Potteries Motor Traction
1968
AEC Reliance 691 8U2RA
Alexander DP49F

SL1103 is at the Barlaston terminus of services 24/25 having worked the service from Hanley on 3rd May 1970. Barlaston was a pleasant village on the south eastern side of the Stoke conurbation, it’s main fame at that time being the nearby Wedgwood China factory. This was one of PMTs second batch of these Reliances, differing from the previous delivery in having folding doors in lieu of glider type. Both batches had low back dual purpose seating. The 8U2R chassis specification denotes coil spring suspension. The ride on these could be quite bouncy when the shock absorbers were in less than good condition.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Ian Wild

20/02/15 – 16:31

The last couple of years of its life were spent at the Newcastle under Lyme depot I loved this bus I remember one weekend on the Saturday doing express to Skegness and being relieved at Newark on the way back, I then travelled on the cushions back to Depot. Next day I took it to Blackpool on excursion. I probably drove this vehicle more than any one else whilst it was at Newcastle some one wrote in the cab "Croftys bus" another favourite
Route was express to Peterborough Saturday’s only. It was great on service as well. Happy days.

Michael Crofts

02/05/20 – 06:48

Looking at a PMT Fleetlist for May 1979 it stated that most of the Alexander Y type Reliances had AH590 engines. This begs the question, was the AH691 unreliable or was there a difficulty in obtaining spares? I recall seeing several former Maidstone & District Reliances dating from 1965 passing through the Central Works at Stoke for parts recovery and so some of the AH590 engines could have been sourced from these. Likewise at least one former North Western Reliance was received from Crosville for the same reason.

Leekensian

03/05/20 – 06:34

Could be that the fleetlist is wrong. The AH691 gradually replaced the AH590 from 1967 and by 1969 had done so completely. The 8U2R was a variant of the 6U2R – which only ever had (initially) the AH691 and (latterly) the AH760.

David Oldfield

04/05/20 – 05:46

David, the fleetlist was included in a publication issued by PMT in 1979 entitled ‘a century of public transport in North Staffordshire’. The fleetlist states that buses 1092 to 1096, 103 to 109 and 161 to 163 as 8U2R with AEH691 engines, whilst fleet numbers 164 to 173 as 6U2R with AH691 engines. However there is a footnote along side the entries stating – most have AH590 engines.

Leekensian

05/05/20 – 05:52

The 8U2R Reliance had coil spring suspension (very few built), the more common 6U2R had conventional leaf Spring suspension.

Ian Wild

05/05/20 – 05:53

Confirmation, FEH 171J fleet number 171 had a AH691 engine.

Alan Coulson

06/05/20 – 07:06

All the Alexander Y type bodied Reliances were supplied with AH691 engines. From memory, the cylinder liners in this engine were a VERY tight fit in the parent bore (figures of 20 tons needed on the press come to mind). It could be that as the engines aged, the cylinder blocks got past having new liners fitted and fitting redundant AH 590 engines in place could well have been a more economical method of keeping elderly vehicles running.

Ian Wild

Copyright Unknown

W J O Jennings
1965
Bedford SB5
Duple C41F

Here we  can see CCV 166C, a Bedford SB5 with Duple C41F body (1183/193) that was new in May 1965 together with 181 ECV, a Bedford SB1 with Duple Super Vega C41F (1105/440) new in June 1959, in the delightful orange and cream of Jennings of Bude, Cornwall. Presumably, the Duple Viceroy behind is also Jennings, and presumably also bought new. A great period picture of unknown copyright.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Les Dickinson

29/01/15 – 07:17

A lovely photograph of two nice Bedford Duple coaches. I have always thought that the Bedford SB – Duple Bella Vega was a classic design, although often overlooked by enthusiasts. It was interesting that a matching range of designs was built for the Bedford VAS (Bella Vista), SB (Bella Vega), VAM (Bella Venture) and VAL (Vega Major). The same body if fitted to a Thames Trader was known as the Trooper. Jennings eventually took over Western National’s Bude Depot and it’s services.

Don McKeown

29/01/15 – 07:18

It is probable that the third coach is RAF102G, a Bedford VAL with Duple Northern C53F body, new to WJO Jennings in March 1969. Although there were several Duple bodies delivered during the late 60s and early 70s, it is the position of the emergency exit door that indicates it was the VAL.

John Grigg

02/10/16 – 05:41

It is a VAL definitely as the wheel arch is level with the stainless steel side trim, on a VAM or YRQ the arch goes much higher up into the next panel.

Russell Price

04/10/16 – 05:25

181 ECV survives in preservation with Ron Greet. But CCV 166C is not known to survive, last tax expired 1/10/89

John Wakefield

Sheffield Corporation
1949
AEC Regent III 9612E
Craven H30/26R

A pair of withdrawn Craven bodied Regent III are evident in this picture taken on the parking area behind East Bank Garage in May 1966. Further along the row is another one with the front number plate in the raised position (presumably to reduce accidental damage). The next in line to the Cravens pair is 431, a 1950 Northern Coachbuilders bodied Regent III, note a similar bus just visible at the extreme right contrasting the grey and cream painted roofs. The same applies to the two all Leyland PD2/1 that can be seen. This area was the gathering ground for withdrawn buses pending being towed away by one of the Barnsley scrap dealers.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Ian Wild

25/01/15 – 10:57

Thanks for posting this gem Ian. As a boy, I would cycle from Birley to see the latest line-up on the roof of Eastbank garage (the journey back up could be a challenge). I’m surprised to see that the fleet numbers have not been blacked out in the traditional fashion. Any chance of a larger picture?

Les Dickinson

25/01/15 – 10:57

There is larger shot at this link.

Peter

25/01/15 – 17:39

Les, I suspect these had only recently been withdrawn. May 1966 would have been when large numbers of Atlantean PDR1/2 with Park Royal or Neepsend bodies were entering service. To the best of my knowledge fleet numbers etc were always painted out prior to collection for scrap.
Cycling up East bank Road?? No thank you!

Ian Wild

31/01/15 – 06:30

The very handsome locally built Cravens Regents were well thought of in Sheffield with some giving 18 years service in the city. Here’s 231 of the 1949 delivery looking splendid when new in the manufacturer’s official photo.

John Darwent

01/02/15 – 06:55

Today’s "stylists" and image-mongers and dreamers-up of nightmare liveries could learn a lot from this dignified vehicle.

Ian T

01/02/15 – 09:17

Oh, how I concur with your opinion, Ian. Fairly locally to me, Norfolk Green had a smart, traditionally applied livery in contrasting shades of green. Since the Stagecoach takeover the livery (and the service reliability) has plummeted to abysmal levels. The front three quarters is now a ‘swooped’ grey, followed by vestigial traces of green. The immediate impression on approach is of a military vehicle. One half expects the destination to display "Rations – No Lifts".

Roger Cox