Out and About

Pre digital days, my camera was a conventional roll film with negatives, and I have sorted a few out which I hope are of interest.

LSV748 — Guernsey registration 4029. It was new to Guernsey Railways in 1958. One of a batch of 4 and given fleet number 73.
Albion Victor FT39KAN, Reading full front body B35F with 35 seats.
Vehicle shown on Trans Pennine Rally in 1992. It is climbing Hollins Hill, from Baildon bottom, approaching Guiseley, the home of Harry Ramsdens, allegedly, at the time 'the biggest fish and chip oyl in the world.' This was a popular stop for entrants before travelling through Otley and onto Harrogate.
(oyl — Yorkshire expression for shop, place or whatever!)

RA3829 — 1927 Albion SpPB 24 fitted with 14 seat bodywork. New to the Duke of Devonshire for use at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire and his estate at Bolton Abbey, formerly in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This area was where the Duke had grouse shooting. It left the Dukes service in 1954 with 42000 miles recorded.
A group of business men in Halifax acquired it in 1962 calling themselves The Albion Society.
A member, Edgar Short finally took possession of the vehicle and it was painted blue with a crest on the door. A splendid set of photographs is shown in the Halifax Parade 1968, by Roger Cox, in the Gallery Section. It competed in 12 Trans Pennine runs. My picture is dated at the 1992 event. I thank Peter Seaword for providing me with this information.
In 1986 it was acquired by Ernest Smith. The Chief Executive of National Breakdown, now Green Flag. He had the vehicle restored and it was painted in red as per my photograph. Unfortunately Ernest died at an early age. He was a collector of vintage and classic cars. He entered this vehicle in a rally I organised for charity in 1990 and I was fortunate to have a ride in it with Ernest driving, wearing a deerstalker.
Peter Seaword believes the vehicle was disposed of at auction but current whereabouts are unknown.

GNRI Railbus number 1. Built in 1928 at Dundalk as a road bus and had Louth and Meath registration number ZI 2452. The destination board shows Banbridge.
It was converted to a railbus in 1936 numbered E2. The front tyred wheels were replaced with normal rail wheels, gauge 5ft 3 inch, but the rear wheels retained tyres, with rail wheels. It was also converted to diesel power.
From 1950 it was used as a Signals inspection vehicle and finally retired in 1963.
It is now in the Ulster Folk and Transport museum at Cultra on the outskirts of Belfast where I took the photographs in 1998.
The rear wheel tyre and rail wheel arrangement can be clearly seen.
Probably the first railbus?
The museum catalogue states that the vehicle as extremely rare!

LAK309G — Leyland PD3A/12 — Leyland 0.680 diesel, pneumocyclic gears. Fitted with an Alexander H41/29F body. It was registered on 25th April 1969. On reorganisation ended up with West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.
I saw the vehicle, fleet number 309, when visiting the Tramsheds at Saltaire on 29th April 1969.
Saltaire is a suburb of Shipley and the depot is now The Tramshed Bistro and Restaurant.

EOI 4857 — ‘The survivor’ a Daimler CRG6LX-33 66645 with an Alexander H46/31D body.
Ordered by Belfast City Transport but was new January 1973 to Citybus Services, a sister company of Ulsterbus.
On 19th January 1974 the vehicle was destroyed by fire damage in a terrorist incident on Newtonards Road.
Subsequently rebodied with another Alexander H49/37F body in April 1976.
Withdrawn in March 1994 and was sent to Ulster Folk and Transport museum in 1995, affectionately named ‘The Survivor’ in more ways than one! Photo taken 1998.

Roy Dodsworth
01/2012

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