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Birmingham Bus?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Keewee
  • Start date Start date
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Keewee

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Can anyone identify this grand old bus?
My mother says the folk (including some of my ancestors) were all going on a sight seeing trip. From the look of the clothing/hats I'd say in the 1920's. It was most certainly in Birmingham - possibly the Handsworth area.
If anyone has any information on this 'bus service' I'd love to hear from you.
 
I am not sure about the make of bus, or I am sure if the passengers were employees of Allen and Smith ?, but I can tell you that Allen and Smith is listed in the 1913 Kellys being at 264 Brearley Street.....which was in Aston/Hockley area of Birmingham.....
 
What a great photo Keewee!

JKC I would think you are on the right track looks like a works outing from Allan and Smith as the chara is parked outside. These sharabanc outings were popular in the 20/30's. There are quite a few photo's in books about Kynocks outings to places like Rhyl.
 
A very nice picture, that. I would guess it was taken in the late 1920sor very early 1930s, and that it was taken not in Brearley Street but outside 33 Hall Street, where the firm was based in 1933.
It doesn't look like a Midland Red bus, as all their buses of that period had horizontal bars across the radiator, so I would guess it was owned by a smaller independent company. The Corporation never had char-a-bancs.
Peter
 
I think that is the oldest sharra I have seen. Look at the doors in the side one for each row. And the folding roof at the back in case of rain. Solid tires. The ride itself must have been a bit of an ordeal. Can you imagine these things sailing along the roads with everyone singing 'knees up Mother Brown' and 'when father painted the parlour'. There's an old mill......

Wonder where they put the brown ale on that thing.
 
Those web links were hugely interesting. Thank you for that!

The employee outing suggestion seems to be right, it would fit quite well. My Gt Grandfather William John RANDALL was an "Art Metal Worker" and perhaps this was his place of work? Though he would have been in his mid 50's or 60's if this photo was taken between 1920/1930. More investigating for me to do on that one. The last known address I have for him was Icknield St. in 1905. This is near to a Hall St from the old A-Z I have lying around. Though are many Hall Streets listed.

Unfortunately I cannot recognise any of the faces in the photo. I wonder where they were going?!
 
Charabanc

The 'Chara' is a Daimler 'Y' type, probably an ex-army lorry from the first war, like this restored one https://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552358140078404180DaZXPa
I think the registration is HA 377, but there is no indication of ownership.
It is a typical coach of the 1918-25 era, after that pneumatic tyred vehicles were becoming popular and although it was possible to replace the wheels with later ones, most commercial vehicles of the period did not survive more than a few years in post-military service.
 
Lloyd said:
The 'Chara' is a Daimler 'Y' type, probably an ex-army lorry from the first war, like this restored one https://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552358140078404180DaZXPa
I think the registration is HA 377, but there is no indication of ownership.
It is a typical coach of the 1918-25 era, after that pneumatic tyred vehicles were becoming popular and although it was possible to replace the wheels with later ones, most commercial vehicles of the period did not survive more than a few years in post-military service.
Click to expand...

Well done Lloyd:)
 
Charabanc Identification

Lloyd said:
The 'Chara' is a Daimler 'Y' type, probably an ex-army lorry from the first war, like this restored one https://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2552358140078404180DaZXPa
I think the registration is HA 377, but there is no indication of ownership.
It is a typical coach of the 1918-25 era, after that pneumatic tyred vehicles were becoming popular and although it was possible to replace the wheels with later ones, most commercial vehicles of the period did not survive more than a few years in post-military service.
Click to expand...


That's fantastic Lloyd, thanks for the info. I was wondering if the rego could be traced somehow. Perhaps now we know the vehicle make, model and date range someone in know it could be possible to find out which company (if any) was using this vehicle at the time? :rolleyes:
 
Charanbanc identification

Seeing that the registration was HA means that it was registered in Smethwick so could it possibly be an early Midland Red? BobS
 
Bobs, the Midlad Red was the HA number etc I used to collect the Midland Red Bus Nos when at school. The Ian Allen books we used had the odd BO CO etc we didn't know why, but I know a Forum where they might:D
 
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