• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Stockland Coaches

Goffy

master brummie
We always used Stockland Coaches for our day trips to Blackpool,usually to see the lights. They were based in Stockland Green
 
Welcome to the site Goffy. Here is the Old Birmingham Garages site and
it will open up at Stockland Garage where my story is posted.

Update: I have taken the link off this thread as it is no longer in operation.
 
Last edited:
The place where they used to be is now a kwik fit garage,so the theme is still there at least
 
My father was a coach driver at Stockland in the 30's, and did some continental trips. I understand some these were to the W.W.1 cemeteries and memorials for relatives. These excursions ceased at the outbreak of W.W.2. and he took employment at the G.E.C. at Witton on 11th Sept 1939.
 
Stockland Garage Ltd also took the Bearwood based Gliderways Coaches company over, according to records I have, in May 1963.

Gliderways was a company with a fine reputation for high quality coaches backed up with a high quality service. Using an attractive livery of Birch Grey with Maroon relief. It was started by Harry Morris in 1915

Probably best known for its Harrington Bodied Leylands, Many of which had the patented "Dorsal Fin" ventilation system, although the compant also used other body builders from time to time.

Prior to the 1980 coach deregulation, it was normal practice to take over other operators in order to expand, in fact this was often the only way expansion could then take place. Quite often a competitors licences where the attraction, the premises and coaches often either not included in the deal, or quickly sold on.

In the case of Gliderways take over by Stocklands this was not the case and the Bearwood company was operated as a seperate concern even the livery, the leyland coaches etc were retained, in fact no one would have known any difference.

By PSV circle records show that Gliderways aquired several local concerns itself, including:

K.Poole Ltd Smethwick (Evans coaches)
E.J.Harwood, Warley
A.W.Jones, Bearwood
J.L.Jones, Smethwick (Eclipse)

Harry Morris had a brother, Joseph, who stared another coach operation also in Bearwood trading as Bearwood Luxury Coaches (J.E. Morris and Sons Ltd)

Gliderways, unfortunatley, slowly lost its identification and is now but a memory, passing along with Stockland,s to L.F. Bowen in 1969.

Bearwood Coaches licences went to Prospect of Lye aka Watt,s of Stourbridge.
 
Hi Bill: Thanks very much for the update on Stockland Coaches and the mergers with the various coach companies back in the l960's and onwards.
It's interesting to see how things changed over the years.
 
Gliderways was allocated this wartime utility Leyland double decker, GHA 883, as they operated a works service to the Austin works during WW2. The chap who took the photo married Gliderways' traffic manager Harry Velvick's daughter. It might be Harry in the cab.
2823 HA is one of the coaches I remember them having, and travelling on the earlier ones - day trips to Weston before the M5 was built, through Worcester, Gloucester and Bristol - about 4 hours each way (including a stop at a pub on the way back!)
CHA 927 used to be a Gliderways coach before the war - probably their most impressive looking one!
 
The only Gliderways coach operated by Stocklands from Stockland green was a Harrington on a Tiger cub chassis with the usual tail fin, still retained the original paint scheme though. The only repairs ever needed (not like the Bedford VALs which were always falling to bits) was to replace the speedo cable as the speedo was always hitting the max speed stop. The driver used to slow down when the overheating warning buzzer sounded.
 
Nice model, Alf.
Here's a Gliderways Harrington bodied Leyland coach with a 'Dorsal Fin', actually part of the ventilation system. The airflow over the louvres in the fin caused an extraction effect in the saloon - useful as smoking was allowed on coaches in those days.
Can anyone identify the location of this photo? I don't think it's Birmingham, it looks a bit like Oxford Street London to me.
 
Gentleman,

I thank lloyd for posting those three pics, I have the same ones in my collection plus a few notes about their subsequent existance after leaving Gliderways.

The Decker, as LLoyd mentions, has a utility body by N.C.M.E and was to the lowbridge design on a Leyland TD7 chassis. GHA 883 was new inSeptember 1942 and was sold to L.C.W. Llandeilo in August 1950.

The Middle pic depicts one of two 30ft Leyland Tiger Cubs with Harrington Cavalier coachwork, I suspect this photo was taken after some time in service as the coach has gained wheeltrims and some additional maroon relief has been added around the windscreen. Originally this coach along with its sister 2822 HA had the maroon relief only up the the bright trim that runs down the side of the front entrance.

The pair were new to Gliderways in July 1961, I have conflicting evidence as to when they were withdrawn and who purchased them but it looks to be the 1968/9 period.

CHA 927 is quite an impressive looking coach with its three axle configuration. Construction and use regulations stipulated, at this period, that a coach over 26ft 6ins had to be on three axles and even then could not be greater than 30ft in length.
Also fitted with harrington coachwork it was new in February 1937 ,it seated 37.

The large miniature is , I suspect one of a large collection that Jeff Price owns and it clearly shows the Dorsal fin to good effect.

Thanks for those pics gents
 
Nice model, Alf.
Here's a Gliderways Harrington bodied Leyland coach with a 'Dorsal Fin', actually part of the ventilation system. The airflow over the louvres in the fin caused an extraction effect in the saloon - useful as smoking was allowed on coaches in those days.
Can anyone identify the location of this photo? I don't think it's Birmingham, it looks a bit like Oxford Street London to me.
Very pleased when smoking was banned as emptying ashtrays filled with apple cores and cigarette ends was not a pleasant job.
 
Rather nice rear view of 719 FHA Lloyd, rear views are quite rare, I suppose not many tale pics of the back end of buses(hee hee)

Anyway, this coach was sold to Charlton-on-Otmoor motor services in Oxfordshire and judging by the jpeg title on Lloyds pic this photo was taken when it was operated by them.
It has retained its "First Class Travel" which is nice to see. Maybe this picture was taken in Oxford?
This coach was aquired by Charlton- On- Otmoor services (Holder)in Sep 1968 it was new in April 1958.

Cheers all.....anymore Lloyd?? :)
 
A few more - yes. YHA 28, and, fallen on harder times, Bedford 332 BHA which I think was a Gliderways - or was it a Mann's of Smethwick? Anyway, it became a travellers home later.
 
Nice One LLoyd,

I think I have apic of YHA 28 in my own collection, I dont have a scanner so I cant post them. RThis coach was one of three Leyland Royal Tigers with Harrington Wayfarer 37 seat bodywork, YHA 26-28, deliverred in July 1955.

YHA 26 went to Cooper, Gilsgate Moor im 1960, YHA 27 to Stocklands***
and 28 went to Grey of Bicester in May 1963.

*** According to these notes I am using for this information it states YHA 27 went to Stocklands in May 1956, I find this a bit difficult to believe as it would noy have been 12 months old at this time!!

332 BHA was one of two Leyland Tiger Cubs with Duple 41 seat bodywork one of a pair the other being 333 BHA, both delivered in May 1956.

332 BHA Went to Holder, Charlton in Sep 1962, whislt 333 BHA went to Stocklands in May 1963, probably when Stocklands aquired Gliderways??

Thanks again LLoyd
 
I remember travelling on Gliderways Coaches when i was a kid with my perents. We must have gone all over the country with them. They were great days, the days of innocence.
 
Stockland also sold cars, i bought a s/hand Standard 8 Basic Saloon in 1956, cost £265? traded a pre WW2 Ford 8 for it got £25, one of the bosses dealt with me a Mr.McClelland? nice man not sure about the name
 
Back
Top