I hope the members find it of interest - of all the thousands of Ledgard pictures, literally, I tried to select just a few with something special about them.
Chris Youhill
02/2016
12/02/16 - 12:32
As usual Chris Y has excelled himself with his Ledgard knowledge and enthusiasm, thank you.
I remember one day being in the garden at home, at Ilkley. Bus stop outside, possibly called Mayfield Avenue, or Lakeland laundries. My dad was cutting the front grass, day off from West Yorkshire, when 1949 U pulled up at the stop. It was on its first run to Ilkley. On the bus was a Ledgard Inspector, I think they called him Templeman?
He saw my dad and shouted ‘How about this then Ted, beats the old Bristols’.
Dad went to the wall and had a quick look before ding ding and off it went.
Within the next few days I saw the other new ones on the same route.
Roy Dodsworth
12/02/16 - 16:45
Thank you Roy, and you are spot on in every memory. The stop by your house was called Mayfield Avenue, and the Ledgard inspector was Ernie Templeman - an absolute gentleman like your Dad - Ernie's wife had a greengrocery and fruit shop in Burley Main Street just opposite the top stop.
1949 U and the other five entered service on 1st September 1957. Attached is another picture of 1951 U at the terminus in New Brook Street same day. They took the clientele by storm for sure, and their power and ease of driving made very light work of the arduous Leeds to Ilkley routes.
Just before they arrived Mr. Tapscott, the Otley manager and a canny "Brummy", confided triumphantly in me that "They've tried to pull a fast one at Armley and only allocated us two, so I whipped up some "average age of fleet figures" and now we're getting four!!"
Chris Youhill
12/02/16 - 16:46
In the case of the charabanc picture one has to ask how long it would take each way and thus how short a time they would have to enjoy the sands and the pleasure beach.
John Lomas
13/02/16 - 05:28
What an amazing collection, CY. Thanks for posting.
Pete Davies
13/02/16 - 05:29
Thank you for posting such a fascinating collection of photos and informative text Chris. Gems indeed, every one. Samuel Ledgard was a well regarded operator right up until the very end in October 1967. A friend of mine, Jane, who has lived in Guiseley all her life still remembers Sammie's fondly, saying you could literally "set your watch by their buses". She mentioned once that as a young girl she would sometimes be put on a Sammie's bus by her Mum, and the conductor was asked to make sure Jane got off at a certain stop a few miles away, and that her Grandma would be waiting at the stop. Such was the trust in the Company, it's employees, and its wonderful blue buses.
Brendan Smith
13/02/16 - 05:30
....and gems they really are, Chris Y! I've really enjoyed absorbing myself in them! I love the first one and marvel that the scene is virtually unchanged 107 years later SEE: http://tinyurl.com/hzqgcm6
The Roe-bodied CWA6 is quite the most handsome of the utility-style bodies, with its extra sloped top deck front and the Roe-bodied Regent V's also the most handsome, rather than the usual boxy products on that chassis. Thx, Chris. SL certainly had an eclectic fleet, which must have suited you down to the ground! Nothing boring here!
Chris Hebbron
14/02/16 - 05:55
Wonderful gallery, Chris Y, for which many thanks. The sheer variety of chassis and bodies is one of the many reasons why Ledgard's had almost the same status among us southern enthusiasts as it had on its home territory. A pal and I would pore over the latest issue of small-format black-and-white Buses Illustrated and often wished we could be spirited up to distant Yorkshire.
Ian Thompson
14/02/16 - 05:56
Chris, regarding your comments relating to poor old JUA 673, "In Otley bus station Guy Arab FD1 carries its lamentable Pickering utility body - surely the very worst of all the WW2 utility offerings". Would the term 'Futility body' be more accurate?
Brendan Smith
14/02/16 - 13:03
Indeed Brendan, that would be the most appropriate of the alternative descriptions - the printable ones at least, there were others !! Just discernible on the pitiful destination blind is "BURLEY." This was required only once daily Monday to Friday only for the 5.52pm "running in" trip from Ilkley to Burley RAC Box after working the very hectic 4.57pm duplicate from Leeds King Street to Ilkley via Guiseley. The ill fated RAC box eventually succumbed in a heap of splinters after one of far too many attacks from vehicles. Fortunately there was no smart patrolman on duty at the time.
Chris Youhill
14/02/16 - 13:04
Fascinating article Chris. If you look at my article on Tyneside (see link below), there is a vehicle you may be familiar with, GTY 169, one of nine Orion bodied Leyland PD2/12's delivered to Tyneside in 1954. GTY 169/177 - 39/47 The photo must have been taken when it was relatively new, shortly after delivery the front registration plates were moved to the panel under the windscreen. The whole batch went on to a second life, in 1966; 39 went to Ledgard, and 40 to Wells of Hatfield Perevel 1967; 41 became an NGT group training vehicle, and 43 went to Paton Bros of Renfrew; 1968; 44 also went to Paton Bros. 1969; 42/5&6 became training vehicles and 47 went to Bensham, initially as an engineering/towing vehicle, but it was later converted to a tree lopper. I started at NGT Percy Main depot in January 1967, and we borrowed Tyneside buses on a regular basis. I've driven most of that batch, but not 39 or 40.
The Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads Company Limited
Ronnie Hoye
15/02/16 - 05:29
Thank you very much Ronnie H for the interesting data on the rest of that Tyneside batch of PD2s. GTY 169 was at our Otley depot throughout its stay with Ledgard's - it arrived from "Binnsland" in fine condition and was a grand motor, smart and "crisp" in every way.
Chris Youhill
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