Good evening everyone
I would like to dedicate this post to four double deckers which once spent time in Plymouth.
335 - DJY 965 (Crossley DD42-5)
The situation following the Second World War, and in particular for the transport Department of Plymouth City Council, was that it found itself having to find, and quickly, replacement vehicles for those lost during the blitz. Even maintenance to the remaining serviceable members of the fleet must have also presented challenges, and by no means was Plymouth alone in facing a problem that really called for a major fleet replacement scheme.
Plymouth seemingly could call on its special relationship with Leyland for the vast number of double deckers required as new stock, and even a few pre-war examples were rebodied, but the Transport Department could only form part of a huge queue nationally. Orders could be placed, but would take many months to complete.
To address this problem, operators affected turned to other than their favourite suppliers and made what was known as “Distress Orders”. With Plymouth City Transport then, an order was placed with Crossley Motors of Manchester for twenty-five DD42/5 double decks.
However the rate of delivery was no quicker than with the Leyland PD2`s with only six arriving at Milehouse by May 1948, taking up fleet numbers 331-6 and registered DJY 961-6, positioning them amongst the aforementioned PD2/1's.
When placed in service their low power became evident to the extent they were confined to routes 23 and 24 to Mount Gould and Beaumont Road, being the least testing on the system, and records inform us that the balance of the order, nineteen, were cancelled, to be replaced by a further batch of Leyland PD2`s. It is interesting to note that the second batch of these delivered the following year were numbered 351 – 370 (EJY 351–70), numbered exactly.... nineteen!
The policy of P.C.T. in those days was to obtain fifteen years revenue earning service at a minimum, but the Crossley`s were kept less the ten, with all six being withdrawn by March 1958, and this was after being rebuilt at Milehouse during 1954-5. 335 was amongst those being taken by dealer Connorton of London, S.W. 9 later that year, with a resale to J. Best, operating as Best`s Coaches, of Great Bromley in October 1958. For whatever reason its stay there was not long, in 1959 it was in the hands of another dealer.
From there the situation began to improve. Quite a large operator, R.G., W.G. & T. Wesley trading as Wesley`s Coach Services of Stoke Goldington, Bucks, was the next owner, who had a panache for Crossley`s, and in that regard four of the original six were reunited under their ownership, (331/3/5/6) with 335, now no. 26, lasting in service, following modernisation with the fitting of platform doors, until July 1966. Further use for it was found as a seat store for another three years but it was derelict by June 1975. Even then there was a reluctance to let our friend depart and she remained in Wesley’s yard until returning to the West Country at Winkleigh during April 1979 in the capable hands of Paul Tucker who also obtained DJY 961 known to us as the ex 331.
A major refurbishment followed with 335 emerging more or less in the condition she entered P.C.T. service in 1948. Interestingly, although parts from 331 were used, some needed modification to fit, was this a result of the Milehouse rebuilding in 1954-5, or were they built as individual units by Crossley thereby extending build time and therefore delivery dates that at least in part led to the 1948 order cancellation?
Paul Tucker built up a fleet of four former Plymouth City Transport double-deckers, 335 was the last to be preserved, the other three being Leyland`s, but in 2003 decided to dispose of them all.
335`s story then continued with Ian Barlow of Sully, South Wales, and from there to the Plymouth City Transport Preservation Group on the 15th November 2014.
Regarding the fact that only 306 units of the DD42/5 variation were built, 335 is now a rarity, but then it probably always was, `Doctor Who` even shared an episode in the distant past with 335 when she appeared as an extra on a journey to Mount Gould!
A photo courtesy of the PCTPG
102 - Leyland PD2/40 (Metro-Cammel)
No info here, but here is a picture courtesy of the PCTPG
137 - Leyland Atlantean (Metro-Cammel)
The Oldest Surviving Plymouth Atlantean
Leyland Atlantean 137 was delivered on 23rd June 1960 and entered service one day later on the 24th June. It was part of the very first batch of Leyland Atlanteans to be delivered to Plymouth Corporation, being given fleet numbers 121-138 (TCO521-538 respectively). It was fitted with the trend setting mark 4 metal construction body from M.C.W. giving a seating capacity of 77 seats. This was a major increase in seating from previous orders of Leyland Titan PD2 traditional half-cab buses, which only gave 56 seats.
These new style of buses were very revolutionary at the time but they would be met with a mixed reception from both bus crews and public alike. It seems remarkable now that there were passengers still going to the back of the new Atlantean at bus stops because they were so used to jumping on and off the rear open platforms of the Leyland Titans that were the mainstay of the Plymouth fleet until 1960. There were also issues between bus crews as to whose job it was to open the door on the new Atlanteans! Even passengers moaning that there wasn't enough fresh air while having the door shut all the time!
However, both the local undertaking and the council recognised that these vehicles would be the way forward and would become major buyers of these enduring buses for years to come. Also, one man operation would not be too far off the horizon either.
137 was placed into service on popular main road routes 12 and 13 just after delivery in June 1960 and remained on these routes until January 1966. It would be displaced by the newer batch of Atlanteans just delivered, those being 201-205 (DDR201/2C and DDR203-5D).
137 was converted to departmental use as a driver trainer during April 1976 and was repainted into a special livery of white, yellow and red. It was then subsequently received a repaint of white, yellow and maroon during May 1979 and was also given the special departmental use fleet number of 7545 at this time.
It was repainted one final time in October 1983, into the standard red and cream Plymouth Citybus livery. It finished its long service with the undertaking by being used as an enquiry office and drivers/inspectors control vehicle on Royal Parade and also at Bretonside Bus Station. It also had bottled gas heaters fitted in the lower saloon in March 1985 with a cage being fitted to house the gas bottles.
During April 1987, 7545 was renumbered yet again, this time being given fleet number 903 and not long after it was also re-registered WSV 980 in April 1988.
It was finally taken out of service in March 1989 and sold to Jameson (dealer), Exeter in April 1989 and was subsequently sold for preservation to Alan Shepherd in July 1989. It was just days away from being broken up when Alan saved the bus for preservation. It had been modified for its latter use and fitted with some tables and had some of its surviving seats changed back to front. As luck would have it a former Park Royal bodied Plymouth Atlantean PDR2/1, fleet no. 6 (NDR 506J), would be returned to Milehouse and would eventually be scrapped, and it was this bus that would donate most of its remaining seats to aid the restoration of 137.
The group's Chairman, Ralph Delbridge, decided to purchase the bus and return 137 to its rightful place back in the City of Plymouth. After a long journey from Darlington, 137 finally arrived back at Milehouse exactly 20 years after it left on Sunday 5th April 2009.
Another photo courtesy of the PCTPG
458 - Leyland Atlantaen (Metro-Cammel)
"Plymouth Adventurer"
WJY758 was part of the third batch of Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland Atlantean PDR 1/1s for Plymouth City Transport, which consisted of numbers 149-160 (WJY749-760). It was delivered to Milehouse depot on Tuesday 14th August 1962, as fleet number 158, costing just £2,995!
It wore the company’s standard livery of Orient red with an ivory stripe above the lower deck windows and carried large tramway style fleet numbers on the front and sides with smaller white numbers on the rear. It entered service with a driver and conductor on Saturday 1st September, 1962.
On 17th September 1962, 158 was involved in an incident while on service 25 whereby a Mrs. Warren’s stockings were torn on a seat. A month later on 8th October 1962, around 9am, it collided with a bus stop in Crownhill while on service 12.
After 13 years, in April 1975, it was converted to open-top, along with 159 (WJY759) and later,160 (WJY760). They were fitted with brackets for destination boards to be carried on the front and rear before being repainted into Lemon Chrome yellow and white livery with crimson lining (later repainted with Orient red lining) and all three were named. 158 was named “PLYMOUTH ADVENTURER” which was the name chosen by pupils of Class 3 East of St. Peters Church of England Secondary School, Wyndham Square in Plymouth. 159 was named “THE SPIRIT OF PLYMOUTH” and 160 became “GOLDEN HIND”.
The 3 open-toppers were put to work on Sunday 8th June 1975, on a new summer special service 53 between Stonehouse (Western King) and Bovisand via the City Centre, replacing Western National's service 62. The number 53 was a resurrection of old old '53' from 1958 which operated between Bretonside Bus Station and R.A.F. Mount Batten.
They also covered for the open-top 1956 Leyland Titan no. 358 (MCO658) on service 54, the Sea-front Circular via The Barbican and The Hoe. In 1975 the adult single fare for the new service from Stonehouse to Bovisand was just 22p!
The hourly service was extremely popular and was soon increased to half-hourly and even this had to be supplemented by ordinary closed-top buses during the busy school summer holidays. Very often 3 or more buses were required for the last journey back to Plymouth.
At 12:45 on 8th June 1975, the driver reversed 158 into a parked car at Bovisand while on service 53.
The 3 open-toppers were also used on Dockyard and Industrial specials during the acute vehicle shortages of 1978 - even during the winter months! 158 had vinyls applied over its livery, advertising Plymouth Sound local radio station.
All 3 were driven to Epsom for Derby Day horseracing in 1979 and 1980. And in 1980, they were renumbered 458, 459 and 460, to make way for the new East Lancs bodied Atlanteans being delivered to Plymouth.
By 1982 the final conductors were being phased out at Plymouth City Transport, and 458 was modified for one-man operation in November 1981 – one of the last buses in the whole fleet to be done. As a result, 458 was fitted with a three-piece rear engine bustle incorporating new tail, reversing and indicator lights, a Bell Punch coin vault and Setright motor was fitted next to the drivers cab (for the fares collected), a “Pay as You Enter” illuminated sign was fitted to the front above the nearside headlight, and a periscope was fitted enabling the driver to view the upper deck. The work meant that from the start of the 1982 summer season, 458, 459 and 460 would be operated by just a driver.
In 1982, the Plymouth bus network was the subject of a major market analysis project which resulted in big changes to the routes operated. At the launch of the new services, Plymouth City Transport adopted a new livery and new Plymouth CityBus fleetnames. 458 received a repaint in 1984 into a new yellow and white livery based on the standard version of the red and cream used on the main fleet of buses. The “PLYMOUTH ADVENTURER” name was also applied to the side of 458 – above the drivers cab window and above the front entrance door – along with newer gold leaf style fleet numbers and a new Plymouth CityBus fleetname.
In May 1989, 458 received a new livery of white and purple, with various logos promoting Plymouth’s tourist attractions. But by 1991 458 was facing an uncertain future. Guide Friday had taken over the open-top service around the Barbican and The Hoe, which had now become The Plymouth Tour, using drivers provided by Plymouth CityBus, and the summer service 53 to Bovisand transferred to Western National, who renumbered it 17 and used ordinary stage carriage buses. Guide Friday brought in their own fleet of buses for The Plymouth Tour, and 458 was withdrawn from service in June 1991 after 29 years serving the people of Plymouth.
458 was subsequently sold to J. Stephenson and C. E. Spalding of Scarborough who operated it on the Scarborough sea-front service. It was repainted yellow and blue and carried the fleet name of Shoreline Suncruisers. It subsequently found service on The Whitby Tour, in a two-tone blue livery, and then finally The York Tour in a blue, ivory and green livery before being impounded by Ebor Trucks of Acaster Malbis for non-payment of repair work carried out.
By September 2003, the original Leyland O.600 engine had already been replaced by a more powerful O.680 but 458 had been left uncovered in the open yard at Ebor trucks for 18 months when it was examined by members of Keighley Bus Museum Trust, who were searching for a suitable open-top double decker. Keighley Bus Museum Trust Chairman, Graham Mitchell, bought the much travelled and much neglected Atlantean, on the 27th September 2003.
458 was subsequently sold to J. Stephenson and C. E. Spalding of Scarborough who operated it on the Scarborough sea-front service. It was repainted yellow and blue and carried the fleet name of Shoreline Suncruisers. It subsequently found service on The Whitby Tour, in a two-tone blue livery, and then finally The York Tour in a blue, ivory and green livery before being impounded by Ebor Trucks of Acaster Malbis for non-payment of repair work carried out.
It was repainted into a burgundy and cream livery, as carried by Keighley Corporation Tramways at the time it taken over by the West Yorkshire Road Car Company in 1932 and was given the fleet number of 59.
In 2009 Graham decided it was time the bus deserved a quieter life – by now it was 47 years of age – and decided the best future it could possibly have would be back in its original city of Plymouth.
At the end of the summer season of 2009 the bus was sold to Paul Furse and with the help and support of the Plymouth City Transport Preservation Group the bus was brought home to Plymouth where it regained Plymouth City Transport fleetnames, and its former fleet number 458.
Today 458 still carries Keighley Corporation Tramways burgundy and cream livery but during its refurbishment it is to be repainted into the yellow and white livery it wore when operated by Plymouth City Transport. This will only happen after a replacement engine is fitted, as the current one is knocking and liable to failure at any time, and the upper deck floor and seats, all of which are rotten, have been replaced. The bus will also be reunited with its original “PLYMOUTH ADVENTURER” nameplate which had adorned 137 (TCO537) when it was purchased by Ralph Delbridge in 2009.
Again, courtesy of the PCTPG is a photo of then 158
Also, many thanks to PCTPG, especially Ralph Delbridge, for allowing me to use the information above
