Turners of Chorley
1939
Leland Titan TD5 (1939) 
Alexander (1949) L27/26R

I went on a bus club trip on this bus to visit the bus depot in Leyland Lancashire of John Fishwick & Sons. Fishwicks were and still are a large independent operator with services in the Leyland, Chorley and Preston area.
This bus was ex Ribble and finding precise information is not easy but what I did find was that a Ribble TD5 registration RN 8622 is preserved and owned by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust. There is only a difference of 20 in the registration and having scrutinised photos of them both I can fairly safely say that they are both from the same batch of vehicles. It would appear that they originally had Burlingham bodies, but during the war years maintenance was concentrated on mechanical servicing rather than the bodywork so by 1949 they had to be rebodied by Alexander. Ribble actually rebodied 148 TD4s and 5s and 81 single deck TSs and whilst at it any petrol engine vehicle was converted to an oil-engine.
The TD5 of Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust can be seen here.

 
Copyright Ray Soper

Smiths Luxury Coaches (Reading) Ltd
1940 
AEC Regal I
Alexander FC35F

This shot is from the Ray Soper gallery contribution titled "Smith’s Luxury Coaches of Reading" click on the title if you would like to view his Gallery and comments.
The shot is shown here for indexing purposes but please feel free to make any comment regarding this vehicle either here or on the gallery.

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18/10/11 – 05:43

A historic item about Alexander`s that seems to have been missed on all accounts.
In 1947, Central SMT acquired 50 PD1A chassis and they went to Alexander for bodying. Alexander were trying out a new system of riveting body panels together instead of welding. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful, and this caused a delay. 25 of the chassis stayed with Alexander and the rest were sent to Northern Counties.
Central`s first batch of All Leyland PD2s came into service in Spring 1948, and the PD1As didn’t come into service until 1949. The Alexander bodies were similar to the preserved Ribble TD5.

Jim Hepburn

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28/12/11 – 07:28

Does anyone know the current whereabouts of Ron shacks old motor JRD 990 AEC it was at one time kept at Sandtoft but is thought to be back down Reading way. I would love to find it and also would like to know if any other Ex Smiths Coaches/Buses still exist. There has to be something left, Doesn’t there? Thanks for any help and advice.

Paul Avenell

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04/10/12 – 07:25

A partial fleet history of Smith’s which can be accessed on the internet gives a construction date of 1948, which is consistent with the registration. Also says converted to full-front in 1958 – by Smiths? The said fleet history – and Ray Soper’s gallery – quote the vehicle as having been acquired from Comrose in 1958 – who were they? I don’t recognise the name as that of a one-time coach operator. I certainly don’t recognise it as being that of a one-time Lancashire-based coach operator, and it carries a Lancashire registration – so who had the vehicle from new? All questions, no answers this time I’m afraid.

David Call

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04/10/12 – 18:06

Fortunately the PSVC are currently publishing details of buses with Lancashire registrations in their Journal, so we have their history of HTJ 857:
AEC Regal I / Trans-United C33F, new 12/47 to Florence Motors, Morecambe.
To Corvedale MS, Ludlow, 1950; Skylark, Salisbury, 12/52; Twist, Virginia Water, c8/55. Then it’s reported as going at an unknown date to Conrose Coaches, whom the PSVC haven’t been able to identify but they speculate that they may have been the same operator as Twist.
Then to Smiths in 6/58 and rebodied with a 1936 Alexander FC35F body from a Leyland Cheetah, probably WS 8001 or WS 8039.
Withdrawn by Smiths in 8/64 and to Fields (Reading) Ltd as a non-PSV, last licensed 7/66.

Michael Wadman