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B.C.T. MOF 9 bus for sale

H

horsencart

master brummie
I you would like to own the 1953 B.C.T. guy Arab, IV Metro Cammell Double Deck Bus it can be yours for Ten Thousand Pounds further details can be found in the back of the december issue of Bus and Coach Presevation
 
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That sounds like a real bargain, Bammot. What's the catch?

I've just viewed a 2008 YouTube video of this bus (which I suspect was taken by your good self): it appears to be in excellent condition.

I wonder if the BHF would like to own an ex-BCT Guy Arab? If so, I'll stump up the ten quid. We'll need a place to keep it of course, but there's no shortage of qualified BHF drivers. It would come in very handy for outings, and might be a useful fund-raiser. Just a thought.
 
The catch is keeping the bus in covered accomadation, and keeping it in good nick for the next few years, this is a problem with the one man presevationist they are all getting older (i am still 21 ) we may be in danger of certain interesting buses going for scrap if they are not saved, this was the call in the 1960,s 1970,s ect ect ect

It is my film the bus crept up on me in Miller St



Thylacine said:
That sounds like a real bargain, Bammot. What's the catch?

I've just viewed a 2008 YouTube video of this bus (which I suspect was taken by your good self): it appears to be in excellent condition.

I wonder if the BHF would like to own an ex-BCT Guy Arab? If so, I'll stump up the ten quid. We'll need a place to keep it of course, but there's no shortage of qualified BHF drivers. It would come in very handy for outings, and might be a useful fund-raiser. Just a thought.
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Bammot said:
The catch is keeping the bus in covered accomadation, and keeping it in good nick for the next few years, this is a problem with the one man presevationist they are all getting older (i am still 21 ) we may be in danger of certain interesting buses going for scrap if they are not saved, this was the call in the 1960,s 1970,s ect ect ect

It is my film the bus crept up on me in Miller St
Click to expand...

Wouldn't it be good if the old bus garage on Tyburn road could be used by enthusiasts to keep their old buses, cars, lorries etc undercover and worked on. It's just lying there empty.
I think I've struck on an idea here:)
 
Miller St the former tram and bus garage may be a better option as it is not being used at the present time and is avaliable for rent Lea Hall bus garage has recently closed think of the space in that garage


Frothblower said:
Wouldn't it be good if the old bus garage on Tyburn road could be used by enthusiasts to keep their old buses, cars, lorries etc undercover and worked on. It's just lying there empty.
I think I've struck on an idea here:)
Click to expand...
 
I think I should point out that the price is £10,000, not £10!

I haven't heard whether there has been any interest yet, the price is far too high for the average enthusiast to afford, but could be paid by an ordinary operator who wants 'an old bus' to repaint and run for hire on wedding trips - or even take the roof off for sightseeing or seaside work.

The trouble with using Tyburn Road works or a former bus garage is the huge cost - Aston Manor museum, in the former tram depot at Witton, was having the depot rent funded by the city council, but with "the cuts" this funding has ceased. The council now want commercial value rent paid on the property, and saving a miracle the museum will be closed by Christmas, with four months grace to vacate the premises. I doubt very much whether all of the exhibits can be found homes, some may well be sold outside of their home area or even scrapped.
 
Damn! I'd counted out my pennies and was just about to learn all of the verses to ''Summer Holiday''!
 
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Dave89 said:
Hi Lloyd, Was this bus one of those fitted with a crash box? Kind regards, Dave
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No Dave, they were 2995 - 3000 (JOJ 995-9, LOG 300) which were the last of the batch of 100 1952 Guy Arab IV models with Metro-Cammell 55 seat bodies, and came with Constant-Mesh gearboxes specifcally for lifetime fuel consumption comparison with the other pre-selector gearbox buses in the fleet (Daimler did not offer a 'stick box' at the time) and with the intention of being driver training buses as well.

3009 was in the following year's batch of 100 almost identical vehicles, 3003 - 3102 (MOF 3-102).
 
It is likely he had it in advance of the buses' delivery - often as in the case of BCT, the registrations were 'booked' months in advance so that the numbers matched the fleet numbers. (Bus 3009 is MOF 9, for example)

Many registration area authorities separated commercial vehicle and private car registration letter series, but Birmingham (the old office was in Oozells St, off Broad St) put 'passenger vehicles' together, so buses and cars shared the same series!

That registration, as with any 'three letter, three number' one, would be worth a small fortune now!
 
That registration, as with any 'three letter, three number' one, would be worth a small fortune now![/QUOTE]

Hopefully the registration will remain with the bus as it's an important part of its history and this may be a factor in the asking price. Hope this bus finds a good home.
 
Be nice to see it go to the museum at Whyhall, but guess the asking price is the stumbeling block.
 
john70 said:
Be nice to see it go to the museum at Whyhall, but guess the asking price is the stumbeling block.
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Not necessarily the price - There is limited room available there, particularly inside (and you wouldn't want to leave a vehicle that good outside), and a waiting list of others waiting to come in - and the museum already has an almost identical one - 2976 (JOJ 976).
Similar bus 3102 (MOF 102) was available a couple of years ago at just over half the cost, and was not taken by Wythall for the same reason.

Buying a bus is only a drop in the ocean of its cost - accommodation has a cost, and maintenance and ongoing restoration, for the next 10, 20, 50 or however many years.
 
Developments at Aston Manor mean that there could be quite a few other historic Birmingham and West Midlands buses facing an uncertain future as well. All very worrying.
 
Lovely artwork Mike. I love those Birmingham "standards" and likewise if there was a spare 10 grand around I would snap it up!
 
It was sold a while ago, it is in a "secure loction" in the midlands, of the new owner's choice.
 
hello. i have always fancied a bus,since i lived in aston,my friend worked at miller st.he put the busses through the wash.when they come in from service. and filled them with derv before parking them up in ods and evens. i had a chance to drive some.the pre select. but i could not move the stick in the other boxes they were to stiff for me.
lol
 
Latest news is that MOF 9 has changed hands again, as the previous buyer's work has taken him far, far away. It is now owned by a Wythall museum member and is often to be found there (he has one parking space and two buses, so one of them is at the museum and the other in secure parking - elsewhere).
 
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