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Birmingham buses

Your right about the infrequent BCT B85 journeys David. Classed as a 'balancing' trip I believe. I also think the Red did operate an occasional B80 - 83 also as a balance.
The picture actually is not a BCT bus on the B85 but a display on the preserved Daimler COG5 CVP 207 (1107) which is at the transport Museum, Wythall. The bus is 80 years old!
A great photo anyway.
 
Stitcher said:
View attachment 119998
Although I did about ten years bus driving, Midland red mainly and a shorter time on West Mids, I do not recall ever being in close proximity to one of these vehicles.
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There was one of these stationed at Harborne depot.
I did several week ends at Harborne, overtime covering for staff shortages. Easy work, a bit of refueling, parking up, answering the phone etc.
The Matador stood silent and imposing just waiting to go, a beautifully kept machine.
I did get to ride in it from Longbridge to Selly Oak when we had to call it out to tow a dead 'un back to depot. Later i came to regret we never had one at Selly Oak, had we done so i proberbly would have got to drive it, instead of the converted Daimler COG 5 Lorry 19 we used for towing.
 
oldMohawk said:
Buses in various locations.
JOJ935~0.jpg

6582356447_fca3f41ac0_b.jpg

6582332681_0fd2062ab4_b.jpg

6582315389_4521c05b36_b.jpg
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JOJ 935. Thats how a BCT Guy Arab should look, with its Red Indian,its Brum coat of arms, its BCT winged emblem on the bonnet side and the GUY name on the grill.!
 
oldMohawk said:
More buses in various locations
Somewhere in Harborne
Harbourne.jpg

Baldwins Lane?
baldwins.jpg

It has 'Aston Cross' on the destination blind
6257778857_524059717d_b.jpg

On it's way to the Pheasey ...
6235847348_52527f31a0_o.jpg

The Post Office tower is in the pic.
6076965170_552656836d_b.jpg


6262009480_aa0fbbe5f4_b_28229.jpg

An ex Coventry Bus (possibly) and its on a 'Ring' road, see sign on lamp post ...
6385890031_5f953cfa50_b.jpg

JOJ 780 at Whittington Oval, Yardley terminus.
5817599041_8078821ab1_b.jpg
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The first one alongside the now demolished 'Duke of York' Top of the High St on the Outer Circle
2 nd definitely 'The Baldwin.'
 
pyewacket947 said:
JOJ 935. Thats how a BCT Guy Arab should look, with its Red Indian,its Brum coat of arms, its BCT winged emblem on the bonnet side and the GUY name on the grill.!
Click to expand...
Never thought of it at the time...a GUY ARAB with a Red Indian Logo, strange...
Dave A
 
From the Guy Motors Society web site:
Sometime in the 1920 Guy’s adopted the "Feathers in our Cap" slogan, with the Red Indian head following somewhat later.
 
pyewacket947 said:
There was one of these stationed at Harborne depot.
I did several week ends at Harborne, overtime covering for staff shortages. Easy work, a bit of refueling, parking up, answering the phone etc.
The Matador stood silent and imposing just waiting to go, a beautifully kept machine.
I did get to ride in it from Longbridge to Selly Oak when we had to call it out to tow a dead 'un back to depot. Later i came to regret we never had one at Selly Oak, had we done so i proberbly would have got to drive it, instead of the converted Daimler COG 5 Lorry 19 we used for towing.
Click to expand...

Blimey, that Matador has come a long way from the Gun Tractor I
remember in the 50s !
 
Saw this modern bus in Stratford-upon-Avon with Stratford Blue livery



Stagecoach and the Omnibus Society celebrate Stratford Blue

Stagecoach, in conjunction with the Omnibus Society, has honoured the heritage of Stratford-upon-Avon’s bus transport network by unveiling an Alexander Dennis Enviro400-bodied Scania N230UD painted in historic Stratford Blue livery.

Stratford Blue started operations as Stratford-upon-Avon Motor Services on 1 April 1927 using a blue Chevrolet LM with 14-seat Allen body, licence plate UE 3403, bearing the name Stratford-on-Avon. The service linked the town with Shottery and Alveston, with the first journey leaving at 08.15 to Shottery, driven by Frank Hirons. The company grew over the years, developing services to the likes of Redditch and Chipping Norton, as well as many other locations. 1 April 2017 was therefore the 90th anniversary of the inauguration of Stratford Blue.

The company ran for 44 years and 9 months, ending its operation on 31 December 1970, after two years as a National Bus Company subsidiary. The following day it was absorbed into Midland Red, whose successor today in this area is Stagecoach Midlands.

To mark the occasion, and also to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Omnibus Society’s Midland Branch, Stagecoach has painted Scania Enviro 400 15675 in traditional Stratford Blue livery, which will also wear a special plaque in recognition of the Omnibus Society’s achievements over this time.
Click to expand...
 
maypolebaz said:
Blimey, that Matador has come a long way from the Gun Tractor I
remember in the 50s !
Click to expand...

ex Service Matadors sold in their hundreds after demob. Quite a few ended up as recovery vehicles with bus operators and garages. They where also extremely well suited to the timber industry.
Most of the ex RAF Matadors where 6 wheelers, many being ex refueling tankers. Jabez Barker of Shrewsbury used a 6x6 as a logger. Showland was also another big user of these wonderful machines, simple,sturdy and docile.!
 
No people on the streets in this pic of a sunny afternoon in mid 1960s Birmingham as BON 532C pulls away from the bus stop. Snow Hill station on the right and Greys in the background.
BON532C1966.jpg
 
Bob Davis said:
What a fine
Click to expand...
I pressed the wrong button!!, What it should have read is what a fine picture and how well the old colours suit the bus design. Who needs all these swooshes and multi-coloured 'barbies', this is what a bus should look like. I do like the new first dot matrixes as being used on the 144 route however, very clear.
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
I pressed the wrong button!!, What it should have read is what a fine picture and how well the old colours suit the bus design. Who needs all these swooshes and multi-coloured 'barbies', this is what a bus should look like. I do like the new first dot matrixes as being used on the 144 route however, very clear.
Bob
Click to expand...

I agree about the colours, this looks great.
Most modern colour schemes on PSVs look like the result of someones drug induced nightmare.
 
Arriva buses such as this on in Llandudno are normally in this turquoise livery.



In the Midlands they have the 110 from Tamworth to Birmingham.

This one last year at the Bus Bash.

 
Didn't say that you could Photoshop fix it! Not that it was a problem! You appear to have changed the colours a bit!
 
Pictures of a bus which changed colour.
5277HA in the early 1960s with Midland Red colours. It was also fitted with an illuminated advert panel.
XMidlandRed.jpg

5277HA in the mid 1970s with it's new colours. The illuminated advert panel was out of use.
Dark5277HAWM.jpg
 
thanks for that info david...i was only talking about the midland red colour a few days back...my son said he thinks the new livery will only be on certain routes..be nice to see the colours on post 1375 back

lyn
 
JOJ 506 pulling away from a stop in Snow Hill. Demolition can be seen behind the bus. Howards Restaurant and Perry Rings have gone and the Samuel Thornley building is empty ready for demolition.
SnowHillThornley1.jpg
 
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JOJ 506 (2506), new in 1950 lasting until 1969. An all Crossley built bus. Note the lack of marker tapes and brightly coloured barriers. One gets the impression that people were more conscious of their surroundings and had more gumption. That was before the 'nanny state' took over some of their mental faculties. :eek:
 
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