Doncaster Independents

In response to the enquiry from David Smith on the Q&As page, here are nine pictures showing eight vehicles of the fascinating Independent operators of the Doncaster area before the onset of the PTE era. They were taken on a rather gloomy day in 1966, hence the indifferent quality of some of them.

Samuel Morgan

7014 YG 1952 Guy Arab IV with Roe H41/32F body.

This bus had the “Johannesburg” bonnet design that was supposedly intended to supplant the earlier “Birmingham” style of cowl, but it ceased to be offered after a very short production run.

LWT 500 1952 Guy Arab III with Park Royal/Guy H30/26R body.

Though I have never driven one, I have always had a fondness for this chassis/body combination, and frequently encountered the Southampton and Provincial examples from my childhood days onwards.

891 GWT 1963 Guy Arab V with Roe H41/32F body. KYG 299D 1966 Guy Arab V with Roe H41/32F body.

HWU 437 1949 Guy Arab III with Park Royal/Guy H30/26R body.

This bus, and its fellow, HWU 438, appear to have had the short bonnet indicating the original fitment of the Meadows 6DC630 engine of 10.35 litres. Can anyone confirm this? Most operators replaced the troublesome and fuel thirsty Meadows unit with a Gardner at the first overhaul. If this happened with these two buses, then the replacements must have been 5LWs, as the 6LW would have been too long to fit.

Premier (Harold Wilson, Stainforth)

YWX 644 Guy Arab IV with Roe H41/32F body.

T Severn & Sons

This is a shot taken from a distance in poor light, and the registration is unreadable, but the bus must be one of the two rear entrance Leyland PD3s of 1958, UWU 515/6 with Roe H39/32R bodies.

Felix Motors

932 BWR 1962 AEC Regent V with Roe H41/32RD body.

Roger Cox
12/2011

16/12/11 - 16:42

Wonderful gallery, Roger. So pleased to see all those beautiful Roe bodies - especially the Felix Regent V. At first, I thought it was all going to be Guys and then you slipped in the odd Leyland and AEC - but where were the Daimlers?

David Oldfield

16/12/11 - 16:53

Magnificent, Roger
Seeing these buses in glorious colour brings back happy memories of Doncaster. And these were just the buses starting from Churchgate......when you add the Glasgow Paddock and Marshgate terminii, plus the former LNER railway station and locomotive works - Doncaster was truly a haven for transport enthusiasts.

Paul Haywood

Comments regarding the above are more than welcome please get in touch via the 'Contact Page' or by email at obp-admin@nwframpton.com

If you have any bus related photographs that you would like to appear in a gallery on this website please send them to me by email at obp-admin@nwframpton.com

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