York Pullman Bus Company Ltd
1957
AEC Regent V MD3RV 
Roe H33/28RD

A could of been better shot of a York Pullman Regent V with its rear doors closed. Talking of which does anybody know how the rear doors worked, were they air operated by the driver or operated by the conductor either manually or air assisted. I once went by normal service bus to Scarborough from Halifax via Bradford, Leeds and York, so the chances of going on a West Yorkshire K series with rear doors on route would be odds on I would of thought. But I can not remember the operating system of the doors, if you know please leave a comment.
I was obviously new to the skills of photograph back in 1966, the number of shots I have that were taken into the sun is amazing. The trouble is, with half cab buses the more interesting side is the near side which is not the easiest side to take angle wise. So when a chance for a near side shot came up you took it and hoped for the best, I could always retouch out the shadow that’s not a difficult job but then the shot would loose its originality.

A full list of Regent V codes can be seen here.

———

Don’t know how the doors on the York Pullman AEC in your photo worked, but the West Yorkshire K series buses all had conductor operated doors.  As often as not, the doors were left open except when the conductor had finished collecting fares and knew that it was unlikely that the bus would stop soon. Obviously, opening and closing the door was virtually impossible when the bus was frequently stopping and starting, when the conductor would be busy collecting fares, particularly on the top deck. Going from York to Scarborough, for example, (Route 43), the door would probably be left open until the bus had reached the outskirts of the city.

Roy Burke

———

The answer  to your question is the rear door on the York Pullman Regent V was operated by the conductor.
My late dad was a driver with York Pullman and I can say he has driven this and all the buses in the old fleet he was paired with Danny Weaver his conductor and yes I am a bus and coach driver, if you would like any more info on the old York Pullman then if I can I will only be to pleased to do so. I remember very well the old depot on Navigation Road, York then Peter Dew and his ‘Top Line Travel’ buses worked out of there when it was a car park how do I know? I drove for him and it is a pleasure and honour to drive from the same place as my late dad. I have spent many happy hours at the York Pullman depot dreaming of driving a bus sad but true.

Andy Tyler

———

Hi, I am clutching at straws here at the moment but I am trying to find out information on my father, Mr Donald Fewster who worked on York Pullman buses in the 1960s. Any information would be very gratefully received.

Brian Lloyd

———

I have just been reading the above comments and yes I remember Ada and Ted and also George Tyler. I believe George had the nickname Eggie because he used to be a driver delivering eggs. My Dad, Gerry Rank worked for York Pullman from 1939 until his retirement in 1990. He was a mechanic/driver. I have ridden many miles on their buses and coaches. My Mum was also a clippie, Molly, until I was born in 1956

Liz Greene nee Rank

———

Gosh, this is stretching the purpose of this site rather, but I was intrigued by Brian Lloyd’s enquiry about his father, Donald Fewster. That isn’t a very common name and there can’t have been many Fewsters in York, so maybe I, (or rather my dad), knew a relative of Brian’s. He was Alf Fewster, who had a greengrocer’s round with a horse and cart, and, later a Jowett Javelin, (Reg No. FDN 750). Any use, Brian?

Roy Burke

———

14/09/11 – 17:01

I clicked on this website cause I’m trying to find anyone who knew my dad, Geoffery Phillips, who worked for York Pullman until he left in 1990 ish. I know he knew Pete Dew and he used to say that the company was called Raynard Pullman. is this true? any help gratefully received.

Andy Phillips

———

15/09/11 – 09:31

York Pullman was bought out by a Father and Son called Marsh, who had earlier bought the Reynard Car Hire and Garage business, they had previously bought Broadbent of Stamford Bridge and Walkers of Tadcaster and combined them as Reynard Coaches. After the takeover, York Pullman traded as Reynard Pullman. In 1990 the York Pullman Coach business was sold to Hull City Transport. The bus part of the business was renamed Reynard Bus and was sold to the Rider Group (later to be part of First Group) later in the Year. York Pullman later passed to Durham Travel Services and then, in 2000 to First Group. The Current York Pullman was formed in 2007 by K and J Logistics.

D Hick

———

15/09/11 – 09:55

The original owners sold York Pullman to Reynard of Tadcaster in the late eighties adopting the name Reynard Pullman They in turn sold the coaching side of the business to Hull City Transport while the stage services went eventually to First

Chris Hough

———

16/09/11 – 09:33

On a visit to York last year, I had a walk along to Navigation Road to see if the depot remained. I had never been before and there didn’t seem to be any sign of it. Is it now demolished or re-developed?

Chris Barker

———

17/09/11 – 08:04

Yes-demolished a few years ago and replaced with student accommodation.

D Hick

———

15/01/12 – 16:41

Last time I saw this bus it was in a state with the engine out and wires everywhere, the body had been lifted of the chassis. I looked with a view of restoring it but bought Chesterfield Daimler 266 instead.

N.Hegedus

———

16/01/12 – 11:41

Don’t worry Andy Tyler – you’re far from being alone and its not sad at all. I spent much of my childhood and teenage years around the Samuel Ledgard depots at Ilkley, Otley, Yeadon and Armley "dreaming about driving a bus" (and West Yorkshire at Ilkley too) and succeeded in doing just that – for forty four years. I worked for many fascinating firms – Samuel Ledgard, West Yorkshire, Murgatroyds, Wallace Arnold, Independent Coachways, Leeds City Transport, South Yorkshire Road Transport, Caldaire (West Riding), British Bus, Cowie, Arriva – a dream come true and no regrets at all !!

Chris Youhill

———

11/07/12 – 08:10

Another dreamer! I finally learned to drive a bus at 50 years old (passed the test first time) Had 8 years with Southern National (Cawlett era). The stress finally got to me and I retired early. now living in York. Will extract a pic of Navigation road garage being demolished from the hard drive and send a copy in.

Steve Oxbrow

 
Photograph by ‘unknown’ if you took this photo please go to the copyright page.

Samuel Ledgard Ltd
1948
AEC Regent III
Roberts H30/26R

This bus started life with another independent operator, Felix Motors of Hatfield near Doncaster and was number 26 in there fleet, it was new to them in 1948 and was sold on to Samuel Ledgard in 1962.
Samuel Ledgard were different to other bus operators in the fact that they did not have fleet numbers, I don’t know why, maybe you do? if you do please leave a comment.
If you want to know what the livery of Samuel Ledgard looked like there is a colour shot here
This bus has a Roberts body of which I know absolutely nothing, and the only thing that comes up on ‘Google’ is as quoted below which is from the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society website regarding Colchester Corporation Daimler CVD6 No. 4, if you know anything about Roberts bodies please leave a comment.

“Roberts were an unusual choice of bus body builder – they were more commonly associated with railway vehicles and occasional trams. The body is unusually heavy – weighing about half a ton more than most buses of similar size. This affected the fuel consumption of these vehicles and may have been a factor in the decision to cancel the second batch of five”
To see more regarding the above quote go here

Bus tickets issued by this operator can be viewed here.

A full list of Regent III codes can be seen here.

———

Charles Roberts of Wakefield built this and many other bodies, including Sheffield’s last trams and Blackpool’s Coronation cars.

John Hibbert

———

“It is no wonder that the Roberts bodies were so heavy as the quality, both in structure and in fittings, was of the very highest. They also managed to present a comforting vintage appearance and ambience but without looking "old fashioned." Superb varnished woodwork was everywhere, and the top quality heavy leather seats were of the best. GWY 157 was a fine machine but ended its Ledgard career rather strangely allocated to Yeadon Depot – normally a lowbridge stronghold – and therefore only realistically available for school journeys avoiding Henshaw Lane.
Why there was never a fleet numbering scheme I have no idea, but certainly the firm managed very well without one. Any confusion was normally avoided by allocating vehicles with similar registrations to different depots – there were quite a few cases of this over the years. However, in the run up to the West Yorkshire takeover most of the fleet were allocated fleet numbers before the last minute decision was taken to re-licence many of West Yorkshire’s own withdrawn vehicles instead. For example, PNW 91/2/3 were to be DLW 1/2/3, the RTs were to be DA 1-34 etc etc. What a shame this never came to be!!

Chris Youhill

———

New 1/9/48
AEC Regent III 0961
Chassis No: 1684
Entered Ledgard fleet 19/01/62

Terry Malloy

———

Although it was unusual for a bus company not to use fleet numbers, I seem to recall that East Kent Road Car also managed to operate successfully without them. Presumably staff simply referred to their buses by the digits on the registration plates?

Brendan Smith

———

26/03/11 – 07:25

Burton upon Trent Corporation operated 6 Guy Arab 111 5LW’s with lowbridge Roberts bodies, delivered 1947. See photograph on p51 May 2009 issue of Vintage Roadscene.
These vehicles also had heavy leather seating and varnished interior timber trim – painted over by the Corporation mid 50’s. They developed a sagging roofline quite early in their lives.

Clive Baker

Hanson
1956
AEC/Hanson Regent
Roe H37/28R

This bus was originally a 1938 AEC Regal coach registration ACX903 fleet number 113 and it had a Plaxton C32F body. It was then rebodied by Duple in 1949 to a front entrance bus with 35 seats and renumbered 284. In 1956 the Duple Body was transferred to an ex Bottomleys Motors 1946 Maudslay Marathon lll chassis and numbered 305 with Hanson, a photo of which is here. The chassis was then rebodied by C.H. Roe and numbered 347 with a registration of KVH 889 and classed as a AEC/Hanson Regent H37/28R. On every picture I have seen of this bus the engine side panel is not fitting correctly, I wonder if it ever did.
My thanks go to the Hanson section of the website belonging to Huddersfield Passenger Transport Group for all the information.

———

18/05/12 – 12:20

Maybe the ill-fitting bonnet cover was caused by chassis sag, especially as it was a double-deck AEC Regal!
The unrelieved red does the vehicle no favours.

Chris Hebbron

———

19/05/12 – 07:37

The chassis of 347 was actually built up from components of two pre-war Regal chassis, 113 as stated above and ex Chapman’s Regal Burlingham coach VH 9101 of 1936 which was withdrawn in 1954 after an accident.
It was the first of twenty two AEC’s to get rebuilt by Hanson’s over the next ten years and was the only one, apart from fire victim 1964 Reliance rebuild 384, not to pass to Huddersfield Corporation in 1969.
347 is far from being unique for pre war style AEC’s running with the bonnet side hanging off. For example, there are several photos around of Tom Burrows, Barnsley, very similar bodied Regents with the same problem. I’m sure I’ve seen a picture of one of Burrows Regents even running with an ex STL bonnet side in the same position.
Even though it is forty six years since 347 was scrapped, and it was well passed it’s sell by date by then, I have fond memories of riding on it and listening to that melodious prewar manual gearbox.

Eric Bawden

———

19/05/12 – 09:16

Extant pictures of SUT Regals approaching (or beyond) withdrawal also show the dropped panel effect. Why? That I can’t say.

David Oldfield

———

19/05/12 – 09:17

These complex rebuilds are indeed really fascinating. At Samuel Ledgard’s we had a magnificent (I loved it) AEC "Regal" coach with Burlingham body – I wonder how many of its merry passengers knew that it was a Birmingham Corporation 1930 Regent 1 double decker !! As Eric says about the Hanson vehicle, its powerful engine and wonderful gearbox, perfectly serviceable but delightfully worn to a lovely tune, were a joy. Incredibly, as it was definitely a "one off", it was the subject of a Corgi model – a good model if you can forgive the Duple body instead of Burlingham and the registration number incorrect – FWJ 938, should be FJW 938 – ah well, better than nothing I suppose.

Chris Youhill

———

19/05/12 – 15:21

While I can’t recall seeing any ill-fitting bonnet sides like that shown, I can recall lots of London Transport’s veterans buses, in my childhood, which had unsecured bonnet sides propped up only by the nearside mudguard! Maybe this was to keep worn-out engines from over-heating!

Chris Hebbron

———

20/05/12 – 07:59

I always thought CVD6’s were meant to look like that!

Joe