Bedford SB Strachan Pacesaver RTK 109T

Was this style of 'perforated' grille only used on Government 'Pacesavers'. My local operator had one which had come from the Royal Navy, and like this one, had no chrome trim on the front.

I'm unable to get a clear picture of the legal lettering on this but RTK was a Dorset CC registration.

Les Dickinson

11/01/15 - 11:28

Briefly, also on the subject of Armed Forces buses, I was always fascinated in the RAF by the beautiful new Bedford petrol SBs which arrived during my service. In typical Forces manner a metal plaque was attached to the entrance steps and read something (it is sixty years ago) like :
COACH SERVICE CONVERTIBLE TO
AMBULANCE BEDFORD 4 x 2
MULLINERS LTD.
What superb vehicles they were - we had two at RAF Patrington - and for the vintage delight we had just one Bedford OWB, driven for some unknown reason by a civilian man from the village. As the Radar site was about six miles from the Domestic camp we enjoyed two journeys daily to and from work for shift changes, and occasionally for a treat a Bedford 29 seat QL lorry, the glorious howling and whining sounds emitted by which were just delightful to the enthusiast.

Chris Youhill

11/01/15 - 11:29

RTK 109T was owned by Clue's Coaches, East Road, Menheniot, Cornwall.

Dave Farrier

12/01/15 - 14:20

Here's a 1970 Bedford SB3 (43AC42) with Strachans Pacesaver bodywork smartly dressed in RAF Blue/Grey. (Copyright miliblog). I'm not sure I've ever seen a civilian Pacesaver body - certainly none with chrome bling, like the Mulliner ones had, in strict moderation!

Chris Hebbron

13/01/15 - 06:15

Chris H, Silver Service of Darley Dale bought a couple of SB/Pacesavers in 1965 for use on their stage services. I'm unable to find a photograph but they were registered DRB 10/11C.

Chris Barker

13/01/15 - 11:54

Here's a shot of one of the Silver Service examples. www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/

David Call

14/01/15 - 06:32

Thx for that, Dave C. They didn't make much of a concession to the civilian version of the body: utilitarian in the extreme! I wonder how many of them were sold to the wider world? As an ex-military vehicle, no doubt they were cheap to buy, with the added virtue of low mileage and good maintenance, but new...????

Chris Hebbron

16/01/15 - 06:35

RTK109K was a Bedford SB5 with Strachan B39F bodywork. It was purchased by the Clues (Ray and Rosemary) from the Royal Navy for Ł300 in September 1978 to operate a school contract to/from Crafthole, a village overlooking Whitsand Bay. It had been new in 1964 with Royal Navy number 38 RN 93. It was withdrawn in April 1985 after seven years' service and scrapped.
The Clues took over the Trerulefoot to Liskeard service in 1962 but the section to Bethany, Budge's Shop and Trerulefoot had been withdrawn by 1977, the service terminating at Doddycross; by this time, it was reduced to the morning and afternoon school journeys plus a morning 'shoppers' journey and a teatime trip which didn't operated on Wednesdays or Saturdays. As buses and coaches got larger, the Cornish lanes stayed the same size and the Clues started to use minibuses on the Menheniot to Doddycross section with passengers transferring at Menheniot. By 1986, all that remained were morning and afternoon return trips during school terms to take children to and from school in Liskeard and the mid-morning run into Liskeard (by now operating only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) returning at 1200. After deregulation, the County Council subsidised this run, paying for it to operate on Wednesdays too but, after five years, when the contract came up for renewal, the Clues put in a very high tender to ensure that, if they happened to be awarded it again, it would, at least, be worth their while.
Rosemary Clue used to drive the children from Menheniot and Merrymeet to Liskeard on a morning and then continue to Braddock CofE Primary School at which she was one half of the teaching staff; at the close of the school day at Braddock she returned to Liskeard and picked the children up again to take them home. Sometimes, she would also drive an evening hire, taking the childen's schoolwork with her to mark whilst awaiting the return of her party! Ray, apparently, drove his bus into Liskeard with his motorbike in the boot wand used this to whip back to Menheniot so as to attend to the garage side of the business before returning on his bike to bring his passengers home! When Rosemary retired from teaching in 1995, she and Ray decided to give up the business and Clue's Coaches ceased operation in 1998.
Today, Menheniot is served three times daily on Mondays to Fridays only by Jackett's Coaches of Albaston (nr Gunnislake) but Trerulefoot has an hourly service (2-hourly on Sundays) provided by Plymouth Citybus on their service between Liskeard and Plymouth.

Alan R Hall

16/01/15 - 08:25

Thanks to Alan for a very comprehensive, and interesting, story of this bus. Clearly, Rosemary demonstrates that multitasking is not a new thing, and the use of a 'stowed' motorcycle shows that this was an innovative operator in their day. Would many of today's operators go to such lengths?

Les Dickinson

16/01/15 - 12:39

I'll second what Les said about your post, Alan. It's nice to hear about how any operator, especially a small one, managed to keep a marginal business going and the Clues were very imaginative! Loved the motor bike aspect! One point: did the Clues succeed in getting the contract at the inflated price?

Chris Hebbron

17/01/15 - 06:22

No they didn't, Chris. The contract was won by Radmore's Coaches from Woodford in Plympton who ran the journey between Saltash and Liskeard; how on earth they made any money out of it is anyone's guess.
Radmore's are still in existence but they don't do any service work these days.

Alan R Hall

18/01/15 - 06:32

Thx, Alan.

Chris Hebbron

18/01/15 - 06:33

Sorry to be a party pooper, but I imagine that the carrying of a motorbike in the boot would have been highly illegal, bearing in mind that it would have almost certainly been petrol-powered.

David Call

Comments regarding the above are more than welcome please get in touch via the 'Contact Page' or by email at

Quick links to the - Best Bits - Comments - Contact - Home