Leyland Coach
Leyland Coach
A friend of mine spotted a half cab Leyland coach at Low Farm, Alvely, near Stourport Reg: HCJ 275. Does any contributor have any idea of its origins, owners, etc.?
Allan Machon
25/08/11 - 07:11
Allan, HCJ was a Herefordshire registration mark, first issued in April 1950, so the coach is relatively 'local' in origin. By the sound of things it is likely to be a Leyland Tiger PS2, as I believe this model replaced the PS1 in 1949. (There is always the possibility it could be a PS1 however, if the chassis had awaited bodying at the coachbuilders for any length of time). Unfortunately, the early '50's editions of Buses Illustrated in my possession have only basic information regarding provincial fleets, and information about independent operators was virtually non-existent until around 1956. Hopefully someone will come forward with further details at some point!
Brendan Smith
25/08/11 - 09:39
But beware, Brendan. Leyland sold more PS1s after it had been replaced by the PS2!
David Oldfield
25/08/11 - 10:15
HCJ 275 was new to Wye Valley Motors in June 1950 and disposed of in October 1965. It is a PS1/1 with Harrington C33F body. Details are given in J E Dunabin's "Wye Valley - The Story of a Herefordshire Independent" - Omnibus Society, 1977. A picture shows the vehicle loading at Hereford Bus Station.
Mike Grant
26/08/11 - 07:31
Well David, as the old saying goes, you learn something new every day. It looks like your comment was spot on as well, with Mike confirming the coach as a Tiger PS1 after all!
Brendan Smith
26/08/11 - 08:52
Allan.. It would be interesting to see a current picture of the coach if at all possible. I did a Google Image Search for Wye Valley Motors and found several coaches all owned by them at around the same time and "HCJ" registered. It seems they had a bit of a spending spree on some very nice vehicles! Sadly HCJ 275 is not photographed but there are some pictures at this link. Could "275" be the one wading through the floods? It seems HCJ 583 at least has survived into preservation.
Richard Leaman
26/08/11 - 14:24
The third photograph at the Wye Valley site looks to be the now preserved HVJ 583. It's recorded as a PS2 from May 1951 and interestingly the fleet arrival before, HVJ 444, was the last of their new PS1/1s delivered in March. HVJ 583's Harrington body is similar to that on HCJ 275 and distinguishable by the curved beading under the driver's screen. The flood victim has a horizontal beading there and looks similar to a TS7/Duple C32F pictured in the OS publication. There are several other bodywork identifications. It's impossible to be conclusive but it may be VJ 9957 which ran with Wye Valley from 1937 to 1953.
Mike Grant
10/12/11 - 09:06
Reference to discussion on your site dated 20/8/11 entitled ‘Leyland Coach’, I attach two photos of the above vehicle taken at Low Farm, Alvely sometime in 2006 which were requested by Richard Leaman.
My apologies for the delay in replying.
Allan Machon
11/12/11 - 11:27
Allan. Thank you for the pictures! I suppose the next question is how have the following 5/6 years treated it? Whilst complete it looks fairly rusty standing out in a damp farm yard and might have had flood damage in 2007 so has it been saved or is it still there slowing dying? I'm sure the expert readers here will know.
Richard Leaman
15/12/11 - 06:32
The definitive record of half cab coaches in preservation has HCJ 275 a Leyland PS2 with Harrington Fin tail Coachwork as being removed from a farm in Worcestershire in c2000 and being beyond economic restoration, was taken to Essex to be broken up for spares.
Are you sure the photographs were taken in 2006
Mr Anon
01/07/14 - 07:05
The photo of the Tiger in the floods on the link above (26/08/11 - 08:52 - Richard Leaman) was taken in 1947 in St Martin Street Hereford it is VJ 9957, I know this is accurate as my father Wally Morgan was the driver.
David Morgan
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