Middlesbrough Corporation
1960
Dennis Loline II
Northern Counties FH39/31F

The Loline came a bit late really if Dennis had got the licence to build the Lodekka under the name of the Loline sooner I’m sure there would of been a lot more of them than there was. Unfortunately for the Loline in fact for any front engine bus the rear engine buses that soon followed it could have highbridge seating in a lowbridge body due to not having to have drive shafts etc from front to back. If your a fan of rear engine buses I’m afraid I don’t have many all a bit boxy for me. This bus by the way had a sliding door rather than the more usual collapsing type a good picture that shows the other side of this type of bus is here.

There were nine of these Loline mark IIs bought by Middlesbrough Corporation in 1960-1961 following the successful introduction of the solitary mark I JDC 599.
The mark II was different in having a front entrance with a chassis modified to accommodate it. On the Northern Counties body, fitted to the Middlesbrough batch, the passenger doors were air operated by a long lever and there are many tales locally of passengers getting shopping bags etc caught by the door.
Because the stylish body was specified with a full fronted cab, the engine was enclosed in the cab space with no where for the heat to go except upwards and they gained the nick name of “Sweaty Betties”. In most contemporary photographs they are seen with the screen half window open to aid ventilation
The advent of the Daimler Fleetline ensured that no more Lolines were purchased and the low height version of the Fleetline became the standard vehicle from 1962. These were suitable for the low rail bridges of which there were two in Middlesbrough. All buses passing under them had to be less than 13’6” tall. As a safety measure, buses that complied were fitted with white steering wheels while normal height buses had black.

David Hunter

09/05/21 – 07:11

I remember waiting for the bus in Middlesbrough when I was going home from school and I was positively amazed when one of the 9 Dennis Loline pulled up. To see the electrically operated sliding doors was a wonder. These buses when new in their blue and cream Middlesbrough livery were beautiful.

David Walton

Middlesbrough Corporation
1966
Leyland Panther Cub
Northern Counties B44F

This bus must of been brand new when I took this picture it certainly looks that way. If I remember correctly Middlesbrough Corporation used route letters rather than route numbers which was quite novel. I think they only had 2 single deckers in there fleet this one and its sister which was fleet no 2.

———

I was in the depot at the time this one was delivered. It was put in the paint shop. It smelt lovely. I remember it like yesterday. It and No 2 ran the S route to Seamer.

Chris Johnson

———

18/07/11 – 17:15

Unhappy memories of this bus! When I was about 14 I used to visit a friend in Newby and get the ‘S’ home, getting off at Kirby School. One Saturday Roman Road was closed so the route was diverted down Orchard Road and The Avenue, then up St Barnabas Road to re-join Roman Road/Ayresome Green Lane. Because the bus stop by the Conservative Club in Orchard Road was closer to home I thought I’d get off there, but the miserable driver wouldn’t stop as it wasn’t a normal stop, and instead took me all the way up to the General Hospital before he’d let me off, giving me a really long walk home. I never trusted bus drivers after that!

John Habgood

Middlesbrough Corporation
1958
Dennis Loline 1
Northern Counties H36/31RD

Photo taken on a trip to the Transporter bridge which I walked across the top of I presume it is still there or did they really sell it to the Red Indians. This bus is actually a preservation vehicle loads of information here. I seem to remember at the time a rumour that the Loline was actually a Bristol Lodekka built by Dennis not sure how true it was, if any body knows leave a comment.

My Group now own and have preserved this Dennis Loline Mk1. The Loline was in fact a licence built Bristol Lodekka, they of course could only be sold to state owned undertakings and Dennis wanted a bus to rejuvenate their sales in the Municipal market. Northern Counties built a one off body for this bus which was exhibited at Earls Court Commercial Vehicle Show in October 1958 before entering service with Middlesbrough Corporation on 5th November 1958.
In the photo above it is seen at Middlesbrough Corporations Parliament Road Depot towards the end of its life, when, because it was a backloader, and all the rest of the fleet were front loaders it only saw light service being used for transporting Councillors from the Councils planning committee on site visits etc. We rebuilt the bus between 1994 and 1998 and took it to Showbus at Duxford for its 40th anniversary where it won the class for "best preserved Dennis". It is now used extensively for running days and rallies, in fact it has now done over 120 events in the past ten years without any major trouble.

David Hunter

I rode on this magnificent vehicle at a Heart of the Pennines Rally back in the 1990s and was highly impressed by its performance on the hills around Halifax. Only Tony Blackman’s souped-up Regent III did better. Best wishes to those who preserve the Loline. Think you’re not quite right in describing the body as unique, though, Lancashire United had two very similar Loline Is. Sadly neither survived into preservation.

Neville Mercer

23/03/11 – 06:58

Barton’s Dennis Loline 111 861 XAL flt no 861 was the lowest British built decker at only 12’6" by NCME and was shown at the 1960 Commercial Motor Show.

Roger Broughton

My fault KC

23/03/11 – 18:35

Further to Roger and Nevilles posts There are shots of the Baton Loline and one of the LUT ones on www.sct61.org.uk. Barton vehicle has been in preservation for many years

Chris Hough

06/12/14 – 07:07

You are correct about ‘ Boro buses route numbers being letters. There were exceptions though, services from the Transporter Bridge were M1 & M2 which had same route for much of the way, splitting on Acklam Road although I cant remember the exact destinations, they were not far from the parting of the route. The other exceptions were the two routes,jointly operated by Stokton corp & M’bro corp Stokton used route numbers. To save face the route along Newport Rd was the O/0 the one via Acklam Rd was the 11/II. Hope this may be of of interest to you.

David Onions

06/12/14 – 08:51

I’ve always considered this bus in the "Borough" livery to be one of the most handsome and well proportioned vehicles I’ve had the pleasure to admire in a long long lifetime of enthusiasm.

Chris Youhill

16/04/15 – 06:43

Read somewhere that the Halifax Lolines were uniquely fitted with Leyland 600 engines. The vast majority were LX Gardner, though Oxford specified AV470’s in their Mk II chassis.

Paul Burgess

16/04/15 – 16:01

No, Paul, the Halifax Lolines had Gardner 6LX engines and five speed semi auto gearboxes.

Roger Cox

16/04/15 – 16:02

I can assure you Paul that the Halifax Lolines were fitted with the Gardner 6LX.

John Stringer

17/04/15 – 06:45

North Western took a batch of 15 Loline IIs in 1960, twelve of which had Leyland O.600 engines, the other three had Gardner 6LX.

Ian Wild

17/04/15 – 06:46

North Western had the Leyland O.600 engined Lolines.

Phil Blinkhorn

17/04/15 – 06:47

Do we know how much the Mk II chassis differed from the Mk I?

Chris Hebbron

17/04/15 – 09:28

The Loline Mk I was the original version with a rear entrance and a conventionally sprung rear axle. The Mk II had a forward entrance and air suspension for the rear axle, and it came on the scene in 1958, before the forward entrance versions of the Bristol Lodekka made their appearances.

Roger Cox

19/04/15 – 07:37

Luton also had two Lolines with Leyland O.600 engines. (Information from "British Double Deckers since 1942", A A Townsin, 1965, four shillings and sixpence and still very useful!).

Peter Williamson

20/04/15 – 07:12

Thx, Roger.

Chris Hebbron

12/12/15 – 07:51

Does anyone have a list of the corporation bus destinations/routes by letter? I used to live in Grove Hill, then Beechwood, so the C , D , Q and R were my routes. I was always fascinated about where all the others went. Especially the S and a very mysterious Belasis!!

Terry Begley

12/12/15 – 13:03

The 500 Group who own/preserve the Middlesbrough Loline will I am sure will be able to help you Terry.
Their Facebook group page is here https://m.facebook.com/500group/

Stephen Howarth

02/05/16 – 13:54

I’ve uploaded a ton of reference images I’d taken as part of my uni project to recreate a 3D model of this classic bus to feature in an animation.
When working on a 3D animation it is vital to gather as much high quality reference material as possible in order to study the subject. I was lucky enough to arrange a private visit of this bus with David (Group 500) who was kind enough to let me take lots of photos in order to capture as much detail as possible for my research.
Please feel free to check out some of these photos in my Flickr album www.flickr.com/gp/johnbriggs

Johnny

23/10/16 – 05:34

The M bus destinations referred to above in Middlesbrough were Lodore Grove and Levick Crescent. These were displayed as Lodore or Levick on the destination blind. The routes diverged on Acklam Road travelling south where it reached the eastern end of Levick Crescent. One version then travelled along the Crescent and terminated at the junction with Mandale Road, the other continued along Acklam Road until it reached Lodore Grove, slightly further south. Both versions were simply M, distinguished by the destination.

John Butler

24/10/16 – 07:15

Interesting photos, Johnny. I was intrigued by the longditudinal rear seats dividing into two sections with different levels, something I’ve never seen before.
If you put the animation online, let us know where we can find it, will you?

Chris Hebbron