Jas Stirling once told me, years ago, that there was thought to be an ex-London ST walled-up somewhere in Jerusalem, having been a (military?) canteen and kept for old times' sake from the breakers there. Did anyone else ever hear that odd rumour? Jas said that he thought a group was attempting to locate and arrange its return to Blighty.
Victor Brumby
01/12/11 - 08:49
As long as it's not the Wailing Wall, Victor. There's be more than just wailing if they tried to tear that wall down! But it would be wonderful if such a vehicle had been walled up and found!
Chris Hebbron
03/12/11 - 07:01
London Transport ST798 was recorded (in 1995) at the Clanestine Immigration &
Naval Museum, Haifa, Israel - it is pictured in "London Transport
in Exile - 1950s & 60s" by Kevin McCormack (same format as the
'heyday of / glory years' books)
According to this book, the bus passed into the hands of the
British Navy in 1943, and it was used as a mobile classroom for
submarine detection training, and was sold as part of a package deal
with some submarines to Israel in 1958.
Could this be the bus referred to?
Jon
03/12/11 - 17:12
So, Jon - there WAS some substance in the ST rumour. Thanks for that substantial addition to the facts of this case. I've got a couple of Jewish pals in High Wycombe - I'll ask them to get it back for us, shall I??
Victor Brumby
15/08/13 - 14:02
I came across this thread again a couple of days ago. As a result of Jon/Victor's comments about ST798, I emailed the Clandestine Immigration & Navy Museum and received this reply today:
"Dear Chris
As you know, some dozens of buses were converted while WW2, to be ASW
simulators. Our bus is one of them. It is an exhibit in our navy museum
and the name is: An ASW simulator. The equipment in side is very unique
and we keep it carefully."
I asked for a photo, but one wasn't forthcoming.
Chris Hebbron
16/08/13 - 06:29
Chris- I thought your post was a windup. It's not, is it?
Joe
16/08/13 - 14:40
No, Joe, it's not a wind-up.
I was also invited, in the email. to see it at the Haifa museum,
but will pass on that! It might have been because of my quasi-spelt
surname to the Jewish 'Hebron'! It wouldn't be the first time I've been
asked if I'm of the Jewish persuasion! I wonder how much the vehicle has
been altered from original. It may be unrecognisable, of course, but I
hope not.
Chris Hebbron
17/06/15 - 06:48
Re ST798, about 15 years ago when I was a volunteer at the (then) Cobham Bus Museum I was shown a photo of this ST in Israel. It seemed to be intact except that the "peak" at the front of the upper deck had been removed. As far as I can recall it was painted grey. Hope this is of interest, maybe someone has seen it more recently - it would be interesting to see a more recent photo. I presume it still exists as, from previous posts, the museum authorities seem to be guarding it jealously.
Brian
24/06/15 - 08:14
With a very nautical backdrop, here's a photo of RN 17787, erstwhile ST 337, 777 or 798, all three of which were transferred from London Transport to the Royal Navy in 1943. As Brian says, the bus lacks its upstairs peak and is painted grey. It has acquired a very neatly-executed cab door and a white-walled tyre-finish, the latter, no doubt, ordered to be done by some 'bull-happy' petty officer to a hard-done-by able seaman!
Chris Hebbron
14/01/16 - 06:06
Chris Hebbron speculated that the identity of the ST in his excellent picture
could be one of ST 337, 777 or 798.
I would suggest that it's unlikely to be the latter, as Kevin
McCormack's splendid book London Transport in Exile 1950s and 1960s has
a picture of ST 798 at Haifa, Israel in 1995, reproduced above. This
shows it with panelling over the front top deck from the dome right down
to the top of the cab window. The ST in Chris's picture shows a more
original front end, but with a sawn-off peak, hence no dome.
That would mean that Chris's bus was either ST 337 or 777. I regret that
I don't have any current knowledge of the whereabouts of any of these
vehicles, as this is based purely on armchair research.
So, there could still be one of them walled up in Jerusalem !
Petras409
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