deckers such as the Leyland Atlantean.
YNU 351G
A Bristol FLF Lodekka with Eastern Coach Works bodywork in the colours of the ‘Midland General Omnibus Company’.
MDT 222
An AEC Regal 3 with Roe B29F bodywork seen in the livery it wore when in service with ‘Doncaster Corporation Transport’ whom it joined in 1953.
HD 7905
A Leyland Tiger PS1 with Brush B34F bodywork dating from1948. New to ‘Yorkshire Woollen District’, it remained in service with them until 1960 when it was withdrawn and used as a driver/trainer and eventually a tow wagon/gritter.
Acquired for preservation in 1988 it required 12 years of work to get it to the standard seen today.
WLT 467
An AEC Routemaster RM 400 from ‘London Transport’.
449 CLT
An AEC Routemaster RM 1449 from ‘London Transport’.
GEN 201
Leyland Titan PD3/6 with Weymann H41/32RD bodywork dating from 1958 in the colours of ‘Bury Corporation Transport’.
It eventually became No. 6351 with ‘SELNEC’ when the PTE took over all the bus services in what was to become Greater Manchester.
EOD 524D
An AEC Regent 5 with Metro- Cammell bodywork that was known as the Orion.
New in 1966, after 3 years of buying Leyland Atlanteans ‘Devon General’ (DG) briefly switched back to half cabs.
One of a batch of 5 it worked for ‘DG’ for 12 years ending up in ‘National Bus Company’ red and white.
After further service elsewhere, it was preserved in 1985 and very well it looks.
TNA 520
A Leyland PD2/34 with Burlingham bodywork in the service of ‘Manchester Corporation Transport.
Burlingham was an unusual choice as bodybuilder being better knowns for building coaches. However being based in Blackpool perhaps it was thought that putting work to a ‘local’ (Lancashire) company was desirable.
WRJ 179
A Leyland PD2/40 with Metro-Cammell H36/28F bodywork of ‘Salford City Transport’.
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