Copyright Pete Davies

Provincial (Gosport & Fareham Omnibus Co)
1949
Guy Arab III
Duple L27/26RD

HWO 344 was a 1949 Guy Arab III with Duple L53RD body, in the fleet of Provincial, Gosport & Fareham. She’s been relegated to duty as a training vehicle and is seen outside the Hants & Dorset depot in Southampton on the same dull lunchtime as my view of the Southern Vectis Bristol Lodekka KDL 414 in March 1974, which was published a few weeks ago. She is an exile from Red & White (L1949 in their fleet) and is of course a sister vehicle to L1749 which features in the excellent ‘Gallery’ by Ken Morgan titled Red and White Guy L1749.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

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29/11/12 – 07:41

Copyright Diesel Dave

I was pleasantly surprised to see the photo of the Provincial Duple bodied Guy Arab III trainer T1 as I had recently been looking through some of my old photos which included a photo of the same bus taken in the early 70’s at the Provincial Hoeford garage.

Diesel Dave

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29/11/12 – 10:08

Nice view, Dave! Brighter than mine, of course, since it was taken in sunshine. It’s always seemed a pity to me that there is no fleet name on the side of the vehicle.

Pete Davies

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29/11/12 – 11:09

It did have its own identity, though; the minute T1 amidst the signs! I wonder how many trainers they had.

Chris Hebbron

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29/11/12 – 16:12

Chris, so far as I am aware, there’s only ever been one trainer in use at a time. The last I recall seeing was a Bristol FLF (EMR 295D) ex Wilts & Dorset, and it didn’t seem to have a T prefix to the fleet number. It did, however, have the Provincial fleet name in NBC style.

Pete Davies