Glenton Friars

On the back of this photograh it has Newcastle City Libraries but nothing else, for what is obviously a pre War vehicle it seems to be very luxurious and even seems to have a toilet. Could the Glenton part of the name be the same Glenton of London, who I think were based in Charlton and had a fleet of very smart touring coaches, do they still exist?

Ronnie Hoye

01/07/12 - 15:21

I quote from 'United Automobile Services Part1' (Alan Townsin & John Banks' with reference to companies on the Great North Road service taken over by United;
The first of these acquisitions was that of the business of J. Glenton Friars, based at Blaydon on Tyne, who had started operations with UP 632, an ADC423 with full fronted Short Brothers 20-seat toilet equipped coach body. It was followed in late 1928 by three bonneted Daimler CF6s with Hoyal bodywork, one of which, UP 1888, had the first CF6 chassis, numbered 7001L. These three were retained by Mr. Friars when the Glenton Friars (Road Coaches) Ltd. business passed to United control in March 1932, becoming absorbed in October that year.
Six CF6 forward control coaches with Hoyal bodies of 1929/30 were then in use - four with Durham registrations UP 3232/3 and 4215/6 plus HX 851 and GH 1736 with Middlesex and London marks. The first two were of more or less conventional form but the others were what were then usually called observation coaches with high level floor line at the rear and luggage space below - they were to a design registered by Glenton Friars. They were given fleet numbers GN15-20 when Glenton Friars was being run as a subsidiary, filling in gaps in the N series left by NA class buses transferred to Eastern Counties. The prefix letters were changed to N15/16 and NX17/20 when the fleet was absorbed.
In 1934 the vehicles were rebodied as service buses (by Northern Counties).

David Todd

02/07/12 - 07:04

Glenton Friars was an amalgamation of Glenton Tours, London and the Blaydon based coach business of Mr. Friars and their main operation was an express service twixt Newcastle (Marlborough Crescent) and London (Central London Coach Station, WC1).
The photo shows one of the Daimler coaches they had for that service - Ronnie, what made me jump up as soon as I saw your name was that they had Hoyal bodywork, I almost thought your name was the same.
The Glenton Friars (Road Coaches) Ltd service, as it was properly called, took 12 hours for the service in 1931 at a cost of 20/- single, that is one whole pound for you youngsters.
When licensing came along after the 1930 RTA, United had not a London licence and so made an offer to Glenton Friars which they took over in 1932. Whilst Glenton Friars were possibly the most innovative operator on the Great North Road there were several others in the 1930s, all of whom ultimately fell into the hands on United. Perhaps the greatest compliment going to Orange Bros as it was their livery that inspired United to run their coaches in that distinctive Olive Green colour right up until National white became all the rage.
It is still possible to see coaches on the road with the name Glenton on the side, the present company comes from Glasgow but there is no direct line from the original Glenton Tours, which incidentally was named not after a Mr. Glenton but the road in which one of the two people who started the business lived.
I loved the picture, it is always nice to see vehicle shots other than the normal front and offside, especially when the subject is one of these luxury vehicles that attracted so much interest they were driven round the streets of London as mobile adverts.

David Grimmett

02/07/12 - 11:02

A very interesting vehicle, which, at first sight, I thought was one of those 'sleepers' again!
The 20/- fare amused me, since, carefully picked, the megabus fare between the two cities could still be Ł1!

Chris Hebbron

02/07/12 - 18:18

Going around the houses a bit, but I will get to the point, I started at Armstrong Galley at the beginning of 1975, and just before the start of the season we took delivery of 14 Duple bodied Leyland Leopard's, GBB 986/999N, 5 were 45 seaters and the remainder were 53's. I missed out on that batch but the following year we got another 4 Leopard's with Plaxton C49F bodies, JVK 81/4P and 81 was allocated to me. Not by any stretch of the imagination could it be described as shabby or untidy, but I remember one occasion when I was on an extended tour around the Highlands, and at one location I was on a coach park and alongside an AEC Reliance of Glenton's with a similar Plaxton body to mine, but with centre entrance, I don't know if it was the very smart but rather understated plain beige/biscuit type livery, but somehow it just looked so superior to anything else around it

Ronnie Hoye

03/07/12 - 10:59

And of course Ronnie the Glenton vehicles of that era would have seated only 30 something passengers. When AECs were no longer available Glenton went over to Volvo, still keeping centre entrance as long as they could. Have a look at the Classique Coaches from Paisley website, I think you will be interested although the business no long exists www.classiquetours.co.uk/

David Grimmett

03/07/12 - 11:47

Ronnie/David; there was also a season in between with a batch of similar Leyland Leopards before Glenton went over to Volvo.
Always a 6U3ZR fan, and still am, subsequent experience has also placed the Leopard a close runner up in my affections. A reliable plodder that was showing its age, Volvo's swift and (relatively) quiet progress quickly gained fans and orders from Leopard customers - especially Wallace Arnold. Volvo also subsequently had feet of clay - not bad, just not perfect. Having driven many enjoyable miles in numerous B10Ms, my top three still remain 6U3ZR, Re and then Leopard.

David Oldfield

19/01/15 - 12:40

Just came across your site when I searched my Grandfather's name.
I would be interested to know if there were any other photos/information about the Glenton Friars fleet.

Linda Munn (nee friars)

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