Copyright Pete Davies
Silver Star Motor Services
1956
Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/2
Harrington C41C
Here is a view of MMR552 and 553 fleet numbers 10 and 26, Tiger Cubs with Harrington coach bodies from
the dear departed fleet of Silver Star, Porton, near Salisbury. I have seen and photographed both of
them on a number of occasions, but this sighting at the "Harrington Gathering" at Amberley on
3rd June was my first of them together. They may be twins, but they are most certainly not identical
twins.
Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies
31/08/12 - 07:37
My late friend Walter Martin bought two identical Bedford YRQ/Plaxton Panorama
Elite III in 1972/3 which were instantly identifiable by several small differences in livery and
application - just like these two splendid vehicles.
David Oldfield
31/08/12 - 12:34
This picture has made my day! From the age of 9 I grew up in Sale in Cheshire
and the Silver Star vehicle(s) doing the forces leave service to Manchester spent their lay-over at
the premises of Pride of Sale, often venturing out "on hire" on local excursions. They
also sometimes appeared "doubly on hire" to North Western for use on the North Wales and
Yorkshire Coast services.
Sadly my personal experience of their fine fleet was short-lived as
they sold out to W&D less than a year after I moved to Sale. A brief pleasure, but still vivid in my
memory. It’s good to see the pair together again in a recent shot.
Neville Mercer
31/08/12 - 14:29
I’m glad you found the view interesting, Neville. One of the Atlanteans,
1013MW, survives as well, but I don’t know of any of the other vehicles from the fleet.
The
idea of reaching destination and then running ‘on hire’ to the local operator caught me out on
several occasions. The one which sticks out most clearly is a Red & White MW coach which had arrived
in Morecambe on a tour and was acting as a PD3 on the L6 Heysham to Lancaster service, on hire to
Ribble. Must have been a surprise for the crew to draw that!
Pete Davies
31/08/12 - 16:05
I know the feeling Pete - Ribble would seize anything on a busy day. I was
always amazed by some of the oddities that would turn up at Lower Mosley Street on X60 duplicates.
As I mentioned in my article (on this site) about LMS these included vehicles from East Kent and
East Yorkshire which had been commandeered by Ribble staff at the Blackpool end. I also witnessed
the arrival of a 36ft Yelloway Reliance/Cavalier on an X60 extra in the summer of 1966 - presumably
it had operated a duplicate on their own Blackpool services and then been free for the day for other
remunerative work. It also, of course, had the advantage of being able to show both Manchester and
Blackpool on its destination blind, but I bet that the Allen family made them pay the top rate for
the hire!
Neville Mercer
01/09/12 - 08:06
I well remember during busy summer periods working for Southdown at Eastbourne
in the 1970’s and 80’s it was a case of anything goes especially with coaches that were staying on a
weeks tour on days when they were not out or coaches that were on day trips, on entering the garage
the drivers were asked " what time are you leaving" if it was late enough for the coach to
be used that afternoon he was asked to please see nothing was left on the luggage racks as the coach
would be used, this of course was in NBC days. The favourite tour coaches used belonged to Eastern
Scottish which were at different times Bristol LH’s Leyland Leopards and on one occasion a Seddon
Pennine VII. another favourite was Western Welsh nearly always a Leopard but among other companies
featured was a Crosville Bedford VAM. My fondest memory of these is of taking a school party from
Eastbourne to Lewes on one of M&D’s superb AEC Reliance/Harrington Grenadiers a totally blissful
afternoon, the different companies vehicles driven when on express services however is a story on
it,s own.
Diesel Dave
01/09/12 - 10:51
An interesting posting, and I was most amused to read the appreciative
comments of some correspondents about these vehicles. I agree with them. Apart from the Leyland
chassis and the different treatment around the destination indicators, however, these coaches are
pretty well the same design as my recent M&D AEC posting that received rather less fulsome
responses. Maybe I’m thick, but I just don’t understand that. I also agree with Diesel Dave about
the M&D Grenadiers; superb describes them absolutely.
Roy Burke
02/09/12 - 15:35
No, Roy, you’re not thick! It’s taken me a while to work it out, but I think
the reason for the difference of opinion about the appearance of the Maidstone vehicle versus this
pair is the indicator display.
These two have a modified version of what many regard as the
typical Harrington front dome of the period, with two wide indicator displays. That on the Maidstone
looks to be much more of a bus indicator, far more concentrated in the middle of the dome, and I’m
sure the more usual style would have made it more attractive to many of our readers. A different way
of applying the livery, with a lighter top, might have helped, too. I don’t suppose Southdown would
have objected if their neighbour (and associate BET company) had used the Southdown style.
Pete Davies
03/09/12 - 07:54
Off subject, Neville, but I lived in Ashton-on-Mersey in the late ’70s.
David Oldfield
04/09/12 - 08:43
We missed each other by a few years, David. I moved to Nottingham when I was
19 (mid-1972) and from there to the USA for a six year spell from 1974. I blame the introduction of
the NBC corporate liveries. Emigration became the only sensible option!
Neville Mercer
05/09/12 - 06:54
I can understand that, Neville. Glad you came back, though.
David Oldfield
05/09/12 - 08:40
I’m with Pete here: I’m still not a big fan of the design, but the overall
styling/livery/destination display works much better (and its "polished-up", which might
help!). For me the significant differences are: the fog/spot lights and associated moulding, which
when combined with the "pointy" dome tend to accentuate the vertical aspect and narrow the
front; and the absence of the above-windows moulding present on the M&D vehicle (which seems to be a
throw-back to the 1930’s).
Philip Rushworth
06/09/12 - 06:51
I stand by my comments on the M&D Reliance, but as I’ve said before, in the
right livery an Orion can look good. This just emphasises how important livery and its application
is and reinforces all the comments on this forum about kids in paintbox liveries that we suffer
today with current operators. Two identical vehicles can look SO different in different
colours.
David Oldfield
07/09/12 - 07:25
I agree David - but I think the converse is true as well. Many colour schemes
look well on some vehicle designs but not on others. A good livery is one that is sufficiently
robust (and perhaps adaptable) to be applied to different types. Even some of the big groups seem to
be recognising this. For example, I dreaded the appearance of "splash it all over" washed
out green when Arriva took over Cross Country Trains - but they didn’t, thank goodness!
Stephen Ford
07/09/12 - 07:25
Well, David, we could have a long discussion about the effect of livery and
detailed design differences on a vehicle’s ultimate attractiveness. However - maybe I don’t possess
a ‘true’ enthusiast’s appreciation of these things - but to me a basically sound and
well-balanced design is not somehow transformed, Jekyll and Hyde-like, into hideous ugliness because
of such elements. I can understand how one treatment might appeal more than another, but the
underlying balance and elegance of Harringtons’ design on these Silver Star coaches,
(‘splendid’ was your own adjective), remains apparent in the M&D vehicles, dated destination
indicator screens notwithstanding. I returned to the link showing one in Hebble livery, but that
exercise has served only to reinforce my view. We can only agree, perhaps, to differ - and Philip, I
guess, would be with you rather than me - on this.
‘Two other points in my final comment
on this issue. First, Peter’s observations. I agree that M&D’s destination screen treatment is
rather ‘bus’ like. Most of their express services were short distance, on which many
passengers would buy their tickets from local agents just before travel. A large, instantly readable
destination screen thus made operational sense. I’m not sure I follow his point about Southdown
livery, however; after more than a year with that company, I never quite understood what their
express livery was, and judging by the inconsistency with which it, (and even whether a vehicle
should display a scripted or capital lettered name), was applied, I’m not entirely sure that they
did either.
Secondly, while there is no rule that says correspondents must like this
Harrington design, I find both the Silver Star and M&D versions infinitely cleaner and better
balanced than the Duple coachwork on the recent Black & White posting. While looking at Hebble
vehicles, moreover,I came across a Bellhouse Hartwell Landmaster of about the same date as the M&D
vehicles. Now for real ugliness…….’
Roy Burke
08/09/12 - 07:05
There you go, Roy. I agree with you on your latter points.
David Oldfield
08/09/12 - 07:05
We’re back to this ‘beholder’ business again and the matter of
comparisons, one with another! I don’t find the BHS vehicle THAT ugly, but this Barton monstrosity
is another matter: SEE: www.modelbuszone.co.uk
Chris Hebbron
08/09/12 - 07:06
Mention of the Bellhouse and Hartwell coaches reminded me of a comment my
friend the late Donald Ingham who had been a driver of these beasts told me. The drivers referred to
them as Brabs this being a reference to the giant seaplane the Brabazan that flew in the 1950s. One
of these coaches was sold to a old persons home in Derbyshire and had its rear end modified to take
wheel chairs and eventually was sold for preservation to a group of drivers at YWD Frost Hill depot.
Alas this was an abortive venture and I recently heard that it had passed to Ensign for their
heritage fleet but it would appear to be too far gone. .
Philip Carlton
09/09/12 - 07:20
Wow, Chris, what a beauty! (Pardon the irony). What is it? There’s some script
below the radiator grille, but I can’t make out what it says. (not ‘Bristol’, surely?). Could
it be the builder’s name - I’d have wanted to remain anonymous if I’d had anything to do with it.
More details from someone, please. I’m intrigued.
Philip’s remark about the Bellhouse Hartwell
coaches’ nickname was amusing, too. Very appropriate. I read elsewhere that they were also nicknamed
‘Sabrinas’, for fairly obvious reasons.
Roy Burke
09/09/12 - 07:20
Reference to Chris H’s link, Barton’s 657 was certainly no oil-painting, and
the normally attractive livery was applied in a rather fussy way. I remember it as one of those
quirky members of the Barton fleet - an in-house rebody of, if I remember its sound correctly, a
half-cab Leyland TS? In the early/mid 50s it often worked on the route 10, Nottingham - Long Eaton -
Kegworth - Loughborough. There were a few similar rebodies, plus the much more attractive style just
visible behind, but I think there were only one or two of this particular design.
Stephen Ford
09/09/12 - 07:21
Small point, Philip, but if I don’t mention it someone else surely will. The
Bristol Brabazon was a large landplane, powered by eight Bristol Centaurus piston engines mounted in
pairs driving contra rotating airscrews. The huge contemporary flying boat was the Saunders Roe
Princess which had ten Bristol Proteus turbo props. Both were misconceived for the post war air
transport scene.
Roger Cox
10/09/12 - 07:08
As originally built, MMR 553 also featured the "V" shape front trim
but fairly early on presumably had a bit of an accident and for most of the time with Silver Star
appeared as we see it today.
Nick Webster
10/09/12 - 07:09
If you’re looking for ugly in house re bodies, you need look no further that
the Tynesider and Wearsider of Northern General. I think one of them is still around somewhere in
the North West area ‘Liverpool?’ but I’m not sure which one it is
Ronnie Hoye
10/09/12 - 07:09
You see the safe path I tread to avoid controversy with body designs! I
thought, Roy, that the writing said ‘Daimler’, but could be mistaken. And thanks, Stephen, for
your thoughts on the body’s origin.
Chris Hebbron
10/09/12 - 07:10
I believe the Sabrinas were SUT.
David Oldfield
11/09/12 - 06:49
I realise that we have taken something of a diversion but the excellent
picture of the Barton BTS1 made me wonder, whilst the body was built in Barton’s own workshops and
rightly ascribed to them, I wonder how many components were bought in, such as front wings, front
dome and windscreen frames etc. I may be wrong but I can’t imagine all of these being produced by
Barton, or any other operators who built their own bodywork. One thing is certain though, these were
sound vehicles which gave Bartons good service. They must have been considerably better than some of
the offerings from the myriad of post war British coachbuilders.
Chris Barker
12/09/12 - 06:54
Discussion on styling should also take into account changing fashion- less so
with buses than coaches- as well as functionality. I think the Bridgemaster/Renown expressed a
fashion for the square rather than curves, seen in buildings of that era. Liveries/trim were
lightened and simplified in the 60’s. Curves were very thirties/forties and in the case of Barton,
the "diner" look became a caricature. Then there is the "classic" look like the
Leyland/Leyland PD2, and most ECW output, which could seem boring- but the style had to last 10/20
years. Now today… the Optare Spectra already looks dated and those areas of purposeless blind
glazing in other, later designs… why?
A CVG6/Roe* takes a lot of beating….(insert
your own preference here)*
Joe
28/07/14 - 07:33
Just come across the site and was taken aback to see the Silver Star Leylands.
I was stationed in Tidworth 61-62 and used to travel up most weekends to Manchester using Silver
Star. The drivers name was Vic I believe.
Richard Hill
28/07/14 - 10:23
Glad about your surprise delight, Richard!
Companies like Silver Star
must have started to feel the pinch once the last National Servicemen finished their service in 1962
and their places were taken by civilians, who mainly lived locally. Strangely enough, I always found
it better to go home by train, with reasonably-priced Forces Return tickets. We still had an
extensive rail network then, too!
Chris Hebbron
28/07/14 - 11:49
I have some very happy memories indeed of outstanding small operators that I
encountered and used during National Service 1954/5/6.
First was the highly individual Green
Bus Service (Rugeley and Uttoxeter) Ltd - M.A. & C.J. Whieldon - what an exotic an assorted fleet
they had.
Then, at Yatesbury, troop transport was provided by the wonderful R & W Febry -
"Sodbury Queen" radio luxury coaches - a very smart and proud Firm indeed, and still I
believe in haulage in a very big way.
Later, at Patrington, East Yorkshire the contrast was
fascinating - the magnificent East Yorkshire Motor Services with a glorious fleet, and the tiny
Connor and Graham of Easington (Spurn Point) who provided reliable and most useful services almost
into the North Sea !! In 1955/6 they had a very elderly conductress called Sally and, many years
later after De-mob, I went on an official enthusiasts tour of the area, including being greeted by
one of the proprietors. Near the depot at Easington I said to him "I don’t suppose dear old
Sally is still around now ??" With a mischievous smile he told me to knock on the door of the
second nearby cottage - the door was answered by the good lady herself and I was invited into the
original "chocolate box" country cottage and made very welcome - "I’m always glad to
see mi’RAF lads" said Sally followed by this classic "Of course I’m not on the buses now
yer’ know." Bless her, she must have been close to receiving HM’s telegram !!
Chris Youhill
Vehicle reminder shot for this posting
25/08/14 - 07:26
Is there any record of the sold Silver Star Leyland Atlantic’s that went to
Bristol Bus Company for use on the WSM routes.
Ray Kite
26/08/14 - 06:47
The ex Silver Star Atlantean 1013 MW is in active preservation, as seen here
on a re-creation of Silver Star operations around Salisbury Plain in August 2009. This bus saw
service with Super Coaches of Upminster and Beresfords of Cheddleton, following its withdrawal from
service with Bristol Omnibus.
Petras409
