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OC527 1933 BCT Bus Morris Commercial Imperial and its Collection

Morris Commercial buses with BCT were not greatly successful. The Transport Department dabbled with a few other bus chassis and body builders around the 1930/31 period possibly as an alternative to the AEC and Guy marques which had been most of the recent purchases. I believe there was a feeling that local industries should be patronised, if possible, and the new Morris Commercial plant at Adderley Park, quite close to the Metro Cammell works at Saltley, must have been quite well thought about in the cities corridors of power. The big recession of the mid 1920's was only just recovering.
Initially, in 1931, 10 Dictator saloons were ordered, OV 4081 - 90, which were withdrawn between 1942/5 and four more, in 1933 - OJ 9347 - 9350 and withdrawn 1945. These buses did not have a heavy use but many saloon buses did act as ambulances during WW2.
The next orders were for double deckers. Three buses Morris Commercial Imperials OC 504/5/6, each having a different body builder arrived in 1934; all three were soon withdrawn; 504 in 1942, 505 in 1941 and 506 in 1939. Due to them being one -off's wartime spares availability seemed to shorten their lives. Notwithstanding another 47 of the Morris Commercial Imperials were ordered and went into service in 1933. Withdrawals commenced in 1939 and the last in June 1947. Many of them were stored during WW2 so sadly, for a true 'Brummie' bus chassis and bodies made in the city) they were not a good investment for the Transport department.
Sadly Bob, I do not know the fleet number of the last one.
The stored buses, I believe, in times of desperation show themselves on the streets boy only occasionally. However the store buses bodies did become useful due to bomb damage on some of the working fleet. The tock decks of the following buses were removed and fitted on to the badly damaged vehicles.
COH 912 (912) Daimler COG5 received the top deck from OC 532 (532) in 1941
COH 927 (927) " " " " " " " OC 520 (520) in 1940
the body from 927 was fitted to 926 in 1946
FOF 281 (1281) Leyland T6c received the top deck from OC 536 in 1941 after the bombing of Hockley garage.
FOF 282 (1283) " " " " " " " OC 553 " " " " " " " "
The Morris Commercial Imperials had a more pronounced rake to the front upper deck and whilst the new top deck sat reasonably comfortable on the Daimlers they sure looked ugly on the Leylands.
This info is from my archives rather than memory as these vehicles are not within my travelling experience. :D
There are, however, two Morris Commercial buses at Wythall; OV 4090, one of thee 1931 saloons and OC 527 which is the one in the title of this thread.

https://www.wythall.org.uk/wm.asp
 
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Morris Commercial buses with BCT were not greatly successful. The Transport Department dabbled with a few other bus chassis and body builders around the 1930/31 period possibly as an alternative to the AEC and Guy marques which had been most of the recent purchases. I believe there was a feeling that local industries should be patronised, if possible, and the new Morris Commercial plant at Adderley Park, quite close to the Metro Cammell works at Saltley, must have been quite well thought about in the cities corridors of power. The big recession of the mid 1920's was only just recovering.
Initially, in 1931, 10 Dictator saloons were ordered, OV 4081 - 90, which were withdrawn between 1942/5 and four more, in 1933 - OJ 9347 - 9350 and withdrawn 1945. These buses did not have a heavy use but many saloon buses did act as ambulances during WW2.
The next orders were for double deckers. Three buses Morris Commercial Imperials OC 504/5/6, each having a different body builder arrived in 1934; all three were soon withdrawn; 504 in 1942, 505 in 1941 and 506 in 1939. Due to them being one -off's wartime spares availability seemed to shorten their lives. Notwithstanding another 47 of the Morris Commercial Imperials were ordered and went into service in 1933. Withdrawals commenced in 1939 and the last in June 1947. Many of them were stored during WW2 so sadly, for a true 'Brummie' bus chassis and bodies made in the city) they were not a good investment for the Transport department.
Sadly Bob, I do not know the fleet number of the last one.
The stored buses, I believe, in times of desperation show themselves on the streets boy only occasionally. However the store buses bodies did become useful due to bomb damage on some of the working fleet. The tock decks of the following buses were removed and fitted on to the badly damaged vehicles.
COH 912 (912) Daimler COG5 received the top deck from OC 532 (532) in 1941
COH 927 (927) " " " " " " " OC 520 (520) in 1940
the body from 927 was fitted to 926 in 1946
FOF 281 (1281) Leyland T6c received the top deck from OC 536 in 1941 after the bombing of Hockley garage.
FOF 282 (1283) " " " " " " " OC 553 " " " " " " " "
The Morris Commercial Imperials had a more pronounced rake to the front upper deck and whilst the new top deck sat reasonable comfortable on the Daimlers they sure looked ugly on the Leylands.
This info is from my archives rather than memory as these vehicles are not within my travelling experience. :D
There are, however, two Morris Commercial buses at Wythall; OV 4090, one of thee 1931 saloons and OC 527 which is the one in the title of this thread.

https://www.wythall.org.uk/wm.asp
Many thanks
Bob
 
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