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Lancaster City Transport
1949
AEC Regal III
Strachans B36F

This in my mind is what an half cab single deck bus should look like, mind you the 50-50 split livery of this Lancaster Corporation does help. I’m not all that knowledgeable about Strachans bodybuilders I think I went on a Ford demonstrator which had a Strachans body once when it was on loan to Halifax Corporation. 
This bus was originally delivered new to Morecambe & Heysham Corporation along with its sister vehicle KTF 582, I’m not sure what fleet numbers they had when at Morecambe & Heysham, if you know please leave a comment. They were both transferred, sold or exchanged to nearby Lancaster in 1953, I think there was a close working relationship between the two corporations, I read somewhere that Lancaster actually took over Morecambe & Heysham bus fleet in the early seventies.
Lancaster had a very strange way when it came to fleet numbering they used the registration number which meant out of there fleet of 37 buses in 1965 the lowest fleet number was 70 and the highest was 965, now that was different.

In 1974, local authorities were reorganised – the most dramatic being the invention of Metropolitan Counties such as Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The City of Lancaster borders were extended to include the boroughs of Morecambe and Heysham. As a result, Morecambe and Heysham buses came under common ownership with Lancaster – hence the take over.

David Oldfield

KTF 581/2 were new to Morecambe and Heysham in January 1950 and allocated fleet numbers 52/3. When new they were 35 seaters. They were withdrawn in 1951 and after a period in store were sold to Lancaster City Transport in October 1952. They entered service with their new owner in January 1953, being withdrawn in July 1967 and May 1968 respectively.

Just as a note, the Regent III double deckers delivered concurrently, 54-65 (KTF 583-594) had a much longer life in the resort, withdrawals taking place between 1974 and 1979, some of them converted to open-top.

Dave Towers

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Just to add to the above, the Regals were converted for o-m-o in January and February 1957, Lancaster commencing such operations later that year, (a process completed in 1982). Of course one-manning of half cabs was not ideal with the driver having to swivel around to face passengers and take fares, but with a fairly small capacity would be manageable!

Dave Towers

The Lancaster and Morecambe & Heysham fleets were merged on April 1st 1974 when local government was reorganised and an enlarged City of Lancaster created from five separate councils, these being the existing Lancaster City Council plus Lancaster Rural District Council, Lunesdale District Council, Carnforth Urban District Council and Morecambe & Heysham Borough Council. Although only two of these councils operated buses it was decided that blue & white was to be used for all council vehicles as none of the constituent councils had used these colours on their vehicles (dustcarts, etc). There were a couple of experimental liveries tried before the decision on the blue and white livery was decreed, though I’m not sure if any saw the light of day.

Ian Simpson

21/01/12 – 17:22

You say you know little of Strachans bodies… I worked at Strachans Coachbuilders in the 1960’s at Hamble in Hants. They were originally in London and I believe linked with Duple before they moved to Hamble, but I must say that was passed on by word of mouth, how true that is would need confirmation. However I distinctly remember working on half cab deckers for Wolverhampton, (I wonder if any survived, I think they were Bristol chassis). and single deck pacemakers and pacesavers, and some rather nice looking coaches for Rickards which had a polished stainless steel hand made grill, which I, as an apprentice had to polish on the buffing wheel! I can still smell that buffing soap!! Sorry if I’ve ambled on a bit, call it a senior moment!

Pete Hatcher

22/01/12 – 06:43

Strachans are an enigma, and I would like to know more about them, Pete – so (H)amble on.
As far as I am aware, the best Merlin/Swifts of London Transport were those early ones bodied by Strachans. Apparently they benefited from a type pf mounting which did not break the back of the bus – as the others were apt to do. If they could outdo the likes of Park Royal, Met-Camm and Marshall, why were they not better known and why did they not survive? Indeed, they seemed to fizzle out with no ceremony. [They also seemed to be a favourite of Aldershot and District for a time.]

David Oldfield

22/01/12 – 16:39

I’m glad its not only me who is a bit vague about Strachans. Unlike most body builders I don’t think there has ever been a book published about them even though they did have some high profile customers.

Nigel Turner

23/01/12 – 07:37

Apart from our common interest, it’s always nice to find that there are certain subjects which interest us particularly, I think Strachans must be one of them. I’ve always thought of them as something of an enigma because like Nigel says, they had some high profile customers and they had some nice designs too, like the vehicle above but they seemed to have more than their fair share of disasters, yet they were favoured with regular orders throughout the 1950 and 60’s. The post-war double deckers seemed to have been particularly bad, South Yorkshire’s Albions and West Riding’s Daimlers had to be heavily rebuilt and some operators found that re-bodying was the only answer. The worst of all were surely the Leyland PD1’s of Western SMT which lasted only three years before disintegrating! The Lancaster vehicle looks like a nicely balanced and well constructed bus but it known why they lasted a year at Morecambe? The fact that the pair went on to achieve eighteen and nineteen years service suggests that these were very durable vehicles.

Chris Barker

23/01/12 – 07:38

Re David’s comment about London Transport Merlins, I have heard exactly the same about Sunderland’s Leyland Panthers. Metro-Cammell bodied them conventionally and the rear of the bodies became distorted with the flexing of the chassis. Strachans mounted the rear body overhang on a cantilevered subframe separate from the chassis, and this was said to be much more successful.

Peter Williamson

23/01/12 – 07:39

Peter the Wolverhampton double deckers were locally built Guy Arabs used for trolley bus replacement duties.

Chris Hough

23/01/12 – 07:40

The Wolverhampton double deckers that Pete Hatcher worked on would be Guy Arab Vs, and the Rickards coaches were a unique batch on Dodge chassis.

Peter Williamson

23/01/12 – 10:09

Strachans also built quite a few coach/ambulances on Bedford 4.9 litre petrol engined chassis for the Ministry of Defence, I worked on them whilst with the REME in our LAD at Chilwell Depot (38 Central Workshops) in the 70’s

Roger Broughton

24/01/12 – 05:54

With regard to Chris Barker’s question about the short life of KTF 581/2 in Morecambe, there is an explanation in the new "Morecambe and Lancaster" book from Venture. I’ve actually loaned the book to a friend at the moment so I can’t be totally precise, but I believe Morecambe purchased them for a specific new service, which never actually got off the ground, and so they weren’t required in the resort.

Dave Towers

02/10/12 – 14:50

Message for Pete Hatcher (above).
You may be interested to know that ex. Southampton City Transport No.1 Reg. No. JOW 499E a Strachans Pacemaster (Body No.40214) 1967 AEC Swift built at Hamble, has just been restored and put back on the road after 20 years dormant.
You can get more information by going on the SADTHT website. SADTHT stands for the SOUTHAMPTON & DISTRICT TRANSPORT HERITAGE TRUST.

Terry Knappett

03/10/12 – 05:56

Didn’t someone (Alan Townsin perhaps) write a comprehensive history some years ago of Strachans & Brown/Strachans/Strachans Successors in one of the enthusiasts’ magazines (possibly Classic Bus in its superior days under Gavin Booth). I remember reading this series of articles, but I no longer have my old Classic Bus copies to confirm.

Roger Cox

03/10/12 – 05:57

I was once told (this would be the mid-1960s) that the two Morecambe & Heysham Regal IIIs were withdrawn and subsequently sold to Lancaster because the steps had proved too steep for the borough’s elderly residents. This came from an M & H conductor who seemed to speak with confidence, as if to suggest that he had been in the employ of M & H at the relevant time. I agree that this explanation does seem a little odd, bearing in mind that there would be elderly people in Lancaster as well – but no doubt not nearly as many.

David Call

29/10/12 – 07:09

Further to my post of January, I’ve now come across the reference to KTF 581/2 in Harry Postlethwaite’s book. He says that these vehicles were purchased for a service to Middleton Tower Holiday Camp which did not materialise (the service, not the camp!), as the camp decided to provide its own transport.

Dave Towers

12/11/12 – 10:51

For Pete Hatcher.
The two top designers at Hamble were Colin Holt and Dave Hoy and Colin did all the design work for the first AEC London Transport "Red Arrow’s". I was a drafting office apprentice from 1964 to 1970 and then returned later just prior to Strachans closing. It was a great place to work as we handled everything from single and double deck buses, military bus/ambulance conversions, semi-luxury coaches, Ford Transit vans and conversions, Military truck bodies on Bedford R series 4×4 chassis right through to special ‘one offs’ like the railcar for the Sadler Rail company. Mention has been made of the coaches for Rickards and these were unique as if memory serves me right, they failed the tilt test with the overhead parcel racks installed. They were re-tested with the parcel racks tied to the tops of the seats and the racks were installed when the coaches were shipped over to the continent. I was there when the first AEC Merlin bare chassis was delivered with a somewhat white faced driver. With the rear engine, the front wheels lifted off the road under acceleration, all subsequent chassis deliveries had boxes of engine blocks strapped on to keep the front wheels on the road. When Strachans closed I believe that both Colin Holt and Dave Hoy went to Duple and it would be interesting to contact them if they are still in the Blackpool area.

Dick Henshall

13/11/12 – 06:52

What a fascinating couple of tales, Dick; the sort of insider stories that help to make the bus subject so interesting.

Chris Hebbron

19/05/14 – 18:30

I worked on Lancaster corporation buses in the early 60s. Passed my test on a Crossley with a dodgy gearbox. Double decker’s in those days, were Guys, Crossley’s, and Leyland’s. Had to prime the Guy’s and start them with a rope on the starting handle. Single deckers, 2 Daimlers, one with only 14 seats.

G Seaman

Vehicle reminder shot for this posting

20/06/16 – 06:35

The thing that puzzles me is why did M&H go to Strachans for these Regal’s bodies when at the same period they bought several batches of Regent with Park Royal bodies.

Keith Wardle

20/06/16 – 09:08

I can only think that, somehow, Strachans offered a better price!

Pete Davies

Sheffield Corporation
1953
AEC Regent III
Roe H33/25R

Here we have two Sheffield Corporation work horses photographed on a very wet grey day. The Leyland is a Titan PD2/30 built 5 years later than the Regent it had a Weymann H31/28R body registration 4494 WB fleet number 494. It also had a concealed radiator which was nicknamed a ‘Tin Front’ this style of radiator first appeared on Titans when in 1952/3 100 special Titan PD2/12s were built for Midland Red and had a similar style radiator to the B.M.M.O. D7. From 1954 and with a slight modifications the Midland Red look unfortunately became the style of concealed radiator for Titans until 1960 when the ‘scalloped’ bonnet as it was called with horizontal slats came along, thank goodness. I’m afraid a sheet of tin with some slots cut in it does absolutely nothing for me, they even left space for the Midland Red badge to go in at the top which Sheffield made use of for displaying the fleet number. I personally don’t think you can beat the AEC Routmaster for the best looking concealed radiator design, if you disagree or have another suggestion please leave a comment.

A full list of Titan codes can be seen here.

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

Tremains
1950
Bedford OB
Duple C27F

Here we have another photograph from the P Heywood collection it first appeared on the ‘Do you Know’ page but thanks to Spencer we have the following information.

“This bus was delivered new to Western National in 1950 and was number 1420 in there fleet. When delivered it would of been in their Cream with Green trim livery but in 1955 it was transferred to the Royal Blue fleet when it would of been repainted in their Cream with Navy Blue trim. Western National and Southern National operated bus services in the area of the former Southern and Great Western Railway companies, Royal Blue operated the express services for both Western and Southern National.”

The first Bedford OB appeared in the summer of 1939 but production only lasted two months before war broke out and production ceased, in that time Bedford had built seventy three chassis fifty two of which for the UK market. Production of the OB started again after the war the running gear was a six cylinder 3.519 litre petrol engine rated as 28hp with a normal four speed synchromesh gearbox giving 12 miles per gallon on average. In 1945 the cost for a complete twenty seven seat coach was £1314 10s and for a twenty nine seater £1325 10s. Production of the OB finally ceased in 1950 and in that time 12,766 had been built.

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Tremains operated from Zelah in Cornwall and a had small depot just off the main A30 to the south of the village. The livery was a dark red with cream and this bus (or one very much like it) was a regular on the school bus trips to Goonhavern, where I was a pupil in the early seventies. I’d be interested in a proper print or high res scan of this image.

Bob Blackman

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Its difficult to find enough complimentary terms for the OB and the OWB without sounding "over the top" but surely the model must be one of the most big hearted and commendable vehicles in PSV history. I have travelled extensively on both versions and have had the great joy of driving several coaches. I think that the "war medal" must go to the OWB which performed heroic feats of service reliability and economy, often of necessity very heavily overloaded on essential routes. In the West Yorkshire area the notable independent Samuel Ledgard had five OWBs at the small Yeadon Depot and these little heroes maintained two constantly intensely busy services throughout the later days of the Conflict and for many years afterwards. To the enthusiast the mechanical symphony of the little Bedfords was pure joy. After the glorious pure and powerful whining in the first three ratios a kind of almost unreal quiet purr would take care of full speed running in top gear. The occasional but harmless "misfire" would add a little variety to the concert. The suspension was also extremely successful and, combined with the quiet top speed, meant very comfortable journeys for coach passengers. I did confess to a tendency to being perhaps "over the top" and I must in closing mention one particular little hero of my happy acquaintance – during my RAF service at the Patrington radar station on Spurn Point I often travelled to shifts at the underground site in the only OWB allocated there – how I’d love another trip today in wonderful little 00AC52, normally driven by Sam, the only civilian driver at the Station, but occasionally mercilessly flogged but stoically without a whimper by some of the hopeful Formula One RAF drivers.

Chris Youhill

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Absolutely Chris. They were like little mice scurrying all over the countryside. Holidays were enhanced by day tours, half-day tours, mystery tours and evening tours. And what was the transport? Nine times out of ten an OB/Duple. One featured in the film "Titfield Thunderbolt" if I remember rightly. I recall them in Penzance, Ilfracombe, Mablethorpe, Dunoon, Keswick and the Isle of Man. Do you remember John Major’s nostalgic dream of warm beer and elderly spinsters riding to evensong on bicycles? Add in a Bedford OB and the picture of Britain in the early 50s is complete – and all is well with the world!

Stephen Ford

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I travelled regularly on the stage service of a small operator in Derbyshire who had a couple of OB’s and it occurred to me that these would have been the only petrol engined PSV’s that I ever travelled on. I believe that a small number were fitted with Perkins diesel engines but am I correct in assuming that most of them retained their petrol engines throughout their lives? Did Bedford offer a diesel version from new?

Chris Barker

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05/07/11 – 06:40

Tremains acquired LTA 759 from Western National in April 1963. The coach is in Truro, on the traditional independent terminus at The Green (nowadays part of the bus station) and would be operating one of Tremain’s bus services; I can’t quite make out the destination but it looks like it might be on the Crantock and Cubert service.

Michael Wadman

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05/07/11 – 08:50

Chris B – yes I’m quite sure that you’re right in that most OWBs/OBs were always petrol engined, and I’m pretty sure too that there was no diesel version offered by Bedford.
Michael – although I’ve personally never heard of Crantock or Cubert a magnifying glass confirms that your guess is correct and those are the places on the destination blind.

Chris Youhill

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06/07/11 – 07:18

Chris Y Crantock and Cubert are both near Newquay, the former now being better known as a surfing paradise! Crantock Bay is where you will need those "baggies", a mean surfboard and a 1955 VW Camper or "Splitty"! I remember it from it’s much quieter days in 1960 when it was just a beautiful beach!

Richard Leaman

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07/07/11 – 06:43

Many thanks Richard for that information on the Cornish delights – these days, in my advancing years, its about all I can manage to surf the Net. Also I’ve never actually been to Cornwall, only Devon, and really ought to do so.

Chris Youhill

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09/07/11 – 07:02

Although Bedford did not have a Bedford diesel engined version of the OB, some did have a Perkins Diesel engine fitted from new.

David Hick

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