27-05-2015

This page starts with an ex Bournemouth Corporation Leyland Titan , with unusual dual door bodywork - akin to the contemporary trolleybuses.  Seen here at a bus rally in Weymouth some vehicles of this batch are used as part of a Heritage Bus operation. These vehicles were still in regular service alongside the trolleys but didn't outlast them for long.  Photo by John Griffiths

The next bus is a Leyland Atlantean of Devon General, which was one of the local operators in Paignton when I was a lad.  It's showing service 12 blinds but originally this batch were more often on shorter routes, the 12 and 30, the main routes between Paignton and Torquay being the preserve of earlier batches, some of which can be seen on Western National and Devon General.  It is seen here at a bus rally in the Midlands, on a decidedly wet day.

Two views of fine Albion Nimbus 839 (XTA839) which belongs to Fred Taylor, of Polegate, East Sussex. 1958 Vintage. He has owned it since 2002. Left: just out of the paint shop, Right: at Cobham Bus Rally, 2005.  Photos by Roger Wortley

Two more views of 839, as she arrived and the completely rebuilt back end.  These short buses were used on various routes in Devon's twisty, narrow lanes.  Photos by Roger Wortley
 

The next shot is of ex Western National 351, FTT704, a Bristol K5g with ECW L27/28R bodywork - the sort with the sunken upstairs gangway that you hit your head on downstairs.  This bus and ones of the same batch worked the route that stopped outside my parents house and also the school extras to Totnes when I went to secondary school there, I've travelled on it many, many times.

  It is seen here at a rally in Bristol, by the harbour and Industrial Museum.

Next is a Bristol/ECW lowbridge bodied bus, this time though it is an ex Southern National KSW - slightly longer and wider than the ordinary K.  Western Nationals KS's and KSW's eventually took over from the wartime K's from Totnes depot, including those I used.  The KSW's were in turn replaced by Bristol FSF's as can be seen on Western National and Devon General

A Bristol LS with ECW coach bodywork, OTT98 of Royal Blue, Western and Southern National's express coach operation.  I often used Royal Blue coaches when I was in Bournemouth to get back to my old home in Devon.  I also nearly bought one of these vehicles when it was withdrawn from service.  It is seen here at Weymouth during a rally.  Photo by John Griffths.

A later Royal Blue coach, a Bristol MW with an ECW coach body on the left, next to a Western Welsh Leyland Tiger Cub and a Western National Bristol LHS at the West Somerset Railway's Steam Fayre in 2002.

Another entrant at the Fayre was ex Exeter Corporation No 217, a Leyland Panther with dual door bus body.

A second photo of 217, before preservation when Western National were using it as a mobile publicity unit, it is seen here at Exeter Bus Station.  Photo by Cliff Essex

Ex Western National 2700, this bus bodied Bristol RELL paid a visit to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard on August Bank Holiday Sunday 2002.  It is privately preserved, some of its passengers caught the train to Minehead where 2700 was waiting for them.

The only bus entered at the 2004 Steam Fayre and Rally on the West Somerset Railway was this London Transport RT, RT1594, one of several thousand that used to serve the capital.

Ex Grey Cars (Devon General's coaching arm) AEC Reliance/Harrington Cavalier 1 (1RDV) at Bishops Lydeard station during the West Somerset Railway's Autumn Steam Gala 2007

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