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bruce r wrote:
I am the only third-generation Robinson who actually worked for N.E.M.Co and have full details plus many wonderful photographs of both motor vehicles and aircraft.
Crickey, if only the rest of bus history was so easy to recover!
One photograph of an old building and "voila" we get flopsy, scuba and bruce r with first hand family knowledge of the company. May it happen forever I say. I look forward to the photos whenever you are ready.
Re. N.E.M.Co terminal in Gotha St (off Barry Parade). This building is heritage listed and the original NEW ENGLAND MOTOR Coy sign has simply been re-painted (the letters stand out about an inch-and-a-half). Skennars had their terminal further down Barry Parade (near the taxi depot).
Before my dad would allow me to try for my bus license, I had to be able to reverse one of the Whites up the hill (Gotha St) and into that narrow entrance. I had to be able to do this first try (three times in a row). After that, he allowed me to sit my test in Lismore.
The building had a very hi-tech system for the removal of diesel exhaust fumes - a length of old fire hose was attatched to the exhaust pipe and simply run out the back door.
I have a photo from the Glen Innes History house of a "New England Motor Co" service car dated c1940 operating between Glen Innes & Tenterfield, the departure depot was from the Austin dealership in Grey St Glen Innes. Are you sure the NEM Co did not start on the tablelands & then absorbed into the Northern Rivers services???
I believe they also ventured into the tour market in Sydney when they took over Days Motor Tours, think it was in the 1930's. Haven't been able to find much reference to that part of their business and suspect it may not have lasted long. Truck & Bus had a feature on them (NEMC) many years ago and I think I copied the cover of that edition, will share when I can track down.
If you can track down a copy, Truck & Bus Transportation had a feature on New England Motor Co as it was then ,
in their August 1946 edition. I've also copied below for research purposes, the cover from T & BT's October 1954 edition.
New England Motor Co.jpg (76.93 KiB) Viewed 40488 times
My understanding is that in the very early 1930s NEMCo acquired both Day's Motor Tourist Service and Sydney Observation Cars.
Vehicles reportedly included in the purchase were four 7-seater Dodges, two 18-25 seat Chevrolets, an 11-seat Cadillac, a 1928 29-seat Fageol Safety Coach and a 1925 White 50A.
Sources for this information are Transport in the Blood by Al Robinson, and Mr Vic Hayes.
Thanks for that information source. I shall try and track down a copy or at least get access to a copy. I'm researching operators in and across the Blue Mountains and Days was a big one from Sydney in its peak, having the NSW Tourist Bureau road contract to Jenolan Caves from Sydney (and certain exclusiveness at the expense of other operators). This cozy relationship resulted in questions being asked, an enquiry held into the tendering process (it was alleged Days worded the tender documents so only they could meet the requirements), and Day's eventually lost their contract in the '30's. This was all pre the NEMC acquisition.
Good to see a revived interest in New England Motor Co. I've just re-joined the Forum after an absence of about 4 years. As the only 3rd generation member of the founding family to have worked for New England, I am qualified to supply any information (and photos) of that wonderful pioneering motor transport enterprise.
The White semi-trailer bus was the only articulated bus owned by the company and was not a success on our routes. It was sold to Bull's Bus & Coach Hire in Adelaide and was on their fleet list for many years.
With regard to Day's Tours in Sydney - my grandfather bought that business not too long before WW2. With the outbreak of war, the tourist industry was not considered "essential" and operations ceased soon after with the bulk of Day's fleet being transferred to the NEMCo fleet. The Day's fleet consisted of a couple of Faegols, 3 Mercedes, a number of service cars and a beautiful 1924 White "Pantheon".
Thanks for the information Bruce, in particular the Day's links which fills in some of the missing bits in the research I'm doing. Here's a zoom in of an image of a Day's Fageol at Caves House (Jenolan Caves) , probably in the '30's would be my guess, with a non-Fageaol vehicle next to it (same desto boards so assuming also Day's).
Day's Tours.jpg (123.37 KiB) Viewed 40049 times
I haven't been able to work out what that trumpet type thing on the roof of the Fageol was. Have seen it on a couple of images of Sydney based Fageol tour vehicles of the time, perhaps some sort of light up high for night-time travel ?
Can't help with the "trumpet" on the roof of the Faegol. I can remember some large-mouthed sirens in the storeroom at the Lismore workshops. Arrarently they were installed at the front of some of the buses during the war. They were supposed to be used in the event of a mass-evacuation (thank God, they were never needed).
