Roberts bodied buses

I am interested in Glasgow Corporation buses which were bodied by Charles Roberts (1948/9 till about 1950/1). In addition to any Factory pictures of the buses being built, I am looking for interior pictures of the buses. Anything on Charles Roberts bodied buses is of interest to me as I think that they were distinctive looking well built buses. Hoping you can help or suggest some books etc.

Les Forbes

Charles Roberts was a Wakefield company who built railway rolling stock Like many firms they saw a niche for bus bodywork and built for a number of municipal operators including Colchester and Darlington. Their bodywork was quite heavy and most operators only bought one batch. One interesting group of vehicles built by them was Sheffields last trams which were among the last new double deck cars produced in quantity in the UK Roberts eventually became part of Bombardier

Chris Hough

Maybe you have already discovered this Roberts advertisement from 1947 showing a Glasgow Albion Venturer http://www.flickr.com/photos/36844288@N00/3615002118/
Also the following link has a list of the Roberts Albions supplied to Glasgow (24 CX14s in 1947 and 40 CX37Ss in 1949). http://www.semple.biz/glasgow/bus%20fleet.shtml
They also supplied my home city of Nottingham - 15 Daimler CVD6s (280-294, KTV 280-294) in 1948, and 41 AEC Regent IIIs (301-341, KTV 301-341) in 1949. The Daimlers were 7ft 6 in wide bodies, but the AECs were Nottingham's first 8ft wide vehicles. The AECs lasted until the mid 1960s. Lovely vehicles.

Stephen Ford

19/02/11

Roberts bodied a few single deckers in addition to the double deckers, for which they are probably better known. In total they bodied 10 Foden single deckers. Six of these were bought new by Strachans Deeside Omnibus Service from Ballater, later to be joined by a number of second hand Foden coaches, which between them maintained Strachans' services along Deeside between Aberdeen and Ballater & Braemar. The others went to Lovat Raine, Cowdenbeath; Turner, Kelso; Young, Kelty (one each - all Scottish owners), whilst another bus went to Osmonds, Curry Rivel in Somerset - most peculiar, as all the others were Scottish owned. It is believed that all were supplied through the Edinburgh dealer, Bowen.

Peter Tulloch

20/02/11

Charles Roberts was at Horbury Junction and the factory ended up as a Bombardier plant until closure in 2003/4. The last vehicles built there were Virgin Cross Country Voyagers and Super Voyagers, whilst the last contract was for refurbishment of GNER's Mark IV coaching stock.
On the tram front as well as the Sheffield cars already referred to there were the Coronation cars for Blackpool. These were heavy - a common trait with Roberts products probably as a result of their heavy rail background.

Some other examples of Roberts bodies are those on Daimler chassis supplied to Accrington 123-126 (LTB 204/7) which had been diverted from Colchester. W. Gash at Newark had a couple and one of them was, I believe, the last Roberts-bodied bus in service. Above is a (slightly shaky) interior view of that bus (DD6 KNN 959) on a tour on 19th May 1974 which helps give some of the atmosphere of these vehicles.
Leigh also had an unusual fleet of Roberts bodies on AEC Regent III (12) and Leyland PD2 (6) chassis. Registered in one block they were confusing to the enthusiasts as they were numbered in DESCENDING order!

David Beilby

20/02/11

That is a very nice internal photo David. What does it say on the flywheel cover?

Chris Hebbron

21/02/11

Here for Les are two interior views of GWY 157, the Roberts bodied AEC Regent III bought by Samuel Ledgard from the equally splendid independent operator Felix of Hatfield near Doncaster. The pictures are very sad for me, as I took them at Yeadon depot on Saturday 14th October 1967 - the last day of Ledgard operation - and 157 was not required that day and had therefore run its last super quality journey for the dear old firm. Although new in 1948 the vehicle positively exuded prewar style, dignity, and top class construction.

A very atmospheric view of GWY 157 in action in Leeds - our subject is prominent in the picture, but also reflects the colours of the main service providers north of the River Aire in those days. Entering Templar Street in a manner which nowadays would attract a "One Way Street" penalty is a West Yorkshire Bristol L, while a splendid Leeds City Transport Roe bodied PD3, Mark V Regent or CVG6LX pauses at the erstwhile ABC Ritz cinema on one of the many cross city north - south services. GWY 157 looks particularly immaculate, and is leaving Vicar Lane Bus Station (also "erstwhile" now) on the route to Rawdon taken over jointly with WYRCC on the death of Mr. G.F.Tate in the dark days of WW2 in 1943

Chris Youhill

07/05/12 - 11:02

I do not have any Glasgow examples, however I do have Sheffield examples in photos bought from R H G Simpson.
Attached are views of two which I used extensively on my home route, the 83 to Birley. They were based at Leadmill Road garage for much of their life. They are on Regent III chassis, date from 1948, and were disposed of 1962/3. I have pics of the Roberts-bodied trams also but have not included those as they are pictured in many publications already.

Les Dickinson

12/11/12 - 15:42

Chris Hebbron, the script on the bellhousing cover simply read Roberts.
Hope this is of help.

Roger Broughton

16/02/14 - 10:52

Roberts also re-bodied vehicles after WW2. At least five Leeds City Transport AEC Regents of 1932 vintage were done circa 1945/46 possibly more.
In addition, they supplied tram bodies to the Mohammed Ali Tram company (need correct citation) in Karachi around 1950/51 these were diesel or diesel electric powered, very heavy and very similar in appearance to Blackpool's 304-328 "Spivs" of 1952/54

D. A. Young

13/08/14 - 07:10

They also renovated the sagging bodies of some London Transport buses in the late '40's.

Chris Hebbron

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