Does anyone know the current location or status of the ex-Sunderland Blagg-bodied Crossley Alpha GR 7100 that is supposed to be still in existence in the Reading/Maidenhead area?
Norman Lowe
28/10/12 - 09:20
If it's the one I'm thinking about, it's still unrestored but in very safe, dry storage, along with fellow-Crossley Reading 85 (ERD 154) among many other preserved buses. It even has a spare (indirect-injection) engine, which miraculously turned up about 12 years ago.
Ian Thompson
28/10/12 - 10:12
The N.E.B.P.T. Ltd have GR 7100 recorded as part of their collection, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's somewhere in the North East of England. The vehicles are all privately owned and no details are given as to where they are stored. The details are listed as Blagg bodied 1947 Crossley Mancunion number 22 in the Sunderland Corporation fleet, and they have it as currently awaiting restoration, but rest assured it seems to be in safe hands.
Ronnie Hoye
28/10/12 - 11:52
There are two NEBPT lists of preserved vehicles coming up on the net. On one dated 29/2/12 the above vehicle is shown as a 1947 Crossley Mancunian, but on another one dated only two days later it is correctly shown as a 1939 Crossley Alpha. Incidentally, the NEBPT lists not only feature vehicles preserved by the trust or its members, but also any currently preserved which have ever operated in the North East - GR 7100 is clearly shown on at least one of the lists as being preserved by other than NEBPT and its membership.
You can find a photo of similar bus 23 (GR 7101), when it was new, at this link:- www.east-durham.co.uk/
David Call
29/10/12 - 06:40
I found the revised N.E.B.P.T list that David mentions, and the information does differ from the first. According to the second list, three Sunderland Corporation Crossley's are still around in various states of repair. In order of age they are GR 7100 No22 a 1939 Blagg B32F bodied Alpha which is currently in Maidenhead and awaiting restoration. GR 9007 No13 a 1947 DD42/3 with Crossley H30/26R body this has been fully restored and is in Essex, and ABR 433 No100 a 1949 DD42/7C this one is in the Gateshead area and is undergoing restoration.
Ronnie Hoye
30/10/12 - 07:20
Thanks for all these responses. I'd seen the NEBPT site with its information that the bus still existed but I was afraid it might be mouldering away somewhere, particularly since I'd seen on eBay a photo of it apparently in an outside location. So it's very encouraging to hear that it's in safe dry storage and fantastic that there's even a spare engine. Surely this is a very important vehicle for a number of reasons, including being the only Sunderland-bodied bus that I'm aware of.
Norman Lowe
30/10/12 - 15:02
Yesterday I rang Graham Green (GR 7100's owner since 1977) to get my facts right.
The spare indirect-injection engine, acquired from somewhere in Northern Ireland, is apparently pretty worn but will serve as a source of spares. The engine the bus came with was originally indirect-injection but was converted at some time during or just after the war to direct injection, with flowerpot cavities in the piston crown as found in the Leyland 8.6 and in a few AEC 8.8s, such as the ex-Michael Dryhurst prewar Brighton Regent.
Graham plans mechanical work to get the bus into reasonable running condition. The body needs a good deal of work, but it's not deteriorating in any way. Sunderland can be proud to have 3 surviving Crossleys!
Ian Thompson
30/10/12 - 15:08
There are at least two ACB-bodied vehicles still in existence - both Albion CX39Ns new to Economic of Whitburn. There may be others, I really don't know.
Weren't ACB from Sunderland?
David Call
30/10/12 - 17:41
Better and better! ACB were indeed the successors to Blagg and I didn't know that, two ACB-bodied buses existed though I've now found pics on the web. I only remember the Economic buses from my childhood and didn't see much of their coaches.
And brilliant to hear that the owner intends to restore this bus which from the pics I've seen would look great in its red and cream livery.
I agree that Sunderland should be proud of its Crossleys and I have vivid memories of both series of their double deckers.
Norman Lowe
Comments regarding the above are more than welcome please get in touch via the 'Contact Page' or by email at obp-admin@nwframpton.com
All rights to the design and layout of this website are reserved
Old Bus Photos from Saturday 25th April 2009 to Wednesday 3rd January 2024