Karrier is a marque of car and commercial vehicle, the origins of which can be traced back to Clayton and Company, a 1904 company founded by Herbert and Reginald Clayton from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire,UK. In 1908, they started making Karrier cars and in 1920 changed the company name to Karrier Motors Ltd. It also produced buses and in latter years, especially during the Second World War, trolleybuses, notably the Karrier ‘W’ model.
Colt, Cob and Bantam
In 1929, Karrier started production of the “Colt” three-wheeler as a dustcart chassis for Huddersfield Corporation. In 1930, this was developed into the “Cob” tractor to haul road trailers for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. The “Cob” was similar to the Scammell Mechanical Horse. In the mid-1930s, the “Cob” range was supplemented by the four-wheel “Bantam”.
Takeovers and mergers
Rootes Group
After takeover bids in 1934, the Rootes Group acquired Karrier and moved production to Luton, closing the Huddersfield operation. In the late 1950s and 1960s, some Karrier vehicles were fitted with the iconic Rootes TS3 two-stroke opposed piston diesel engine. Other engines used in this period include Humber Hawk 4- cylinder petrol engines (L-Head and OHC), Humber Super Snipe 6-cylinder (L-Head and OHV) and Perkins Diesels.
At Luton, the only designs carried over from the previous era were the three wheeler and the six-wheel trolleybus chassis.
The trolleybus business became integrated with that of Sunbeam following its absorption into the Rootes group. In 1946 the trolleybus operations and the Wolverhampton trolleybus line was sold to Brockhouse Ltd, who in 1948 sold it to Guy Motors.
Under Rootes ownership, Karrier trucks were generally smaller size than their sister, Commer brand, with “Bantam” models using 13-inch and “Gamecock” models using 16-inch wheels, to give lower loading height. Partly because of this, they were particularly popular with local authorities for varied applications, including highway maintenance tippers, refuse collection vehicles and street lighting maintenance tower wagons. Karrier trucks and chassis were also popular with airport operators and airlines for baggage handling trucks, water bowsers and toilet servicing.
In 1965, production moved to Dunstable where Commer, Dodge (UK) and Karrier were all brought together.
Chrysler Europe
By 1970, the Rootes Group had been taken over (in stages) by Chrysler Europe, with support from the British Government which was desperate to support the ailing British motor industry. The Dodge brand (also used by Chrysler in the USA) began to take precedence on all commercial models. The last vestige of Karrier was probably in the Dodge 50 Series, which began life badged as a (Chrysler) Dodge but with a Karrier Motor Company VIN (vehicle identification number) plate.
Peugeot and Renault
Chrysler eventually gave up on UK operations, selling the business to Peugeot. The new owner had little interest in heavy trucks and the factory was then run in conjunction with Renault Véhicules Industriels, (then part of Renault though now Volvo). The combined company used the name Karrier Motors Ltd, although the vehicles took on Renault badges and were sold through Renault Trucks dealers. Renault had been keen to secure a UK manufacturing operation for engines for its own models, and did relatively little to market or develop the British designs, favouring its existing French range such as the Renault Master. The end of the Karrier name could not be far off; eventually, Renault severed ties with Peugeot and introduced a Renault Truck Ind. or Renault Vehicles Ind. VIN plate (RVI).
The Karrier trademark is still in the possession of Peugeot, and it is not uncommon for vehicle marques to be reinstated.
Ro-Railer
Karrier’s Ro-Railer was a hybrid single decker bus capable of running on both road and rail. It was introduced in 1932 and tested by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway but it was not a success and was not perpetuated. One of the few operational bus rail systems is to be found in Adelaide (Australia) called the O-Bahn Busway.
Original article by L. Busteed. Expanded by Allpar using a 1980s corporate history supplied by Hans Ensing
and some information from http://www.mechanical-horse-club.co.uk/
Karrier Motors started life in 1904 in Hudersfield as Clayton and Company. In 1907, they started making Karrier cars, and in 1920 changed their name to Karrier Motors Ltd; they evolved into truck and bus chassis builders, with municipalities being major companies.
Karrier’s early vehicles were designed to be tough, no-frills vehicles, built to have large load spaces, short length, and a powerful engine to tackle Yorkshire hills. The first public service vehicle to climb Porlock Hill, Somerset, was a Karrier bus with 21 passengers and a 50 horspeower engine.
Early on, Karrier, like Commer, produced a design for World War I trucks, and many were built before 1914; during the war, 2,000 more were made for the military. After the war, Karrier gained a new factory and a new range of vehicles, and by 1924 was making 17 different models; pneumatics were first sold in 1924 on a 25-cwt chassis, and in 1926, the first purpose-built passenger chassis was made. The chassis were progressively improved, gaining pneumatic tires and having excess weight excised.
During the late 1920s, Karrier build numerous six-wheel chassis, two of which were the first vehicles of any kind to make a circuit of Australia, running for 22 weeks through 11,000 miles of harsh terrain, running on schedule. In 1927, the Super Safety Six Wheel Coach was launched; in 1928, the Karrier-Clough Six Wheel Trolleybus followed. The KWF6, a rigid six-wheeler engineered for use “in the colonies” and for hard road work, had an eight-ton payload with single sets of wheels on each of three axles.
In 1930, Karrier produced a “mechanical horse” design, the Karrier Cob, engineered jointly with the London Midland & Scottish Railway for package delivery; it was powered by a two-cylinder Jowett engine, and could couple with horse-drawn trailers with the shafts removed. The London and North Eastern Railway had the same idea, and turned to Scammell Lorries, which developed a similar concept but with an automatic couple/uncouple system for trailers; Scammell appears to have first used the term “mechanical horse,” in 1934 (they would later use Perkins diesels, followed by the same Leyland OE160 used by late Karrier Bantams).
The Colt, launched in 1931, was a similarly designed tractor version, a two-ton three-wheel tractor, also powered by the Jewett horizontally opposed flat two-cylinder engine, with the “Colt Major” providing four cylinders.
Karrier also created the “road railer,” which had one set of wheels for roads and another for railroad tracks, and later developed a two-ton truck called the Bantam, a good seller particularly with parcel carriers such as British Rail. Its coupling was compatible with the Scammell system.
Karrier was, after a couple of takeover bids, acquired by Rootes Group in 1934. In Rootes’ standard fashion, production was quickly moved to Luton, where a new assembly area was built, and Hudersfield was closed; the model range was reduced to avoid competition between Commer and Karrier, and shared components were sought out. Karrier was now focused on three items, the Cob and Colt three-wheel “mechanical horses” (just three Cobs are known to survive), the Bantam (which could also be used as a mechanical horse), and the CK3 and CK6 chassis of three and six tonnes for municipal use. There were no visible similarities between the two truck brands, hiding their common owner. (Mechanical horses were lightweight, low-powered tractors usually used for local delivery. Their appearance could be similar to standard chassis-cab trucks, though many had three wheels.)
The Bantam started out with just 9 hp, raised to 18 hp via a Humber engine after Rootes took it over.
By 1939, over 600 municipalities used Karrier vehicles; the company had close relationships with aftermarket body builders, who made garbage collectors, tower wagons, and gully emptiers, as well as a left-hand-control road sweeper (a Karrier branded item based on a Commer chassis) and ambulance (also branded by Karrier but based on a Commer van).
During World War II, there were separate designs for the two trucks; Karrier made cross-country four and six wheeled trucks. Overall, 10,000 Karrier trucks were used by the military during the war.
Around 1949, the Karrier Bantam switched to a cast aluminum raidator shell, replacing pressed metal. In 1952, the Bantam was updated with a new cab and Perkins diesel engine, and the CK3 was replaced by the Gamecock (seen above on a historic journey from South Africa to London); this had a new cab similar to Commer’s forward control cabs. The Karrier Bantam lasted through 1970, using a 3-ton coupling gear.
Bigger garbage trucks demanded bigger chassis, and Karrier supplied its Transport Loadmaster based on the Commer QX. A new engine, the TS3, was launched in 1954 by Rootes, using three cylinders and six pistons, designed as a military multi-fuel diesel engine but available in relevant Karriers.
A major success was the Spacevan, launched in 1960 as the 1500, renamed PA, then renamed PB, and later given its final name. Sold as both a Commer and Karrier, the Spacevan had a diesel early on, with automatic transmissions coming in 1965 and a 1-ton payload version coming in 1962. The Spacevan was a major success, and was restyled in 1978.
In 1965, due to increased demand, production moved to Dunstable, where Commer / Dodge and Karrier were all brought together (Luton was refitted as a transmission plant.) The Dodge badge was used more and by the mid-1970s, it was on all Commer / Karrier / Dodge vehicles. By then, Rootes Group had been acquired by Chrysler.
The 50 series was the result of subsidies by the British goverment in 1975/76, giving Dodge / Karrier / Commer a boost in developing a 3.5 to 7.5 tonne range of vehicles to help keep the UK truck building business on an even keel. It came out in 1979, badged as a Dodge but with a Karrier nameplate, just in time for Peugeot’s acquisition of Chrysler Europe, which included Rootes and Simca. In January 1980, all Commer / Karrier / Dodge vehicles officially became Talbot. Peugeot had no interest in truck building and sold it on to Renault in 1981; but for 1980, the 50 series was still badged as a Dodge under the Talbot name.
In 1983, it switched to being sold as a Dodge under the Renault name, and in 1985 the Renault logo joined the nameplate; but the Dodge name was retained until 1987, when the trucks were replaced by the New 50 series, badged as Renaults only. Due to poor sales, the entire line was shut down in March 1993, with the line becoming the UK distribution center for French-built tractor units. The production line was taken away in 1994 by a Chinese group, and presumably Dodge medium duty trucks are now being produced in China. (For more details, see dodge50.co.uk.)
An aerial view of Guy Motors’ Fallings Park Factory
1953 Guy GS bus built for London Transport
Guy Motors was a Wolverhampton-based vehicle manufacturer that produced cars, lorries, buses and trolleybuses. The company was founded by Sydney S. Guy (1885-1971) who was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Guy Motors operated out of its Fallings Park factory from 1914 to 1982, playing an important role in the development of the British motor industry.
History
Foundation and the First World War
Sydney S. Guy registered Guy Motors Limited on Saturday 30 May 1914, the same day he departed his position as Works Manager at the Wolverhampton company, Sunbeam. A factory was built on the site at Fallings Park, Wolverhampton. and by September 1914 production was underway on the newly designed 30cwt lorry. This employed a much lighter form of pressed steel frame, unlike the more commonly used heavy rolled steel channel frames of the time. This made the vehicle able to cross difficult terrain and a 14 seat poster bus built based on the design was used for crossing the Scottish Highlands.
Guy’s 14 seater bus designed for use in the highlands
In 1915 Guy came under control of the Ministry of Munitions and production was focused on the war effort. The factory continued to produce 30cwt lorries which were supplied to Britain’s allies in the First World War. They also produced Wasp and Dragonflyradial aircraft engines, Tylor truck engines and Maudslay gearboxes as well as being the country’s largest maker of depth charge fuzes. For their efforts during the war Guy received a commendation from William Weir, Secretary of State for Air. Due to orders from the ministry Guy prospered during the war, expanding its factory and became an established name in British manufacturing.
1920s
The post-war period was difficult for the motor industry as military contracts were cancelled and military vehicles no longer required for service were sold onto the market at low prices. Guy returned to the civilian market, deciding to make luxury cars with a design by RH Rose, also from Sunbeam. They produced the Guy 8-cylinder car, powered by the first British V8 engine and featuring horizontal side valves. Around 25 of these were made and it was joined by a smaller model in 1922 with the 2465 cc four-cylinder 16.9 hp. A cheaper model followed in 1924 with the 1954 cc 13/36 with an engine from Coventry Climax. About 110 of the 4-cylinder models are thought to have been made. Production also continued on vehicles based on the 30cwt chassis such as the Guy charabanc and their major success the 30 seater bus.
In 1924 the company adopted the slogan ‘Feathers in our Cap’ which led to the addition of a Native American mascot to their vehicles. 1924 also saw Guy produce the first ever dropped frame chassis for passenger vehicles (the B-type). This design allowed passengers to enter buses in a single step and became extremely popular, Guy receiving an order for 170 from Rio de Janeiro.
Guy Motors badge
Growing populations in towns and cities meant larger capacity buses were a necessity, leading Guy to develop a 6-wheeled version of their dropped-frame chassis which allowed for the introduction of the first 6-wheeled double decker buses and 6 wheeled trolleybuses in 1926. Guy double decker buses and trolleybuses would prove popular with a fleet of double deckers sold to the London Public Omnibus Company and exports supplied all around the world. Exports served as a major source of income for Guy with sales to South Africa, Pakistan, India and the Netherlands, their armoured vehicles proving particularly popular for covering difficult terrain with 100 supplied to the Indian government in 1928.
Guy’s first military vehicle produced in 1923
In 1928 Guy took control of fellow Wolverhampton manufacturer the Star Motor Company, who had seen declining sales throughout the decade, in an attempt to expand their luxury car manufacturing. Under Guy, Star Motors moved to a new factory in Bushbury and the range of vehicles was narrowed to prevent competition against itself. Despite this Star continued to struggle and a loss was made on every car sold. The Wall Street Crash had a crippling effect on industry and the subsequent recession meant Guy could no longer afford to fit out Star’s Bushbury plant and in 1932 the company entered receivership.
Despite performing well throughout the decade, by the end of the 1920s Guy was facing an uncertain future due to the takeover of Star and the Wall Street Crash which had seen share prices fall from one pound to one shilling.
1930s
Guy was able to endure the depression due to orders from the war office and by taking advantage of the 1930 Road Traffic Act which encouraged the development of lighter vehicles. In 1933 the Arab bus chassis, designed for use with diesel engines, was launched and would prove a mainstay of Guy’s success for the next twenty years.
From the mid-1930s, the company became increasingly involved in the British rearmament programme, developing and producing military vehicles. In 1935 Guy submitted their new four wheel Ant armoured car to military trials where it impressed and 150 were ordered by the government. After this success Guy began to concentrate solely on the production of military vehicles and by 1938 Guy relied exclusively on Government contracts and had ended civilian productions. During this time Guy designed a new armoured car, the Quad Ant, which was welded rather than riveted together. This development made armoured vehicles much safer and is reported to have saved the British government £100 million, earning Guy a commendation from the Royal Commission.
The Arab Mark IV, Guy’s most successful bus design
World War Two
Guy armoured vehicles were used throughout the war, featuring prominently in the North African campaign and at the evacuation of Dunkirk.Although production of the Ant and Quad Ant were moved to Karrier the factory was still involved in the war effort producing anti-aircraft guns.
Passenger car sales in the UK virtually ceased during the war, which was accordingly a good time to be a UK bus manufacturer, and more than 2,000 Guy double-decker buses entered service between 1942 and 1945. The Ministry of Supply had ordered Guy to produce a chassis suitable for double decker buses, the blitz having resulted in a shortage of buses. In 1942 Guy launched the Arab utility deck bus based on their original 1933 design, but with a frame of identical shape to the Leyland Titan TD8. It was immediately successful due to its reliability and low running costs. The company’s contribution to the war effort established them as a leading supplier for the government and meant they were financially stable heading into the post-war years.
Post-War Years
After the war Guy returned to civilian production with bus production remaining a mainstay and retaining a strong emphasis on export sales to their major markets including South Africa, Pakistan and the Netherlands. In 1948 Guy acquired Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles Limited and from then on all trolleybuses produced (except some for UK operators carrying Karrier badges) carried the Sunbeam name. Trolleybuses continued to sell well with the Sunbeam becoming the most popular model in South Africa.
The Sunbeam Double-Decker Trolleybus
Guy continued to update their old models, introducing a new version of the Otter chassis in 1950 for 30-seater vehicles and 84 were ordered by London Transport. By 1954 Guy passenger vehicles were operated by 150 companies in the UK and in 26 countries abroad. The company developed the first 30 ft two-axle double-deck trolleybus chassis in 1954, the Sunbeam F4A, which could seat 68 passengers.
The Otter Tractor Vehicle
In 1957 Sydney Guy retired after 43 years with the company. Guy continued to develop new models of chassis, introducing updated versions of the Otter and Warrior models and the high performance Victory chassis. However an ill-advised decision to take South African sales in house proved an extreme strain on the company’s finances. Combined with their attempt to develop a new double decker chassis this would prove highly damaging for Guy’s future. Launched in 1958 the Wulfrunian promised many innovations in its design but crucially lacked the reliability upon which Guy had built its name.
The decline of the company
Although new designs such as the Warrior Mark II were being produced and despite the fact their lorries were performing well by 1960 Guy faced seemingly insurmountable financial problems. The failure of the Wulfrunian was a commercial disaster and the operation in South Africa was losing them £300,000 a year.
By 1961 Guy had no choice but to enter receivership. Sir William Lyons, managing director of Jaguar, acquired the company for £800,000, transferring its assets to a new company, Guy Motors (Europe) Limited which left all the liabilities with the now defunct Guy Motors Limited the name eventually reverting to “Guy Motors Ltd” in 1966. Jaguar immediately set about rationalisation, decreasing the number of employees and the range of vehicles in production.
Guy continued to be successful throughout the 1960s with the development of the Victory trambus and the Big J series of trucks. The Big J was designed around a new Cummins V6 engine, and was intended for motorway operation. However a series of mergers by their parent company had left them in a precarious situation In 1966 Jaguar had merged with the British Motor Corporation to form British Motor Holdings. This company had then merged with Leyland in 1968 to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation. Leyland ceased the production of Guy badged buses in 1972 although Leyland badged versions of the Guy Victory were produced at Wolverhampton and Leyland until 1986. Despite the mergers the British motor industry continued on a generally downward trend and British Leyland looked for where it could make savings.
Guy Motors was able to postpone closure due to the success of its Big J range which meant it was one of the few companies owned by British Leyland operating at a profit. Despite this in 1981 Leyland decided to close the Fallings Park plant as part of a rationalisation drive and in August 1982 the doors were shut at the cost of 740 jobs. On 5 October the factory was stripped clean and the contents auctioned.
Guy Motors was a Wolverhampton-based vehicle manufacturer that produced cars, lorries, buses and trolleybuses. The company was founded by Sydney S. Guy (1885-1971) who was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Guy Motors operated out of its Fallings Park factory from 1914 to 1982, playing an important role in the development of the British motor industry.
Sydney S. Guy registered Guy Motors Limited on Saturday 30 May 1914, the same day he departed his position as Works Manager at the Wolverhampton company, Sunbeam. A factory was built on the site at Fallings Park, Wolverhampton. and by September 1914 production was underway on the newly designed 30cwt lorry. This employed a much lighter form of pressed steel frame, unlike the more commonly used heavy rolled steel channel frames of the time. This made the vehicle able to cross difficult terrain and a 14 seat poster bus built based on the design was used for crossing the Scottish Highlands.
1914 Guy’s 14 seater bus designed for use in the highlands
In 1915 Guy came under control of the Ministry of Munitions and production was focused on the war effort. The factory continued to produce 30cwt lorries which were supplied to Britain’s allies in the First World War. They also produced Wasp and Dragonflyradial aircraft engines, Tylor truck engines and Maudslay gearboxes as well as being the country’s largest maker of depth charge fuzes. For their efforts during the war Guy received a commendation from William Weir, Secretary of State for Air. Due to orders from the ministry Guy prospered during the war, expanding its factory and became an established name in British manufacturing.
1920s
The post-war period was difficult for the motor industry as military contracts were cancelled and military vehicles no longer required for service were sold onto the market at low prices. Guy returned to the civilian market, deciding to make luxury cars with a design by RH Rose, also from Sunbeam. They produced the Guy 8-cylinder car, powered by the first British V8 engine and featuring horizontal side valves. Around 25 of these were made and it was joined by a smaller model in 1922 with the 2465 cc four-cylinder 16.9 hp. A cheaper model followed in 1924 with the 1954 cc 13/36 with an engine from Coventry Climax. About 110 of the 4-cylinder models are thought to have been made. Production also continued on vehicles based on the 30cwt chassis such as the Guy charabanc and their major success the 30 seater bus.
In 1924 the company adopted the slogan ‘Feathers in our Cap’ which led to the addition of a Native American mascot to their vehicles. 1924 also saw Guy produce the first ever dropped frame chassis for passenger vehicles (the B-type). This design allowed passengers to enter buses in a single step and became extremely popular, Guy receiving an order for 170 from Rio de Janeiro.
Guy Motors badge
Growing populations in towns and cities meant larger capacity buses were a necessity, leading Guy to develop a 6-wheeled version of their dropped-frame chassis which allowed for the introduction of the first 6-wheeled double decker buses and 6 wheeled trolleybuses in 1926. Guy double decker buses and trolleybuses would prove popular with a fleet of double deckers sold to the London Public Omnibus Company and exports supplied all around the world. Exports served as a major source of income for Guy with sales to South Africa, Pakistan, India and the Netherlands, their armoured vehicles proving particularly popular for covering difficult terrain with 100 supplied to the Indian government in 1928.
Guy’s first military vehicle produced in 1923
In 1928 Guy took control of fellow Wolverhampton manufacturer the Star Motor Company, who had seen declining sales throughout the decade, in an attempt to expand their luxury car manufacturing. Under Guy, Star Motors moved to a new factory in Bushbury and the range of vehicles was narrowed to prevent competition against itself. Despite this Star continued to struggle and a loss was made on every car sold. The Wall Street Crash had a crippling effect on industry and the subsequent recession meant Guy could no longer afford to fit out Star’s Bushbury plant and in 1932 the company entered receivership.
Despite performing well throughout the decade, by the end of the 1920s Guy was facing an uncertain future due to the takeover of Star and the Wall Street Crash which had seen share prices fall from one pound to one shilling.
1930s
Guy was able to endure the depression due to orders from the war office and by taking advantage of the 1930 Road Traffic Act which encouraged the development of lighter vehicles. In 1933 the Arab bus chassis, designed for use with diesel engines, was launched and would prove a mainstay of Guy’s success for the next twenty years.
From the mid-1930s, the company became increasingly involved in the British rearmament programme, developing and producing military vehicles. In 1935 Guy submitted their new four wheel Ant armoured car to military trials where it impressed and 150 were ordered by the government. After this success Guy began to concentrate solely on the production of military vehicles and by 1938 Guy relied exclusively on Government contracts and had ended civilian productions. During this time Guy designed a new armoured car, the Quad Ant, which was welded rather than riveted together. This development made armoured vehicles much safer and is reported to have saved the British government £100 million, earning Guy a commendation from the Royal Commission.
1914 Guy Syzygies
1914 Guy Syzygies
1914 Guy Syzygies
1914 Guy Syzygies
1919 Guy Charabanc T-5182
1921 Guy 30-seater bus
1921 Guy coaches in Wolverhampton Market place
1922 Guy Promenade Runabout
1924 Guy six-wheelers in Rio de Janeiro
1925 Guy first six wheeled pneumatic Trolley Bus
1925 Guy Motors
1925 Guy Rio 1925
1927 Guy 6 wheeled Londonbus
1927 Guy 26 seater
1927 Guy FBB (chassis number 22257) with a Hall Lewis B32R body
1927 Guy Star Flyer
1928 Guy 6 wheeled double deck long distance sleeper coach
1928 Guy BT Dodson DY 4965 in Hastings
1929 Guy php
1930 Guy FC of Newcastle Corporation
1930 Guy Motors
1930 guy-vixen
1931 Guy ‘BTX’ Zuid Africa
1931 Guy Trolleybus op weg naar Japan
1932 Guy Open coach
1933 Guy Trolleybus adv1
1933 Guy NL
1934 Guy Wolf Guy GR-1157
1936 Guy Trolleybus adv
1937 Guy Arab
1937 Guy Wolf with Martin body
1938 Guy Wolf with 20 seat bodywork by Waveney
1943 Guy Arab I JUA762 Pickering H30 26R Re bodied ROE H31-25R
1943 Guy Arab I JUA762 Pickering H30 26R Re bodied ROE H31-25R
1943 Guy Arab II as a double decker, later an open top decker similar to 39
1946 Guy Arab III with Massey C35F body new to W. Alexander
1946 Guy Arab Massey TSB019
1946 Guy Arab Seamer Service
1946 Guy Arab with Brush B35F body
1946 Guy Vixen Hainje B-22878 NL
1946 Guy-Arab bus 84 met carrosserie van Verheul. Dienstbus
1947 Guy Arab (Seida)
1947 Guy Arab III with Duple C35F body
1947 Guy Arab Verheul NB-34-13 NL
1947 Guy first post war Trolley Bus Belfast Corporation
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr. Saunders GTW 30 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 32 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 33 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 34 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 35 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 36 NL
1947 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Saunders-de Schelde GTW 37 NL
1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Individually built bus advert
1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Newport buses bus advert
1947 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, Southampton Guy Arab bus advert
1947 Guy Saunders Tet 075 NL
1947 guy-arab
1947 Guy-Vixen. Carrosserie v d Bos(linker bus) NL
1947-52 Guy carr. Den Oudsten NB-21-69 NL
1947-52 Guy Vixen carr. Verheul NB-28-40 NL
1948 Guy Arab 16 Brian Shaw
1948 Guy Arab 16
1948 Guy Arab 21 Brian Shaw
1948 Guy Arab 37
1948 Guy Arab carr. Verheul NB-28-54
1948 Guy Arab Fleet LUT&PC 22
1948 Guy Arab Fleet of Maidstone Corporation Transport Department 26
1948 Guy Arab Fleet of Newport Corporation Transport 24
1948 Guy Arab Glasgow Corporation Transport Fleet 23
1948 Guy Arab I 136
1948 Guy Arab III with an MCW 35 seat body
1948 Guy Arab III with MCW 35 seat rear entrance body.
1948 Guy Arab IV African Transport Limited Kenya 30
1948 Guy Arab Mark IV Hong Kong China Bus Company Limeted 34
1948 Guy Arab Mark IV South Africa 35 Greyhound
1948 Guy Arab Mark IV Southdown Motor services Limited 32
1948 Guy Arab Mk III 19 6 1957 Verheul 1948 TET 88 E-45960 NL
1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 320 NL
1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 321 NL
1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 324 NL
1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW 328 NL
1948 Guy Arab MkIII, Gardner 6LW, carr. Verheul GTW NL
1948 Guy Arab Single decker 2
1948 Guy Arab single decker vehicle
1948 Guy Arab Single Decker
1948 Guy Gardner 6LW Arab MkIII carr Verheul GTW 39 NL
1948 Guy met Verheul carr. uit de serie 82 tm 84 uit 1948 werd in 1953 verbouwd . De achterkant is verheul NL
1948 Guy Otters were never common and ones with Alexander bodywork rarer still
1948 Guy Vixen coach
1948 Guy Wolf chassis carries a Barnard body
1948 Guy-Arab met carrosserie Saunders NL
1948 guy-arab dd
1948 guy-arab 440
1948 guy-arab 440
1948 guy-arab dd
1948 Guy-bus 23 erachter Crossley- Scheldebus 20 (NS 1065) op 12 september 1948 vliegveld Beek en EBAD NL
1948 The Arab Mark IV, Guy’s most successful bus design
1948 The Sunbeam Double-Decker Trolleybus
1949 burlingham guy coach
1949 Guy Arab III 6LW with Park Royal H30-26R body
1949 Guy Arab III, fleet number 10 (KTC 615)
1949 Guy Arab IV
1949 Guy Arab IV
1950-guy-arab-mk-iii
1949 Guy Arab MK 5
1949 Guy Arab MKIII Gardner 6 LW carr Hainje GTW 329 NL
1949 Guy ArabIII-Brislington Bus Works
1949 Guy Motors adv.
1949 Guy Vixen carrosserie Den Oudsten NL
1949 guy-arab
1949-53 Guy-carr. Jongman NB-56-18 NL
1950 Guy Arab III with Guy B33R bodywork
1950 Guy Arab III-Harkness Coachworks B31F (may be B30F now) 286, MZ7384
1950 Guy Arab III-Harkness
1950 Guy Arab Mark IV
1950 Guy Arab MK IV South Africa 37
1950 Guy Arab UF with Guy B40F body (using Park Royal framework)
1950 Guy Arab V double deck bus
1950 Guy Motors
1950 Guy Vixen Overland Firms 59
1950 Guy Vixen NL
1950 guy-arab
1950 guy-arab
1950 Guy-Vixen NL
1951 Guy Arab III with a Windover C33F body
1951 Guy Arab III with rare Roe coach body
1951 Guy Arab III with unusual Roe coach body
1951 Guy Arab UF fitted from new with a preselector gearbox and carried a Guy B40F body.
1951 Guy-Arab 76 met carrosserie van Hondebrink. Opname 1955 tijdens toerwagenral NL
1951-guy-vixen-carrosserie-hainje
1952 Guy Arab III with Roe B41C bodywork
1952 Guy Arab LUF with Weymann B44F body
1952 Guy Arab Underfloor engined single deck Huddersfield 43 seater bus 4
1952 Guy GS – MXX 342
1952 Guy Otters with rare Mulliner bodywork
1952 Guy Underfloor Verheul Jac. van Dijk nr 58 NB-06-72 NL
1952 Guy Vixen Wadham
1952 Guy-Arab 89 met carrosserie van Verheul. Met 45 zit en 10 staanplaatsen. Opname grens Glanerbrug in 1954 NL
1952 Guy-Arab nr. 86 met carrosserie van Verheul NL
1952 guy-otter
1952 guy-otter
1953 Guy Otter
1953-guy-arab-88-met-carrosserie-van-verheul
1953 Guy Arab bus 60
1953-guy-arab-iii-with-roe-b41c-bodywork
1953 Guy GS MXX-343ECW B26F Kerel
1953 GUY Otter Diesel light vehicle12
1953 Guy Special NLLVP with ECW B26F body
1953 Guy Special with ECW B26F bodywork
1953 Guy Special NLLVP with ECW B26F bodywork
1953 Guy Vixen 30 seater vehicle 4
1953 Guy Vixen London Transport GS84 and GS76
1953 Guys with ECW B26F bodies for use on low traffic country area routes
1953 Guys with ECW B26F bodies
1954 Guy Arab Lighteight heavy duty underfloor engined coach
1954 Guy Arab LUF with a Guy B43F body
1954 Guy Arab LUF with Picktree C35F body
1954 Guy Arab LUF with rare Picktree Continental C35F body
1954 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton advert
1954 Guy Motors of Wolverhampton advert
1954 Guy Otter with a Roe B25F body
1954 Guy Sunbeam Trolley Double Deck Bus Walsall Corporation
1954 Guy Warrior 43 seater Trambus with AEC 6cyl 135 bhp engine
1954 Guy-bus 8 van de EBAD met Den Oudsten carrosserie NL
1955 Guy Arab LUF with Alexander C41F bodywork
1955 Guy Arab LUF
1955 Guy Arab LUFs, fitted with Roe B34C+24 bodies
1955 Guy Arab Mark IV East kent Road car Company Limited 31
1955 Guy Warrior LUF Coach 3
1955 Guy Warrior with Burlingham C41F body
1955 guy-s ad
1956 Guy Arab LUFs with Willowbrook C37C bodies
1956 Guy Arab Mark IV Belgium 36
1956 Guy Arab, with Park Royal body
1956 Guy Kusters-bus, de EBAD 91
1956 Guy Raghano België
1956 Guy Seal Small capacity tourist coach 1
1956 Guy Warrior, XUK768, with Mulliner C37C body
1957 Guy Arab LUF with Roe B41R body
1957 GUY Jonckheere België
1957 Guy Arab Toerwagen 88 met carrosserie van Verheul
1957 Guy Otter P6 with Mulliner B26F bodywork
1957 Guy Vixen
1958 Guy Arab LUFs with Longwell Green B44F bodies, XNY419
1958 Guy LUF with Longwell Green B44F body
1958 Guy UF with Burlingham Seagull C41F body
1958 Guy Victory Trambus
1958 Guy Victory Trambus
1958 Guy Victory UF 44 till 65 seater Luxery Touring Coach Victory 2
1958 Guy Victory
1958 Guy Warrior Gardner 5HLW oil engine 2
1958 Guy Wulfrunian
1958 Guy-Arab nr. 89 met carrosserie van Verheul. De bus had 45 zit en 10 staanplaatsen
1958 guy-victory
1958 guy-victory
1958 guy-victory
1959 GUY 1460
1959 Guy Arab LUF Powered by a Gardner 6HLW engine Registration 1294 RE
1960 GUY J- Type
1960 Guy Warrior coach vehicle 21
1960 guy-victory
1961 Guy Arab III-Strachen-Highland Trans.G.Rixon2
1961 Guy Wulfrunians with Roe H43-32F body
1963 Guy Arab IV with Massey lowbridge body
1964 Guy Conquest Luxery Coach
1965 Guy Conquest Luxery Coach with AEC AV505 Gardner 6LX or 6LW Victory Trambus
Aan de betekenis van de naam ZABO (Zwijndrechtse Auto-Bus Onderneming) zou men in feite geen carrosseriebedrijf uit herleiden, maar meer een bedrijf met autobus lijndiensten en inderdaad, daar is het allemaal wel mee begonnen.
De historie van de naam ZABO gaat terug tot 9 juni 1923, toen de heer Aart de Jong een busdienst opende vanuit Zwijndrecht via Rijsoord naar Rotterdam. In deze periode na de Eerste Wereldoorlog werden op grote schaal busbedrijfjes opgericht om in de groeiende verplaatsingsbehoefte te voorzien. In 1925 breidde De Jong zijn werkterrein uit door de overname van de concurrerende Auto Omnibusdienst “Rijsoord”, van de ondernemer B. de Koning. In 1933 trok hij zich uit het openbaar vervoer terug, om onder de naam “De Jong’s Autobedrijf” een eigen touringcarbedrijf te beginnen. Na jaren van problematische bedrijfsvoering, maakte een brand in de garage in mei 1937, waarbij alle bussen verloren gingen, een einde aan de activiteiten van de ZABO als vervoerbedrijf. De lijndiensten werden overgenomen door collega RAGOM, die in september 1938 tenslotte ook de vergunningen van ZABO overnam. De ZABO bleef daarna bestaan als lege NV.
Bussenbouw
Op de plaats waar nu (nog) de carrosseriefabriek ZABO te vinden is, stond aanvankelijk de boerderij van de heer G. Groenenboom (de eerste eigenaar van de RAGOM). In april 1936 verkocht hij zijn bedrijf aan de heer J(oost) Ravesteyn Sr, die reeds eigenaar was van de Sliedrechtse busonderneming ESOO. Zijn broer P. Ravesteyn was mede-eigenaar van het Vlaardingse vervoerbedrijf EVAG. Een onderdeel van EVAG was een flinke carrosseriewerkplaats, waar in eigen beheer autobussen werden gebouwd. Deze afdeling werd in 1940 verzelfstandigd en ondergebracht in de lege NV, eigendom van J. Ravesteyn. De directie werd mede gevoerd door zijn zwager de heer J. Dinkla. Hierdoor werd ZABO leverancier van bijna alle autobussen voor ESOO en RAGOM.
Al spoedig moest de bouw van autobussen, vanwege de Duitse bezetting, gestaakt worden. Gedurende de oorlogsjaren werden merendeels reparatieopdrachten uitgevoerd. Ook de reparatie van gasgeneratoren werd een belangrijke bron van bestaan. Na de bevrijding nam de directie en bedrijfsleiding een speurtocht door het gehele land om aan materiaal te komen. Hiermee kon de carrosseriebouw opnieuw in gang gezet worden. Een nog groter probleem was het tekort aan vakbekwaam personeel, waardoor de groei van het bedrijf beperkt werd.
Stadsbussen
Opdrachten waren er voldoende. Zeker toen ook de grote Brabantse streekvervoerder BBA een belangrijk aantal orders plaatste. De contacten tussen BBA en ZABO resulteerden in een succesvol type stadsbus; de Volvo-Zabo-City-Coach. Hier bouwde ZABO er tussen 1959 en 1965 58 exemplaren van (serie 525-582). Voor de stadsdienst in Zwolle bestelde ook Schutte een 14-tal exemplaren (4 t/m 14 en 22 t/m 24). Het personeelsbestand groeide tot 52 medewerkers.
In 1971 werd de naastgelegen woning van de familie den Otter aangekocht en gesloopt. Op het vrijgekomen perceel werd een nieuwe bedrijfshal gebouwd. Nogmaals teisterde een brand de ZABO. In de nacht van 6 op 7 september 1981 brandde de oude werkplaats geheel uit. Er werden verstrekkende beslissingen genomen en er verrees een nieuw kantoor met werkruimte. Nu uitgegroeid tot 2500 m². Door het verdwijnen van veel kleinere busondernemingen (die vaste klant bij ZABO waren) vond tegen het einde van de jaren ’70 een sterke teruggang van de autobusbouw plaats. Vooral toen de grootste klant (BBA) de bussen centraal inkocht, betekende dit voor ZABO de doodsteek. In 1985 werd voor NWH de laatste autobus gebouwd.
Een voorlichtingswagen voor het Regionaal Energiebedrijf Dordrecht uit 1987 werd het laatste voertuig voorzien van een ZABO-carrosserie. Nieuw emplooi werd gevonden in het aanpassen van Mercedes-Benz-autobussen aan de Nederlandse keuringseisen. Andere activiteiten waren de fabricage van pneumatische deuren voor brandweerwagens en polyester noodluiken voor bussen. De laatste jaren van het bestaan van ZABO kenmerkten zich hoofdzakelijk door herstel en onderhoud aan bedrijfswagen en bussen van diverse ondernemingen.
Op 1 maart sluit ZABO Ridderkerk z’n deuren. De afgelopen jaren hield ZABO zich onder andere bezig met schadeherstel en onderhoud van autobussen. Tot het einde van de jaren 80 werden er ook complete autobussen gebouwd. Deze bussen werden met name geleverd aan streekvervoerders die niet tot het NS concern behoorden, zoals de Twee-Provinciën, de BBA (in de jaren 70 verreweg de grootste klant), Tensen Soest, Noord-Westhoek en Schutte Zwolle. In de jaren 80 werden de streekvervoerbedrijven steeds meer gedwongen om standaard bussen aan te schaffen. Daardoor liep de bussen productie steeds meer terug. De laatste streekbussen werden geleverd aan de Noord-Westhoek.
Ter gelegenheid van de naderende sluiting heeft de Stichting Oud Ridderkerk een tentoonstelling georganiseerd en een boekje uitgegeven. In dit boekje staan een groot aantal foto’s van autobussen waaronder een aantal unieke exemplaren zoals de dubbeldekker die in de jaren vijftig aan de TP werd geleverd. Tijdens de tentoonstelling werd o.a. een schaalmodel/plantenbak getoond van een luze toerwagen van de BraBenA, de toerwagen afdeling van de BBA. De tijdens de tentoonstelling getoonde foto’s zijn allemaal terug te vinden in het boekje. Gelukkig zijn er nog de nodige ZABO bussen bewaard gebleven. De verschillende museum stichtingen hebben er een aantal in bezit. Ook rijden er nog een aantal ZABO bussen rond als Camper. De laatste ZABO lijnbussen reden bij Arriva. Deze ex Noordwesthoek bussen kwamen in 2003 nog terug naar hun geboortegrond rondom Dordrecht/Ridderkerk. Doordat de nieuwe bussen voor de concessie DAV (Drechtsteden, Alblasserwaard, Vijheerenlanden) niet op tijd geleverd konden worden moest Arriva zich een aantal maanden behelpen met oude bussen. Hieronder waren 2 ZABO bussen. In 2004 kwam zo’n bus nog even bij de HTM terecht als groepsvervoerbus, maar lang heeft dat niet geduurd.
Drie generaties ZABO stadsbussen van de BBA voor het nageslacht bewaard door de Stichting Veteraan Autobussen
De Arriva 3999 behoorde tot de twee laatste ZABO lijnbussen in active dienst. Toen deze foto in 2004 gemaakt werd was die tijd inmiddels voorbij. Met lijn 90 Utrecht-Rotterdam kwam de bus o.a. door Ridderkerk, de vestigingsplaats van ZABO
Schutte Zwolle was vaste klant bij ZABO en kocht in 1971 een drietal Volvo B57-ZABO stadsbussen. Daarna ging Schutte over op de aanschaf van bussen met een Hainje Carrosserie.
Tensen Soest was een belangrijke klant van ZABO. Voor Tensen bouwde ZABO zowel toer als lijnbussen in verschillende maten. Een groot aantal ZABO bussen van Tensen is uiteindelijk nog bij de VAD terecht gekomen. Meer Tensen foto’s zijn hier te vinden.
De Twee Provinciën schaftte in de jaren 60 en 70 grote aantallen ZABO bussen aan. Deze kwamen na de overname van TP bij Westnederland terecht.
Part of Brush Traction was Brushmobile Electric Car
Between 1901 and 1905 the Brushmobile electric car was developed using a Vauxhall Motors engine, although only six were built. One of these six featured in the film Carry on Screaming. Nearly 100 buses, plus some lorries were built using French engines until 1907.
In all, about 250 steam locomotives were built in addition to the tram engines. Production finished after the First World War and the company concentrated on transport-related electrical equipment, including tramcars, trolleybuses and battery-operated vehicles.
The coachworks continued after the war with omnibus bodies mounted on Daimler chassis using Gardner five-cylinder diesel engines and Daimler preselector gearboxes as well as AEC and BMMO Chassis for Midland Red and 100 Leyland Titans for Birmingham City Transport as well as bodies to the design of the British Electric Traction group on Leyland Royal Tigers. In 1952 the coachworks was closed and the goodwill and patents were bought by neighbouring Willowbrook.
more about Brush in total because it’s still exists
MCW bus bodies were built in Metro-Cammell’s and Weymann’s factories until 1966
1966 Weymann’s factory in Addlestone was closed (the Metro-Cammell and Weymann brand names were dropped in the same year).
From 1977 MCW also built bus chassis.
1989 the Laird group decided to sell its bus and rail divisions. No buyer for the complete group could be found so each product was sold separately. The Metrorider was bought by Optare who relaunched it as the MetroRider; the Metrobus design was bought by DAF (chassis) and Optare (body), who jointly reworked it into the Optare Spectra. The Metroliner design was acquired by Optare though not pursued. The Metrocab was bought by Reliant. Metro Cammell‘s rail division and the Washwood Heath factory went to GEC Alsthom(now Alstom).
The history of Verheul, derived from a car factory to Waddinxveen, corresponds to that of many other body factories. Dirk Verheul, the owner since 1900, began after the first world war with the building of bodywork. In the 1930s the factory has become one of the largest in this field in the Netherlands. On many buses and chassis brands were recommended truck s produced. In particular, collaboration with the Dutch kromhout .
From 1958 took Verheul construction of complete kromhout-coaches to hand, with only the engines delivered kromhout. To this Covenant came in 1963 another end, because after the takeover of AEC Verheul’s other partner by Leyland created a close cooperation between Verheul and Leyland-Holland in Aalsmeer. One went on under the name Leyland Motor Corporation NV.
The Verheul-factory was destroyed by fire on december 9, 1970. On this place arose then the Dutch subsidiary of British Leyland. The name Verheul was no longer used and Carbodies were no longer built. The construction of standard local buses was continued by Den Oudsten to Woerden .
Branches
A planned new factory at the Henegouwerweg Waddinxveen along national road 12, could by the circumstances of war only after 1945 be put into operation. This complex was known as factory A and served for the construction of large bus series. The original location to the clay Quay in Waddinxveen was called henceforth factory B and was selected for the construction of smaller numbers of coaches. Because Verheul in the 1950s large orders got from coaches for the City and regional transport, was on 25 november 1955 in Apeldoorn opened a new factory (C) , which, however, not long existed and was closed on 1 november 1962.
Products
Verheul was a well-known Builder of buses. Decades had a lot of city buses, Intercity buses and coaches in a body of Netherlands Verheul. Part of this was built on a chassis of brands like Kromhout, AEC or Leyland, MAN, DAF, but also built many self-supporting body works with components of Kromhout, AEC (such as the VB20 and VB10 ) and Leyland (such as the Holland Coach bus and the Royal Holland Coach local bus).
Built In 1966 Verheul 25 coaches of the type CSA order of Hainje for the HTM. In 1967-69 Verheul designed and built a series of 130 standard Intercity buses from the Leyland Verheul LVB668 type for the then still at NS and later at the ESO connected bus companies. Until 1988, this was the standard model for the Dutch public transportation, but there was no longer himself came to Verheul.
1955-68 Verheul Holland Coach stadsbus 134 uit 1955, GEVU, Utrecht, gevolgd door Leyland-Verheul LVS560 stadsbus 6 uit 1968, GVG, Groningen.
1956 GVA BUT Verheul trolleybussen bouwjaar 1956
1956 GVBA AEC-Kässbohrer-Verheul 245 – Amsterdam
1956 TET bussen op het busstation Molenstraat te Ootmarsum. Scania-Vabis bussen met carrosserie van Verheul. Opname 1956.
1956 Verheul Geledebus GTM
1956 VERHEUL KAROS-18 juni 1956
1957 ACLO Verheul 01 AEC-VERHEUL bestemd voor Zuid Amerika. Verkort v 12 meter naar 10 meter lengte
aclo-mark-iv-uruquay-aec-verheul
1957 Aclo Verheul Coba 02
1957 ACLO-Verheul 02 1957 geëxporteerde Verheul Zuid Amerika. carrosserie duidelijk naar Amerikaanse normen is aangepast
1957 ACLO-Verheul 03 AEC-VERHEUL bussen lijkt. Duidelijk zien we dat de wagen de motor achterin heeft en let vooral op de lengte die zeker een stuk korter
ACLO mark IV = URUQUAY AEC Verheul
ACLO Regal 4 Verheul voor Verheul in Waddinxveen
1957 ACLO-Verheul 04
1957 DAF met Verheul opbouw Velox in Andelst
1957 Interieur van Kromhout TBZ100 Verheul stadsbus 281, GVB (Amsterdam)
AEC nr. 76 met carrosserie van Verheul. Opname Sankt Georgplatz in Epe (Duitsland) in 1970
AEC Regal Mk IV – Verheul
AEC Regal Mk IV-A – Verheul
AEC Verheul Enhabo 223
AEC Verheul HTM 216
AEC Verheul LTM 2089
AEC-Verheul 06
Coach Verheul KLM
Crossley Verheul HTM 92
CVD Leyland-Verheul 424 – Nijmegen NS – 10-1978
Daf 11 met het kenteken TB-62-63, met carrosserie van Verheul. De kleur was ivoor met blauw dak.
Daf nr. 15 met carrosserie van Verheul. Opname bij de kuiperberg te Ootmarsum met chf Rekers van het depot aldaar
Daf stadsbus nr. 23 met carrosserie van Verheul. Deze had 30 zit en 16 staanplaatsen
DAF Verheul Roland 11 A-36241
Daf-Leyland 11 met carrosserie van Verheul. De eerste miljonairs voor de TET. 40 zit en 25 staanplaatsen. Bus heeft 11 jaar dienst gedaan in Ootmarsum.
DAF-Verheul bus van Jac. van Dijk. Eindhoven
BUT-Verheul Trolleybus (NB-01-24), Groningen
ESA 75 AEC en DAF Verheul.
Ford Transit nr. 58 met carrosserie van Verheul-Aviolanda met de moter achterin. Deze bus had 28 zitplaatsen.
Strachans, at one time known as Strachan and Brown, was a significant supplier of bus and coach bodies from the ‘Twenties through to the late ‘Sixties. After that they appear to have quit the PSV market but continued to trade as a supplier to the Ministry of Defense. Based for many years in North Acton, London they moved to premises on Hamble Airfield in Hampshire around 1960. The last date I have where any activity is recorded is 1984.
Their products were particularly prominent before WW2 with many London operators using them, while during the War they were a supplier of “Utility” bodywork. Post-War they were particularly associated with Aldershot and District, but seemed to go into a decline in the late ‘Fifties. The ‘Sixties saw a minor resurgence when they bodied a number of rear-engined single decker chassis including the London Transport XMS class, and provided the coachwork on the only five Dodge chassis sold in the UK.
Surprisingly I have been unable to trace more than passing references to this company anywhere on the web, so a group to record its existence seems appropriate.
History
1865 Birth of James Marshall Strachan [pronounced Strawn] at Medians, near Aberdeen, Scotland.
1867 Birth of Walter Ernest Brown.
1881 W E Brown is apprenticed to coachbuilders Laurie and Marner (Oxford Street, London).
1894 W E Brown starts his own business at Shepherds Bush.
1896 W E Brown partners with S A Hughes [full name and dates?] as Brown and Hughes (Kensington).
1907 J M Strachan joins the partnership: Brown, Hughes and Strachan, with a large factory at Park Royal.
1915 J M Strachan and W E Brown establish a new partnership as Strachan and Brown Ltd, based at the former Brown and Hughes premises (Holland Gate Garage, High Street, Kensington).
1921 Strachan and Brown move to Wales Farm Road, Acton.
1928 Strachan and Brown partnership dissolved; J M Strachan continues as Strachans Ltd; W E Brown and sons Dennis and Reginald become directors of Duple Bodies and Motors; the rest is WKC history.
1929 Death of J M Strachan; Strachans is renamed Strachans (Acton) Ltd.
1934 Strachans (Acton) is renamed Strachans Successors Ltd.
1944 Death of W E Brown.
1962 Strachans Successors is sold to Giltspur but continues to operate as Strachans (Coachbuilders) Ltd based at Hamble-le-Rice, Hampshire.
1976 Strachans (Coachbuilders) ceases production.
* This info comes from Mrs Jacky Mackenzie, great grand daughter of Walter Ernest Brown
W.J. Bence started a carrier/bus service in this area c.1890. Later in 1918 he started building bus bodies on military chassis that had been used during the recent World War. Bus body building continued until 1944 when a new name was sought and Longwell Green Coachworks Limited came into being. They built many buses and lorries until 1966 when the last 2 buses were completed. The firm then concentrated solely on lorries and vans until 1983 when it ceased to trade. On the bus building side some of their customers included the corporations of Cardiff, Newport, Aberdare, Gelligaer, Merthyr Tydfil and larger companies Rhondda Transport and South Wales Transport (to name but a few). Some of the clients for lorries, vans and crew buses were British Road Services, British Rail and the GPO (later Telecomms). A more detailed story is covered by Ian S. Bishop in his book ‘Longwell Green Our Village’ available from The Bristol and Avon Family History Society.
In 1826, young Charles Barnard (1804-1871) left his native village of Bracon Ash in Norfolk, and set up as an “ironmonger, oil and colourman” in Market Place, Norwich. Supported initially by his father-in-law Matthew Joy, the business thrived. By 1840, Mr Barnard had established a retail workshops in Pottergate, making ironwork for domestic and agricultural implements. In response to the local demand for fencing, he invented a mechanical loom in 1844 to produce woven wire netting. This pioneering machine survives in working order at the Bridewell Museum:
[Charles Barnard’s Wire Netting Machine by munkt0n, on Flickr.]
In 1846, Charles Barnard teamed up with ironmaker John Bishop of St Ives in Huntingdonshire, trading as Barnard and Bishop. His eldest sons (Charles Junior and Godfrey) joined the partnership in 1859, the firm becoming known as Barnard, Bishop and Barnards. The census informs us that in 1861 Mr Barnard employed “105 workmen, 47 lads, 7 clerks and 4 shopmen”. Around this time he established the Norfolk Iron Works (see earlier post) in Coslany Street, comprising iron foundry, steam-powered netting mill and production tramway. The business diversified in the 1860s and 1870s into ornamental ironwork with pretensions of grandeur. In 1864, Barnard, Bishop and Barnards made the “Norwich Gates”, which were designed by Thomas Jeckyll (1827-1881), exhibited in London at the Great Exhibition, and given by the county of Norfolk to the Prince of Wales as a wedding present. They stand to this day at the entrance to the Royal Park at Sandringham:
After Charles Barnard’s death in 1871, the firm continued to prosper. In 1875 James Garton Bower (1854-1935) began his long involvement with the company. The following year a wrought and cast iron pagoda won a prize in Philadelphia, and, after being exhibited in Paris two years later, was sold to Norwich Corporation for £500 and erected in Chapel Field Gardens. In the 1880s the manufacture of iron bridges was begun: the Norwich City Station Bridge is still with us:
In 1887 the firm was incorporated as a limited liability company under the title Barnard, Bishop and Barnards Ltd. By 1901 James Bower had redesigned and rebuilt the wire netting machinery. He invented and patented a machine for weaving mixed-mesh wire-netting, many thousands of miles of which were exported to Australia for rabbit-proof fencing. In 1905 Mr Bower became Managing Director and Chairman of the company, and at the end of 1907 he led a management buy-out of the old firm’s assets. Mr Bower’s new company was named Barnards Ltd. During World War One (1914-1918) Barnards was a large contributor to the war effort, supplying castings, cooking stoves and seven thousand miles of wire netting for road-making in Egypt. Two hundred Barnards workers enlisted, of whom fifteen didn’t return, including the Managing Director’s youngest son Charles Francis Bower (1891-1917). In 1921 part of Mousehold Aerodrome was purchased for warehousing, later to become Barnards main premises. The manufacture of chain link fencing was begun in 1928.
1948 Austin CXB with Barnard body
1948 VVS 913 Austin CXB Barnard B33F
The death of James Bower in 1935 signalled the end of an era. He had been with Barnards for sixty years, thirty of those as the man in charge. He was as comfortable in the workshops as in the boardroom, and despite a reputation as a strong-willed workaholic, he found time for numerous hobbies including tennis and astronomy. His loss was keenly felt by the firm of which he had been the driving force for so long. World War Two (1939-1945) brought a temporary reprieve: Barnards employed 1,200 workers making munitions, aircraft parts and 750,000 telegraph poles for the North African Campaign. Later in the war they made propellers and steam gear assemblies for motor torpedo boats used in the Japanese theatre. The factory at Mousehold was bombed on two occasions, killing two workers and destroying many hangars, but not seriously impeding production.
1948 Guy Wolf chassis, JC8344, carries a Barnard body jc8344
1948 EN 9180 Guy Wolf Barnard B20F 1948-1954
Last edited by Thylacine on Mon Sep 03, 2012 5:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Let them not taste the hire / Of their iniquity [Anne Askew]
[Bradford 575 (FKY 575) Daimler CVD6 Barnards H30/26R 1950-1959 … Bolton Road, Bradford (Sunday 24 June 1956) … by John Kaye via SCT ’61]
Barnards Ltd of Norwich
Part Two: Diversification, Decline and Demise
1949 AEC Regent III with Barnard H30-26R bodywork
After World War Two, Barnards Ltd were all tooled up with nowhere to go — after industrious wartime activity, the order books were alarmingly empty. “Diversification” became the catch-cry, which involved (amongst other activities) a three-year burst of bus and coach bodybuilding. Now as far as I know, Barnards had no previous experience of coachwork, and the circumstances surrounding this venture remain somewhat mysterious. What is known is that two managers from Northern Coachbuilders of Newcastle (Horace Hatton and Jack Herdman) joined Barnards Ltd by 1948 to head up the new Barnards coachworks. In the three years 1948-1950, Barnards made a total of 115 bus and coach bodies, amongst them 37 double-deckers. The bus enthusiasts at SCT ’61 have cleverly worked out the full census of double-deckers:
1949 Daimler CVD6 with a Barnard H30-26R body hwx753
19 highbridge bodies (1948-1950) to Dundee Corporation Transport for AEC and Daimler chassis: the Daimlers were rebodied after about 10 years but the AEC bodies lasted 18-19 years.
6 highbridge bodies (1949-1950) to Bradford Corporation Transport for Daimler CVD6 chassis: lasted until 1958-1959.
3 highbridge bodies (1949-1950) to South Shields Corporation Transport for Daimler CVD6 and Guy Arab chassis: fate unknown.
2 highbridge bodies (1948-1950) to Northern Roadways for unknown chassis: fate unknown.
2 lowbridge bodies (1949) to Greens Motors of Haverfordwest for Guy Arab chassis: lasted until 1962-1967.
2 highbridge bodies (1948-1949) to Clynnog & Trevor of Caernarfon for Guy Arab chassis: lasted until 1960s.
1 lowbridge body (1949) to Birch Brothers for a Leyland TD7 chassis: lasted until 1960.
1 lowbridge body (1949) to Silcox of Pembroke Dock for a Bristol K6G chassis: lasted until 1969.
1 highbridge body (1949) to Rossie Motors for a Daimler CVD6 chassis: lasted until 1965.
This only leaves 78 single-decker and coach bodies to be accounted for. Of these, I have information on 13 single-deckers and a mere three coaches. We have seen pictures in these pages of Barnards single-deck coachwork, but as far as I know we have yet to see a Barnards coach body. All I can say is: “Watch this space”.
1949 Guy Wolf with Barnard B20F body jc9735
For reasons unknown, Barnards ceased making bus and coach bodies in 1950. By 1955, flagging fortunes led to a takeover by Tinsley Wire Industries Ltd of Sheffield. The firm continued to operate in Norwich under the Barnards name, concentrating on its core business of fencing products. In 1964 Tinsley took over Boulton & Paul’s wire products division, merging it with Barnards. Pausing briefly to celebrate 150 years of trading in 1976, the firm found some respite from hard times during the 1980s “oil boom”, making 100 miles a day of wire netting for lagging and reinforcing concrete around undersea oil pipes. In 1991, the Barnards Ltd ceased operations in Norwich and closed the Mousehold Works.
1950 Daimler CVD6 one of six with rare Barnard H30-26R body f575
That’s what I could find, with thanks to Thylacine
Bussen van de NV. Carrosseriefabriek Roset uit Bergen op Zoom waren vanaf de jaren ’50 geen onbekende verschijning in de Nederlandse autobuswereld. Bij Roset begon het allemaal in 1946. In dat jaar werden twee bussen op Bedford-chassis gebouwd. In later jaren bouwde men op elk willekeurig chassis (o.a. AEC, Bedford, DAF, Guy, Dodge, International, Ford, Magirus Deutz, Mercedes Benz, Setra, Volvo, Kromhout en Scania-Vabis).
De producten van Roset werden vooral geprezen om hun sierlijke vormgeving en luxueuze uitstraling van het interieur. Men bouwde in hoofdzaak het meest voor touringcarbedrijven, waarbij het in 1955 geïntroduceerde model “Superliner” razend
1955 Roset Superliner
populair werd. In 1958 werd dit model enigszins aangepast met een groter glasoppervlak en werd toen omgedoopt tot “Bella Vista”. Hier werd geen standaardwerk geleverd, maar pure vakmanschap. Van elke bus die in productie kwam werd een tekening gemaakt en de details werden apart op tekening gezet. De klant betaald en de klant bepaald, dat was het beleid bij Roset.
Niet alleen voor touringcarbedrijven werd er gebouwd. Ook de streekbusbedrijven wisten de weg naar Bergen op Zoom te vinden en bestelden hun bussen bij Roset. Zo waren o.a. AMZ, KLM, LTM, Maarse & Kroon en ZVTM afnemers van Roset. Bij de touringcarondernemers waren het o.a. de Firma Vermaat (ca. 83 bussen), de EVAG uit Vlaardingen (in 1962 waren 27 van de 29 bussen van Roset) en Mey uit Amsterdam (ook in 1962 14 bussen).
Het productieproces bij Roset begon op de 2e verdieping van het fabrieksgebouw. Op verstelbare mallen werden hier de dakconstructie, de zijwanden en het frame gemaakt. Deze frames werden door een tunnelbuis naar de montagehal op de begane grond vervoerd. Op de eerste verdieping stonden de persen voor bijv. de fabricage van de stoelen en is ook de stoffeerderei aanwezig. In de montagehal op de begane grond werden alle delen in elkaar gezet, de beplating aangebracht en in de gewenste kleurstelling gespoten. Na de eindcontrole kan de bus aan de klant afgeleverd worden. In 1962 was de capaciteit gesteld op circa 50 bussen per jaar, maar die aantallen werden lang niet elke jaar gehaald. In de periode 1946 t/m 1969 werden er in totaal 600 bussen gebouwd.
In opdracht van Maarse & Kroon kreeg Roset een order voor het bouwen van een zeer speciale VIP-bus. Deze bus ging de geschiedenis in ging als “Jules Verne”.
In 1968 werden nog 22 bussen gebouwd, te weten: 1x AMZ 51, 2x Vermaat 116-117, 5x GTW 302-306, 5x M&K 551-555, 1x Mey 50, 3x EVAG 85-87 en 5 voor KLM 3001-3005. In 1969 stopte de productie abrupt. In dat jaar verscheen er 1 bus (EVAG 89).
Voor de hoge mate van specialisatie en luxe moest een te hoge prijs betaald worden. Ook de concurrentie speelde Roset parten.
Mr Charles H. Roe was a coachbuilder, draughtsman, engineer and entrepreneur who established a coachworks business bearing his name in Leeds, Yorkshire in 1917. He continued to be its managing director until 1952. Charles H. Roe Ltd produced distinctive and durable coachwork which although associated most strongly with municipal operators, particularly in Yorkshire, sold to a wide range of bus, trolleybus and coach operators, and there were even a few car, railway carriage, tram and commercial vehicle bodies too. Eventually becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of British Leyland in 1982 it was closed in 1984. Former workers and management pooled their redundancy money and in 1985 returned to the Roe factory in Leeds with a new bus-building business under the new name of Optare Ltd.
1930 Leyland Lion LT1 with Roe bodywork
History
Early years
Charles Henry Roe was born in York on 22 May 1887. His father Charles Roe worked for the North Eastern Railway at their carriage works in the town, eventually rising to a foreman’s position. C.H. Roe served his apprenticeship at the drawing office of the carriage works and his first job after gaining his trade in 1912 was as a draughtsman at the Wakefield works of Charles Roberts and Company who built railway rolling stock. A year later he moved to Leeds to work as an assistant to the chief engineer at the Hunslet-based RET Construction Co who was a pioneer builder of trolleybuses. Whilst there he worked on a twin-shaft drive transmission system from the traction motors of the trolleybus chassis to replace a previous chain-drive arrangement and designed a lightweight body featuring steel panels over a suitably reinforced teak body frame. As an engineer and draughtsman he was exempt from World War IConscription. Customers for the RET vehicle with Roe-designed bodies included the trolleybus systems of Bloemfontein Corporation, The Shanghai Transport Company and Ramsbottom Urban District Council. The Ramsbottom examples were to a steel-frame design but it was wood and metal composite construction particularly using teak that became synonymous with the C.H. Roe name. The RET business had gone through one bankruptcy prior to C.H. Roe joining, originally having been founded as the Railless Electric Traction Company Ltd. in 1908.In 1916 The RET Company was required under war regulations to turn over production to munitions and being unable to supply orders in hand for trolleybuses was closed down in 1917.
1931 Guy BTX with a Roe L29-26R body
Sole trader
By August 1917 C.H. Roe had set up on his own account as an engineer and coachbuilder in a nearby factory unit. Always an innovator with a shrewd grasp of the value of intellectual property Roe applied for his first patent (relating to driving pulleys) on Armistice Day November 11, 1918. During this time Roe continually extended his site, which adjoined that of his former employer which had now been requisitioned by the Royal Flying Corps. As a sole trader, Roe built a wide variety of products from simple flatbed trailers for traction engines to a refrigerated mobile fish shop body and stylish charabanc bodies on the ubiquitous Ford Model T. Another early patent was for a tipping body for lorries (spelt in true Yorkshire style ‘lurries’ in the application) with compartments to allow discrete loads to be kept separate. Railless Ltd had reformed after the war to build trolleybuses and Roe designed and/or built bodies went on examples supplied to the North Ormesby, South Bank, Normanby & Grangetown Railless Traction Company and to York Corporation.
1932 AEC Regal dating from 1932, was fitted with this Roe B32F body in 1938
The first company
Expansion at the Hunslet site was by the end of 1919 impossible, but C.H. Roe lived with his wife in the Cross Gates area of the city of Leeds and knew that a large shell-filling factory there had been vacated by the government. Thus for the purpose of purchasing this large site with a modern factory building and space for expansion he registered Charles H Roe Ltd on May 26, 1920. The shareholders included his father and a number of family friends. Whilst the formation of the company and negotiations to buy the Cross Gates site commenced, coachbuilding continued at the Hunslet factory, bodies including Charabancs on Karrier and Lancia chassis. After taking possession of the Cross Gates site the first Roe double-deck bodies were built for Birmingham Corporation on Railless Ltd chassis, a second trolleybus maker to patronise Roe was Clough, Smith Ltd whose trolleybuses comprised their Leeds-built electrical equipment on Straker-Squire chassis and were hence known as Straker-Clough; Roe bodies supplied to them were then supplied to the Teesside Railless Traction Board (a municipal joint committee who had taken over the North Ormesby Company) and Rotherham Corporation. Other products of this era included a number of charabancs on chassis including Leyland, Thornycroft and Fiat and a stylish limousine on a Lancia chassis. All types of bodies from other builders were also repaired and painted.
1932 AEC Regent with Roe body
Trading difficulties in the early 1920s recession affected many businesses, the under-capitalised original Roe company being just one, during 1921 two debentures had to be secured to continue trading, the second relating directly to the Birmingham Corporation double deckers. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the first company was voluntarily wound-up after a directors’ meeting in November 1922. The receiver of the original company was able to give the bank a small surplus, whilst among the debts received £3,000 had come from various other purchasers plus £900 from Railless Ltd, who had subcontracted the Birmingham bodybuilding contract to Roe. Late payment can kill many a new business and it seems to have been the death of the original Roe company. C.H. Roe in a personal capacity bought the remaining assets from the receiver for £1,140.
1932 AEC Regent with Roe H30-26R body
Charles H Roe (1923) Ltd
The early years
One lesson had been learned in the formation of the second company (initially Charles H. Roe (1923) Ltd) in that share capital was one third larger (£8500 rather than £5850). At this time motorbus, rather than trolleybus or charabanc bodies began to assume a greater prominence. Like trolleybuses however a lot of the coachbuilding work on motorbuses was subcontracted either from the chassis manufacturer or from a dealership company. Thus many early Roe bus bodies on Karrier chassis were sold by the Huddersfield company as complete products.
1934 AEC Regent with Roe 56 seat body
An even more complicated situation arose with the Leeds based operation Tramway Supplies Ltd. They tendered for complete vehicles and then subcontracted the chassis supply to one manufacturer and the body supply to another. One of the body subcontractors was the Blackburn Aircraft who also had a factory in Leeds. They built their last bus bodies in 1924, just as Government orders for aircraft (particularly flying boats, a Blackburn speciality) began to pick up. Railless Ltd (the third Railless company) were, incidentally, backed by Short Brothers another aeroplane manufacturer with a specialism in flying boats and a sideline in bus bodies.
1934 AEC Regent with Roe H30-26R body
An example of how complicated the whole complete vehicle contract thing could get concerns a Tilling-Stevensbi-mode petrol-electric/trolley bus (type PERC1) built-for and patented-by the Teesside Railless Traction Board’s manager. Tilling-Stevens had contracted to supply a complete vehicle; they then subcontracted the body to Tramway Supplies who sub-subcontracted it to Blackburn, who sub-sub-subcontracted it to Roe.
1934 AEC Regent-Roe H30-26R
Other odd work in the early years of the new company included in 1924 a 36 seat petrol-fuelled rail vehicle for the Derwent Valley Light Railway. It was based on two Ford Model T chassis fitted with flanged steel tyres and coupled back-to-back, this rail minibus or petrol multiple unit seated 18 in each carriage and was driven from one end only, the rearward-facing car running in neutral gear with the engine switched off. When worked coupled fuel consumption was stated to be 14.33 mpg and if one unit was run the even more efficient figure of 17.55 mpg was obtained. It wasn’t enough to save passenger operations on the line from oblivion however and the units were exported in 1926 to the County Donegal Joint Railway Committee (CDR) in the north-west of Ireland who converted them from standard gauge to 3 ft gauge, lowering the bodies in the process. The CDR thus became the first railway in Ireland to use internal combustion engines and by the time of closure ran all passenger services and a number of freights using Gardner-powered diesel units.
1934 Leyland TD3 with a Roe H24-24C body
By 1925 Roe were receiving orders directly from customers in the council-owned sector, many of them previous customers for sub-contracted bodies, Mr Roe’s approachability during body construction may have played a part in this, letters from general managers of the time thank C.H. Roe for his enabling inspection of bodies in-build. Among municipals taking Roe bodies by this time were Ramsbottom, Rotherham, Northampton, Doncaster, Leeds, Oldham, Bradford and the Teesside Railless Board, most of whom would continue to be Roe customers for a long time; chassis included Bristol, Guy, Thornycroft and AEC. The first double-deck motorbuses were for Doncaster in 1925 on AEC, a year later Roe were building 30 ft-long six wheeled double-decks for Oldham on Guy chassis. Unlike London at the time all of Roe’s double-deck customers specified closed-tops on the upper deck. In 1926 Straker-Squire finally folded and Roe stored uncompleted vehicles for Clough, Smith prior to a new arrangement which saw their electrical equipment fitted to Karrier chassis. Also at this time Roe started building enclosed, or saloon, coaches which were often fitted to chassis which had previously carried charabanc bodies, Roe having a surplus of second-hand charabanc bodies by 1925. Two further debentures were called for, but this time it wasn’t to keep the business going, but to fund the expansion of the premises.
1935 AEC Regent originally with Roe H30-26R body
Independent prosperity
One of the more significant patents to emerge from Cross Gates was number 313720 registered in 1928 the name of the Company, Mr C.H Roe and Mr William Bramham, the works manager who was later to be general manager at Eastern Coach Works at Lowestoft, Northern Coachbuilders of Newcastle upon Tyne and Saunders-Roe of Beaumaris. This concerned a continuous machined teak waist rail designed to double-interlock with the vertical teak pillars and the steel reinforcing strips, once assembled also binding those to the outer panels; it could be accurately described as an early example of system-built coachwork. New chassis makes bodied in the late twenties included Albion and Crossley, both of whom chose Roe bodies for demonstrators, in Crossley’s case for its first double-decker. Trolleybuses continued to figure, makes including Karrier-Clough and Guy, the three-axled double deck now being the common form for these, customers including Bloemfontein, South Lancashire Transport and corporation fleets including some detailed above, Doncaster for example taking one of the only two Bristol trolleybuses with a Roe body in 1928.
1935 Roe H26-22C bodied AEC Regent
Another significant patent was jointly granted in 1930 to the company, Mr Roe and J.C. Whitely the general manager of Grimsby Corporation for a central entrance double decker with a distinctive design of staircase which rose transversely two steps to a wide landing and then branched into forward and rearward ascending longitudinal flights to the upper deck. Roe built bodies to this style until 1950 and licencees included H. V. Burlingham of Blackpool.
1936 Leyland Cub KPZ2 with Roe bodywork
In 1934 five years after the original company was wound up, the board agreed to remove the (1923) from the current company name. At the same time share capital rose to £12,000 and the current mortgages and debenture were repaid in favour of a new first mortgage.
1936 Leyland KPZ2 Cub with Roe B24F body
In 1935, encouraged by the chassis builder, a Commercial Motor Show exhibit was built on an AEC Regent chassis for Leeds Corporation, this bus had a rakish streamlined outline and a full-width cab but more importantly had an all-new steel framework patented by the company, Roe and Bramham (who became a director that year) and a ‘Safety Staircase’ patented by the company, Roe, Bramham and William Vane Moreland, the general manager of Leeds City Transport. This staircase on a rear platform bus gave less loss of seating capacity than the straight staircase favoured in London and Birmingham but intruded less onto the boarding platform than the normal semi-spiral arrangement whilst being superior to either layout in having two broad landings allowing boarding and alighting passengers to pass on the staircase. It became a standard feature of all subsequent peacetime Roe double-deck bodies for Leeds Corporation and was widely employed by other fleets, 777 examples being built by Roe prior to expiry of the patent in 1950.
1936 Leyland TS7 with ROE B32 F Body
During World War II, Roe mainly continued to build passenger bodies, although supplying the war effort more directly with such specialised bodywork as mobile printing presses for field communications use on Foden Lorries and articulated mobile kitchens, canteens and dormitories to assist blitzed factories. These were on semi-trailer chassis coupled to Bedford tractor units. Similar bus-seated vehicles were built mainly for use within Ordnance factories (where they became known as Bevin buses) but two were supplied to Liverpool Corporation and briefly used as service buses (1942-4) before being converted to mobile canteens. More normal passenger vehicle bodies were built during the war to the Government-mandated ‘utility’ outline including 240 single-deck 32 seaters on Bedford OWB chassis and over 400 double-deck bodies on Guy and Daimler motorbuses and Sunbeam trolleybuses, most to the sunken upper deck offside gangway or lowbridge layout.
1936 Leyland TS7c with Roe B34F body
In 1945 nominal share capital increased to £108,000 and the valuation of the works increased to £98,000. In 1939 both the English Electric Company and Metro Cammell Weymann had approached Roe about amalgamation or takeover and in 1945 talks were opened with Mumford of Lydney in Gloucestershire. These talks were inconclusive but in 1947 Park Royal Vehiclesbought a controlling shareholding in the company, three Roe board members were replaced by Park Royal directors and C.H Roe joined the board of Park Royal. In 1949 Park Royal were taken over by Associated Commercial Vehicles by then the parent company of AEC, Crossley and Maudslay.
1937 AEC Regent Roe Pullman H31-25R
The ACV years
Although ACV owned three chassis manufacturers and three coachbuilders (Park Royal, Roe and Crossley) they did not try to tie the hands of customers. Some rationalisation happened early in that any orders for Park Royal composite bodies were transferred to Roe, and steel-framed bodies were either built by Park Royal or by Roe using Park Royal frames. By the mid-1950s all metal-framed bodies by ACV, regardless of coachbuilder, had a Park Royal outline.
1937 Bristol JO5G with Roe B32F body
The flagship of the Roe composite body range was however exclusively built on AEC Regent III; this was the Pullman body, the only Roe bus ever to be named. The prototype – a Leeds bus to the specifications of W. Vane Moreland – with its deep windows and four window bays rather than the then standard five had looked ultra-modern when shown on a pre-war Regent at the 1937 Commercial Motor Show in London, it is an acknowledged influence on the London Transport designers whose RT1 appeared two years later with similar construction and outline.
1937 Leyland TD5 with Roe H31-25R body
Trolleybuses continued to figure, on Sunbeam/Karrier, Crossley or BUT chassis. The most striking of these were the Coronation class vehicles built on Sunbeam MF2B chassis for Kingston upon Hull Corporation Transport. These had a front entrance on the front overhang and a central exit; they were fitted with twin staircases and were intended to be one-man operated so were equipped with trolley-pole retriever equipment at the rear.
1938 Leyland Tiger TS8 with Roe B30F body
After the initial post-war boom Roe also took on a great deal of repair, rebuilding and refurbishment work, adding a workshop for this purpose. Plymouth Corporation had its entire fleet of Guy Arab utility buses thoroughly rebuilt by Roe, some 100 passing through the works. Roe also extended the Brush or Metro-Cammell bodies of Midland Red‘s post-war underfloor engined single deckers from 27 ft 6in to 29 ft 3in, allowing an extra four seats to be fitted. This work covered classes S6, S8, S9, S11 and all but one of S10, a grand total of 455 buses all converted in 1952 or 1953. In 1952 Charles H Roe resigned from the position of managing director, although he remained as chairman.
1938 Leyland TS8-Roe B36R
As pressure of work eased Roe also introduced a coach body for the AEC Reliance. This was known as the Roe Dalesman and ran through four separate marks, from 1953-9. It was mainly stock-built for coach dealers selling to small independents but major operators to use the type included West Riding Automobile Company and Black and White Motorways. Other specialist work undertaken included two single deck trams for Leeds, a mobile chest X-ray unit for tuberculosis control and crew cab lorries on Ford Thames Trader for the Uganda police force. Box vans were supplied on Bedford to the Bradford Dyers Association.
1938 Leyland TTB3 or TTB4 with a Roe H35-29R body
The composite body had been revised post-war, with a new patent waist rail, the teak structural member now covered by rolled steel plate. In 1957 the composite double decker reached its final form with teak framing to the lower deck ceiling or upper deck floor and an aluminium framework above. This was to continue in production, mainly on Daimler half-cab chassis until 1968, the last batch being built for Northampton Corporation on CVG6, replacing earlier Roe-bodied CVG6s which at the time comprised the entire Northampton fleet, all but five having composite bodies.
1938 ROE CM-Roe
Simultaneously Park Royal bowed to pressure from the British Electric Traction group of major regional bus operators and replaced their rather elegant mid-1950s aluminium-framed body with a steel-framed structure of very angular outline, this first appeared as the production version of the integral AEC Bridgemaster, but soon spread to all other steel-framed Park Royal and Roe double deckers. Crossley had been closed by ACV in 1958, having ceased to make chassis five years previously.
1939 Karrier E6 with Roe H32-28R body
Roe metal-framed bodies to this new outline went on a wide range of double deck chassis. A large batch were built for BET on the new Leyland Atlantean, these were delivered in 1960 to Trent Motor Traction, Devon General and the Northern General Transport group. As well as looking ungainly these buses became notorious for their propensity to corrode. Roe also built both forward and rear entrance bodies using this structure on conventional chassis, Swindon Corporation taking Daimler CVG6 and both Yorkshire Traction and Stratford Blue Motors taking rebodied Leyland Tigers.
1939 Leyland Tiger TS8 with Roe B32F body
Far less conventional was the Guy Wulfrunian which was even more avant-garde than the Atlantean, it was designed to the requirements of the independent West Riding company and featured a front engine on the front entrance platform, instead of a front radiator it had two Cave-Browne-Cave heat exchangers on the upper deck front face to provide passenger heating and ventilation as well as engine cooling. The front wheels had double wishbone independent suspension and like the rear axle had a self-levelling air suspension system, the foundation braking was by disc brakes on all four wheels with a drum brake on the driveshaft providing the parking brake and the fluid flywheel adapted to serve as an integral retarder. At a time when only Jaguar and Ferrari road cars had front discs this was a technological adventure, like the Routemaster and Midland Red’s motorway coach it was shown with its Roe body in a cutaway-centre spread of boy’s comicThe Eagle where it took its place alongside V-Bombers, Nuclear Submarines and Deltic Locomotives. Roe bodied 131 out of the 137 Wulfruninans built from 1959 to 1965.
1940 AEC Regent with Roe bodywork
The Wulfrunian body was lower built as this chassis was designed as a low height bus with stepless entrance and centre gangways on both decks. Roe also softened the outline of the body with a subtly curved rear dome; the use of equal-depth windows on both decks produced a much more balanced look.
1941 Leyland TD7 with a Roe L24-24R body
Other oddities at the dawn of the 1960s included single-deck buses on the double-deck AEC Regent V chassis, most of these were built for South Wales Transport for a route with a very low railway bridge in Llanelli under which underfloor engined single decks could not work but there were also one each for the Leeds Council Welfare department (with a rear ramp for wheelchair access) and for the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.
1942 Guy Arab I with Roe L24-26R
1942 Leyland Titan TD7 with Roe H26-32C bodywork
In 1962 ACV merged with Leyland Motors to form the Leyland Motor Corporation. In 1965 LMC sold a 30% shareholding in Park Royal and Roe to the state-owned Transport Holding Company in return for a 25% stake in Bristol Commercial Vehicles and Eastern Coach Works. Charles H Roe retired as company chairman in 1962 and died in 1965.
1943 Guy Arab II with a Roe B38C body
1943 Guy Arab II with Roe L27-26R body
1943 Guy Arab II with Roe L27-28R body
1943 Sunbeam W with Roe H62R body
The mixed economy
The original outline of the body for rear-engined double deckers was widely considered unsatisfactory and Sunderland Corporation took a heavily revised version on Daimler Fleetline from 1962-6 featuring a prominent peak at the front dome and a reverse rake to the upper-deck rear in the style of the contemporary Ford Anglia saloon car. Great Yarmouth Corporation instead specified double curvature windscreens of Alexander design on its Atlanteans (including a unique short-wheelbase batch in 1967) and on the last three Daimler Freeline single deckers. This then became a standard option at Roe who also optionally fitted the Alexander style double-curvature upper-deck front window on rear engined chassis, curving the line of the foremost upper deck side windows down to meet this, producing an elegant style which suited the Fleetline and the post 1964 low height Atlantean. Also in 1964 for that year’s Commercial Motor show Roe built its first body to the 36 ft length permissible since 1961, it was an early Leyland Panther for the Kingston upon Hull Corporation Transport fleet. Unlike the Coronation trolleybuses they were to replace, the Hull Panthers were allowed to be one man operated. Roe then built versions of this body for Leeds on the similar AEC Swift from 1967 to 1972 and also built standee single decks on Daimler Roadliner and Fleetline for Darlington and on Seddon Pennine RU for Doncaster.
1944 Daimler CWA6 with a Roe H30-26R body
1944 Guy Arab II with body by Roe
1944 Sunbeam W with Roe body
In 1964 Leeds, the last provincial bastion of the rear-open platform double decker took a batch of Fleetlines to Great Yarmouth outline and the first of these was also shown at the 1964 show, Leeds continually revised this design over the next few years, in 1966 it was extended to 33 ft long rather than the previous 30 ft 10in, both decks had double curvature screens and side glazing became panoramic, with double-width window glasses. In 1968 angled flat glass at the front and a glass-fibre dash was added and a centre exit was fitted whilst the rear dome reverted to a square outline. This made the appearance similar to the Oldham Corporation variant supplied with conventional side glazing on standard wheelbase Atlanteans since 1965. The Leeds design was produced until 1975 with a few going to independent operators in England and Scotland. The Leeds and Oldham designs in turn led to the Park Royal–Roe standard design for Atlantean and Fleetline built from 1969 to 1981, which had a deeper front screen optionally to Alexander layout or flat-glazed and wider pillar spacing than the previous standard but not as long as that fitted to the Leeds style or the Manchester Corporation Mancunian. Roe built one batch of 34 Mancunians on long Fleetlines in 1972. These buses had been due to be bodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders in 1970, but they suffered a fire destroying their works in Blackburn, so the contract was transferred to Park Royal, who in turn transferred it to Roe (shades of that Teesside Tilling-Stevens).
1945 Sunbeam W with Roe 62 seat coachwork
The standard design was adopted by West Yorkshire PTE (successor to the Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield Halifax and Calderdale fleets) and many municipals and also (from 1972) on the AN68 Atlantean became the National Bus Company’s second-choice double decker, being especially associated with ‘Leyland’ fleets such as Ribble, Northern General and Southdown but it also became the standard double decker with London Country who had over 300.
1946 AEC Regent IIIs with Roe H31-25R body
1946 Leyland PD1-Roe H31-25R
1946 Roe B35R bodied Guy Arab III
Nearing the end
In 1982 Leyland Vehicles, the truck and bus division of the by now state-owned British Leyland bought out the National Bus Company’s 50% shareholding in the joint-venture Bus Manufacturers Holdings Ltd which had not only owned Bristol, ECW, Park Royal and Roe but also the Leyland National factory at Workington.
1947 AEC Regals with Roe B32F body
1947 AEC Regent III with Roe H28-22C body
1947 AEC Regent III with Roe H31-25R body
1947 AEC Regent III-Roe H31-25R
1947 Daimler CVD6’s coaches rebodied by Roe in the mid-1950s
1947 Leyland Tiger PS1 with Roe B35R bodywork
1947 Leyland Titan PD1-3 with Roe bodywork
1947 Roe B35R bodywork was fitted to this Leyland PS1
1947 Sunbeam W new in 1947, rebodied by Roe H32-28R in 1960
1947 vintage Leyland PS1 with a Roe B32F body
In 1981 and 1982 Roe-bodied six 18-metre long articulated buses for British Airways, these employed Leyland National body sections on Leyland-DAB underfloor-engined chassis, Roe modifying the body for the higher frame height. They featured five entry-exit doors, two on the offside, and were used to transport passengers from their aircraft to the terminal at Heathrow airport.
1948
AEC-AEC-BUT-DAIMLER-SAUNDERS-LEYLANDx3-BUT
1981 had been a peak production year at Roe, with 182 bodies built, the highest total since 1966 (the year when double-decks were finally allowed to be operated without a conductor, the first bus to do so, on the day of the law change, being a Great Yarmouth Roe-bodied Atlantean). The standard body was phased out in 1981, as the Fleetline had been discontinued and the Atlantean could not be sold in the EEC after 1983 as it fell foul of noise-pollution laws. 1981 was also the year that the Park Royal coachworks were closed. The new body to take its place was for the new Leyland Olympian chassis and Roe produced 299 of these prior to closure, most went to three fleets, West Yorkshire PTE and NBC subsidiaries Bristol Omnibus Company and London Country, with one batch to Strathclyde PTE and a sole vehicle to the Scottish Arts Council which was equipped as a travelling art gallery.
1949
AECx4-DAIMLER-GUY-CROSSLEY-SUNBEAM
Production peaked at this point because the Government was phasing out the New Bus Grant which had provided up to 50% of the cost of a bus used on local services provided it met certain rules. In order to compensate for this drop in bus sales Leyland Bus (as it had now become) decided to produce a new flagship product for the booming deregulated coach market following the Transport Act 1980. This was the Royal Tigerunderframe and the Roe Doyen body. This was a sophisticated product, as the Tiger coach chassis competed head on with the Volvo B10M the Royal Tiger Doyen was designed to provide a British alternative to the high-end Setra coach from Germany. Production got off to a slow start, not helped by overly centralised control from Leyland and a rigid set of body specifications which did not initially provide all the features more demanding coach customers wanted. In 1983, the year of launch only 10 complete Royal Tiger Doyens entered service, a further 13 underframes being supplied to Van Hool and Plaxton to receive versions of their standard coachwork. In 1983 production of the underframe was moved to Workington and 22 coaches were completed by Roe as well as 86 Olympians. The plant was not at that point viable for British Leyland who had been impoverished by the chronic failure of its Austin mass-production car division. Thus Roe followed Daimler, Guy, AEC, Park Royal and Bristol into oblivion.
1950
AECx2-Crossley-Daimler-Leylandx3-Albion-Sunbeamx2
Many Roe bodies survive in preservation and some on special tourist services, the earliest design being a replica of a 1929 body on a Leyland Lion at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport.
1951
AECx3-GUYx3-Leyland-AEC
Three diecast model manufacturers produce 1:76 scale models of Roe vehicles, EFE have a pre-war Leyland Tiger bus, Corgi OOC produce the final style of rear entrance composite body as a half-cab or a trolleybus and Britbus make the NBC version of the standard Atlantean body in single or dual-door format.
The origins of Reading Transport can be traced back to 1878, when the privately owned Reading Tramways Company (part of the Imperial Tramways Company) was formed. They were initially authorised to construct and operate a horse tram route on an east–west alignment fromOxford Road through Broad Street in the town centre to Cemetery Junction. Significantly, this route formed the core of what became known as themain line of the tram and trolleybus network.
Construction started in January 1879, with the entire line being open by May. A fleet of six single-decked cars were initially used, with 31 horses, providing a 20-minute frequency. The cars operated from a depot on the south side of the Oxford Road, immediately to the east of Reading West railway station. By the 1890s the whole fleet had been replaced by double-decked cars operating at a 10-minute frequency. The company made several proposals to extend the system, add routes and electrify the system. But none of these came to anything, and in 1899 the borough corporation decided to purchase the system.
The purchase deal was completed on 31 October 1901, and the Reading Corporation Tramways came into being. The corporation set out about first extending, and then electrifying the system. The extensions were completed by December 1902, and the last horse cars ran in July of the following year.
The new electric trams started operating in July 1903. Extensions were constructed to the Wokingham Road and London Road (both from Cemetery Junction), and new routes added to Whitley, Caversham Road, Erleigh Road and Bath Road. The trams operated from a new depot in Mill Lane, a site that was to remain Reading Transport’s main depot until it was demolished to make way for The Oracle shopping mall in 1998.
The electric tram services were originally operated by 30 four-wheeled double decked cars supplied by Dick, Kerr & Co. In 1904, six bogie cars and a water car (used for keeping down the dust on the streets) were added to the fleet, also from Dick, Kerr & Co. No further trams were acquired, and a planned extension from the Caversham Road terminus across Caversham Bridge to Caversham itself was abandoned because of the outbreak of World War I. The war also led to a significant maintenance backlog.
In 1919, Reading Corporation started operating its first motor buses. These ran from Caversham Heights to Tilehurst, running over the tram lines and beyond the tram termini. Because of the state of the track, the Bath Road tram route was abandoned in 1930, followed by the Erleigh Road route in 1932. Eventually it was decided that the tramways should be abandoned and replaced by trolleybuses, operating over extended routes. The last tram ran on the Caversham Road to Whitley route in July 1936, and last car on the main line ran in May 1939.
The first trolleybus wiring erected was a training loop on Erleigh Road, which opened in early 1936. This loop was never used in public service, and was subsequently dismantled. Public service commenced on 18 July 1936, on a route replacing the tram route from Caversham Road to Whitley Street. In May 1939, the remaining tram routes from Oxford Road to Wokingham Road and London Road were converted to trolleybus operation, with a short extension from Wokingham Road to the Three Tuns, and a much longer extension from the Oxford Road through the centre of Tilehurst to the Bear Inn. The extended main line from the Three Tuns to the Bear, still exists today as bus route 17, the town’s busiest and most frequent route, and the first to be designated a premier route.
During World War II a trolleybus branch was constructed from the Oxford Road to Kentwood Hill, enabling trolleybuses to replace motor buses with a consequential saving in precious oil based fuel. In 1949 the Whitley Street line was extended to Whitley Wood and Northumberland Avenue and a short branch was built to Reading General station. Subsequent short extensions took the system to its full extent, with the Kentwood route running to Armour Hill and the Northumberland Avenue line running to the junction with Whitley Wood Road.
By 1965, most UK trolleybus systems had closed, and the manufacturers of the overhead equipment gave notice that they would cease production. At the same time the trolleybuses came in for some bad publicity in the local press because they cost more to operate compared to motor buses and they were inflexible, even though the trolleybuses were profitable (Reading’s motor buses made a loss), faster and less polluting. Reading Corporation decided to abandon the trolleybus system, and the routes were phased out between January 1967 and November 1968.
The UK’s first contra-flow bus lane was instigated along Kings Road, when that road was made one-way in the early 1960s. The trolleybuses continued to operate two-way, as it was considered uneconomic to erect wiring on the new inbound route, London Road. The concept of the contra-flow bus lane was proved successful, and adopted in other places for motor buses.
Expansion and competition
Reading Transport offices in 1985 now The Oracle shopping centre
The Transport Act 1980 deregulated long distance bus services. Reading Transport took advantage of this new freedom to start a service from Reading through London to Southend. The service was numbered X1 and was run jointly with Southend Transport.In 1982 the X1 was shortened to run from Reading to Aldgate in East London, under the “Gold Line” brand, and joint operation ceased.
As a result of the legislation that accompanied the deregulation of local bus services in 1986, the operations of Reading Transport were transferred to Reading Transport Ltd, an “arms length” company whose shares were held by Reading Borough Council. Bus deregulation also meant that the local council no longer had any power to regulate the routes and fares of Reading Transport, nor could they prevent other operators from starting competitive services within the borough.
In 1992 Reading Transport acquired the Reading and Newbury operations of BeeLine, one of the privatised successors to the state-owned Alder Valley. These acquisitions led to Reading Transport operating buses in Newbury, and in the rural areas around Reading and Newbury, for the first time. Additionally, BeeLine had operated a Reading to London service under the LondonLink name, and that was merged into the Gold Line service and the resulting service renamed London Line. The Gold Line name was retained for use by Reading Transport’s non-scheduled service business. The London Line service ceased in 2000.
Reading Transport faced competition on Reading urban routes from 1994, when[Reading Mainline, an independent company, started operations with AEC Routemasters acquired from Transport for London. Labour shortages created problems for the competitor, and Reading Transport acquired Reading Mainline in 1998. Reading Transport continued to operate the Routemasters under the Reading Mainline brand until they were finally withdrawn in July 2000.
Premier and vitality routes
Optare ExcelLowRider in 1999 in a variant of the livery used until the introduction of premier routes
Since 2004, Reading Buses and Reading Borough Council have made a significant investment in upgrading the quality of Reading’s main urban bus routes. In autumn of that year, Reading Buses introduced its first branded Premier Route in the form of the number 17, running between the Three Tuns on Wokingham Road and the Bear Inn at Tilehurst via the town centre and Oxford Road, and the linear descendent of the old main line. This was intended as the first in a series of such routes, each providing a weekday daytime frequency of between 3 and 8 buses per hour. Each premier route, or group of routes, would be allocated a distinctive colour, to be used used on the buses on that route, and also on maps and other publicity.
Since then the premier route concept has been rolled out on most of Reading’s urban routes. In April 2009, a similar concept was introduced to some of Reading Buses’ longer distance rural routes. These were rebranded as Vitality Routes, using specially branded green and silver or red and silver buses. In 2014, these too were changed to a colour brand, becoming ‘Lime Routes’.
Reading Buses has a history of experimenting with biofuels, including biodiesel and alcohol fuel. By 2008, all but one of Reading’s bus fleet was fuelled by a mix of 5% biodiesel and 95% conventional diesel.
In late 2007, Reading Buses placed an order with Scania for 14 ethanol fuelled double decker buses to replace the existing fleet of biodiesel powered vehicles operating premier route 17. At the time the order was placed, this was the largest order for ethanol fuelled buses in the UK. These buses started work on 26 May 2008.
In October 2009, it was discovered that instead of the bio-ethanol fuel having been sourced from sugar beet grown in the English county of Norfolk (as had been advertised), it was actually made from wood pulp imported from Sweden. On learning this Reading Borough councillors launched an investigation into how they and the Reading Transport Board could have been deceived. All the ethanol-powered buses have since been converted to run on the same bio-diesel mix as the rest of the fleet.
Hybrid buses
Reading Buses has over 30 hybrid (diesel-battery-electric) buses which are used on routes 17, 20, 20a, 21 and 26.
Current operations
Reading Buses
Reading Transport operates public service buses under the Reading Buses brand throughout the town of Reading, and to a lesser extent in the rural area around Reading. Most of the urban routes have been branded as Premier Routes, with each route or group of routes allocated a distinctive colour. These colours are used on the buses used on that route, and also on maps and other publicity. Premier routes provide a weekday daytime frequency of between 2 and 8 buses per hour, depending on the route.
Other routes, including some rural routes and non-premier urban routes, operate at lower frequency, varying from several buses a day to two buses an hour. They are allocated a grey colour in maps and publicity, and are currently operated by a mixture of vehicles in a new silver based fleet colour scheme similar to that used on the premier routes, together with vehicles in various previous colour schemes.
Reading Buses also operates the NightTrack network under contract to Reading Borough Council. These services run on their own routes from 23:45 until late into the night. Premier route 17 also operates at these times, but all other routes finish by then.
Between the current Leopold Street and the Willem Geetsstraat founded a sure William R about 1850 the Usines R on. of these buildings only the name remains standing. Of the buildings that were built later on this place is the history to determine with certainty. We do know that since 1928 monarch successively a furniture factory, a factory and a furniture factory was located again. Finally, a toy company in 2002 left the buildings. Every Malinois knows “the arsenal”, the Central workshop of the Belgian railways. Because the growth in the rail industry at one time, was no longer to keep up with the ferry company decided to outsource a number of assignments to private enterprises. To and around the arsenal were different private initiatives. In 1850 founded the Brussels native William R (1820-1867), whose father also worked as an engineer in the arsenal, a forge for the production of(cast iron) railroad components. The company grew further and delivered over time fully finished coaches and specially designed wagons on the Belgian railways. The second half of the years around the arsenal the factories 18OO turned on full blast. But shortly after the turn of the century started to reduce orders for the Belgian market. There had to be so looked forward to other markets and other products. R built for the Dutch to Chinese market rail carriages. But they were also involved in the construction of buses. At his death left William R to the city a sum of money from his estate. The interest was to serve for the training of worker children. In 1872 was a square named after him. As far as I know turned a part of the R-factory still well into the 1960s.
is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England. The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton. It became a subsidiary of Alexander Dennis in 2007.
History
Beginnings
The business was founded as a joinery workshop, and expanded into building contracting. As a building contractor, Plaxtons built a number of notable buildings in Scarborough. Soon after World War I Plaxtons diversified and began to build charabanc bodies on Ford Model T chassis. Of more importance at the time was the construction of automobile bodywork. This included bodywork for Rolls-Royce, Sunbeam and Daimler, but principally for Crossley car chassis. This activity continued through the 1920s, but the depression of 1929-1933 created difficulties for manufacture of luxury automobiles. As a result, the manufacture of charabanc, and later coach bodies became more important through the late 1920s and early 1930s. Customers during this time tended to be local to the Scarborough area, Scarborough being a popular seaside resort.
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Coaches of the 1930s
By 1936 the company felt justified in construction of a large new manufacturing facility in Seamer Road, Scarborough. This allowed increased production, and Plaxtons became popular with many independent operators throughout Northern England. Many of these operators purchased their vehicles through independent dealers, rather than directly from the factory. In this regard, Plaxton’s sales were through Lancashire Motor Traders Ltd of Manchester and Arlington Motor Co Ltd of London. The company became known as F.W. Plaxton & Son by 1937, as the founder’s son, also named Frederick William joined the company at the age of 18. FW Plaxton junior was to be known as Eric to avoid confusion with his father.
Plaxtons built a number of different coach designs through the 1930s, until settling on a distinctive house style. The style typically consisted of a very rounded front profile at the windscreen area with side windows that sloped backwards at the front, were upright at the centre, and sloped forward at the back. Bodywork for the Bedford WTB chassis was particularly distinctive, sloping severally from the bottom of the front wheel arch to the roofline, leaving the “bullnose” radiator grille protruding. The rear also sloped prominently. The WTB chassis was very popular choice for operators at that time, together with the Dodge RBF and SBF. Leyland and AEC chassis were also popular for larger coaches, notably the Leyland Tiger and AEC Regal.
On the outbreak of World War II in 1939, coach production halted and the factory was turned into a munitions factory under the control of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. Many records from the early years were lost when an incendiary bomb set fire to the Seamer Rd factory in 1943 causing much damage. As the factory was under control of the Ministry of Works, production continued in the open air whilst a replacement was constructed. Some adjacent land was loaned by a market gardener who subsequently joined the board years later.
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1950s
Production restarted at the end of 1945, and in 1951 the business was registered for the first time as a private company, Plaxtons (Scarborough) Ltd.
Two new models were exhibited at the 1950 Commercial Motor Show, with names instead of model codes for the first time. The Envoy was for traditional front-engined chassis, and featured a full-front cab with a vee-pattern windscreen, and aluminium trim across the lower part of the radiator grill extending round squared-off front corners to the wheel arches. The Crusader, which could be built on front-engined or the new underfloor-engined chassis, had a more upright front profile, with curved glass panels at the windscreen corners, and in most cases an enlarged side window with sloping pillars between this and the entrance. On front-engined chassis the Crusader employed the Envoy’s front trim. Both Envoy and Crusader were produced to the new maximum dimensions of 30 ft (9.1 m) by 8 ft (2.4 m), and many examples were originally fitted with rear wheel spats.
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The Envoy was short-lived, perhaps partly because of the obsolescence of most of the chassis types for which it was intended, while the Crusader was rapidly overtaken by a further new underfloor-engined model – the Venturer. The Venturer combined the front of the Crusader with more restrained and conservative styling, and proved so popular that it wasn’t long before a version was produced for front-engined chassis (mostly lightweight Bedfords and Commers) with a rather more raked frontal appearance. By the time the Mark II version appeared at the 1952 show, the Venturer was Plaxton’s standard model.
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The Venturer II had a common front profile for all models, together with a standard dash panel featuring a four-part radiator grille with a central cross within an oval outline which also embraced the headlamps. A rear-end revision marked the launch of the Venturer III in 1954, and the following year a version was produced for underfloor-engined chassis with the entrance ahead of the front axle. This required a return to a more vertical front profile, and meant that there were now three variants of the Venturer – front engined, underfloor-engined with a centre entrance and underfloor-engined with a front entrance. This three-variant approach, established with the Venturer, continued throughout the life of the succeeding Consort model and into the Embassy era, although the relative importance of the three versions varied significantly over the years.
The Consort was first shown at the 1956 Commercial Motor Show. It was a development of the Venturer, but in place of the previous oval the four-part grill was now enclosed by a near-trapezoidal outline (though actually hexagonal), wider at the top than the bottom, with the headlamps outside. Trim was revised to be much squarer in outline, featuring ribbed brightwork, and the curved rear quarter lights, first standardised on the Venturer III, were now incorporated into the main window line. However, a year later the Consort II was announced, re-introducing the oval grill outline of the Venturer – but now surrounding a plainer grill with chrome flash across the middle – while the trim lines so recently squared up were softened once again. The evident popularity of the oval- shaped grill then ensured its survival as a Plaxton hallmark for many years to come.
In 1957 the founder of the company, F.W. Plaxton Senior, died, and was succeeded as Chairman by his son Frederick Jnr, though known as Eric.
In 1958 Plaxtons were approached by Sheffield United Tours (SUT) with a requirement for a new crisper design of coach body. The result was the first Panorama body. The main feature of the Panorama design was the large, fixed rectangular side windows. A vertical front from the contemporary Consort II design was used, with the door ahead of the front axle. The 1958 Panorama was entered into the British and the Nice coach rallies, winning top awards at both events. The first six Panoramas, designated “Panorama Pioneer” by SUT, were built on AEC Reliance chassis and seated 36 passengers.
1956-plaxton-consort-bus-brochure-bedford
The production version of the Panorama, with 41 seats as standard, was introduced at the 1958 Commercial Motor Show, as an addition to the existing range, available in one form only – on underfloor-engined chassis with the entrance ahead of the front axle. In common with the new Consort III and IV, it had a new silver-effect dished oval grill with a chrome flash through the middle, and a curved windscreen with a central division. The original Panorama’s short window immediately behind the entrance door was removed and encapsulated into the first bay, and the difference in level between the waistline and the rear window was accommodated by a stylish “kick-up” at the rear. The design then received minor modifications over the next two years.
1957-aec-reliance-plaxton-consort-c41c-bodied
Consort IV variants with the entrance further back, together with the smaller Consort III, were able to use a windscreen with even greater curvature, but it was the Panorama which was the trend-setter, becoming a strong influence on the development of British coach styling for years to come.
1960s and 1970s
Plaxton became a public company in January 1961.
For the 1961 coaching season the Consort IV evolved into the Embassy, the main change being that the windows now tapered inwards towards the roof rather than being vertical. At the same time a new version of the Panorama was created, using the same shell as the Embassy but with fewer window pillars.
The new Panorama boasted a completely new front, featuring a slight peak overhang above the windscreen (which was now optionally undivided), a small grill at the bottom of the front panel, and for the first time double headlights. Embassy bodies on underfloor-engined chassis shared some or all of these features, depending on the entrance position. However, because the standard offering in the underfloor-engined sector was now the Panorama, most Embassy bodies were built on lightweight front-engined chassis – particularly the Thames 570E and Bedford SB. In this form, with the entrance behind the front axle, the Embassy retained the dished oval grill and wrap-around windscreen of the Consort IV. The rear of both Panorama and Embassy comprised a two-piece curved glass window that wrapped around to meet the rearmost side pillars, and the lights were contained in a single unit with a fin-like top rather like the rear of the Ford Anglia 105E saloon.
36-foot (11 m) versions of both models were introduced, on Leyland Leopard and AEC Reliance chassis, as soon as legislation allowed, and were 8 feet 2.5 inches (2.502 m) wide. The first 36-foot coach in Britain was a Panorama delivered to SUT in 1961. However, while the extra length gave a real boost to the Panorama’s appearance – with the falling roofline making the vehicle look even longer than it actually was – the extension of the Embassy by two additional window bays was less satisfactory. So much so that when a “multi-windowed” Embassy II, in the livery of Bloomfields Coaches of London, appeared on the newly introduced Bedford VAL 36-foot chassis at the 1962 Commercial Motor Show, the reaction was so negative than no more of this type were built.
Alongside the Bloomfields VAL on the Plaxton stand was a further revised Panorama. This was an altogether much larger looking vehicle than before, with deeper windows all round, the waistline curvature radically reduced to a point where it was almost straight, a new rear window interchangeable with the windscreen, and a reduction in the number of window pillars on 36-foot versions. Because of the adverse reaction to the “multi-windowed” Embassy, from 1963 all 36-foot Plaxton coach bodies used the new Panorama shell, with windows of large size whether fixed or opening, although, as previously, the Panorama name was restricted to underfloor-engined coaches with fixed glazing and entrance ahead of the front axle. Of the non-Panoramas, by far the most popular model was the new production body on the Bedford VAL chassis, which retained the large oval grill because of the front-mounted radiator, and was simply named Val.
The Embassy name was now being used for what were effectively two separate models. For underfloor-engined chassis there was a 36-foot body using the Panorama shell (built mainly for the Wallace Arnold Group), and for 30-foot (9.1 m) and shorter front-engined chassis the original short-windowed body was updated with a pronounced reverse-rake peak over the windscreen as the Embassy II. For the 1964 season the latter was substantially redesigned as the Embassy III, catching up in several respects with the development of the Panorama, but introducing a new near-rectangular grill which signalled the beginning of the end for the familiar Plaxton oval.
1965 Plaxton Panorama on Bedford VAL chassis
The Plaxton coach range which appeared at the 1964 Commercial Motor Show had been extensively revised with assistance from the Ogle design consultancy. Waistrails were virtually straight, and rooflines distinctly shallower. On the new Panorama (later to become Panorama I), a wide chrome trim band wrapped around the front and encompassed the first window bay on either side. The trim then swept upwards to the roof line and neatly terminated on the air scoop at the roof line. The window pillar on the first bay was noticeably thicker than the others and gave the impression of size that managed to enhance the appearance of the whole vehicle. The front grill was revised and basically split in two horizontally. Twin headlights were on each side of a panel that contained ventilation louvres at the top with the lower part being the actual grill that spanned the width of the vehicle. This grill was to become standard with little change until the Supreme IV of 1978. Again a bit of a Plaxton that was instantly recognisable and a familiar sight throughout Britain. The rear featured two large 9″ circular rear lights each side arranged vertically, and the entrance door was now the forward in-swinging type.
For the first time the Panorama was offered on all chassis types, including Ford R226 and Bedford VAL, looking particularly well-suited to the latter, where the chrome trim on the first window bay harmonised with the twin steering axles below. There was even a Panorama for the Bedford SB and Ford Thames 570E, although here the thickened window pillar was absent, and the chrome trim did not extend across the front of the vehicle.
In addition to the Panoramas, a more basic series of models was offered, with windows of similar size, but with simpler trim and top sliding vent windows instead of forced air vents. Initially these were built on Bedford and Ford chassis only and named variously as Val, Vam (on the new Bedford VAM chassis) or Embassy IV. However, when the Panorama was renamed Panorama I for the 1967 season, the less expensive “bread and butter” models became available on all chassis types as the Panorama II. The Panorama I in particular sold extremely well.
Plaxton Panorama cab on a Bedford SB3 chassis mobile cinema unit
The Panorama cab was used in 1967 on a government commission of seven Bedford SB3 chassis mobile cinema units. With the height of these units being nearly 13 ft (4.0 m) the roof of the cab opens up into a very unusual looking perspex dome extension, somewhat altering the usual sleek lines of Plaxton’s Panorama. One of the seven units still remains in preservation, having been restored as a vintage mobile cinema.
Plaxton launched a new design – the Panorama Elite – at the 1968 Commercial Motor Show in London. This essentially set the basic design of British coaches for the next 14 years. The design was stylish, with long sleek lines and gentle curve in the vertical plane. The windows were gasket glazed and the glass gently curved in the vertical plane to suit the body curve. The rear again used the large soup plate lights of the Panorama I, and the front grill was also from the Panorama I.
1957-plaxton-consort-bodied-bedford-sb-ywe-388
The Panorama II was still available until 1970 with a large batch built for Midland Red
The interior of The new Panorama Elite was to the usual high standard that everyone had come to expect from a leading coachbuilder like Plaxton. It made more use of laminate than before but this was tastefully specified & well balanced. The interior skirt panels, racks and front cabinet made extensive use of this easily worked & easy to maintain material. The analogue clock in the front dome was flanked either side by small square controllable air vents. The dashboard was improved and made use of a panel of rocker switches in front of the driver with each switch designation lighting for night time operation. Previous dashboards hid the switches in places inaccessible whilst moving. Ventilation was again improved though using the same design of moulded air output & light assembly as the final version of the Panorama I. The racks were trimmed with laminate instead of using vinyl like material from the previous design.
1958-albion-aberdonian-plaxton-consort-ii-c41f
The first major update of the Panorama Elite was unveiled at the 1970 Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court London. The changes though relatively subtle were very relevant to a product that had so far enjoyed wide acclaim and sale.
The Panorama Elite II range built on the success of the Panorama I and Panorama Elite. The front grill was squared up although it still used the same twin headlight layout. The first bay on the near side was tidied up so the top of the window was in line with all the other side windows. Parcel racks were redesigned so the supply of fresh air and light output was more readily available. The service units were now mounted front to back instead of side to side and were much slimmer to maximize on headroom when leaving the seats. Crash padding was provided along the inner side of the racks in the form of black PVC squares filled with padding. The dashboard was again improved as was the front cabinet. The rear of the vehicle still used the soup plates from the previous range.
The Panorama Elite III was the last in the Elite series. Improvements continued to the basic Elite design; this included rear lighting, rear emergency door and subtle changes to the front grill. The rear emergency door was brought about by changes in legislation and did improve the offside appearance of the Elite, however some early MkIIIs were completed with front emergency doors. The rear lights abandoned the soup plates in favour of tall lozenge shaped lights and the name badges were re-located from between the side bright metal strips at the back to the front just behind the front door.
All three marques of the Elite range were available with bus grant specification front doors and interiors, although this option was late for Panorama Elite and only a few built. It was however a very popular option for the MkII and MkIII. To complement this destination blinds were also available in both the front grille and on the roof or front dome for front radiator chassis. This became known as “the Bristol Dome” due to the popularity of orders from the National Bus Company for coaches on Bristol RELH and REMH chassis.
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The major competitor for the Panorama Elite III was the Duple Dominant launched at the 1972 Commercial Motor Show in London. The Duple was of all steel design and built at Duple’s Blackpool factory. The Dominant had many of the design cues of the Panorama Elite and that could be because the managing director at that time was an ex Plaxton employee. The Dominant sold well but never caught up with the Elite. The mere fact that at the 1972 Commercial Motor Show only one Dominant was available due to a long strike at the Blackpool factory couldn’t have helped much. The launch of the Dominant was at Lake Guarda in Italy and was Duple’s most important launch for years.
By the time the final version of the Panorama Elite III was built around 6,000 of the Elite series bodies had been produced.
Development of a new coach range to supersede the Panorama Elite commenced in 1974 and was to be called Panorama Supreme, however the Panorama part was dropped in favour of simple Supreme. This series of bodies was to have a long development process as both the factory and work force wasn’t equipped for all-steel production at this stage.
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At first the Supreme was designed to replace the ageing Panorama IV that was produced on the Bedford VAS and SB chassis for up to 41 passengers. The design for that coach went back to the Embassy body developed in the early 1960s. It had been re-vamped in the early 1970s and given an upright front and rear like the Elite III. Being front engined it had a centre door and still retained the Panorama I–style square cornered flat glass windows.
1962-bussen-commer-commando-plaxton-c30f-seats
The Supreme was to herald (nearly) all steel construction. Wood fillets still held the panels in place and in some areas wood was sandwiched in “U” shaped steel. It would be 1978 before true all-steel construction was achieved.
Some early MkIII Supremes were all-metal. The body number of the all-metal versions had the final letters AM standing for “all-metal”. Many of the AM bodies were exported to Holland and Denmark, a fact supported by the 1977 Supreme brochure and the 1982 centenary book Plaxtons The Great British Coachbuilders.
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There was to be six marques of Supreme (Seven including Mini Supreme). Development was protracted as the builder was careful not to compromise their market leading position. Supreme I was a 29-seat coach on a Bedford VAS chassis with a standard Plaxton in-swing door located behind the front axle. Supreme II was on the 35 seat Bristol LHS chassis powered by a Leyland 400 series engine. The door located forward of the front axle in the usual place. Supreme III was the first full size coach although there seemed to be some development confusion and the actual marque of the initial standard length coaches is not clear however most of the late P and earlier R-reg bodies seemed to be the Mk III. There were no identifying numbers added to the badging.
1963-bedford-j2sz10-with-plaxton-embassy-20-seat
As styling development commenced it was realised that to design another coach to match the success of the Panorama Elite series was to be a challenge. Looking at the existing range of Panorama Elite III it was decided to use the Elite’s most striking feature, notably the size of the windows and the curves that departed in every direction. The front of the coach was to follow closely with Elite by utilising the same double headlights with a panel between them (although the centre panel depended on the chassis requirements). The slats again horizontal but were fewer in number and thicker. The sides of the grill were squared up and were of stainless steel and not aluminium. A chrome bumper with 5 mph (8.0 km/h) overriders at the bottom with two steps to allow access to the windscreen. Pantograph wipers with speed control were added. The dome was slatted on the early models but was not popular so was removed and simplified from Supreme IV. The side profile again had angles going in all directions although the main change to the side was that the windows curved into the cant rail almost like the Mercedes O302 bodies. The effect was to catch the light and highlighted the whole coach at roof level. The rear was like Panorama Elite with vertical lozenge shaped lights but the units themselves were slightly bigger, squared, more definite.
The interior had been updated with a new dashboard and a driver’s locker, non-reflective laminates and a re-designed front cabinet. The lift up roof vents and light clusters containing the speakers were almost like those of the final Panorama Elite III. Some very early Supremes had wood interior domes like Panorama Elite however this was changed from wood surrounding the clock to having ABS mouldings in black. The ceiling was of laminate that was bordered by chrome trim.
The racks though went through several important stages before the final design that would see Supreme through to the series.
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Rack design on Panorama Elite, II and III contained window demisters. Those racks were joined to the cant rail and laminate was used as trim to connect the window edge to the rack. On Supreme the first versions used the same technique but the racks were swaddled in crash protection on each side of the passenger service unit that was fitted front to back. The service unit used were the same as the Panorama Elite, two controllable vents and a reading light with a rocker switch. The cushioning had a four pointed star engraved into it at intervals. From the Mk III the racks had flatter sides that had no connection to the cant rail. The demisters were located on the edge of the rack within a laminate strip. The PVC or maybe ABS material that coated the underneath of the rack was usually black. This was the final design of rack and saw Supreme through to the end of the series. Those racks utilized flatter service units with eyeball vents and a flat lens on the reading light.
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The Supreme Mk IV was introduced to the market at the International Motor Show at Birmingham in 1978. The main update was that construction was now all steel, frontal design was completely different from the past 14 years. The headlights were now rectangular and mounted above each other with side lights and indicators in the same cluster. The grill was not so prominent and various options were available as a package. So now the range consisted of Supreme IV, Supreme IV Express and Supreme IV GT. The GT option ushered in a distinctive grill design with a smart dual chrome flash, tinted windows and better sound system and soft trim to the ceiling to name a few “standard” extras.
Supreme V had a completely different rear design showing the styling of the next range that was probably under development. Tall heavily featured light clusters that were tinted to look dark were fitted vertically between the boot lid. The rear window was a one piece design. The seat backs were no longer visible from outside the coach. The rear nearside had been tidied by removing the smaller windows. The improvements were also copied onto the high floor Viewmaster model with the exception of the shallow rear window.
1965-bedford-val-with-plaxton-body
The Supreme was also manufactured as a semi-integral on a DAF chassis. Around 20 were built. They were rear engined and the rear panel design was different from the Supreme V as it has vents and had odd shaped moulding around the rear window. As a semi-integral the body was required to support the full weight as there were no chassis members to support the body. Opening the side lockers luggage could be piled in one side and extracted from the other as nothing was in the way so it was very cutting edge technology. It is said that 2 of these survive today. The bulk of the 20 were exported, mainly to the Netherlands, the left hand drive version had a tapered front to meet Dutch swept turning-circle requirements.
Final Supreme offering was the Supreme VII and sometimes referred to as Jubilee Supreme. This model was the least successful Supreme being an option for one season alongside the Supreme V. The panoramic windows had been replaced by a higher window line that was better suited to the long distance market. Around 100 were built. The actual idea of the high window design was possibly in reaction to the Duple Dominant III that had shallow trapezoidal windows like an Austin Princess headlight of the mid-1970s.
1965-bedford-VAL-panorama-bus-3
The Supreme series like the Panorama I and Panorama Elite were simply a success from the outset winning many orders from small, national, and some international operators. It entered most fleets in large multiples. The export market was addressed with left hand drive versions, some modified for the Dutch market and at least one was built on Deutz chassis. The dynamic approach of Plaxtons relationship with their customers requirements was a huge factor in the success of the Supreme.
By the end of the 1970s the British coach scene was dominated by two similar vehicles – the Plaxton Supreme and the Duple Dominant. In the early 1980s coach services over 30 miles were deregulated and there was an increasing attempt by some operators to compete with the railways and airlines for express and intercity travel. As a result there was a move away from light-weight chassis by Bedford and Ford to heavier-duty chassis from Leyland and Volvo, and an emphasis on improved comfort and amenities. There was also a growing interest from operators in imports from Europe due to their stylish eye-catching designs that attracted passengers. In particular, designs from Neoplan and Van Hool received much attention.
1966-bussen-commer-plaxton-venturer
In response, Plaxton returned to Ogle Design to create a new look for their coach products. The result was the Plaxton Paramount, which appeared at the 1982 British Motor Show. The Paramount was a squarer design than the Supreme, with cleaner lines, a flatter roof line and a distinctive “feature window” just behind the front wheelarch. The use of the “feature window” was a return to a trump card played by the Ogle-inspired Panorama/Panorama I first seen in 1964. From there the waistline sloped down to meet the deeper windscreen. Initially there were two versions, the Paramount 3200 (available in 8, 10, 11 and 12-metre lengths) and the high-floor Paramount 3500 (available in 11 and 12 metre lengths) to replace the successful Viewmaster. Around 30% of Mark I Paramounts were the 3500 high-floor option, a greater proportion than had been anticipated. The rear of both versions were similar to Supreme V and VI but all else was new.
1967-bedford-j2sz10-with-plaxton-c20f-bodywork
In 1984 the design was adapted to produce the Paramount 4000 double-decker coach, initially built on Neoplan underframes. The design later appeared on chassis by Volvo, Scania and DAF.
1968-bedford-VAL-panorama-bus-2
The Paramount II launched for the 1985 season brought a tidier frontal appearance. (See the picture with the Paramount 4000) Gone was the black plastic moulding below the windscreen and the “hole” like appearance of the centre of the grille between the lights. The rectangular headlights were retained within a bright silver like surround. Other modifications included deeper parcel racks that were capable of supporting air conditioning. A tweed like material was used to cover the interior skirt and a large part of the racks.
1969 Bedford-VAL-plaxton-panorama-ii-uk
A “low driver” option was available for the 3200. This was useful for touring however the driver lost the commanding view of the road ahead. The driver sat low in the body so the passengers have a better view ahead. The windscreen from the 3500 was used on this version of the 3200, the headlights being lower to the road than usual.
1986 saw the final and most elegant version of Paramount, the MkIII. According to brochures it was even stronger than the Paramount II. The sloping front window was gone and in its place a stepped front window that formed the first bay. In the glass Plaxton’s “castle” logo was etched, the rear window contained a blind like decal at the base with a castle badge in the centre. The dashboard consisted of a moulded cabinet, ceasing the use of wood and formica of earlier versions of Plaxton coaches since the Panorama’s. In the centre of the black finished cabinet was a large castle logo. Airline-style locker doors were now available on the parcel racks to further give a sleek appearance like a 747.
1970-bedford-val-plaxton-dons-tour-brochure-photo
In 1989 Plaxton responded to a request from the privatised National Express for a further version of Paramount III to be leased to its contractors by a joint venture of Plaxton, National Westminster Bank and National Express. The Paramount Expressliner was created from the MkIII Paramount on a Volvo chassis and was tailored to NBC’s specific requirements. NBC specification included a closed back with the double N logo etched into the fibre glass rear moulding. This period of coach design seemed to introduce the windowless rear as a design feature for most coaches.
Henlys and a new beginning
The mid-1980s brought difficult times for Plaxton. A decline in orders due to the economic climate was compounded by management and production problems. The seasonal nature of coach production made recruiting difficult. In March 1987 Plaxton was taken over by Kirkby Bus & Coach, who were Plaxton’s largest dealer. Kirkby soon invested in modernising the Scarborough factory and addressed some industrial relations problems. Kirkby also marketed the Hungarian Ikarus buses in the United Kingdom.
In 1989 Plaxtons bought Henlys, a company that included motor dealers and Coleman Milne, makers of hearses and limousines. The name of the company was changed to Plaxton Group PLC.
1970-plaxtons-seddon-pennine-iv-op
In July 1989 Plaxton bought the manufacturing rights for the coach products of its main domestic competitor, Duple for £4 million. This included the jigs for the Duple 300 and the Duple 425 integral. Duple Services Ltd., the spares and repair business, was also purchased. The 320 was re-worked by Plaxtons at Scarborough later in 1989 and 25 were built and sold as the Plaxton 321. Many components from the Paramount were used both internally and externally. Identifying traits being the squared up wheel arches and Paramount side mouldings. The 321 was around £6,000 cheaper than a comparable Paramount III. Further batches were considered but it is not known if they were actually built. The 321 was only available from Kirkby. The 340 with the higher floor was considered but none were built. A modified version of the 425 design was introduced in 1991 and was built by Carrosserie Lorraine, a French coachbuilder Plaxton had recently purchased from Iveco. Only 12 vehicles were manufactured, and Carrosserie Lorraine was subsequently closed in 1992.
The Dennis Dart, released in 1989, had been a runaway success, so in 1991 the Plaxton Pointer midibus was announced, this was quite a utilitarian, square body. This was followed by the Plaxton Verde, which Plaxton hoped would match the success of its smaller sister, but it failed to capture the market quite as much as the Pointer, and it was clear that the bus industry wasn’t buying 12m single-deckers in as large numbers any more. Later that year new coach bodies, the Plaxton Premiere and Plaxton Excalibur, were launched.
In May 1992, after a management shake-up, the company was renamed Henlys Group PLC.
Henlys pursued a strategy of diversification and expansion through the 1990s. The established bus bodybuilder Northern Counties was bought in 1995 for £10 million. The UK bus and coach manufacturing business, trading under the Plaxton brand, continued to produce a range of bus and coach bodywork. It also owned one of the largest UK coach dealers, Kirkby, and provided after-sales services to coach and bus operators.
A Plaxton Premiere.
In August 2000 a joint venture was formed with Mayflower, owners of the Dennis and Alexander brands. The joint venture, known as TransBus International, included only the United Kingdom bus manufacturing operations of both companies, including Plaxton and Northern Counties. Henlys held a 30% stake in the joint venture, which employed 3,300 employees at seven locations. The traditional brands of Alexander, Dennis and Plaxton were replaced by TransBus International. In 2004 Mayflower Group failed, and TransBus International went into receivership. An initial offer from the Plaxton management to buy the coach segment of the company was rejected by the receiver, but was later accepted when a senior TransBus manager and a consortium from Scotland composed of Brian Souter, owner of Stagecoach Group, his sister Ann Gloag, David Murray and Noble Grossart, agreed to buy the Alexander Dennis portion of the company.
Independent again
Thus the new company, Plaxton Limited, re-emerged as an independent company, employing almost 300 people at its main coach plant in Scarborough and a further 59 at its facility in Anston, which builds small buses and coaches such as the Beaver and Cheetah.
1971-leyland-plaxton-panorama-uk
In May 2005 Plaxton announced its return to the service bus market, launching the Centro, a low-floor single-deck vehicle initially to be offered on VDL SB120 chassis, in 10.7 m length, with the first bus completed in February 2006. The Centro is now available on the VDL SB180, VDL SB200, MAN 14.220 and Volvo B7RLE chassis, with 10.2 m and 12 m lengths also offered.
The company also revealed the Primo, a 28 seat low-floor minibus, in September 2005. This 7.9 m long vehicle is powered by the Cummins ISBe Euro III engine, mounted transversely at the rear. The Primo frame is assembled in Hungary by Enterprise Bus, effectively a conventional chassis in most respects but one which extends up to cantrail level, before being shipped to Scarborough for completion.
Purchase by Alexander Dennis
In May 2007 Plaxton was purchased by Alexander Dennis. But as of late 2008, the Centro bodywork remained in production alongside with Alexander Dennis’s Enviro200 Dart and Enviro300.
1972-plaxton-malta-valletta
In 2008 the new Plaxton Elite was launched at Birmingham Euro Bus Expo and by 2011 had delivered 100 Elites. Originally based on the Volvo B12B chassis, it was later developed to suit the Volvo B9R and B13R chassis.
In 1949 it became part of Associated Commercial Vehicles Ltd., which included AEC (the chassis manufacturer). This formidable combination of AEC and PRV supported the demanding requirements of London Transport and many other major fleet owners and operators. The famous Routemaster bus was built at Park Royal.
Leyland Motors
In 1962, the ACV Group merged with the Leyland Motors group to form Leyland Motor Corporation, in 1968 Leyland Motor Corporation and British Motor Holdings merged, becoming the British Leyland Motor Corporation. BL (British Leyland) was nationalised by the Labour Government in 1975, following which many subsidiaries were closed: AEC in 1979 and Park Royal in July 1980.
Other vehicles
Park Royal was also responsible for many other coachworks besides London buses. It had a vast array of vehicles to its name including the first
dieselLondon Taxi, a number of railcars and railbuses (e.g. the British Rail Class 103 and one of the British Rail Railbuses) and World War II vehicles. During World War II it also played a part in the production of Halifax bombers as the outer wings and engine cowlings were built at the Park Royal site. Park Royal built 150 Green Goddesses during the period November 1954 to January 1955 with PRV body numbers B37444 – B37593 and registrations PGW51 – PGW200.
A 1972 example of the SELNEC standard body shown in later GMT livery
Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company was a manufacturer of bus bodywork located in Wigan Lane, Wigan, in North West England.
Overview
Traditionally buses in Britain have consisted of a chassis upon which a separate body was constructed, typically by a different manufacturer. This allowed operators to specify a vehicle that suited their particular requirements. Chassis manufacturers in Britain included Leyland, Daimler, AEC, and Guy (all now defunct). Having selected a chassis, an operator would also specify a particular engine and this assemblage would be transported to a bodybuilder to manufacture the bodywork. Northern Counties was a mid-size bodybuilder with a strong reputation and loyal client base. It was bought out and subsequently closed in 2005 by Alexander Dennis.
Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company Limited was founded in Wigan in 1919 by Henry Lewis. The Lewis family remained owners of the company until it was bought out over seventy years later. As was common at the time, early products were bodywork for private automobiles. By the early 1920s the private automobile work had ceased and the manufacture of bodywork for service buses commenced. Bodywork was for both single-deck and double-deck vehicles. Very few coaches were produced.
During the Second World War, Northern Counties was authorized by the government to produce bus bodies to a utility specification, mainly using steel-framed construction.
Northern Counties established a loyal client base and reputation for quality construction in the post-war years. Notable clients included local operators SHMD Board, Manchester Corporation, and Lancashire United. Further afield, Barton Transport and Southdown Motor Services were among a number of regular customers.
In 1967 another bus body builder, Massey Brothers Ltd, located in nearby Pemberton, was acquired and became a part of the Northern Counties operations. The Massey factory was retained and used as a paint-shop and for final completion of bodywork assembled at Wigan Lane.
The Transport Act of 1968 merged the municipal corporations of Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Oldham, Stockport, Rochdale, Bury and Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Board (SHMD Board). The resulting conglomerate was known as the Southeast Lancashire Northeast Cheshire Passenger Transport Authority, commonly known as SELNEC. SELNEC was faced with a fleet of 2500 vehicles consisting of a wide variety of types and manufacturers, reflecting the preferences of their former municipal owners. Northern Counties worked closely with SELNEC to develop a standard bus for fleet replacement.
The Local Government Act 1972 came into effect on 1 April 1974. This reorganization added Wigan Corporation Transport to SELNEC to create the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive. Greater Manchester PTE was the largest bus operator outside of London until privatization in the late 1980s. A large proportion of Northern Counties production after this time was for the Greater Manchester fleet.
The Foden-NC delivered to Potteries Motor Traction in 1978
In 1975 the company collaborated with Foden Ltd, a well-known manufacturer of commercial vehicles, to produce a semi-integral double-deck vehicle intended to compete with chassis manufacturer Leyland. Leyland had merged with traditional rival Daimler and was experiencing production and quality problems. In the event, only seven Foden-NCs were produced, going to Greater Manchester PTE, West Midlands PTE,West Yorkshire PTE, Derby City Transport and Potteries Motor Traction.
The 1980s and 1990s were challenging years for the British bus industry, with the privatization of publicly owned operators, deregulation of routes and the reduction and subsequent elimination of the Bus Grant, a Government grant that paid for a large proportion of the cost of new vehicles. As a result, the purchase of new bus vehicles fell sharply as operators contended with the brave new world of competition, and mini-buses became the vogue. This fall in orders was combined with increased competition from overseas manufacturers.
Northern Counties reputation and engineering skills saw it survive these difficult times and become a major supplier once again as demand picked up in the mid-1990s. In May 1995, it was purchased for £10 million by the Henlys group, owner of Plaxton. The Northern Counties name was dropped in 1999 and vehicles were badged as Plaxton.
In 2001 Henlys became part of a joint venture with the Mayflower group, owner of bodybuilder Alexander and chassis manufacturer Dennis. The joint venture was known as TransBus, and vehicles were badged using the TransBus name.
After the failure of the Mayflower Group in 2004, TransBus was sold to a private group of investors and became Alexander Dennis. The former Northern Counties facility was closed by Alexander Dennis in January 2005.
The Plaxton Prestige is a low-floor single-deck bus body built by Plaxton at the Wigan factory of its Northern Counties subsidiary, and at its main Scarborough factory, during the latter half of the 1990s.
The Prestige was mostly built on DAF SB220 chassis, although small numbers were built on Volvo B10BLE chassis. Several of the DAF vehicles were LPG-powered; gas tanks were located on the roof. Arriva was a major purchaser of the Prestige, with a number for London and for provincial areas, all on DAF chassis. It was only a short term affair, however, being in favour of its sister, the Pointer.
In Plaxton’s body numbering system, the letter H identified the Prestige, although not all Prestiges received a Plaxton body number (early examples being numbered in the Northern Counties series).
At one stage, the Prestige was provisionally given the name Paladin LF. Northern Counties’ contemporary step-entrance single-deck body was the Paladin, and LF would have stood for low floor. However, the name Prestige (which had earlier been briefly used for an export variant of the Plaxton Excalibur) was given to the model instead.
The body was designed to compete with the Alexander ALX400 body, and had neat rectangular front headlights below a large front windscreen. From the side, it can be easily recognised by the different depths of windows on the lower deck; however, this is less apparent with newer bonded-glazed models. Seating varied according to the chassis and specification. TfL models were typically built with 41 seats upstairs, and 23 downstairs, with a centre exit door. Early TfL versions also had the staircase moved to the centre of the bus, although this was later changed to the standard position of just behind the driver.
In London
There is an enormous fleet of buses serving London, UK, with the result that if one bus was popular, they were built in big numbers.
London Central/General had 469 President-bodied buses, numbered PVL1-419/PDL1-50. However new deliveries have seen some Go-Ahead London Central/General Presidents being withdrawn and sold to a variety operators outside the capital – and outside the Go-Ahead Group more generally. Metroline have their TP, TPL, VP and VPL classes, all President-bodied, which number in excess of 450. Arriva London North have a batch on DAF chassis, unusual given the numbers of Volvos and Tridents with President bodies.
Beyond London
Outside London the Presidents are less common, however some operators have built up substantial numbers of them.
Lothian Buses were the largest operator of Presidents outside London with approximately 200 purchased from June 1999 to June 2004. Apart from seven examples on Volvo B7TL chassis Lothian’s examples are all Dennis Tridents including some high capacity 11m examples. Since 2010 Lothian began withdrawing their earliest model Presidents from frontline service. Some have received an open top conversion for Lothian’s sightseeing subsidiaries and others have been sold on for further service with various other bus operators.National Express West Midlands, formerly Travel West Midlands, are the second largest operator of Presidents outside London with 102 examples new from Autumn 1999 to Summer 2000 all of which have Volvo B7TL chassis and were internally refurbished in 2007-08.
Go-Ahead Group companies outside London also have Presidents in substantial numbers. Brighton & Hove have the largest allocation with 36 on Dennis Trident chassis purchased in March/April 2001. This was followed by Go North East who took 15 in November 2001 again on Dennis Trident chassis although 8 of these transferred to Go-Ahead’s Oxford Bus Company subsidiary in 2006. Finally Southern Vectis purchased 7 Presidents on Volvo B7TL chassis in September/October 2002, albeit before they were taken over by Go-Ahead.
Stagecoach took over 40 low-height Presidents on Dennis Trident chassis in the early/mid 2000s. These were originally allocated to the Cambus,Manchester and Oxfordshire subsidiaries – although they’ve since been transferred to other subsidiaries within Stagecoach. They were originally intended to have had Alexander ALX400 bodies – Stagecoach’s standard double deck body, but were switched to Presidents due to quicker build times.
East Yorkshire Motor Services are another fairly major President fleet with 36 examples on Volvo B7TL chassis. 30 of these were for the main East Yorkshire fleet with the other 6 for their Finglands subsidiary in Manchester.
The Mayflower Group, the parent company of TransBus International, went into administration in March 2004. It was bought out in May 2004 by a consortium including Brian Souter, the owner of the Stagecoach Group and was renamed Alexander Dennis. A programme of restructuring began within Alexander Dennis which, at the time, saw the Plaxton coach division divested and the TransBus product range rationalised. In turn a decision was taken to close the former Northern Counties plant in Wigan and phase out the President in favour of the Falkirk-built ALX400. The final Presidents were built at the Wigan plant in January 2005 and both it and the ALX400 would be phased out in favour of the semi-integral Alexander Dennis Enviro400 which took over from end of 2005. The Enviro400 has elements of the ALX400 and President in its design.
The Northern Counties Palatine is a step-entrancedouble-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK. It was built mainly onLeyland Olympian and Volvo Olympian chassis, although some were also built on DAF, Volvo B10M Citybus and Scania chassis. Two variants existed, the Palatine I (known as “Palatine” before 1992) which had a flatter windscreen, and the Palatine II (launched in 1993) which had a curved windscreen resembling that of the single-decker Northern Counties Paladin.
MTL were a notable buyer, a batch of high-specification Palatine IIs entered service in 1996 on the ‘Cross River’ services through the Mersey Tunnels. Another batch of 22, branded as ‘The Millennium Fleet’ began operating on Merseyside in 1998.
The Northern Counties Paladin, also badged as the Plaxton Paladin towards the end of production, is a step-entrance single-deck bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK, between 1991 and 1998.
The Paladin was built on several different chassis types:
Three different shapes of windscreen were fitted to Paladins. One was of gentle “barrel shaped” curvature, with deep quarterlights. This was used throughout the production run, being fitted to both the earliest vehicles and to the last batches built. An upright “wrap-around” screen was used on the majority of midi-sized Paladin bodies (on Dennis Dart and Volvo B6 chassis), whilst a double-curvature screen was fitted to some Scania and DAF full-sized vehicles.
Some bodies built towards the end of production were given Plaxton body numbers, in which the Paladin was identified by the letter G.
De oprichters van de NACO waren de Purmerender onderneming Fa. F.A. de Raadt & J. Kistemaker met de lijndienst anno 1924: Hoorn – Purmerend – Amsterdam en anno 1925: Purmerend – Zaandam, en de Hoornse J.B. Post, die anno 1922 de lijndienst Hoorn – Enkhuizen had. Naast hun eigen lijndienstbedrijven was hun doelstelling deelnemers aan de in 1928 in Amsterdam te houden Olympische Spelen van en naar de verschillende locaties te vervoeren. Ook wilden ze uitstapjes door Nederland gaan verzorgen. Amsterdam kreeg de Spelen echter pas in 1928. Ondertussen werden de ambities van de NACO gericht op het streekvervoer in Noord-Holland. Medeoprichter Post verliet het bedrijf in mei 1930 en ging verder met de WACO. F.A. de Raadt & J. Kistemaker bleven directeur van de NACO.
Trots staat Jacob Kistemaker naast zijn bus. De mensen zijn hun huis uit gekomen om mee op de foto te gaan.
In de periode na 1931 kende de NACO een grote expansie. Het overgrote deel van de autobuslijnen in Noord-Holland ten noorden van het Noordzeekanaal kwam in NACO-handen door overname van de bedrijven De Raadt & Kistemaker (1931), Bellekom te Egmond aan Zee (1931), Vethaak en Hellingman (1932), Van Geelen & Van den Berkhoff (1938), Van den Hoff & Ton (1942), Kuip (1942), Groot (1942), Zeemeeuw (1942), Stormvogels (1943), Westfriesche Auto Car Onderneming (WACO, zelf ook het resultaat van vele overnames, 1943), Autobusdienst “Noord Holland” (1944) en Stadsverkeer (1948). In dit gebied hebben alleen de Zaanstreek en Landsmeer, waar de ENHABO actief was, nooit tot het vervoergebied van de NACO behoord, ook stadsverkeer Den Helder en Texel niet.
Overname door NS
In 1940 werd de NACO overgenomen door de ATO – een dochteronderneming van de Nederlandse Spoorwegen – en werd daardoor een tweedekringsbedrijf binnen het NS-concern. Dit hield in dat de NACO een eigen bestuur had dat verantwoording aflegde aan het bestuur van ATO. In 1942 werd de NACO een eerstekringsbedrijf, een rechtstreekse dochter van de NS.
In 1946 hervatte het bedrijf de lijn Alkmaar – Leeuwarden / Heerenveen via de Afsluitdijk, die in het begin van de Tweede Wereldoorlog was gestaakt. De exploitatie vond plaats in samenwerking met de in Friesland opererende Nederlandsche Tramweg Maatschappij (NTM), in opdracht van de ATO, die de lijn tot 1940 zelf geëxploiteerd had. In 1948 gingen de rechten over naar NACO en NTM zelf.
Door ruil van lijnen met de NZHVM te Haarlem werd het vervoergebied scherper afgebakend. In 1947 ruilde de NACO de lijn Haarlem – Bloemendaal met de NZHVM voor Purmerend – Beemster – De Rijp – Graft. In 1949 respectievelijk 1956 kwam de NACO in het bezit van de buslijnen van Amsterdam naar Purmerend en Volendam, opvolgers van de Waterlandse tram. Zij stond hierbij de lijnen van Haarlem en Beverwijk naar IJmuiden af aan de NZHVM. De NACO behield wel haar lijn Alkmaar – Beverwijk – Santpoort – Haarlem.
In 1959 werd het eiland Marken in het lijnennet opgenomen door een verbinding over de in 1957 aangelegde dam naar het vasteland.
Na de opening in 1968 van de IJtunnel in Amsterdam behielden de Waterlandse lijnen aanvankelijk hun standplaats aan de Valkenweg in Amsterdam-Noord bij het pontveer naar de De Ruijterkade. Bij Amsterdam CS was toen onvoldoende standplaatscapaciteit aanwezig. Daarom werden de NACO-lijnen later via de IJtunnel naar het Waterlooplein verlegd. In 1972, toen de NACO de NZH werd, kwam hun standplaats tegenover het CS op de Prins Hendrikkade bij de Sint-Nicolaaskerk.
In 1970 nam de NACO de stadsdienstBeverwijk over van het busbedrijf Gebr. Oosterom. Een jaar later volgde de allerlaatste overname door de NACO, van de NHADO te Bergen (NH), die al voor 50% in NS-handen was.
Fusie met NZH
In 1972 fuseerde de NACO met de NZHVM, waarbij de naam van de laatste (kortweg NZH) gehandhaafd bleef. De NZH hield de naam NACO in stand voor haar activiteiten te water. De BV Rederij NACO, die onder meer tot 2002 met het MS Bep Glasius de veerdienst Enkhuizen – Stavoren exploiteerde, is nu een onderdeel van Connexxion.
Trivia
In 1935 was de NACO afnemer van het allereerste chassis van de Nederlandse fabriek Kromhout, een autobus met chassisnummer B101.
De NACO was ook actief in het touringcarvervoer en had zich aangesloten bij de reisorganisaties Cebuto en Caravan Tours.
Anders dan vrijwel alle Nederlandse busbedrijven gebruikte de NACO tot het einde toe lijnletters in plaats van lijnnummers. Zo reed lijn A van Purmerend naar Amsterdam en lijn Z van Egmond aan Zee naar Alkmaar. Omdat er veel meer dan 26 lijnen bestonden en het alfabet dus ‘op’ was, werden ook dubbele lettercombinaties toegepast: lijn AB reed van Bergen naar IJmuiden en lijn VW van Volendam naar Amsterdam. Naast de voor de reizigers zichtbare letter of lettercombinatie vermeldde het dienstregelingboekje voor elke lijn ook een lijnnummer, dat niet op de bussen werd aangegeven. Zo was lijn H van Haarlem naar Monnickendam ook lijn 11, terwijl lijn HB van Beverwijk naar Wormer tevens bekendstond als lijn 45. Na de fusie met de NZH werden de lijnletters vervangen door geheel nieuwe lijnnummers. Om overlapping te voorkomen met NZH-lijnnummers werden voor het eerst in Nederland lijnnummers boven de 100 gebruikt.
NACO-bus 4740, een Leyland–Werkspoorbolramer-streekbus uit 1959, was gerestaureerd door het NZH-Vervoermuseum te Haarlem, maar werd in 2002 na een zware aanrijding total loss verklaard. Het wrak is verkocht aan een particulier die pogingen doet tot herstel.
This is a part off the buses from NACO that drove around in the Netherlands
Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) was once a major player in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe. It was formed in 1932 by Weymann Motor Bodies Ltd and Metro Cammell‘s bus bodybuilding division to produce bus bodies.
MCW bus bodies were built in Metro-Cammell’s and Weymann’s factories until 1966 when Weymann’s factory in Addlestone was closed (the Metro-Cammell and Weymann brand names were dropped in the same year). From 1977 MCW also built bus chassis.
In 1989 the Laird group decided to sell its bus and rail divisions. No buyer for the complete group could be found so each product was sold separately. The Metrorider was bought by Optare who relaunched it as the MetroRider; the Metrobus design was bought by DAF(chassis) and Optare (body), who jointly reworked it into the Optare Spectra. The Metroliner design was acquired by Optare though not pursued. The Metrocab was bought by Reliant. Metro-Cammell’s rail division and the Washwood Heath factory went to GEC Alsthom (now Alstom)
London Transport’s DMS body built in partnership with Park Royal throughout the 1970s.
West Midland PTE’s standard bus body in the 1970s on both the Daimler/Leyland Fleetline (again built in partnership with Park Royal) and theBristol VR.
A generic double deck body range built in the 1970s on Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline chassis with notable customers being Liverpool Corporation and Tyne & Wear PTE.
Chassis/Complete buses
Metro-Scania – semi-integral single decker using Scania running units
Metropolitan – semi-integral double decker based on Scania running units
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) between 1977 and 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model (which had a symmetrical windscreen) in 1981, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985. The Metrobus was conceived as an integral product manufactured completely by MCW, but Alexander and Northern Counties also bodied some examples.
MCW planned to produce a single deck version but this was not to come into production.
In the United Kingdom, the Metrobus was mainly used in the metropolitan areas, especially London and the West Midlands.
London
London Transport purchased 1,440 MkI examples between 1978 and 1985, numbering them M1 to M1440. Two MkII prototypes were delivered to London Transport as M1441 and M1442 in 1984, but there were no further orders. In 1987 and 1988, 14 secondhand Metrobuses were purchased from Greater Manchester PTE, West Yorkshire PTE and Busways. London Transport’s low-cost subsidiary Harrow Buses leased 29 new MkII Metrobuses in 1987, but had to return them to their lessor three years later. London Transport’s Metrobuses were the mainstay of the double decker fleet between 1987 and privatisation in 1994, when most of them passed to seven of the new operators.
MTL bought the London Northern company, with a host of Metrobuses. It acquired more when it took over London Suburban Buses, and including some ex-London examples from its Merseyside operation. Garages were at North Acton, Holloway and Potters Bar. Metroline Northern perations in London dwindled during 2002, with Ms replaced by low-floor buses on most routes. Some clung through 2003 on as deputising on the AEC Routemaster routes, but operation on TfL services ceased in March 2004. Potters Bar was the last outpost, where a handful remained on other services until May 2005; where the Volvo Olympians took over.
London General reached the end with Metrobuses in normal service in February 2003, when Stockwell’s last were withdrawn. This still left a couple for special purposes (M1440 at Sutton and the “spotted cow” liveried M1435). There was still a crowd of white-blouse and grey-skirt training buses too, which were mainly moved out from their comfy homes to the Plough Lane open-air space, to make room for the new larger fleet of low-floor WVLs. There is an open-top MCW Metrobus for use by hire in London General; it was also replaced by the withdrawn NVs that left route 74 with a lurch.
Arriva London also continued using Metrobuses until these were finally displaced in 2002/03.
Some of the MCW Metrobuses were converted to open-top for use by The Original Tour, which is classed as MB class. These were withdrawn by December 2007, replaced by modernised buses. London Pride Sightseeing also has MCW Metrobuses, but these were sold to Ensignbus.
By 2014, there were no MCW Metrobuses licensed for use in London.
The West Midlands PTE and its successor, West Midlands Travel, also purchased significant numbers of Metrobuses (over 1,100), both MkI and MkII examples. These included five prototype vehicles (allocated to Washwood Heath depot near the MCW factory so they could see the vehicles performance in service) and 50 dual-purpose Metrobuses with high-back seats, purchased in 1986. Many of these buses were converted to normal seated buses and continued in service until November 2008. They were mainly used on limited-stop services. Fourteen guided buses were delivered for route 65 (branded Tracline 65), which was the first guided bus system in UK, although the experiment only lasted a couple of years. All of the 14 guided buses were converted for conventional use.
In early 1995 Marshall Bus of Cambridge were contracted to overhaul all of West Midland Travel’s Metrobus fleet. This was the largest used bus overhaul programme in Europe at the time and Marshalls set up a dedicated business division and staff to handle it. Many unavailable parts had to be sourced and made to original patterns by the Marshall procurement team. A production line was established in one of Marshall’s aircraft hangars and anything up to 30 Metrobuses could be found in work at some stage along the line. Duration of refurbishment of each bus was usually 2-3 per week. No powerline items were included with the result that original engines were simply put back in the overhauled buses as they were. This had the effect that as the vehicles were driven from the West Midlands to Marshalls at Cambridge and driven back once completed, they frequently broke down. Over 600 mainly MkII metrobuses were overhauled and the contract ended abruptly in 1999 due to lack of confidence in Marshall Bus over delays with WMT orders for their new single deck buses. As a result of the unique experience gained by Marshall Bus on the Metrobus programme, they won a similar contract to overhaul Transport for LondonAEC Routemasters starting in 1999.
The last public service ran the 1 service from Birmingham Town Hall to Acocks Green Village, arriving back at Acocks Green Garage at 15:25 on 24 July 2010 and was bus 2903 C903FON. A Metrobus Farewell event was held at Acocks Green on that day and all three of the last Metrobuses were operated, these were 2832, 2903 & 2988 (B832AOP, C903FON & E988VUK). All cash fares taken on the day were donated to Cancer Research UK.
The Green Bus still operate various former Harrow Buses MkII and former National Express West Midlands Mk-IIA Metrobuses on both school services and commercial services.
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) purchased over 100 examples between 1981 and 1985. The SYPTE standard fully sprung seats were fitted along with 20 MkIIs having coach seats for express work. The vehicles were noted for quick acceleration although had distinctive engine noise and were rust prone around the engine bay.
In Hong Kong, the China Motor Bus (CMB) introduced 12 Metrobuses (MC1-MC12) in 1978 for its luxury coach services (which covered the routes between Repulse Bay, Stanley and theCentral District). Within a year, MCW produced an 11-metre 2-axle version of Metrobus. Only 40 were produced all for CMB as MB1-MB40 in 1978/79. The MB class were allocated mostly on express and cross-harbour services. Both batches of CMB Metrobuses had MkI bodies.
In 1981, MCW produced prototypes of 3-axle, 12-metre long “Super-Metrobuses”. Two were purchased by CMB as ML1-ML2 and three by Kowloon Motor Bus as M1-M3, later renumbered 3M1-3M3. All were bodied with MCW MkII bodies. CMB purchased a further 82 (ML3-84) between 1983 and 1988, while KMB purchased 80 2-axle Metrobuses (M1-M80, with MkII bodies) between 1983 and 1985.
While KMB was not interested in the 12-metre version Super-Metrobuses, they did express their interest in an 11-metre 3-axle version (the CMB 11-metre version Metrobuses were 2-axle) with 254 11-metre 3-axle Metrobuses (S3M1-254) purchased between 1986 and 1989. Fifty of these buses were fitted with Cummins engines, and another one (later numbered S3M145) was originally fitted with a prototype air-conditioner, but this proved unreliable and was subsequently removed.
Between 1987 and 1989, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) also purchased 59 2-axle Metrobuses for their feeder bus services. 39 of them (101-139) were brand new with MkII bodies, while another 20 (140-159) were second-hand buses purchased from South Yorkshire PTE) with MkI bodies.
Argos Bus purchased 6 Metrobuses for their non-franchised routes and private hire services between 1988 and 1989. They were from the same batch as those bought second-hand by KCRC.
KMB purchased eight further 2-axle Metrobuses (M81-M88) in 1989. These buses were fitted with Cummins LTA10-B282 (282 hp) engines and Voith D864G 4-speed gearbox, and were used on the hilly KMB Route 51 (between Tsuen Wan and Kam Tin, climbing Tai Mo Shan along its way). Later KMB fitted some of its older Metrobuses with Cummins engines, in order to avoid excess damage to buses running the hilly route.
The MkI second-hand Metrobuses were the first to be withdrawn, and all of them have now been scrapped. Many of the KCRC ones were loaned to Citybus for few years before final withdrawal.
CMB removed its MC-class Metrobuses from the luxury routes after introducing Dennis Darts for the service in 1991, preserving the seating layout. These Metrobuses were allocated to non-luxury routes in the Southern District, Hong Kong, as well as route 13 serving the “Mid-levels“. Although CMB was the first to introduce Metrobuses, it withdrew only 3 of them (all were accident victims) before the end of its franchise in August 1998. Its earliest Metrobuses were 20 years old at that time. New World First Bus purchased all the remaining CMB Metrobuses and Super-Metrobuses when it took over most of the CMB routes, and converted 3 MC-class Metrobuses to training buses. In 2000, the last of the MCW Metrobuses were de-registered, briefly exported to The Original Tour, Big Bus Company or Australia. Some of the MCW Metrobuses were brought back to The Original Tour in the year 2006. As of 2013, the last of the examples from United Kingdom were withdrawn. For Australia, there is a bunch of space for preserved buses from Hong Kong.
KMB allocated its 3 Super-Metrobuses to the New Territories for many years. For example, they were serving on route 61A (which connected Tuen Mun and Yuen Long new towns) right before the KCR Light Rail took over the services. After that, they were seen on route 36A (which connected a public housing estate in Kwai Chung to a ferry pier) until the route’s decline in the mid-1990s. They spent a few further years as spare buses before being withdrawn from passenger service in 1996 and converted to training buses. They were finally sold and scrapped in 2001.
KMB started to withdraw its 2-axle Metrobuses in 1997. Some of them had their chassis damaged due to the fatigue caused during their service on the Tai Mo ShanKMB Route 51, which climbed to the highest altitude achievable by buses in Hong Kong. These were withdrawn by 2003. The 11-metre 3-axle Metrobuses in KMB were not withdrawn until summer 2002.
KCRC also started to withdraw their Mark II Metrobuses in the early 2000s. The last 2-axle Metrobus in Hong Kong (KCRC 134) was withdrawn in October 2005.
The last Metrobus in Hong Kong (KMB fleet number S3M233, license no. EH8559) ceased operation on 8 May 2007. As of mid-2011, no more Metrobuses were licensed and in use in Hong Kong.
End of production
Production of the Metrobus ceased in 1989 with the financial collapse of MCW. The last Metrobus built was West Midlands Travel 3121, it had a message from the builders stating that it was the last one built by MCW and signed by the staff on the inside of the roof.
The Metrobus design was purchased by Optare in 1990, which had recently joined the United Bus group with DAF Bus. Despite owning design and production rights, the two companies heavily reworked the design to produce a new vehicle, the DAF DB250 based Optare Spectra, which was launched in 1991 and ceased production in late 2005.
Massey Brothers (Pemberton) Limited was formed in 1904 by the three brothers William, Isaac and Thomas as timber merchants and building contractors and were based in Pemberton two miles west of Wigan in Lancashire. During the first fifteen years they built schools, mills, cinemas and houses and in 1919 started in the construction of bodies for cars, vans and charabancs. In the early 1920s a number of trams and buses were built for Wigan Corporation and their coachbuilding activities increased rapidly with many new customers being supplied by the end of the decade. Their building and construction activities continued throughout this period. By the mid thirties Masseys were supplying bodies on buses and trolleybuses mainly for municipal undertakings with occasional orders coming from independent operators. They were very active during the second world war in the building of “utility” bodies for many operators in England, Scotland and Wales plus fire brigade utility vehicles. After the war the company was increasingly busy as the need for new buses gained momentum and the rebuilding of bomb damaged property took place. Masseys had a high reputation for solid PSV bodywork with their distinctive design. Building and construction work ceased in 1962 after the completion of some new houses but PSV bodybuilding continued until 1967 when they were taken over by another Wigan bodybuilder – Northern Counties Motor and Engineering Company
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