Burnley, Colne & Nelson JTC
1954
Leyland Tiger PS2/14
East Lancs B39R

Leyland PS2/14 chassis number 540923 was first delivered  to Burnley, Colne & Nelson in 1954 with East Lancs B39R body number EL 5042. In 1958 it was rebodied to B39F by East Lancs, body number EL 5340 for one man operation.
It  is seen here on October 30th 2011, arriving at The Piece Hall, Halifax for the Heart of the Pennines event.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

15/10/15 – 07:23

Was it really rebodied after only four years, or did East Lancs give the body a front entrance and other updated features in 1958, with a fresh body number to validate the job ? Otherwise, a new body after just four years seems remarkably profligate of the Committee.

Petras409

15/10/15 – 07:23

Very nice, Les. The cobbled street adds atmosphere!

Pete Davies

16/10/15 – 06:07

It wasn’t rebodied it just had the entrance moved from rear to front to allow omo. I am pretty sure the whole batch was similarly treated. The new body number must just have been for administrative purposes at East Lancs. The short window next to the rear curved window shows where the original entrance was positioned.

Philip Halstead

17/10/15 – 07:37

Indeed, Bus Lists on the Web shows that 539-546 were all treated similarly, each receiving a new body number in the process.

Les Dickinson

Huddersfield Corporation
1955
AEC Regent III
East Lancs H33/28R

Arriving at the Piece Hall, Halifax, for the Heart of the Pennines Rally of October 2011 is Huddersfield 178. This is AEC Regent III 9613E 4927, bearing East Lancs body number 5107. This bus was new to Huddersfield in June 1955.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

25/07/15 – 06:15

Lovely picture. This style of East Lancs body was much more common on the Leyland PD2 and was especially popular with a host of Lancashire municipalities usually with exposed radiator. Rochdale had five virtually identical Regent III’s and Bradford had some similar but with the Birmingham style tin fronts. The Huddersfield livery just exudes class with such a splendid shade of red.

Philip Halstead

26/07/15 – 06:38

Thanks Phil, Given the level of loyalty of many West Riding area operators to Roe, I wonder what caused Huddersfield to go to ‘the dark side’ for these? I think these exposed-rad Regents looked so much better than those with the ‘Birmingham style’ fronts.

Les Dickinson

27/07/15 – 06:45

On the subject of exposed radiators, I think most of us nowadays prefer them to "tin fronts" on buses of this era, but at the time, I’m not so sure. Personally I was very impressed with all things enclosed, but then, I was just coming up to my ninth birthday when 178 was delivered, so my views probably wouldn’t count for much. I think the point is that because of the total revolution in the appearance of single-deckers and coaches which had recently occurred, there would be a widespread feeling that exposed radiators belonged on yesterday’s buses, and today’s buses needed a different look. Now of course we look on old buses with reverence, so an exposed radiator denotes a thoroughbred, and any attempt to disguise it detracts from its appeal.

Peter Williamson

28/07/15 – 05:48

A couple of items to note about 178, firstly we reactivated it (along with a couple of similar buses with valid CoFs) in September 1973 to allow the loan of some PD3As to Sheffield to help out in one of their vehicle crises. Secondly, shortly after the PTE was formed in April 1974 my ex boss, by then in Engineering charge at Bradford borrowed 178 and similar to help with a vehicle crisis there. I don’t recall 178 returning to Huddersfield and may have stayed with Bradford until withdrawal.

Ian Wild

Huddersfield Corporation
1966
Daimler CVG6LX.30DD
East Lancs H41/29F

This is the last Huddersfield Corporation vehicle delivered (numerically) with a front engine and is currently preserved. It was new in 1966 to the Corporation, being withdrawn in 1980, having served 6 years with the WYPTE.
The photo was taken in 2005 at a local bus rally and shows the vehicle turned out in superb condition and displaying the old Corporation livery with the front end swoops.
It is still active and I photographed it at another local rally earlier this year.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Tim Jackson

27/06/15 – 06:40

I rode on this bus this year at Llandudno, and was surprised to be given an ultimate ticket. Perhaps the owners have a big supply of ticket rolls.
A lovely bus, Daimlers don’t get the attention they deserve. Pity about the forward entrance!

Don McKeown

28/06/15 – 05:52

Well Don, Huddersfield used Ultimate ticket machines so that added to the authenticity of riding on it. Despite having served over six years with WYPTE it somehow managed to retain its Huddersfield livery to the end.

Eric Bawden

02/07/15 – 05:45

What’s that white(ish) circle on the offside tyre? It looks like a light to me, but can’t be original . . . and surely can’t be legal now.
I’m assuming that these had Daimatic transmission. Did that completely supersede pre-select, or was pre-select available until the end of production? if it was, then I’m assuming it would have been air-actuated . . . surely that "lethal" spring(?) system had been confined to the bin by then.

Philip Rushworth

02/07/15 – 08:34

It is a light and there should be a corresponding one on the other side. If you look for photos of the bus on Flickr you can find a selection with two, one or zero lights. I believe it is currently displaying the correct two lights.

David Beilby

03/07/15 – 06:38

Philip, Northampton’s last Daimler CVG6s delivered in 1968 had pre-selector gearboxes. For some reason it seems to run in my mind that they may have been of the thigh and knee bruising spring-operated type, as I seem to recall Northampton also specified vacuum brakes on the vehicles. Air-operated systems require the use of an air compressor, whereas vacuum brakes require the use of an exhauster, which would not be compatible with an air-operated gearbox. Ideally we need a Northampton expert to confirm this.
The Huddersfield Daimler CVG6LXs were handsome vehicles, whether bodied by Roe, or East Lancashire. I have fond memories of riding on one or two of the latter between Huddersfield and Halifax, and being impressed by their turn of speed. They sounded wonderful and were also comfortable buses to ride on. That ‘Corporation’ livery was special as well, with the extra cream and streamlining at the front, and it’s distinctiveness is sadly missed.

Brendan Smith

03/07/15 – 06:39

Philip, these did indeed have Daimatic semi-auto transmission, but as far as I know the pre-select spring operated transmission was still available. I think all the Northampton CVG’s had them right up to the last "G" reg.examples, though I doubt any other operator would have bought any for years.

Eric Bawden

05/07/15 – 07:30

I believe that Northampton specified vacuum brakes right up to their last deliveries hence with no air pressure system on the buses the pre selector spring operated transmission was the only option. Generally Operators who specified air brakes took the 2 pedal Daimatic transmission.

Ian Wild

08/07/15 – 05:42

Thanks for the various replies. Did any operator purchase air-actuated pre-selector buses in preference to the Daimatic transmission? Am I correct in assuming that the Daimatic transmission was just a CAV-actuated SCG box built/purchased(?) under license?

Philip Rushworth