Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

This section contains posts made before the split into state-based forums for photos etc. New posts should be made to the appropriate state forum or the "General/Miscellaneous/Various" forum.
Forum rules
  • A topic icon must be used with the thread title of all threads.
  • No more than 10 photos per post with a maximum of 50 in any one page in a thread.
  • Maximum photo width 1000 pixels.
  • For full photo rules and how to attach photos see viewtopic.php?f=10&t=28459
  • Thank you :)
Post Reply
User avatar
Carlisle 8
Posts: 437
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:46 am
Favourite Vehicle: A.E.C. Regal III.
Location: Perth

Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by Carlisle 8 »

I visited the above depot on the date shown and asked the very pleasant proprietor for permission to inspect and photograph his fleet. He readily agreed.

After I'd been there for a while, the proprietor located me and asked me whether I'd care to join his wife and himself for afternoon tea. Of course, I accepted with alacrity. The three of us then shared a repast complete with cakes and biscuits, plus a pleasant and wide-ranging conversation. Delightful, friendly, hospitable people. It was because I remembered them with affection, after all these years, that I went searching for the shots which I shall include in this thread.

The couple were elderly when I met them and I suspect that they're no longer with us. If any Queenslander reading this knows their names and/or has any news of them, I'd really appreciate a posting on this thread.

The depot was situated on an outer suburban block. The proprietor and his wife lived in a Queenslander on the site, with the ground level area beneath the house enclosed, to provide the bus depot facilities, including a crib room. There was also a bus shed, details of which I cannot recall. With hindsight, I wish that I had taken an overview photo of the site. My visit was on a Sunday and the site was so packed with buses that I sometimes had to walk sideways, to pass between adjacent buses. This made on site photography impossible, but fortunately a line of six buses which couldn't fit into the depot, was parked in the street outside and I was able to photograph them.

Image

Here are details of the line up:
3, Q489-703, FB42F. White, but with International Harvester symbol on steering wheel hub. Watt Brothers body.
14, NNW489, FB39F. AEC Regal III, with stick shift. Ex Canberra.
1, NKS693, FB42F. White, with Perkins engine. ComEng body dated 22.11.48.
6, NML087. FB36F. Bedford, with "maneater" CAC body.
?, PD0322, ?B43FB, ex Canberra, AEC Reliance.
?, OUH207, FB---, ex London Transport MB379 (AEC Merlin).

My notebook has a notation "C379" for the Merlin. I suspect that that was its fleet number, but I cannot confirm that.

Image

Same line, from the rear. Note the superb condition of the paintwork and the clean hubs.

Image

#14, as described above.

Image

The Merlin's backside!

The name of the bus service is not listed in the fleet list, nor does it appear when Googled. I suspect that it is long gone. I should greatly appreciate it, if anyone reading this thread and having knowledge of what became of the company and its buses, were to post details on this thread.

Finally, some prices from that day. Lunch. TBone steak and a Coke. $2.50! Petrol for my hire car. 17.9 cents per litre!

(Edits were to amend photo URLs to new server.)
Last edited by Carlisle 8 on Tue May 26, 2009 3:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Desto
Posts: 616
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:05 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Volvo B58, B59, B10M, Kenworth
Location: Nthrn Burbs

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by Desto »

Hazards & Dome wrote: Shows how so much has changed in the last 30 or so years.
Yes thanks for sharing that look back in time of when things were simpler and easy. Totally agree with you there eddy.
Thoughts are with the people in Victoria at this very bad time.
User avatar
Carlisle 8
Posts: 437
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:46 am
Favourite Vehicle: A.E.C. Regal III.
Location: Perth

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by Carlisle 8 »

Thank you gentlemen, for your comments.

I've just remembered something which I had intended to include in my original posting. Three of the buses illustrated had seats alongside the engine. That was extremely rare in W.A. Was it common in Qld.?

Here are the details:
1. 3 seats.
3. 3
6. 1
ged
Posts: 86
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:57 am
Favourite Vehicle: AEC Regal III
Location: Plumpton. NSW.

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by ged »

Excellent photos Carlisle 8. The Berry family still own the business (as well as the coach side called "Highway Coaches") - the sons are now in charge and the depot is still there at One Mile (at least last time I was home). They gave up route services in Ipswich when Harry Blundred's Sunbus crowd blundered in to town! (1995). The Merlins (there were 2 - OUH 207 and OUH 208) had just entered service in 1976. Pioneer of North Ipswich also had two. The ex Canberra AEC Regal one of several in the fleet has been full-fronted by Watts. In the mid 80s the livery changed and signwritting was added as "Amberley-Rosewood".
I-A-R were (from memory) the only Ipswich operator not to carry advertising - or even sign-writing - on their buses!
User avatar
Centralian
Posts: 2432
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:03 pm

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by Centralian »

Ditto to above comments,excellent photos Carlisle 8. There was certainly something about photographing buses in the '70's and '80's, and no doubt earlier as well. The radiators, those badges/emblems, the smells of sweaty old buses, the worn upholstery, the anticipation of what relic was hiding up in the back corner of the depot, the family ownership and their individual touches to vehicles and colour schemes. And as you mention, the occasional hospitality. Thanks for sharing.
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
User avatar
SMS88AEC
Posts: 398
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:57 am
Favourite Vehicle: AEC Merlin MO 7291

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by SMS88AEC »

Superb photos, a joy to see these :D . The pair of Merlins were only shipped from the UK in March 1976 so the paintwork was very fresh when you took these photos. C379 is the London Transport body number which appears in the drivers cab above the seat on top of one of a pair of access flaps for the circuit isolator switches -the other flap would say MB379.
I also met Mr Berry and one of his sons in 1988, and met the son again in 1990,91 and 92 when both Merlins were still in service alongside a fleet of 1970s vintage, including many ex-Action AEC Swifts
Image
busmadrod
Posts: 371
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:59 pm

Re: Ipswich-Amberley-Rosewood Bus Service: 26.09.1976.

Post by busmadrod »

Ipswich - Amberley - Rosewood Bus Company is now only responsable for local school runs in ipswich.
when Sunbus was operating in Ipswich as far east as Goodna, Westside was operating in the Camira/Springfield/Gailes area.
Sunbus has now dissapeared from Ipswich and the cities Bus Service is operated by Bus Queensland trading as Westside Bus Company, which is the sister company of Park Ridge Transit. At least since Westbus took over the Buses we now have 7 day bus services in most parts of Ipswich and also buses that run after 6pm.
Post Reply

Return to “Australian Photos, Videos, Sound Clips etc - ARCHIVE”