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Birmingham Buses Part 2

I love to see pictures of old buses and coaches, don't remember BCT having many single deck vehicles or am i mistaken?
 
In the fifties BCT had half cab Leylands 2231-2260 most based at Selly Oak for the 27 service which went under two low bridges. 2261-2265 were Leyland Atlanteans all based at Selly Oak except 2261 which worked on the Airport Service. The drivers didn't like the Atlanteans which they said were difficult to drive.
 
hockley 1.jpghockley.jpg

Does anyone remember this arson attack on these buses in Hockley depot ?
and what fate they received or was they repaired and put back into service ?
ragga :crushed:
 
Novelty said:
In the fifties BCT had half cab Leylands 2231-2260 most based at Selly Oak for the 27 service which went under two low bridges. 2261-2265 were Leyland Atlanteans all based at Selly Oak except 2261 which worked on the Airport Service. The drivers didn't like the Atlanteans which they said were difficult to drive.
Click to expand...

2261-5 were Leyland Olympics, chassisless integrally built buses with underfloor engines. Atlanteans were the rear engined double deckers from Leyland.

Here's Birmingham Atlantean 3240 (240 DOC) entering Newhall Hill from The Parade, and Olympic 2262 (JOJ 262) at Pool Farm terminus.

View attachment 749633240 240 DOC c.jpg2262 JOJ 262 Pool Farm terminus.jpg

[Don't know what the "attachment" is, there's nothing there.]
 
ragga said:
View attachment 74946View attachment 74947

Does anyone remember this arson attack on these buses in Hockley depot ?
and what fate they received or was they repaired and put back into service ?
ragga :crushed:
Click to expand...

2193 was found on fire in the depot, started in the upper saloon probably by a smoldering cigarette end on a seat. It was in the paper the next day, saying a driver was praised for jumping in it and backing it out of the garage before the fire spread to others, although as can be seen they were damaged. I have the cutting somewhere, packed away though.
2193 was sold for scrap, I can't remember if 2171 was repaired or not, the others were OK. You can see they were hosed down by the firemen to cool them down.
 
Sorry no Lyn, I'm moving soon and most of my books are packed away now. I think it was in the mid-1960s though.
 
thanks Lloyd its just that i have a vaugue recolection of it..lived just round the corner from hockley garage...

good luck with the move..

lyn
 
Based on my database of withdrawal info, 2193 went in 1966, so I suggest this would be the year of the fire. 2171 may have been repaired, but it also went to the scrappers the following year with most of the Leylands. 2204 was the first of this group to be withdrawn in 1965 for test purposes.
 
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Yes 2204 was fitted with a Brockhouse "Turbo Transmitter" in place of its gearbox, a sort of hydraulic automatic transmission. The lower deck front seats were turned round and faced the rest as a five-seater bench seat to cover the larger equipment wich intruded further into the bus than the original.

I have asked around and learned that 2171 was repaired, it only needed 'minor work' that included new glass and partial repaint of the affected area.
 
Thank you Lloyd and Tardebigge for the interesting info regarding the buses from the hockley fire ,
it was surprising to hear what a lighted cigarette butt up could do , and yes Lloyd i would love
to see your news cutting of the fire when you finally find the time to dig it up .
ragga :pride:
 
I remember the Leyland single deckers (PS2's?) quite well on the 27 service, with their concertina door at the front. The poor old conductors were run ragged, what with collecting fares and opening and closing the door at every stop. The conductors were nearly always getting on in years (I guess they didn't want to be drivers or didn't qualify) and knew their customers quite well. The Bournville people who used the bus were a close knit group - and still are to this day. I seem to recall that when the buses were replaced by the "Daimler BON C's" or the "Standees" some of the Leylands were used for taking special needs children to school. I believe that two of the Leylands are in preservation.
 
Great photos - especially the bus returning to Yardley Wood Garage up Yardley Wood Road and the one of Manzoni Gardens - I have been working in Victoria Square House (at the back of the old GPO in Pinfold Street) for the past couple of weeks - first time back in Town over a period of time for some years. I was having difficulty remembering exactly where Manzoni Gardens was - the photo makes it very clear!
 
The bus returning to garage up Yardley Wood Road was great, drove this bus a few times myself running back in from Baldwins Lane terminous off the 91s, with the conductor on the back seat counting his money up to save time when he got into garage.
 
3225_outside_the_Mint_Icknield_St_30-3-12.JPG 3225 seen today 30-3-2012 waiting outside the former Mint in Icknield St - The Driver, when Questioned did admit to running 'a little late - about 30 years.!'


This view caused me to do amergency stop as I emerged from Warstone Lane Cemetery this morning - he doesn't need a Bundy Clock - needs a Bundy Calender...! New Mosque just visible across the road, and the Mint is now Apartments - The nice bridge has shrunk - no wonder the driver was confused....
3225_running_on_the_inner_Circle_30-3-12.JPG
 
There were quite a few passengers on board!
I also noticed on Sunday the ldywood History Group archives were occupying a storeroom at the Social Club next to the Police Station, where my other interesty group meets - small world!

many thanks
 
So glad that some of this mark of bus has survived. It was the quintisential Birmingham type that we all rode on... with different engines. Replaced by the rear engine busses that never seem to be very old to me even though the early ones must be going on 60 years old now. If you repainted them and put them on the road around here everyone would think they were new.
 
Thanks john 70 I will try and find more , Hi Brian , the last photo i think is the no16 hamstead teminus where the number
changes to no15 on its return back to Whittington Oval ............ ragga :fat:
 
Following on from Ragga's comment above, 245 NEA was an ex West Bromwhich corporation bus now running on a Birmingham route. It is quite possible that in its West Brom days it could have been passing the same point but out on the road just to the left of the Bundy clock on the West Brom route 6 (406 in West Midlands days)
 
Cheers ragga, Lived at the 15 terminus for many years, and dated a girl near the 16 termuinus for a year - Hell of a home from town via Hamstead to Whittington oval on the bus!
Not bee to Hamstead terminus for many years - Had forgotten what it looks like!!!!
 
Key Hill Brian said:
Cheers ragga, Lived at the 15 terminus for many years, and dated a girl near the 16 termuinus for a year - Hell of a home from town via Hamstead to Whittington oval on the bus!
Not bee to Hamstead terminus for many years - Had forgotten what it looks like!!!!
Click to expand...

The no 16 now goes up the hill to the old 406 terminus so this is no longer the terminus. The buses therefore no longer use the layby. The 406 which used to run from West Brom to Hamstead via Scot Arms now goes the other way round to Scot Arms via Hamstead..
 
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