Bedford VAS Bus Variety.

[Denv12]

Over the years there have been a variety of buses built on the Bedford VAS bus chassis. This topic covers the VAS chassis.You are welcome to post anything like photos,documents,adverts,etc to this topic. This bus chassis were popular. Does anyone know how many were built in Australia? Freighter Lawton built a few for TAA,likely for regional airports.
Ansair would have built a few too for Ansett.There would have been a few built as school buses.Were any VAS chassis used for coach bodies? Later in life some buses were repowered with local V8 petrol engines,some to run on LPG.
Here are a several photos. Photos 3,4 and 5 are the same vehicle.This bus was purchased around 1984 and converted to a motorhome.Their car was parked in the bedroom of the vehicle.The bed was lifted out the way for storing the cat.The interior was from a caravan.Beautiful conversion.

[Fleet Lists]

We Have two in the photo gallery - the first one omly added yesterday http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-18500
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16944

[Denv12]

[quote="Fleet Lists"]We Have two in the photo gallery - the first one omly added yesterday.
Thanks Fleet Lists for helping. The 1st bus is interesting.Never seen that one before. The 2nd one looks like an ex Education dept bus.There were quite a few of those.Thats got to be an early 1960s built bus.

[system improver]

The VAS, which later became the PJK, was noted for a couple of things. First, it (like the OB and SB) had the door behind the front wheels (unlike the VAM and VAL). Second, it had small wheels.

The first photo (and three later down) would appear to be a VAS5 or PJK.

The second photo (and next three) is a VAM3 with shortened wheelbase new to TAA 12/8/70 and registered in Melbourne as KRH 498. It later went to Tasmania. It was a one off and seems to have found its way back to SA for conversion.

As to the Centralian bus, I don't know. Once again, it has the door in front of the forward wheels, but may have been a conversion.

[Denv12]

Thanks system improver.

The Centralian vehicle was front engined.I think it had a car engine,maybe a small V8.That photo dates back as early as 1970s.There were 2 Sydney double deckers in the background amoungst the buses.

I dont how many ex Bedford VAS TAA buses there were.One was converted to a mobile home around 1983-84.I posted a photo in this topic.I think there were a few of those buses but not all at once..

[VIKing]

The Centralian coach was TV465. I have this vehicle as being a Bedford J3 truck conversion fitted with a Chev V8 motor / Freighter body 4313 8/12/67 C24F. It was new to J.D Barnes, Parlocars #78 rego PLQ219, reregistered TV465 around 3/71 when it was transferred to Sydney. It was locally known as "Skippy". It passed to Panther Bus Lines with the Parlocars business on 01/07/1971 and was renumbered # 1078. It then passed to Centralian with Panther Bus Lines on 01/03/1973, Centrtalian struck problems and the business ceased 09/01/1974 and was liquidated. Not sure where Skippy went to after that.

[system improver]

The Centralian coach was TV465. I have this vehicle as being a Bedford J3 truck conversion fitted with a Chev V8 motor / Freighter body 4313 8/12/67 C24F. It was new to J.D Barnes, Parlocars #78 rego PLQ219, reregistered TV465 around 3/71 when it was transferred to Sydney. It was locally known as "Skippy". It passed to Panther Bus Lines with the Parlocars business on 01/07/1971 and was renumbered # 1078. It then passed to Centralian with Panther Bus Lines on 01/03/1973, Centrtalian struck problems and the business ceased 09/01/1974 and was liquidated. Not sure where Skippy went to after that.

Yep, here is it in a Bruce Tilley photo:

RWK 281.jpg (212.38 KiB) Viewed 6653 times

[Denv12]

Thanks system improver. Love the photo.That bus had some interesting history.I remember going for a drive in it.It went very well.It was sold quickly after dad bought it.It was a nice bus for its time.Very comfortable.The wheels inside the body were a give away sign that it wasnt a bus chassis.