The Metalcraft Story 1946-1954 - Part Two

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The listing which follows includes 102 of the approximately 110 complete PSV bodies produced by Metalcraft, and is intended to stimulate further research. If you can add any of the "missing" vehicles please get in touch via the Old Bus Photos website. I am also working on a (by nature) much shorter article to cover Staffordshire's "other" post-war boom bodybuilder, Willenhall Coachcraft and any data on this company's products would be more than welcome. So far I've found eight examples, but there must be more. Help!

While this production list is largely self-explanatory, an attempt has been made to differentiate between the different styles of underfloor engined bodywork by adding a code (in brackets) to the seating capacity details. (A) indicates the first design, (B) the "British" design, and (C) the "Continental" variant. Where this code fails to appear the author has never seen a photograph of the (underfloor engined) vehicle in question and so cannot say for sure! Vehicles with a "+" next to the registration number are known to survive in preservation.

1947
HWX 416 Tilling-Stevens K5LA7...B35F for Peel of Maltby.
LLG 685 Tilling-Stevens K5LA7...DP35F for Bostock of Congleton

1948
FDM 218 Foden PVSC6...DP33F for Lloyd of Bagillt
ONO 242 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Majestic of London E15
MUB 644 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Service of Leeds
HYG 864 Leyland PS1 Tiger...C33F for Peel of Maltby
JWW 668 Tilling-Stevens K5LA7...DP35F for Peel of Maltby

1949
FAW 992 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Salopia of Whitchurch, fleet number 63
FAW 993 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Salopia of Whitchurch, fleet number 64
FUJ 738 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates
FUJ 739 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates
DUX 654 Daimler CVD6 (1947)...Rebodied C33F for Smith (Eagle Coachways) of Trench
DUX 655+ Daimler CVD6 (1947)...Rebodied FC33F for Smith (Eagle Coachways) of Trench
FAW 991 Foden PVSC6...C35F for Salopia of Whitchurch, fleet number 62
MUM 633 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Service of Leeds
MLG 895 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Coppenhall of Sandbach, fleet number 15
NPE 152 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Graves of Redhill
NPG 517 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Graves of Redhill
NPK 806 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Graves of Redhill
NPL 900 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Graves of Redhill
TMM 183 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Ardley Bros of London N17
UMP 291 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Ardley Bros of London N17
UMX 412 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Ardley Bros of London N17
SRF 371 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Bassett of Tittensor
JAB 234 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Holland of Oldbury
JAB 692 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Holland of Oldbury
GUN 1 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Pye of Colwyn Bay
GUN 2 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Pye of Colwyn Bay
TRE 257 Leyland PS2/3 Tiger...C35F for Milton of Stoke-on-Trent
TRF 993 Leyland PS2/3 Tiger...C35F for Milton of Stoke-on-Trent
NEH 630 Maudslay Marathon III...C33F for Jeffries of Goldenhill
NEH 751 Maudslay Marathon III...C35F for Rowley of Bignall End
FNT 12 Maudslay Marathon III...C33F for Jones of Market Drayton, fleet number 28
FNT 13 Maudslay Marathon III...C33F for Jones of Market Drayton, fleet number 29
SRE 203 Maudslay Marathon III...FC33F for Churchbridge of Cannock, fleet number 24

1950
GAW 380 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates. In 1958 the chassis of this vehicle was scrapped and the Metalcraft body transferred to Crossley SD42/7 EUX 74 which had previously carried a Junction FC33F body (also scrapped)
GAW 381 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates
GAW 382 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates
GAW 383 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Cooper of Oakengates
GNT 65 Crossley SD42/7 for Jones of Market Drayton, fleet number 35
NUA 885 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Service of Leeds
NUG 235 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Service of Leeds
MTU 296+ Foden PVFE6...C37F for Coppenhall of Sandbach, fleet number 16
VME 108 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Ardley Bros of London N17
VMK 260 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Ardley Bros of London N17
TRF 994 Foden PVG6...FC37F for Bassett of Tittensor. (Registered in 1949, but delivered in 1950)
JAB 781 Foden PVSC6...C33F for Holland of Oldbury. (Registered in 1949, but delivered in 1950)
OEH 739 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Davey of Newcastle-under-Lyme
OEH 740 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Davey of Newcastle-under-Lyme
KOH 213 Foden PVSC6...FC33F for Sugden of Birmingham
AJC 91 Foden PVSC6...FC35F for Llandudno UDC
AJC 92 Foden PVSC6...FC35F for Llandudno UDC
MMB 861+ Foden PVFE6...FC37F for Hollinshead of Scholar Green
OPC 730 Leyland PS1/1 Tiger...C33F for Graves of Redhill
OPE 28 Leyland PS1/1 Tiger...C33F for Graves of Redhill
ACC 695 Leyland TS7 Tiger (1936)...C33F for Clynnog & Trevor of Trevor - this chassis was originally registered BRR 929 and was new to East Midland M.S. as F/N B29. C&T scrapped its Brush B32R bodywork and it entered service with its new Metalcraft body in 5/50.
NVT 788 Leyland PS2/3 Tiger...C33F for Stonier of Goldenhill
HJW 870 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C43C (A) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
HJW 871 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C43C (A) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
TRE 843 Maudslay Marathon III...C33F for Poole of Alsager Bank (Reg'd in 1949, but del'd in 1950)
HUY 488 Maudslay Marathon III...C33F for Everton of Droitwich (Reg'd in 1949 but del'd in 1950)

1951
HAW 45 AEC Regal IV 9821E...C41C (B) for Smith (Eagle Coachways) of Trench
CCP 572 AEC Regal IV 9821E...C41C for Holdsworth of Halifax
JJW 231 Bedford SB...C33F for Worthington of Wolverhampton
URE 508 Commer 23A Avenger I...C33F for Lloyd of Oldbury
VRE 462 Crossley SD42/7...C33F for Warrington of Ilam
NTU 125+ Foden PVRF6...C41C (B) for Hollinshead of Scholar Green
OLG 968 Foden PVRF6...C32C (C) for Foden of Sandbach (demonstrator). Later to Global of London W1
MXD 580 Foden PVRF6...C33C (C) for Global of London W1
MXD 581 Foden PVRF6...C33C (C) for Global of London W1
MXL 473 Foden PVRF6...C33C (C) for Global of London W1
MXL 474 Foden PVRF6...C33C (C) for Global of London W1
RPD 250 Foden PVRF6...C41C for Graves of Redhill
AJC 550+ Guy Wolf...B24F for Llandudno UDC
AJC 551 Guy Wolf...B24F for Llandudno UDC
AJC 552 Guy Wolf...B24F for Llandudno UDC
JDA 874 Guy Arab UF...C43C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
JDA 875 Guy Arab UF...C43C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
JDA 872 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C43C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
JDA 873 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C43C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
HCA 246 Leyland PSU1/11 Royal Tiger...C41C (B) for Pye of Colwyn Bay
HCA 247 Leyland PSU1/11 Royal Tiger...C41C (B) for Pye of Colwyn Bay
VRF 629 Leyland PSU1/11 Royal Tiger...DP41F (B) for Harper Bros of Heath Hayes, f.n. 48
VRF 630 Leyland PSU1/12 Royal Tiger...C41C (B) for Harper Bros of Heath Hayes, f.n. 49
GUX 494 Maudslay Marathon III (30 ft)...C37F for Jones of Market Drayton, fleet number 37
URF 841 Maudslay Marathon III (30 ft)...FC37F for Churchbridge of Cannock, fleet number 26
URF 842 Maudslay Marathon III (30 ft)...FC37F for Churchbridge of Cannock, fleet number 27

1952
HUX 350 AEC Regal IV 9821E...C41C (B) for Smith (Eagle Coachways) of Trench
ODV 376 AEC Regal IV 9822...DP43F for Potter (Tor Bus) of Haytor
PVT 746 AEC Regal IV 9821...B45C (C) for Davies of Stoke-on-Trent
KDA 477 Daimler Freeline D650HS...C41C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
KDA 478 Daimler Freeline D650HS...C41C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
KDA 581 Daimler Freeline D650HS...C41C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
KDA 582 Daimler Freeline D650HS...C41C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
KUY 536 Foden PVRF6...C41C (B) for Everton of Droitwich
XRF 128 Foden PVRG6...C41C (B) for Whieldon (Green Bus) of Rugeley, fleet number 23
XRE 678 Guy Arab UF...C41C (C) for Mason of Darlaston
JUK 876 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C41C (C) for Don Everall of Wolverhampton
PDH 515 Leyland PSU1/15 Royal Tiger...C41C (C) for Central of Walsall
NRF 962 Maudslay Marathon III (1947)...Rebodied FC33F for Churchbridge of Cannock, f.n. 19

1953
??????? Guy Arab UF...C41C (C) for Mason of Darlaston (photographic evidence exists of this vehicle alongside the 1952 machine XRE 678, but no registration is visible! Can anybody fill in this gap?
BFA 687 Bedford SB..C35F for Viking of Burton-upon-Trent

The five ex-Ribble Leyland TD5 Titans fitted with (ex H&D) lowbridge bodies for PMT in 1952 were RN 8178 (PMT fleet number L82), RN 8296 (L129), RN 8299 (L130), RN 8627 (L175), and RN 8641 (L177).. My own sources suggest that all five received modified Beadle bodies, but an article about Metalcraft in "Bus Fayre", Volume 5, Number 11 (May 1983) claims that the body fitted to RN 8627 was a 1930 vintage Leyland unit removed from a TD1. Although this seems unlikely the PSV Circle's PMT Fleet History agrees with the "Bus Fayre" article (which undoubtedly used it as a source). We may never know for sure unless somebody can come up with a photograph of that particular machine. Any offers?

The "Bus Fayre" article claims to list 71 Metalcraft bodies, but the figure is actually 70 as it includes Foden PVRG6 LOH 856 of Transglobe, Birmingham, which was definitely fitted with a Bellhouse-Hartwell C32C body. Our own total of 102 is thus a vast improvement over previously published information, but it would be nice to make it complete by finding the "missing" eight or so. It is known that that one of these is a third Bedford SB and several people have mentioned seeing Metalcraft bodied AEC Regal IIIs but without providing any concrete information. Does any reader of this site have a Regal III chassis list at hand to clarify this issue?

Metalcraft did issue sequential "works numbers" to all of its products (including sports cars, vans, library trailers, and - presumably - rickshaws!) but few of these have been noted by enthusiasts. The only ones confirmed by more than one correspondent are 1951 Avenger URE 508 (No 160), 1952 Regal IV PVT 746 (No 173), and 1952 Foden PVRF6 KUY 536 (No 184). We may never be able to produce a full list of these, but it would be appreciated if somebody could check preserved examples such as PVRF6 NTU 125 and thus fill in a few more gaps. Sadly, the company's own records appear to have gone into a skip years ago.

Neville Mercer
12/2010

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Just read the second part of this story and would like to leave the following comment:
"The second - very informative - history of Metalcraft further enhanced my interest in KUY 536 from my days with Transglobe Birmingham. I had assumed this had been with the Company from new, it seems it started life with Everton of Droitwich. You no doubt saw the photo of this vehicle at the Crewe works on my earlier posting, feel free to use it if you wish. Again, an excellent well researched article much enjoyed"

Nigel Edwards

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I have already indicated my appreciation of Neville for filling in gaps about Burlingham - a builder for whom I have a soft spot and respect. I knew next to nothing about Metalcraft - and most post-war "here-and-gones" are best forgotten. Yet another excellent, informative article about a builder who possibly deserved to survive. Interesting to see the high number of my beloved Fodens, not to mention Maudsleys and Crossleys in the output - and not many "main-stream" chassis.

David Oldfield

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02/02/11

What a fascinating article this is! Neville Mercer is to be congratulated on capturing the spirit of the company. However, there are a few points over which I would take issue. Some of the dates he quotes (for vehicles new) do not tally with the list that I have, nor the Operator Record Cards also in my possession. The earliest body recorded by the PSV Circle is the rebody on Daimler DUX 655 (March 1948), whilst the first 'new' coach was FDM 218, Lloyd's Foden PVSC6 in October 1948. Prior to this I suspect that Metalcraft had been busy carrying out repairs and refurbishments, the way that many smaller companies established themselves before building complete vehicles. The Tillings-Stevens supplied to Peel, Maltby (HWX 416) was not registered until May 1949, three months after an almost similar TSM had been supplied to Bostock of Congleton. These variations in dates follow through much of the article, though the general sequence is correct. The tale of the two Daimlers delivered to Smith's Eagle Coaches of Trench is not strictly accurate, I believe. The two coaches were placed in service in as DUX 654 and DUX 655 in October 1947, both with C33F bodies by ACB. In March 1948 the body on 655 was removed and the chassis fitted with a new FC33F body by Metalcraft. The body taken from 655 was transferred to Dennis Lancet UJ 1441. Then, in June 1957, this body was once again transferred to sister Daimler chassis DUX 654, replacing its own ACB C33F body. This information comes from the much more recent PSV Circle publication C1201 Chassis List Daimler chassis 11304 to 16684, published in October 2010. A photograph does exist of the 'ugly' Leyland Royal Tigers built for Don Everall, which certainly justifies the criticism of the design - see attached scan, the origins of which I am not sure, though I don't claim credit for the photograph. The list mentioned previously makes no mention of any AEC Regal III chassis which received Metalcraft bodies, though it does identify one or two more vehicles for Neville's records. A few more comments and observations from that list: UMP 291 (Foden) was a half cab, not full fronted, though all the other Ardley coaches were fully fronted. UMX 412 (Foden) is actually OMX 412. SRF 371 (Foden) was later rebuilt to FC33F, almost certainly by Lawton. JAB 692 (Foden) was new to Everton of Droitwich, not Holland of Oldbury. TRF 993 (Leyland), should be TRF 693. EUX 72 (Crossley and sister vehicle to EUX 74) was rebuilt from FC33F to C33F by Metalcraft. VMK 260 (Foden) was a 30' long vehicle and seated 37. TRF 994 was a Foden PVSC6, not PVG6 - that specification (PVG6) never existed. HUY 488 (Maudslay) was later rebuilt to FC33F format. I believe that CCP 572 (AEC Regal IV) was bodied by Burlingham, not Metalcraft, unless photographic evidence proves to the contrary. RPD 250 (Foden) had a type 'B' style of body using Neville's nomenclature. VRF 629 (Leyland PSU1) was also C41C when new, but both this coach and its sister VRF 630 were rebodied by Harper themselves to DP41F configuration. All 30 foot long Maudslay Marathon IIIs were designed to receive a fully fronted body, Strictly, therefore, they should be described as C37F, not FC37F - but certainly not both! ODV 376 (AEC Regal IV) was a type 'C' body and was DP43C - centre entrance. NRF 962 (Maudslay) might have been rebuilt to FC33F, rather than rebodied. The body style does not look very much like other Metalcraft bodies. The 1953 Guy Arab LUF for Mason's of Darlaston was registered YRF 613. A few additional vehicles are a pair of Bedford OLAZ chassis bodied B--F for British Railways (KXU 332 & 333), GUN 197 an FC33F Leyland PS2/3 of Pye, Colwyn Bay, HDM 226 a Crossley SD42/7 new to Davies (Voel Coaches) of Dyserth with a C33F body, HG 6332 a pre-war Leyland TS8 rebodied for Central Coaches of Walsall with an FC33F body - and two more problematical coaches. GEA 682 is quoted as being a Metalcraft C37F bodied TSM L4MA8 with Horton of West Bromwich and KNY 262 is supposedly a C33F bodied Maudslay Marathon III for Isaac of Barry, though the latter has also been quoted as carrying a Davies body, which might be correct. Finally, I have a list of Willenhall bodies and, as Neville suggests, there are many more than the eight he has identified - 44 to be precise!

Peter Tulloch

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08/02/11

As I've commented to Peter in a private email, I'm perfectly willing to accept that some of the delivery dates may be slightly "off" - my version came from a list of sightings at Blythe Bridge and some vehicles presumed to have been brand new at the time of their presence may have returned to the factory for remedial work. On several other points I'm inclined to stick to my guns, for example the PSV Circle's version on the Smiths Eagle vehicles is highly dubious. I've seen an Associated Coach Builders' pre-delivery shot of DUX 654 and the bodywork shown is very different to that in later photographs in which it appears (at the very least) to have been completely rebuilt by Metalcraft. We all find the PSV Circle's records to be an invaluable asset to our researches, but we must never make the mistake of presuming them to be infallible. Some of the people contributing to the news-sheets made mistakes and in many cases these errors were never subsequently corrected but repeated as an item of faith. Professional historians refer to this as "The Fallacy of Print" - the tendency to cite three or four published sources without realising that they all use the same original data.As regards the very first Metalcraft body, no less of a historian than the renowned Geoffrey Smith agrees with my version (see Bus Fayre, May 1983) and his source was a Metalcraft employee of the time. Peter seems to be basing his opinion on a registration date which is questionable. Yorkshire were up to "JWX" marks by 1948.My reason for including Holdsworth's CCP 572 was that it was listed with a Metalcraft body in the PSV Circle's Regal IV chassis list. Peter also asserts that Foden never used the terminology "PVG6" to describe a 30ft Gardner 6LW front-engined chassis. As he is an expert on Fodens I bow to his superior knowledge on this, but would point out that my use of the term has its origins in PSV Circle publications such as PD7/2PD7 ("Independent Stage Carriage Operators of Staffordshire"). You can't have it both ways Peter, either the Circle's records are infallible or they're not! My evidence suggests "not" although I'm still very glad that they're there for us to use and they're still the best source available for historical research. I would like to thank Peter for his extensive comments on the article. Apart from these minor disagreements I've found them helpful and informative, as is always the case with his contributions to the site. I just wish I could persuade him to publish his Foden archive which would undoubtedly provide me with many hours (if not weeks) of enjoyable reading.

Neville Mercer

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06/02/12 - 16:18

Bedford BFA 687 was new to Wellings of Burton on Trent and not Viking. Both companies used the FA regstration numbers and some are close together. Hope this note is of help.

Derek Wilkinson

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07/02/12 - 10:59

Thanks for that, Derek, I was misinformed.

Neville Mercer

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18/09/13 - 17:45

I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Metalcraft Story' and have since found a photo of a Bedford OB rebodied as a half cab by Metalcraft. It's registration was JPE 262 operated by W. Bennetto of Fraddon.

John Waddicar

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19/09/13 - 18:01

Hi John, surely that one was bodied by Willenhall Coachcraft and was actually registered "URE 262"? Also, I think that it was built on a wartime OL lorry chassis, although I don't have the OWB etc production list (recently published by the PSV Circle) to hand. I do have the OB book and neither your version of the registration or mine are listed as OBs.

Neville Mercer

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19/01/18 - 05:48

Under 'Any Other Thing' John Wakefield has just drawn attention to the Still Time Collection of bus-related images, and immediately I was delighted to find this photo showcasing three Metalcraft-bodied coaches with Everton of Droitwich: https://tinyurl.com/y7wbuhqc. >From left to right, Maudslay Marathon III HUY 488, Foden PVRF6 KUY 536, Foden PVSC6 JAB 692.

Peter Williamson

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18/01/19 - 07:13

www.imcdb.org/vehicle_588198
Is this the body of which the article says no photograph can be found?

Johnfromstaffs

 

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