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Birmingham buses

ragga said:
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Heres another likkle beauty for you all to see .......... ragga :)
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Thats a splendid picture ragga. I dont have any BCT fleet details but am I right in thinking some of these Daimlers had AEC engines? somwhere I have a picture of one of these Daimlers parked up at Quinton after withdrawal. if I can find the neg I will post it...............mind you knowing my filing system that might not happen!
 
Yes Bill the first post war buses were Daimler CVA6 chassis, with AEC 7.7 litre engines. All originally allocated to Harborne. 1481 - 1555 (GOE 481 - 555). 1486 had a second life as a staff bus for Elkes Biscuits, Uttoxeter, then a couple of decades in a scrapyard but was rescued and restored by a local enthusiast.

It is seen here visiting Wythall a couple of years ago.

5771637953_2f0e878151.jpg
 
At some point in their history - at least prior to 1953 - these Daimler CWA's could sometimes be found on the cross city 29/29A routes. They had a poor reputation as climbers. It was said that they had difficulty climbing the Bull Ring to New Street? (excuse possible road name inaccuracy it was a very long time ago when I was last there - before all the initial rebuilding), especially from a standing start by St. Martins' Church particularly if well laden, which they usually were. It was not unknown, on occasions, for some passengers to be asked to disembark so the bus could climb the hill more easily. If I recall correctly the road was paved with cobbles and this would not give the best tyre adhesion especially in wet conditions. Most passengers were destined for New Street, Corporation Street and particularly the Lewis or Greys stores.

The entry into service of the Leyland PD2's of course would have ousted their use on these routes one suspects.
 
I thought it as a very good article also. Much of the text referes to the 11C but i am sure the 11A is equally interesting!!

The article said that the 11C is run from Acocks Green garage but I thought that Perry Barr ran the 11C and Acocks Green ran the 11A

I have driven round the Outer Circle three times but still have not yet done it by bus as I have always intended to do.
 
I have a question for the "bussies" - on the top deck of the 116 today, my son noticed what looks like a grip handle on the front passenger side by the front window - he wonders what it is for? Can any of you help please as I have no idea - it was a newer bus I think.
Thanks, Sue
 
In the good old days B.C.T. Midland Red and other bus concerns would have had converted double deck buses so that they could be used as tree or branch loppers think in terms of an open top bus they would be sent out to trim any over hanging branches so that they did not damage the roofs of the buses

These day they just use the bar on the top of the deck of the bus to fend the branches away from the bus the problem with is if like me you were sitting on the top deck and the bus hits an over hanging branch the noise of the bus hitting the branch does tend to wake you up a bit the next time I go on the top deck I will have to wear bycycle clips

sistersue61 said:
I have a question for the "bussies" - on the top deck of the 116 today, my son noticed what looks like a grip handle on the front passenger side by the front window - he wonders what it is for? Can any of you help please as I have no idea - it was a newer bus I think.
Thanks, Sue
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Lloyd said:
Yes Bill the first post war buses were Daimler CVA6 chassis, with AEC 7.7 litre engines. All originally allocated to Harborne. 1481 - 1555 (GOE 481 - 555). 1486 had a second life as a staff bus for Elkes Biscuits, Uttoxeter, then a couple of decades in a scrapyard but was rescued and restored by a local enthusiast.

It is seen here visiting Wythall a couple of years ago.

5771637953_2f0e878151.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for that confirmation Lloyd, if I ever find the neg to the pic I have I will post it!!
 
DavidGrain said:
I thought it as a very good article also. Much of the text referes to the 11C but i am sure the 11A is equally interesting!!

The article said that the 11C is run from Acocks Green garage but I thought that Perry Barr ran the 11C and Acocks Green ran the 11A

I have driven round the Outer Circle three times but still have not yet done it by bus as I have always intended to do.
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Yes all 11C and 11A buses are run from Acocks Green.

I've been on the 11A/C many times when drivers get off on Fox Hollies Road (11C) or Westley Road (11A)


Acocks Green Bus Garage by ell brown, on Flickr


Acocks Green Bus Garage - buses behind the fence by ell brown, on Flickr


Acocks Green Bus Garage - Welcome to Travel West Midlands Acocks Green by ell brown, on Flickr
 
In the Daimler Bus model descriptions:

CVA6 I forget what C stands for, V is for post war vehicles, A is for AEC engine and 6 is for 6 cylinders.
 
DavidGrain said:
In the Daimler Bus model descriptions:

CVA6 I forget what C stands for, V is for post war vehicles, A is for AEC engine and 6 is for 6 cylinders.
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C = Commercial (most were buses, but a few "special" trucks were made as well); S was used for rear engined single deckers.

The second letter, from about 1930 - 'O' = oil (diesel) engine, pre-war; 'P' = poppet valve petrol engine; 'H' = Knight patent sleeve valve petrol engine; 'W' = wartime utility production (used less Aluminium and more steel in chassis components; 'V' = postwar ('Victory') production; 'R' = rear engine.
Use of petrol engines ceased mid-30s.

There was a third letter on diesel engined chassis denoting engine manufacturer - 'A' = AEC; 'C' = Cummins; 'D' = Daimler; 'G' = Gardner; 'P' = Perkins; 'S' = Saurer.

Then a figure denoting the number of cylinders in the engine, then sometimes 'SD' or 'DD' indicating single or double deck.

So CVA6 was a post-war chassis with an AEC 6 cylinder engine, COS4 was a pre-war diesel chassis with a Saurer 4-cylinder engine (all specials for Newcastle upon Tyne Corporation, c1938), and CWD6 was a wartime chassis with a Daimler 6 cylinder diesel engine. Rear Gardner engined "Fleetline" chassis are CRG6 and Rear Perkins engined 'Roadliner' single deckers are SRP6.

Birmingham had only a few CP6 petrol fuelled buses, the diesel engine was about to revolutionise the transport industry with an almost half the fuel per mile figure when they were built. The City went on to have over 800 COG5 models after these.

CP6 no 555 (OC 555) at Hamstead, with the front destination 'posed' for the Portland Rd 7 route, although really it was on the 16a. An early COG5 is behind.
 
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Its just been on the BBC Midlands News that a bus museum was closing due to Birmingham Council saying it is not feasible for them to keep it - I missed the actual location where it was - anyone know where?
 
carolina said:
Its just been on the BBC Midlands News that a bus museum was closing due to Birmingham Council saying it is not feasible for them to keep it - I missed the actual location where it was - anyone know where?
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I think this would be Witton there has been a discussion going on with the council for many months on rent for the building. Dek
 
News item should be repeated at 6.30 this evening. They did an interview with the chairman of the museum. City council have withdrawn subsidy so now museum have to pay full commercial rent which they cannot afford.
 
A sad day for Birmingham and its cultural Heritage. It seems a shame that Englands second city cannot see a way clear to maintain this collection: I am sure money is probably given for far more recent historical places.
 
I was suggested last year that it's Villa who wants the site for a hotel, they already own the land adjacent which they use as a car park, so don't think they will be helping much to save it.

Colin
 
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