Alpine Travel
1958
Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/2
Duple Britannia C41F
Photographed in Llandudno some ten years ago is this Hughes Bros Alpine Tours Tiger Cub WND 477, which
started life in August 1958 with Spencer Tours of Manchester. This firm merged with Smiths of Wigan
which later became part of Shearings. On my several visits to Llandudno over past years it has always
been this coach waiting in readiness for its Great Orme trip, and I have never encountered its fellow
Tiger Cub BCJ 710B with Harrington Grenadier C45F coachwork of July 1964.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Roger Cox
Daimler Transport Vehicles
1968
Daimler Roadliner SRC6/SRP8
Plaxton DP53F
The rear engined Daimler Roadliner powered by the compact and powerful Cummins V6-200 emerged in 1964,
but production did not really get under way until 1966, with West Riding, Black & White and Potteries
being early users of the type. Reliability problems with the engine and toggle link suspension soon
became apparent, and operators began cancelling their orders in the light of service experience. In May
1968 Daimler became part of the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and the Roadliner was offered with
the option of the Perkins V8-510 engine with hopes of improved reliability. A new Plaxton bodied
Roadliner demonstrator, KKV 800G, still with the troublesome Cummins engine, was built in August 1968.
This bus subsequently received the Perkins 8 cylinder power unit, probably before its appearance as
shown in the Demonstration Park at the 1968 Olympia show. The Perkins option did not save the Roadliner
and only some 33 SRP8 examples were built. KKV 800G subsequently entered the City of Oxford fleet in
1970 as number 639.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Roger Cox
Bristol Omnibus
1954
Bristol KSW6B
ECW H32/28R
OBP has yet to include a picture of a post war Bristol K type operating in the Bristol fleet, so here
is one. This shows KSW6B, SHW 409, No. C8239, which was supplied in 1954 to the then Bristol Tramways
and Carriage Company, which was renamed Bristol Omnibus in May 1957. This bus seems to have spent its
entire operating career in Bristol city until withdrawal in May 1971 when it went to the dealer Norths
of Sherburn-in-Elmet for scrap. In the picture, taken in July 1970, less than a year before withdrawal,
the driver has opened his cab door whilst the vehicle is in motion. One can only conjecture why he has
done so.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Roger Cox
05/09/22 - 07:08
Oh joy! The standard Bristol city bus for years, including a final sanction in
1957. The Bristol engine was specified for most of the city fleet, perhaps to keep the City Council,
part owners, on side with a made-here product. Even when the country fleet were taking KSWs with
doors and heaters, the city didn’t get the luxury of heaters!
This photo looks to be taken of
the bus turning from the Centre into Baldwin Street with Thorntons chocolate shop on the corner of
Clare Street in the background. I can only think the door flew open after a change-over in the
Centre and had not caught properly, but that seems unlikely!
The bus would have had the
Bristol City arms as the fleet name when delivered, followed by the upper case BRISTOL before coming
to the historic Bristol scroll. The destination box would have been single piece 18 inch deep from
new in which the roller destination blinds came in quick-change cassettes, to keep the blinds
reasonably short containing only destinations for a small group of routes.
I always thought
that the choice of Bristol Omnibus Company was a very poor marketing name. Nobody even then spoke
about omnibuses and having BRISTOL on the side when operating in and out of Cheltenham, Hereford,
Swindon et al seemed very inappropriate! At least the scroll had a bit of style about it.
Geoff Pullin
08/09/22 - 06:26
Two things spring to mind.
1970, so now well into the NBC Era, but
thankfully not in NBC Corporate livery.
With that in mind, immaculately presented for a
vehicle that was less than a year away from withdrawal.
Ronnie Hoye
09/09/22 - 05:44
Ronnie - the NBC corporate liveries, poppy red, leaf green and white, were
introduced during 1972.
Nigel Frampton
