Photograph by A Charles

Red & White Services 
1949
Guy Arab III
Duple L27/26RD

Sometime ago a comment was sent in by David Wilder for the Eastern Scottish AEC Regent posting regarding Red & White having had very pleasing Duple body Guy Arab IIIs. Above is a great shot contributed by Andrew Charles who took this shot in 2005 of a very well preserved Red & White Arab III lowbridge Duple. Andrew also forwarded the following copy to go with the shot:
“This shot was taken in the grounds of what was then Stroud College during the running day organised by the Stroud RE Group. This site is now under houses but the event goes from strength to strength at the site of the new college. The significance of the bus being at Stroud was of course that in pre Bristol Omnibus days Stroud was a Red & White outpost, we tend to think of them as a Welsh / Forest of Dean operator but they did once go further afield.”
The Red & White Guy is not quite as elaborately decorated as the Eastern Scottish Regent as it only has the one decoration band above the lower saloon windows although there as been a United Services posting with decoration above and below the lower saloon windows. I suppose the purchaser had the choice of where and if it was decorated, I have included below the two shots mentioned the Eastern Scottish on the Left and the United Services on the right

                                                         Photograph by P Haywood

This posting is of course open to comments and any other shots of decorative Duple double deckers.

Main photograph & part copy contributed by Andrew Charles

Another Red & White subsidiary, Cheltenham & District, took delivery of five virtually identical vehicles to the above in 1950/51, running them until 1966. There was discussion with the Eastern Scottish Regent as to whether there were only lowbridge versions of this handsome bodywork, The book ‘Cheltenham’s Buses 1939-1980’ shows them to be H31/26R, and from a close look at the photos, I believe that they were highbridge examples. They, too, had the thick aluminium strip, although they did not have a safety bar across the front upstairs windows inside. Fleet numbers were 74-78 (JDG786-790).

Chris Hebbron

15/03/11 – 06:24

Of course, Red & White also supplied some new Duple-bodied Guy Arab Mk111’s to its subsidiary fleets, including 4 to Venture of Basingstoke (HOT 391-4) with highbridge bodies and 2 lowbirdge examples to Newbury & District Motor Services (FMO 515/6), along with a highbridge example (FMO 517). The latter was originally intended for Venture, and after a short time the Basingstoke examples were transferred to the N&D fleet in the interests of standardisation. All then remained in service at Newbury until withdrawal in 1968. You can read the full story in my new book The Newbury & District Motor Services Story.

Paul Lacey

15/05/11 – 17:59

One day I was driving towards Bolton through the Lancashire town of Leigh. I am sure I saw a Guy Arab in Red and White very faded colours parked in a mill. I assume it had been or was being used as a staff bus for the mill workers. This must have been around the mid 1980’s. Has anyone any information on the fate of the vehicle.

R D Hughes

29/08/11 – 08:07

These where ordered by Red & White; but arrived shortly after a depot swop with Bristol Omnibus; Stroud and Cheltenham went to B.O.C. while R & W had services in the Forest of Dean/Wye Valley/Hereford from B.O.C. They had high bodies no rear doors, and spent most of their days on the St. Marks routes, in Cheltenham. Lovely buses even to the end of their days, The Red & White ones were low bodies with doors and ran in the Forest/Monmouth area. The sad point being Cheltenham District did not fit in with B.O.C. as well as it did with Red & White. Red & White retained its Coach operation, at Montpellier Spa Depot, for a number of years, before basing its Cheltenham Coaches at the Black & White Coach Station for a number of years, until the birth of National Express.

Mike 9

Protours (Isle of Man)
1950
Bedford OB
Duple C29F

These two great shots of two OBs were contributed by Michael who’s father is lucky enough to drive them for weddings. They are owned by Protours Douglas IOM who I know very little of but they do private hire so these nice little Bedfords could be kept quite busy. From another shot I have seen they did not have fleet numbers but were named instead 1949 was ‘Lady Meave’ and 1950 ‘Lady Roseen’. 1950 MN was originally owned by Bailey of Turvey, Bedfordshire and had the registration HTM 20 I wonder if 1949 was from the same operator. Michael also told me that 1950 MN appeared in ‘The Rotters Club’ film hence the route number and destination.

Photograph contributed by Michael Odell

Just as a matter of interest, the previous vehicle, 1949 MN, is now East Yorkshire 100, and is now registered SS 7376.

Keith Easton

07/03/11 – 20:54

No It Isn’t. It Is Still On The Isle Of Man because my dad was driving it just yesterday

Mikey

08/03/11 – 15:05

According to PSV Circle records, the OB with East Yorkshire carried the registration 1949 MN from 6/86 until 8/88, which is when it was acquired by EYMS from the Isle of Man.
It would appear that the registration 1949 MN has subsequently been reissued to another OB on the Isle of Man.

Bob Gell

09/03/11 – 18:25

Thanks for that one, Bob. The registration 1949 MN would, of course, stayed in the Isle of Man upon registration by East Yorkshire. It would be reasonable to assume that Protours would have re-used the mark, especially if the OB had come from the mainland.

Keith Easton

12/11/12 – 08:02

The current 1949 MN is I believe the one which was registered HTM 20 and came to the Isle of Man from Norman Boyes of Bradford who purchased it from Waby’s of Holme on Spalding Moor. It was delivered new to Bailey’s of Turvey. When I last saw it it was beginning to show signs of its original red and black colour scheme under its present coat of paint.

David Hudson

17/09/13 – 16:42

My dad drove for Norman Boyes in the 60s, I remember these coaches, he had two complete ones but no idea what and if they were the same model, also another stripped and being restored, I remember the roofs being pulled back and also at least one had indicators that were arrow shaped on the back, great days going with dad during the school hols when there was a spare seat or two.

Anon

25/12/15 – 10:37

Both OB’s 1949 MN (HTM 20) & 1950 MN (RHK 843) both left the IoM 9/15 & are currently in the ownership of Craig Porteous t/a Yorkshire Bus & Coach, Hull.
The registration number HTM 20 was sold off prior to it going to IoM & is currently on a Nissan car, the replacement number being BVH 319M. So looks as though this will have to have a new age related number. RHK 843 is still ‘live’ at DVLA so should be available to be re-instated. RHK was new to Went, Boxted, Suffolk.

John Wakefield

15/05/16 – 06:55

Out of interest, I learned to drive and took my bus test (and passed first time) on a very similar Bedford OB in 1969 with Highlander Coaches from Douglas. Can’t recall the registration!

David Cowell

15/05/16 – 11:16

I’m confused! I have slides (my own and bought ones) of vehicles marked as being in the fleet of TOURS (ISLE OF MAN). Two of those views (taken in 1998) are of 1950 MN, Lady Roseen. Another bought one is of a Bedford VAL in the fleet of CORKILL’S TOURS (ISLE OF MAN) and the views here are attributed to PROTOURS. Do we have mulitple operators with very similar names? All seem to be based in Douglas. I’d imagine that Michael would have a fairly good idea of which firm pays his father. Any suggestions, plese?

Pete Davies

16/05/16 – 06:41

I’ve just noticed that John Wakefield (25/12/15) fell in to a trap laid for those not familiar with the villages along the Essex / Suffolk border. RHK 843 was not new to "Went, Boxted, Suffolk" but to Went, Boxted, ESSEX", the two villages being some twenty miles apart.
RHK 843 has a particular meaning for me as it was the first PSV I ever drove – well technically it wasn’t a PSV as it was preserved in Eastern National livery at the time.
The next village to Boxted Suffolk is Stanstead which had its own bus related confusion circa 1970 when OK Motor Services of Bishops Auckland applied to run a service there. When they learnt of this, the local operator H.S.Theobald and Son wrote to OK saying that they would object strongly to the application but suggested that OK might instead like to run to Stansted, ESSEX where there was an airport!

Nigel Turner

19/05/16 – 06:10

Nigel
Many thanks for correcting me on the Boxted’s. Ironically it was only last Sunday when passing through Boxted SUFFOLK on board Felix of Long Melford OB(DBU889)that I made reference to Wents being there, only to be told they were at Boxted ESSEX. There must have been numerous times of confusion back in the day when Wents were trading. In fact the two Boxted’s are only 16 miles apart as the crow fly’s, to the North & South of Sudbury.

John Wakefield

19/05/16 – 06:12

This is ridiculous, Nigel. When I looked at Google maps to see where exactly these places are, the first name I spotted near Boxted Suffolk was Audley End, (all together now) not to be confused with Audley End in Essex!

Peter Williamson

19/05/16 – 14:43

And of course there is also Hadleigh, Essex and Hadleigh, Suffolk. In the old days before postcodes we had to tell everyone to use Hadleigh, Ipswich in our address but my grandmother never did and her letters always seemed to get to us via Southend.

Gary T

19/05/16 – 14:44

It’s been mentioned before on these pages about how many different St Ives places there are. Cornwall, Dorset and Huntingdonshire spring to mind and there may be others. My outlaws live in Tiverton, Devon, but there’s another in Cheshire . . .

Pete Davies

19/05/16 – 17:59

To answer Pete Davies question, Tours & Protours were basically the same company. Originally Tours, they became Protours when a South African firm of the same name headed by Fred Kinnear took them over. But in 2012 Kinnear pulled out & the firm passed back to its original owners Roy Lightfoot & John Guilford & reverted to Tours IoM Ltd. Corkhill’s were another IoM company who traded from Onchan. They ceased trading in the 1980’s I think. Corkill had an OB MMN 57 which later became YTF 162J on the mainland & is now in Holland last registered BE-02-31 operating with the Hotel Kasteel De Vanenburg, Putten.

John Wakefield

20/05/16 – 10:52

Ah, the confusion of the Hadleighs! When I worked in Hadleigh, Suffolk in the 1970s it was not uncommon for lorries to arrive at the industrial estate asking for the location of a company only to be told that they were 50 miles away from their destination in Hadleigh, Essex. However the worst confusion was related to me by a Hadleigh (Suffolk) haulier. He once sent a driver to pick up a load from Otley. Four hours later he got a call from a phone box in Otley, West Yorkshire with the driver saying he couldn’t find the address. Sadly, he should have gone to Otley, Suffolk which was thirty minutes from Hadleigh! His boss was not amused.

Nigel Turner

21/05/16 – 07:00

A friend of mine lives in rural Kent, and is ever being accosted by confused car drivers asking where they can find the airport. He has to tell them that their route lies back over the Thames to Stansted Airport, as no airlines operate from Stansted, Kent. Some years ago, a driver set off from Peterborough on a private hire to Leeds Castle. No prizes for guessing where he actually went. One clue – it wasn’t Kent.

Roger Cox

21/05/16 – 07:02

There is a story about a truck driver asking the people in the post office at Portsmouth nr Todmorden. "How do I get to the harbour from here?"

John Lomas

01/10/16 – 09:43

Corkills were a major constituent of Tours IoM which was an amalgamation of most of the Douglas operators in 1972. Tours was the trading name of the operation but most coaches carried corkills names until the mid 80s, the green livery was inherited from Corkills too. in the Mid 80s the business was reformed as Tours IoM ltd and changed to a blue based livery! Then it was sold to South African Protours, it has about 45 years ago been sold back to its management and trades as Tours IoM again.

Here is Bedford VAL70 EMN 111 ex TGX 878F which was a Corkills coach and passed to the Tours operation, Corkills fleet were characterised by having 111 reg nos a practice continued by Tours. EMN is seen descending the Sloc into Port Erin on a round the island tour. photo credit to the late Greg Corrin.

Vega Major showing tours fleetname on side panel with Corkills displayed in name glass

Russell Price

26/10/16 – 17:06

Both IoMan buses seen 25/10/16 in yard at Newport North Humberside awaiting sale?

Jim Fairbrass

27/10/16 – 08:13

Both OB’s 1949 MN (BVH 319A) & 1950 MN (RHK 843) are now both owned by Craig Porteous of Hull. As far as I am aware they are not for sale or at least they were not a month ago. Both are now back on UK mainland reg numbers, BVH 319A was HTM 20 originally but that number was sold off (now on a car) when the coach went to IoM.

John Wakefield

27/01/18 – 07:03

I saw both 1949 MN (BVH 319A) however as the plate was in the front N/S window the A was obscured
1950 MN (RHK 843)
Both buses were seen and photographed in a yard 23/09/2017 if any one would like the pictures please contact
Has anybody got Chassis numbers. Body numbers

Dick Grenfell

28/01/18 – 12:10

1949 MN (BVH 319A) Chassis No 123524 Body No 55656

1950 MN (RHK 843) Chassis No 142371 Body No 47572

John Wakefield

13/02/19 – 06:14

Think you have been misinformed about the va ls they went to ireland the 2 vegamajors AKA the twins in 1979 and the viceroy in 1981.

Mr Anon

Photograph G. Brooke

Yorkshire Woollen District
1948
Leyland Tiger PS1
Brush B34F

This great shot of a superb bus arrived above due to a comment made on another YWD vehicle on this site. The person who made the comment said he owned the only survivor of a batch of 75 Brush bodied Leyland Tiger PS1s. This I had to pursue, the bus is owned by Dr Gordon Brooke who as a schoolboy went to school on these Tigers when they were new and then in his student days he was a conductor on the actual bus above.
Many of the Tigers from the original batch of 75 were re-bodied as double deckers in 1954/5 but 622 carried on until 1960 when she was withdrawn from regular service. Instead of being sold on to a dealer which was normal, 622 was used for other things. First she was used as a driver trainer by Yorkshire Woollen District and secondly as a tow-wagon/gritter by the engineering dept with the rear end cut away and most of the seats removed. In 1969 622 was sold to W. Norths (PV) Limited, Sherburn-in-Elmet (dealer).
Gordon acquired 622 in 1988 but did not start restoration until 1990, he then spent the next 12 years restoring her to an immaculate original condition as can be seen from the photograph above. To maintain originality 622 has been painted in the dark maroon livery of Yorkshire Woollen District instead of the later Post Office red, this would have been the livery when she was delivered new.
The above photograph was taken early 2006 and 622 is seen outside the shed where she was originally built in 1948 at the Brush bodyworks Loughborough, Leicestershire.

From a photograph and information contributed by Dr G. Brooke

For much more detailed information regarding YWD Tigers click here.

“Looks like a beautiful restoration.”

Many people are aware of the 1960’s standard BET body with curved screens at either end and some are aware of the earlier version on underfloor chassis. This is the earliest version on half-cabs.
Various contractors would build to BET’s standard design – the final type mainly by Marshall, Weymann and Willowbrook. In addition to Brush, Roe and Weymann built to this design but Yorkshire Traction also had examples built by Roberts and Northern Coachbuilders.
Brush sold out their coach building side to Willowbrook in the early ’50s and shortly afterwards Willowbrook sold out to Duple. The bulk of the Brush empire remained to do much railway work – especially building locomotives.

David Oldfield

I just had to make comment on the above vehicle. Could it be the vehicle in which I passed my PSV test? It was May 1966, the driving instructor was Clifford Allott.

Colin Wilson

This looks a superb restoration.
How lovely it would be to hear this vehicle running. These Leyland PS1 and PD1 buses were blessed with a fascinatingly musical sound, especially in intermediate gears. How I remember Southdown’s examples crooning and murmuring, with gulps and sobs when going on to the over-run! Vehicles of this era were far more characterful than in the last 30 years.

Tony Evans

What a wonderful surprise it was to see that someone had restored an “Old Friend” I served my apprenticeship in the Savile Town Central works and passed my PSV on this vehicle. I also drove its converted (to double deck) sisters on the Birstall to Thornhill route on many busy Saturday duties. Where is it kept? as I would love to see it!!!!

Chris Bligh

I agree completely with Tony Evans about the fabulous music emanating from the PS1s and PD1s. I passed my PSV test on Samuel Ledgard’s PD1 JUM 378 – it had just arrived, warm, from a peak hour duplicate and was tuned to perfection for the difficult course around West Leeds – I sailed around fervently hoping to pass with the toughest Ministry examiner whose fearsome reputation put terror into the hearts of even experienced lorry drivers, many of whom failed for the slightest tinkle of even one gear. As we descended a steep hill in third gear an exasperated voice wailed through the rear cab window "There are four gears on this vehicle" – Fortunately I didn’t fall for that one as I would have failed on the spot. We returned to Armley Headquarters, still showing "Kingsley Drive" on the destination blind, and I was handed the famous pink slip and there began some of the happiest times of my long career. I was allocated a late duty the following day on the Leeds – Guiseley -Ilkley service, and another fine vehicle rolled up – LAE 12, a PD1 ex Bristol with the fascinating combination of an ECW body. Quality design and construction to the last nut and bolt, and every bit as well behaved and delightful as her all Leyland "half sister" who had done so well for me the previous day on the PSV test.

Chris Youhill

Those ECW-bodied "Bristol Omnibus" Leylands were rather smart hybrids. Do you have a photo of them in Samuel Ledgard service, Chris?

Chris Hebbron

Plenty of such photographs Chris H, which I’ll send to Peter by E mail and perhaps some may appear on here. We had three ex Bristol PD1s with ECW bodies, KHW 631, KHY 395 and LAE 12. We also had a further three with BBW bodies, not handsome but full of character and soundly constructed, KHW 243, KHW 622 and LAE 2.

Chris Youhill

The preserved YWD Tiger is resident at the South Yorkshire Transport Museum in Rotherham.

Chris Hough

My father was employed as a coach painter/signwriter by Yorkshire Woollen during the 1950s. He painted these Brush bodied PS1s among others. 586/91 608/12/22 were painted in reverse livery and went on loan to Hebble at Halifax. Dad said these were painted in overtime.

Philip Carlton

Super picture of the YWD PS1 which stirs memories in Bradford`s Chester Street Bus Station. Trouble is, most were rebodied as double deckers in an all over drab red livery, with what I think were the first examples (or very early) of MCW Orion lightweight bodies.
The Federation design of single deck body dates well before WW2, going back to c. 1932, being built by Brush, ECW, Weymann, Roe et al. There was even a double deck version with front upper deck window in 3 divisions, but seen in much smaller numbers. YWD had some with centre entrance, and Thames Valley seems to be in my memory, but EYMS were the principle users.
Chris Ys remarks about ECW bodied Leylands (and BBW!!) also reminded me that the Tilling Group purchased these in the early post war years as they could not get the required number of Bristols. Pity West Yorkshire didn’t`t get any, but this always seemed to be a "flagship" fleet.

John Whitaker

Many thank for your reply Regarding the PS1 622 I wonder if any of your members know what happened to 773 (UTF 930) a Leyland Demo that ended up at Y W D T. As I said in my previous email I worked at YWDT as an Auto Electrical Engineer in the 50/60s and recall with very fond memories 773 this must have been the best of 56 seater conductor operated buses. It was a extremely reliable vehicle you sent it out on Monday morning and forgot about it until someone remembered it may need cleaning or the oil changing it just kept running. The drivers would fight to get it on there duty as it was a pleasure to drive and had vacuum brakes which where very progressive, so the Conductors loved it as well!! The brakes had the Leyland R P adjuster mechanism which worked extremely well and the only attention it required between relines was a liner check every 2 weeks (the other thing that sticks in my mind was the very unusual “Exhaust Note” which sounded like a Ferrari!!!) If this Super bus still exists I would very much like to see it (Distance NO object)
Also I would like to hear from any one who worked for Y W D T around the 50/60s as this was one of the best times of my life!!!

Chris Bligh

Chris, 773 was renumbered 54 in 1967 and withdrawn in 1970 going to Norths of Sherburn in Elmet in 1971 and then sold for scrap February 1971. I remember the bus well as I started work at Saville Town in 1969 and I am still employed by YWDs successors Arriva although at Belle Isle. The bus was frequently on Chickenley area services and would romp up Wakefield Cutting in third and as you say a very popular bus with drivers. Another thing I remember that was unique with 773 was the continuous push bell strip the only one of its kind in the YWD Double decker fleet until the arrival of the 1965 Fleetlines.
As regards people in the Engineering department when I started.
Depot Engineer at Saville Town was Eddie Beaumont.
A charge hand called Eric Daniels.
Central works foreman was Bennett (Jack I think)

John Blackburn

I have had a great shot of the YWD Titan 773 (UTF 930) sent to me by Bob Gell so it will be posted in its own right mid February.

Peter

With regard to YWDT staff I was apprenticed to Jack Bennett (mid 50s) who became charge hand at Dewsbury Central works (Repair Shop). Eddie Beaumont was Charge hand on the “Daily Dock” section. Eric Daniels was a Ganger on the Daily Dock, I believe he had returned to “The Works” after National Service.
I also believe Jack Bennett went on the be a Fleet Engineer or T A at West Riding at Belle Isle. His farther was a driver at Dewsbury and also played the drums in the YWDT Band, he was always known as “Drummer Bennett”. Also thanks Peter I will look forward to seeing the Photo in Feb!!

Chris Bligh

22/02/11 – 06:30

In response to looking for old YWD employees. May dad (Fred Sharpe) was with the company for many years. Started at Saville Town, went to Bradford (Hebble depot), back to Heckmodwike (Beck Lane) before being retired.
Fond memories of the kids bus trip to the seaside on a convoy of single deckers from Long Causeway each year, with our little ‘Paddington Bear’ type tags dangling from duffle coats (always seems to rain on those days!)
Dad used to take ‘specials’ at weekends in Bradford, often fishing trips, where the ladies would go on to the coast while the blokes did the angling. Sometimes we would get to go with them for the ride.
Used to live in Chickenley, cost us three-ha’pence to town on the L/M bus when I was first allowed to travel alone, to Sunday School. Pretty sure my dad passed his PSV on the Tiger as well. He’s still around (Feb 2011), in Mirfield. I live in Doncaster now.

Gordon Sharpe

Rather curious what L/M stands for when you say "three-ha’pence to town on the L/M bus"

Peter

That was the service ‘number’ – several YWD services ran as letters.

The ‘A’ buses went from Batley/Birstall through Dewsbury town centre to Thornhill. Later they did multi routes on the ‘A’, making them A1, A2, A3 and A4, to denote which direction they went round Thornhill – I remember those because I caught them to my Grandma’s and needed to know where I had to get off, depending which route it was running. They are now the 281/282/283 I think.

‘B’ and ‘C’ went from Ossett to Fir Cottage, which went past my other Grandma’s. ‘G’ was Cleckheaton. I can’t remember any others just now.

Service "L and M" was Dewsbury to Chickenley, The L went clockwise, the M was anti-clockwise through Chickenley itself (I think it was that way round). They are possibly absorbed into what is now the 126/127 which goes through to Ossett, but it’s donkeys years since I last rode on the bus up that way.
They were converted to numbers by the time we moved to Bradford. My dad went to the Hebble depot (YWD stored a couple of vehicles there) to pick up a YWD bus for the 66 route to Sheffield, long before the current X33. I could catch the 66 all the way from Bradford (Chester Street bus station) to Frank Lane (Rectory Park) at Thornhill, then a walk up the hill to my grandma’s.

Gordon

23/02/11 – 06:30

Just to note Chris Bligh’s comment about the Yorkshire Bus Company Band. My dad had a copy of the LP they released ‘National Tour’, which I have since digitised and added a CD to the music library of the hospital radio station in Doncaster & Bassetlaw, which I’m involved with.
Back to the bus itself – I must take a trip to Rotherham, never knew such a gem was down there! Would be such a surprise to my dad if I could get a picture standing next to it…!

Gordon Sharpe

07/03/11 – 09:27

The YWD F route was Birkenshaw to Batley. Some of the services went on the new Healy by-pass. It was not really a popular duty since there was no-where at Birkenshaw to get a pot of tea. There was a cafe in Batley but I think this was only open early morning.

Jim Broughton

16/03/11 – 17:30

Chris Bligh regarding 773 it was the Bus that Never rang in, I remember drivers bringing sweets for Ivor the Garage man just to have it.
I was also at the workshops in 1963 as Apprentice Auto Electrician and worked under you and Robin before been banished to Beck Lane to work with Herbert Smithson.
With regard to Fred Sharp he was most well known for throwing the running board across the garage every day when you cancelled any buses.
"Happy Days"

Brian Taylor

29/03/11 – 07:24

WOW!!!! What a brilliant web site. Not only do i find the bus I passed my PSV test on, but an old (sorry for the word) colleague Brian !! How the devil are you???? I remember you well!! (Just to clear up a point , when I was at YWDT I was known as Robin Bligh, but after a few years people started calling me Chris and it stuck!!) I have many happy memories of YWDT and the people who worked with us. I’d love hear from you but this site is properly not the place! If you would like to contact me Peter at the Old Bus Photos website has my email address. I would be delighted!!

Chris Bligh

31/03/11 – 15:23

I think the garage man you referred to was Fred Smith at Beck Lane.Can you remember another garage man George Richardson who when you rang a bus in his stock comment was Let it develop.His sister Dorothy was a clippie at Beck Lane together they must have had over 50 years service with the company.

Philip Carlton

04/04/11 – 07:26

Yes Philip, I remember George very well!! He was a great guy, always a smile on his face and I believe he had spent some time in Iceland (the country not the shop) and had wonderful stores to tell about his time there. Also garage men at Beck Lane where Tommy Latham and Norman Pickles all great characters!!. Also remembered are Harry Snowden (Charge hand fitter) Walt Jennings (Foreman) Fred Smith (SS Fitter) Gerald Kay (SS Fitter) and of course Mrs Rocket canteen lady (I use the word lady lightly).
I vividly remember Tommy Latham going out to Bradford to tow in a PD” Decker, with Gerald Kay with the old Tow Truck (Ridged Bar Tow) and arriving back in the depot on his own trailing the tow pole and wondering what had happened to Gerald. He was sent back to find him and did find him in the middle of Heckmondwike blocking all the traffic!!. It took him many (Long) years for him to “Live that one down” .

Chris Bligh

02/07/11 – 07:01

I learnt to drive in this bus in 1965, Clifford Allott was the driving instructor Tom Batty tested and passed me. They are great days to look back on I played football and cricket for the YWD for a few years 1960/1970 finally left the company in 1980. The photos are fine to look back on but they also bring back memories of cold winter mornings sat in cabs with newspaper around the windows to keep the draught out and most of them were an handful to drive I’m thinking mainly of the old Guys and the Salmon cans in particular. But it was an experience I wouldn’t have missed for the world.

John Ward

04/10/20 – 07:21

Great photo, my wife’s grandfather built this vehicle at brush. We have seen it a few times at bus days out.

Mark Dwyer