‘Scene’ at Showbus 2017. ‘Eastern Coach Works (ECW)’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The history of the British bus industry is littered with companies that like shooting stars shone for a while and then fell to Earth.

 

Unfortunately, ’ECW’ was one of them.

 

Based in Lowestoft, ’ECW’s history goes back as far as 1912 when ‘United Automobile Services’ was formed with the intention of running bus services in the town. 

 

Coach bodybuilding followed in 1920. 

 

Nationalised postwar the company built many bodies on Bristol chassis for the state owned ‘Transport Holding Company’.

 

Partially privatised in 1965, the company closed in 1987.

 

YRC 125M ‘Midland General’ No. 780 Bristol VRT/SL6G / ECW

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

 

New to ‘Trent’ in 1974.

 

 

 

EDV 505D ‘Western National’ No 1423 Bristol MW6G / ECW

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

 

 

 

MWG 941X ‘Yorkshire Traction’ No. 941 Bristol VRT/SL3 ECW

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

 

 

 

OAX 9F ‘Red & White’ No. RC968. Bristol RELH6L / ECW

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

 

 

 

WKH 526X ‘East Yorksire Motor Services No. 526 Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB / ECW

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

 

 

 

AFM 103G ‘Crosville’ No. CRG 103 Bristol RELH6G / ECW

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

 

 

 

 

GFM 104X ‘Crosville’ No. DOG 104 Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R / ECW

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

 

 

FRB 208H ‘Trent’ No. 356 Bristol RELL6G / ECW

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

 

New to ‘Midland General’ as its No. 146.

 

 

 

 

 C537 DAT ‘East Yorksire Motor Services’ No. 537 Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1RH / ECW

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

 

 

TCH 274L ‘Trent’ No. 274 Bristol RELH6G / ECW

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

 

New to ‘Midland General’ as its No. 274.

 

 

 

 B521 UWW ‘Yorkshire Coastliner’ No. 421 Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R / ECW

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

 

New to ‘West Yorkshire’ as its No.1853.

 

 

 

 

EEH 902Y ‘Midland Red North’ No 1902 ‘Mercian’ Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R / ECW

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

 

 

 

NNN 7M ‘Mansfield District’ No. 7 Bristol RELH6L / ECW

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

 

 

 

YVL 837S ‘Lincolnshire’ No. 1063 Bristol LH6L / ECW

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

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Transpire’s Peak Park Preserved Bus Gathering 2016 Part 3 on Dennis Basford’s ‘railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

I do not attend many bus rallies because I find more than enough in the current scene to keep me busy. 

 

However once a year ‘Transpire’ the Chesterfield based enthusiasts group holds its own event which for the last few years has been held at the ‘Peak Rail’ site at Rowsley in Derbyshire.

 

I have been a member for many years and have rarely missed so as usual, last year I went along and of course the camera went with me.

 

 

 Part 3 The North West Connection.

 

For parts 1 and 2 see blogs dated 23rd. June 2016 and 11th. September 2016.

 

UHG 353Y ‘Blackpool Transport’ (BT) No. 353 Leyland Atlantean / East Lancs

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

 

Owned by the Chesterfield 123 Preservation Group. 

 

It was new to ‘BT’ in 1982 being withdrawn in 2008.

 

 

 

LED 71P ‘Warrington Borough Transport’ No. 71 Bristol RESL6G / East Lancs

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

 

New in 1975. It normally is kept at ‘North West Museum of Road Transport at St. Helens.

 

 

 

DKC 301L ‘Merseybus’ No. 1301 Leyland Atlantean / Alexander

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

 

 

 

A763 NNA ‘GM Buses’ No. 8763 Leyland Atlantean / Northern Counties

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

 

The layout of the destination blinds on Manchester buses was distinctive.

 

Withdrawn in 2003 and preserved at the Wigan Transport Trust.

 

 

EED 5 ‘Warrington Corporation’ No.27 Leyland Titan PD1 / Alexander (built to a Leyland design).

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

 

 

 

TNA 520 ‘Manchester Corporation’ No. 3520 Leyland Titan PD2 / H V Burlingham

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

 

 

The layout of the destination blinds on Manchester buses was distinctive.

 

 

 

AEK 514 ‘Wigan Corporation No. 101 Leyland Royal Tiger / Northern Counties

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

 

 

 

CDB 224 ‘North Western Road Car Company’ No. 224 Leyland PD2 / Leyland

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

 

New 1948. Preserved at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport.

 

 

When the ‘South East Lancs North East Cheshire’  (SELNEC) authority came into being after the Transport Act of 1968. It essentially took over the buses of Greater Manchester and many of the surrounding town and company operators.

 

After inheriting a wide diversity of vehicles, SELNEC sought to establish its own style by introducing a ‘Standard’ bus body designed to its own specifications.

 

This body style known as the ‘Manchester Standard’ was the outcome.

 

New in 1971 to SELNEC passing to Greater Manchester PTE in 1974. Withdrawn and preserved in 1984. 

RNA 236J ‘SELNEC’ No. 2236 Daimler Fleetline / Park Royal 

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