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