Copyright J. B. Platt

Reliance (R Store Ltd)
1947
Leyland Tiger PS1
Barnaby C35F

This is a great shot of a Tiger owned by Reliance of Stainforth near Doncaster who were taken over by Blue Line (S Morgan Ltd) on April 1st 1949 but carried on operating under their own name. The Reliance livery was an Emerald Green and Dark Blue but eventually they adopted the two shades of Blue as the Blue Line livery. The above vehicle had originally been owned by Felix Motors another Doncaster area independent and was number 25 in their fleet, it joined the Reliance fleet in 1959 and was withdrawn in 1962. The Blue Line – Reliance operation was eventually taken over by South Yorkshire PTE in 1979.

This posting is a little different to normal in that David Oglesby sent me a selection of photos from his fathers album so to do them justice I have included them as an album on the ‘Galleries’ pages the album can be viewed  here.

Photograph contributed by David Oglesby

David Oglesby’s pictures are a real feast. What a fleet of unusual high-quality vehicles! Apart from Lancs United, did any other private operator ever run so many underfloor-engined Guys? Where did the little Dennis Falcon (?) originally come from? And was the bigger Dennis s/d wearing someone else’s radiator?
Incidentally, the heavier Guy underfloors look like UFs or (more probably) LUFs rather than Warriors. The front hubs of UWW 769 point to that light Warrior axle, whereas the other Guys have the heftier version. I don’t think the Warrior was ever offered with a 6HLW engine. I may be wrong, of course.
How long did the photographed vehicles remain in service?
Sorry about all the questions, and thanks again for a wonderful photographic record.

Ian Thompson

My word, what a wonderful selection of very nostalgic pictures from the fascinating Doncaster area – many’s the Saturday a group of we "Leeds Loiners" used to travel to the famous Christ Church terminus to see the varied independent operators.  If Guy Arab underfloor engined vehicles count in Ian’s question Samuel Ledgard ran nine – eight ex Northern General/Picktree coaches and the famous GUY 3 demonstrator service bus.

Chris Youhill

Warriors never had 6 cylinder Gardner engines, Arabs (ie UFs and LUFs) did.

David Oldfield

12/10/12 – 08:25

For many years it was my understanding that the only double-deck bus body constructed by Barnaby was on NDT 997, a Leyland PD2 new as a non-psv to British Ropes of Doncaster, later used as a psv by T.D.Alexander (Greyhound) of Sheffield and Arbroath. It was depicted in the magazine ‘Buses’ (it may have been ‘Buses Illustrated’ in those days) and the caption stated that it was thought to have the only Barnaby double-deck body built.
There is a picture in David Oglesby’s album (see above) showing Reliance HWX 3, a Guy Arab double-deck. The body make is not stated, but there is another picture on the net showing it derelict after withdraw you can view it here.  Here it is stated to have a Barnaby body, and, although it could at first glance be taken to be Park Royal or Roe, the cab area is totally unlike that on bodies from either of those builders. It is also quoted as having a Barnaby body on Peter Gould’s website. Is it certain that the body was by Barnaby? Or that the one on NDT 997 was? Were there any other double-deck bodies built reputedly by them?

I’ve just seen that in the section on Reliance EVY 710 (another ‘Reliance’, that is) David Allen has stated that Bullocks had Barnaby do some double-deck rebodies for them in the 1940s. Any details/pics?

David Call

12/10/12 – 12:46

The splendid Everingham Brothers of Pocklington (taken over by EYMS in 1953) had three Barnaby bodied double deckers. Two were utility Daimler CWs later rebodied, and the third was an AEC Regent bought new in 1949.

Chris Youhill

13/10/12 – 06:38

Thanks for that, Chris, your post inspired me to do some research on Everingham Brothers, and most of my findings were located on the East Yorkshire Motor Services website. Is that the principal source of your own information? There are three pictures of GWF 256, the Regent III, two of it in EYMS colours and one in Everingham’s. The latter looks to be a manufacturer’s photo. There is one shot of rebodied JP 5049 (CWG5) and two of CWF 750 (CWA6). These last three pics were all taken in EYMS days.
Prior to tonight I had little knowledge of the Everingham fleet, other than of the few vehicles which lasted long enough with EYMS to appear in the first edition of British Bus Fleets (Yorkshire Company Operators), which may have been BBF9, I’m not sure now. The ex-Everingham survivors at the time may have been just the two Regal IVs, but I do recall that those two were still operating. One thing of which I was unaware was that EB obtained matching registrations for any vehicles they bought new and had done so for many years – they must have been virtually pioneers in that respect. Also, after the takeover, EYMS simply added 600 to the fleet numbers of any vehicles they were keeping. So EB 53-62 became 653-662, despite the fact that at the time the numbering of new EYMS vehicles had only just passed the 600 mark. What were presumably EB 31/4/5/7-41/3-5 were acquired by EYMS, but either not operated, or not kept long enough to be renumbered. Rebodied CWF 750 became EYMS 664 (you would imagine that it had been EB 50) and JP 5049 became 663, although as it had apparently been acquired secondhand (ex-Wigan Corporation?) there’s no easy way of knowing what the EB fleet number had been.

David Call

13/10/12 – 06:39

Regarding Barnaby, my self-compiled list of bodies built by Barnaby shows (not including early open top deckers for Binningtons Willerby and Lee & Beaulah, Elloughton) 20 double deckers, with Bullock of Featherstone the best customer with 12, then Everingham Bros, Pocklington with 3 and 1 each for Doncaster independents-Felix, Severn, Reliance & Premier and the 1 for British Ropes which was the last decker built by Barnaby.
Most of the above operators, and many more also had Barnaby bodied saloons.
My list shows about 347 PSV bodies built, not all confirmed, as I say this is my own list and is open to correction, but not a bad total for a small Hull business.

Mike Davies

28/10/13 – 13:02

Was the bus working a miners’ service? I didn’t think Edlington was a normal destination for any of the independents.

Geoff Kerr

29/10/13 – 07:08

There is, at least, one Barnaby survivor; a Leyland Tiger PS1/1 with C33F Barnaby bodywork AHL 694, It a working machine, performing on an Agatha Christie sightseeing tours around Torbay, ending at Greenway House. It was new to Bullock & Sons in 1947. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are regular passengers! Here’s the link: flickrhivemind.net/

Chris Hebbron

24/11/13 – 14:25

Somewhat belatedly I can confirm that Everingham Bros JP 5049 had fleet number 49 and was new to Everingham. The reason for the Wigan registration is that it was registered by Massey who built the original body.
CWF 750 is confirmed as being Everingham Bros. 50.
Everingham 47 and 48 (Bedford OWB/Roe) were similarly registered by Roe as JUA 647/8.

John Kaye

24/11/13

Wartime coincidences in the Yorkshire bus world – Samuel Ledgard had two superb Daimler CWD6/Duples registered JUB 647/8.

Chris Youhill

26/11/13 – 06:13

There was also a peacetime coincidence in the Yorkshire bus world Chris. When West Yorkshire took delivery of Bristol RELL6Gs SRG30/31 in 1966, they were registered NWT 698/699D. In 1972 three new Ford Escort vans arrived for the service fleet, two of which (4042/4043) were registered NWT 698/699K.

Brendan Smith

08/10/17 – 07:58

Some time ago Mike Davies mentioned that he had compiled a draft list of Barnaby bodies.
Has this ever been published?
If not, I wonder if he would be prepared to share it with me.
I recently came across a photo of Leyland TS8 DWT 425 with Thompson, Sutton in Craven which may have had a Barnaby body – unfortunately I don’t have the copyright holders permission, so I’m unable to post it.
Barnaby body queries come up frequently, and the list would be most useful.

Peter G

10/10/17 – 06:06

I think there are 2 Barnaby bodied psvs in preservation-the PS1 mentioned above and JVY 516 Regal III new to York Pullman.

Roger Burdett

17/10/17 – 06:39

In answer to Ian Thompson’s original question, Harpers of Heath Hayes seemed to standardise on Guy Arab LUFs for coach work. I’m not sure how many there were, but the last four (which were also the last four Arab LUFs built) are preserved.

Peter Williamson

26/02/21 – 09:43

Further to Mike Davies (13/10/12) I haven’t been able to find any trace of Felix having had a Barnaby-bodied double-decker. Can anyone confirm that they did indeed have one, and give details?

David Call

28/02/21 – 06:18

According to PSV Circle Fleet History PB4, Felix had their no.12 – YG 3763 – a 1933 petrol-engined AEC Regal coach rebodied by Barnaby as H55C in 1943. It was fitted with a 7.7 diesel engine at the same time. It was withdrawn as such in 1950 and sold to British Ropes, Doncaster for staff transport, and who coincidentally purchased a Barnaby-bodied PD2 brand new.

John Stringer

28/02/21 – 06:19

David C, according to Peter Gould’s fleetlist, the claim that Felix had a Barnaby bodied double decker would seem to be erroneous. T. Severn had a utility Guy Arab rebodied by Barnaby in 1948 (which seems rather an early date) but then kept it for only four years, selling it in 1952, surely it went to another operator somewhere?

Chris Barker

28/02/21 – 10:06

John S, thanks for the info. Like Chris B, I had checked the Peter Gould Felix fleet list, but (probably also like Chris B) I had forgotten to look for rebodies.

David Call

28/02/21 – 14:57

Felix having an AEC Regal rebodied as a double-decker is reminiscent of Leon rebodying a Leyland Lion – and at much the same time, too, although Leon had their Lion rebodied by NCB. //www.old-bus-photos.co.uk/?p=7931

David Call

28/02/21 – 14:58

The old Peter Gould lists are obsolete. Peter is now the secretary of the Local Transport History Library, and he withdrew his previous listings years ago. They were then pirated and put back on the web without his authority. The place to look now is the illustrated LTH Library, and the entry for Felix under year 1933 confirms the accuracy of John Stringer’s comment.

Roger Cox

28/02/21 – 21:44

By coincidence only yesterday (Saturday 27th) the Yorkshire area of the Model Bus Federation held their fortnightly Zoom meeting, the theme being Barnaby. Chris Marshall showed a photo of Felix Regal No 12, YG 3763 with its 1943 Barnaby H55C body. That confirms John Stringer and Roger Cox’s messages that it did exist.

Eric Bawden