A. Davies, Acton Burnell
1949
Crossley SD 42/7
Plaxton C33F

Photographed in Piccadilly, London, in 1961 is the Crossley SD42/7 with Plaxton C33F body bought new by A. Davies (Transport) of Acton Burnell near Shrewsbury, Shropshire in March 1949. To address the shortcomings of the Crossley diesel engine the new AEC designed downdraught HOE7/5 began appearing during 1949, but the March 1949 delivery date of this coach – the chassis must have been produced some time earlier – suggests that it was fitted with the unmodified HOE7/4. In practice, as with the Daimler CD6 engine, the use of the HOE7/4 in single deckers, particularly coaches not subjected to intense stop/start work, taxed the power plant rather less severely than in double deckers, and it generally performed satisfactorily on such duties. This is borne out by the retention of FAW 334 by its original operator for a full working life, and, happily, this coach still exists today:- www.classicbuses.co.uk/faw334.JPG

Photograph and Copy contributed by Roger Cox

Kirkby and Sons
1951
Commer Avenger
Plaxton C33F

Kirkby and Sons of Harthill bought three Commer Avengers new in 1950, two Plaxton-bodied examples and one Churchill example. They were swiftly followed by this, another Plaxton thirty-three seater in February 1951. Churchill would build another – A Mark II – in 1953 and Duple were chosen for a Mark III in 1956.
From the mid-fifties onwards Kirkby would mostly choose Bedfords but had never been afraid to try other makes including Crossley and AEC!

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

08/02/19 – 11:52

Where was the Kirkby depot based, and how big was their fleet in the 70s.

Mr Anon

09/02/19 – 06:00

Kirkby were based at Harthill near the Yorkshire / Derbyshire border.. Despite collecting information for the last six decades my own fleet list for Kirkby, Harthill contains only 58 vehicles so far. The earliest on my list was bought new in 1947. There must be someone out there who can give us the full story about this under-reported operator?

Les Dickinson

12/02/19 – 05:18

Kirkbys premises at the end of a residential cul-de-sac in Harthill became the first premises for Stuart Johnson’s Scania bus and coach dealership in the early 80s before their move to purpose built premises in Worksop

Tim Presley

J Abbott & Sons (Blackpool)
1959
Karrier BF3023
Plaxton C14F

PFR 727 is a Karrier BF3023 with Plaxton C14F body. It dates from 1959 and follows the usual Abbott’s habit for having registrations ending in 7. One has to wonder how they would have coped with the present system! It is in Southampton Docks, not the most appealing environment, on 29 April 1990. This was one of the rare occasions that the British Coach Rally was held somewhere other than Brighton.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

11/01/17 – 07:13

PFR 727 survives in preservation with Leach of Telford.

John Wakefield