Verwood Transport
1966
Guy Arab V 6LW
Northern Counties H41/32F

WTE159D is a Guy Arab V with Northern Counties H73F body (well, she did start her life with Lancashire United!) in service with Verwood Transport. The indicator display has been altered to suit a more rural operation, and we see her in the yard at Mallard Road during an open day at the Bournemouth Corporation transport depot on 22 May 1983.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

22/09/16 – 07:16

This beauty gives one a good idea of what a front entrance Middlesbrough Arab would have looked like Quite superb in my opinion!

Chris Hough

22/09/16 – 13:21

Thanks, Chris. When Wilts & Dorset took the firm over, they were so impressed that they painted a VR – S suffix so too new for these pages – in Verwood livery. Equally smart.

Pete Davies

22/09/16 – 15:07

U seem to remember that the proprietor of Verwood Transport trained as a driver at Middlesbrough and that’s why he chose the blue livery.

Stephen Allcroft

22/09/16 – 16:42

So, Stephen, a variation on the theme of Managers taking the livery of their former command to their new one – there are several instances in these pages!

Pete Davies

24/09/16 – 07:42

In the early 1980s Verwood was a growing community somewhat neglected by public transport. Hence Andy Wood stepped in to provide services to Poole and Christchurch on different days. As Verwood Transport , he acquired a Leyland PD3 ex Brighton Corporation. This was soon replaced by the Guy Arab shown. Both vehicles and indeed subsequent rear engine vehicles were always worked OMO [as it was known in those days].
The Guy was unique in the area and was much appreciated by passengers and enthusiasts.

Keith Newton

24/09/16 – 07:43

These buses had deep, vertically slatted grilles either side of the destination boxes when they were with LUT. Were they fitted with Cave-Browne-Cave heating equipment when new or were the grilles for some other purpose? Either way, this beautifully presented vehicle has had them removed and replaced with very much smaller, natural air vents.

Chris Barker

24/09/16 – 08:39</EM&GT;< em>

Keith, I wasn’t aware of an ex-Brighton PD3, never having seen it, but I do have a view somewhere in our Editor’s ‘in tray’ of a former BEA Routemaster.

Pete Davies

25/09/16 – 06:17

Unfortunately, due to lack of space following our recent move to a flat, most slides are unavailable at present so I cannot attach an image of the PD3. Likewise the Routemaster which was RMA11.

This subsequently passed to an operator in Leighton Buzzard who used it in full Verwood Transport livery.

After de-regulation, Andy together with Roger Brown [Shaftesbury & District] re-introduced services in the area and I have attached an image of RMA37 in the green livery seen in Christchurch.

Finally is an image of the rebuilt and extended Routemaster RME1 which remained in red and is seen in Salisbury.

Keith Newton

26/09/16 – 10:11

What superb liveries are the blue and green examples shown here. I’m having to pinch myself here to make sure that its not April 1st . Joking apart, I have never heard of the RME extended Routemaster – have you any more details please. Even allowing for the Routemaster’s legendary front and rear modules this must have been quite an engineering feat, requiring longer prop shaft and pipelines of varying sorts.

Chris Youhill

27/09/16 – 05:45

Further information about RME1 may be found at the bottom of the page here:- www.countrybus.org/cob2002/cob2002c.htm

And also here:- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shaftesbury

Roger Cox

27/09/16 – 05:46

Chris the last time I saw RME 1 it was on a wedding special in Halifax for a Keighley operator.

Geoff S

27/09/16 – 11:15

Many thanks indeed Roger – I can’t understand how I’d never heard of this ambitious project, and very neatly and professionally executed I must say. I have to be quite honest, when I saw the picture I did think that it was a "spoof"

Chris Youhill

27/09/16 – 16:38

The centre staircase on RME1 is a one-piece grp unit from an Alexander bodied Ailsa.

Stephen Allcroft

28/09/16 – 06:20

I knew of the extended Routemaster Chris (Y), and think it is a fascinating vehicle, but assumed that the conversion would have been carried out by London Transport rather than Shaftesbury & District. It just goes to show that we should never underestimate the ingenuity of the independent operator. Looking at Keith’s photos of the blue and the green Routemasters made me drift off into two of those ‘what might have been’ moments. The blue RMA gives a hint of what Samuel Ledgard’s later purchases may have included, following on from its successful ex-LT RTs and RTLs. The green RMA’s livery is somewhat reminiscent of Leeds City Transport’s (although the upper deck window surrounds and roof would have been in the darker green of course), and could have been one of a batch bought new for use on the Leeds-Bradford 72 joint service with Bradford City Transport. Just idle thoughts I know but…….

Brendan Smith

28/09/16 – 06:21

I notice in the photo at Roger’s second link, dated 2010, that the vehicle has acquired a twin headlamp front.The even window-widths make for a much neater style than the later halfwindow-width extended RM’s.

Chris Hebbron

02/10/16 – 05:37

Just an update for Chris. RME1 was on a two RM wedding special passing through Shipley this afternoon for Red Bus Days of Keighley.

Geoff S

Burton Coaches (Haverhill)
1958
Bedford SB
Duple Vega C41F

With Showbus 2016 just around the corner it is an opportune moment to share this photo of Bedford SB 58898 which carries Duple Vega C41F body number 1090/7. This lovely example of this classic combination was new to Burton Coaches, Haverhill in March 1958 but preserved in the livery of Premier-Albanian Premier Coaches, Watford (see below).
Exhibit 608 at Showbus 2015 and entered by Ted Hewitt, the coach shows some seats reversed just behind mid-coach.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

18/09/16 – 14:51

A minor correction, but the livery is that of Premier Coaches (Watford ) Ltd. Albanian coaches of St.Albans was taken over by Premier in the early 1960’s and the Premier Albanian name first appeared on later style Duple bodied Bedfords.
The current seating capacity of LGV 994 is 31 and 2 tables (retained from a 1960’s Duple from the fleet). Originally a 41 seater (as were all such examples in the Premier fleet), only 31 could be repaired to a suitable standard using the original moquette.
LGV will not be at Showbus next weekend, but is scheduled to make an appearance at Amberley museum instead.

Ted Hewitt

18/09/16 – 16:18

Many thanks for the additional information Ted. The coach is a credit to you.

Les Dickinson

10/10/16 – 07:14

EFE produced a model of the Premier Watford SB but bearing the registration 243 CUR along with OB LTA 904(that sounds like Western National?)

Patrick Armstrong

25/10/16 – 07:00

243 CUR was new to Premier in 1958 and carried the same body detail as LGV 994 (other ‘butterfly fronts’ in the fleet differed in window and light detail). When liaising with EFE, it was decided that the model should carry the authentic registration rather than LGV, as at that time the latter was in a very poor state at the back of the garage. Interestingly 243 CUR survives with a private owner having spent a large part of its life as a mobile home. LTA 904 was new to Southern National and joined the Premier vintage fleet from Rover of Chesham. It performed film, wedding and excursion duties alongside Leyland PS1/Burlingham bodied ENT 778.

Ted Hewitt

17/05/17 – 11:30

My name is Susan Richardson and my father is Barry Richardson. Our family business was Burton Coaches (Haverhill) Ltd, started by my Grandfather approximately 1949.
My Dad has very fond memories of this particular bus – He took his test in it and drove it as a young man.
Well, my Dad is 74 in June this year, still bus and coach crazy and still has a PSV licence !
I was thinking it would be a great treat for him to be able to visit this bus and see it up close again – I understand it is owned by Ted Hewitt? Is there any way I could make contact with Ted to ask about arranging this special treat for Dad? I have tried looking for him online, but cannot find anything..:-(
Dad and I are still in Haverhill!
My fingers are crossed that someone can help me in my quest!

Susan Richardson

18/05/17 – 07:48

There is a Ted Hewitt involved at Premier Coaches which is in Northwood Rickmansworth, about 80 miles from you. I haven’t found a Tel no or email address.

John Lomas

18/05/17 – 07:48

If you go on the Companies House website and search under company officers for Edward Robert Hewitt you will find his address in Chorleywood.

Nigel Turner

19/05/17 – 07:13

The owner is indeed Ted Hewitt & I have put Suzie in touch with him.

John Wakefield

20/05/17 – 06:14

A very nice move, John W. Congratulations.

Roger Cox

Neath & Cardiff Luxury Coaches Ltd
1960
AEC Reliance 2MU3RA
Harrington C41F

Neath & Cardiff coaches were affectionately known as ‘Brown Bombers’ and they certainly made short work of demolishing the miles along the M4. This AEC Reliance (2MU3RA083) carries a handsome Harrington C41F body (2309) and was new to Neath & Cardiff in 1960.
I am not sure if this striking (for me) livery would eventually give way to the uninspiring NBC livery. After eventual withdrawal by the NBC she still had a varied career until being brought back to the Swansea Bus Museum, on whose 2016 Running Day in original Neath & Cardiff livery we see her.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

16/09/16 – 17:13

N&C were taken over by South Wales before the corporate identity was introduced.

Stephen Allcroft

06/10/17 – 07:43

Used to love seeing these at Cardiff Bus Station (RIP) in the sixties. But surely they weren’t doing many miles on the M4 when first delivered?

Gerry

20/01/18 – 06:07

In the days when N&C were operational, the M4 motorway terminated at Tredegar Park at the western edge of Newport. The only motorway west of there was the elevated section of the M48 at Port Talbot. I don’t recall N&C operating along this elevated section. By the time that the motorway network expanded into Wales, N&C operations had been subsumed into those of South Wales Transport and Western Welsh

Frank Potter

12/05/20 – 07:04

My Dad drove the N and C buses when they were owned by Sir Godfrey Llewelyn until they were nationalised and absorbed in to Western Welsh. They were affectionally known then as the ‘Chocolate’ buses. This was in the end of war mid 1940’s

Tom C