‘Scene’ at the ‘Great Central Railway’, Leicestershire 3 “What sort of bus was it? It was a green one” on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

It is two years since friend Peter Rose and I last visited the GCR.

 

A good selection of trains both steam and diesel were running. 

 

However, our main purpose, now as then, was to see and photograph the entrants in the bus rally held at Quorn & Woodhouse station.

 

DFE 963D ‘Lincolnshire Road Car Co. Ltd’. No. 2537

Bristol FS5G Lodekka / Eastern Coach Works

on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Please forgive the slight intrusion of shadows at the front, caused by the trees that line the eastern side of the site.

 

 

 

 

MLL 817 ‘London Transport’ No. RF280

AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell  /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

MLL 817 ‘London Transport’ No. RF280

AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell  /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

MRT 9P ‘Ipswich Borough Transport’ No.9, PHILLIPA JAYNE.

Leyland AN68 Atlantean / Roe

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Converted to open top in January 1985.

 

 

 

 

FRP 692 ‘UNITED COUNTIES’ No. 692.

Bristol KS6B / Eastern Coach Works

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1950.

 

 

 

 

EKA 220Y ‘Merseyside Transport’.

Leyland Tiger / Duple Dominant

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

264 ERY ‘GUIDE FRIDAY’ No. 264.

Leyland PD3A / Park Royal

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1963 to ‘LEICESTER CITY TRANSPORT’ who converted it to open top in 1978.

 

 

 

 

PJX 43 ‘HALIFAX CORPORATION TRANSPORT’ No. 43.

Leyland PD2 / Weymann

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

The livery was ‘borrowed’ from ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ by Mr. Geoffrey Hillditch who managed ‘HCT’ at the time.

 

Asked why, he said, “because I like it”.

 

I can’t think of a better reason!!

 

New in 1962.

 

‘Scene’ at the ‘Statfold Barn Railway’ (SBR) Buses 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For those who do not know the ‘SBR,’ it is located near Tamworth in Staffordshire. 

 

A privately owned, multi gauge railway system which was operating at least seven locomotives and a tram on the day we were there.

 

There is also an extensive museum devoted to narrow gauge railway locomotives and artefacts.

 

Usually holding three running days per year (Spring, Summer and Autumn); buses, cars, Land Rovers, lorries, military vehicles and steam engines also featured.

 

Both friend Peter Rose and I found it to be an excellent day out.

 

NEA 101F ‘West Bromwich Corporation’ No.101.

Daimler CRG6LX Fleetline / Metro Cammell Weymann

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

MXX 23 ‘LONDON TRANSPORT’ No. RF 381.

AEC Regal lV / Metro Cammell

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

RC 4615 ‘Trent Motor Traction Ltd.’ No.714.

AEC Regal / Willowbrook 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1937.

 

This is the second Willowbrook body that this bus has carried being re-bodied in1950.

 

 

 

 

KAD 359V ‘NATIONAL EXPRESS’ No. 359, BLACK & WHITE.

Leyland Leopard /  Plaxton Supreme

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘National Travel (South West)’.

 

 

 

 

UHA 956H ‘Midland Red’ No. 5956, Wendaway.

BMMO S23 / BMMO

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

CCF 648 ‘MERVYNS COACHES’, Winchester.

Bedford OB / Duple

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1950 to ‘Theobald’, Long Melford.

 

‘Scene’ at Showbus 2022 Pre War Buses on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

I have attended a number of SHOWBUS events over the years but this was the first time I had attended one at the Hertfordshire County Showgound.

 

The 50th. show and if we are to believe what we read, the last.

 

It would be a great pity if the reputation the SHOWBUS name has built up over the years were to be lost but we shall have to wait and see.

 

It is hard to believe that buses built before the Second World War are still around and able to visit an event 83 years after the war had started.

 

It speaks volumes for the durability of the design and construction in the first place and even more volumes for the men and women who work to keep these buses in the condition they are.

 

BOR 767 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants No. 35.

AEC Regent / Park Royal /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘Gosport & Fareham’ in 1936.

 

Pictured arriving at the show.

 

 

 

 

BOR 767 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants No. 35.

AEC Regent / Park Royal /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Later in the day, it had acquired an AEC banner.

 

 

 

 

CG 9607 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants.

AEC Regal 4 / Reading

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1934 to ‘Gosport & Fareham’ with a Harrington body.

 

Re-bodied in 1962.

 

 

 

 

YG 7831 ‘TODMORDEN JOINT TRANSPORT COMMITTEE’ No. 15.

Leyland Tiger TS6 / Northern Counties /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘Todmorden’ in 1934.

 

 

 

 

YG 7831 ‘TODMORDEN JOINT TRANSPORT COMMITTEE’ No. 15.

Leyland Tiger TS6 / Northern Counties /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London General’ No. 832 J. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1933 No. STL 162.

 

‘London Transport’ were masters at converting old buses into vans, lorries, tower wagons and all manner of ancillary vehicles.

 

Pictured arriving at the show.

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London Transport’ No. STL 162. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Pictured later in the day when its fleet number had been changed to STL 162.

 

Two for the price of one ??

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London Transport’ No. STL 162. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /3

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at the Buses Festival 2021 Shades of Green 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The annual ‘Buses Festival’ in 2021 was held at the ‘East of England Showground’ which is near Peterborough.

 

OKP 980 ‘Maidstone & District’ No. CO252.

Leyland TD4 / Beadle

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

In the years following the end of World War Two, new buses were difficult to come by.

 

One way was to use pre-war chassis or running units under new bodies. This ‘new’ integral coach appearing in 1952.

 

At the time this practice was regarded as a temporary measure until ‘things got back to normal’. (I knew I had heard that phrase before!!)

 

Purchased by ‘Thornes’. In 1960 and eventually restored.

 

Now 70 years old. 

 

Not bad for a ‘temporary measure’.

 

 

 

 

OAE 954M ‘BRISTOL COUNTRY BUS’ No MH 1332.

Bristol RELL6L / Eastern Coach Works

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘Bristol Omnibus Company’.

 

 

 

NLE 539 ‘London Transport’ No. RF539.

AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1952.

 

 

 

 

 HTA 844N ‘WESTERN NATIONAL No. 2813.

Leyland National

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

YVL 837S ‘LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO. LTD. No. 1063.

Bristol LH6L / Eastern Coach Works

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’