Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
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
- Centralian
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:03 pm
Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
The first photo post I did was a couple of years ago now and was on Pykes Tours who were a Sydney based day tour operator in the '60's and 70's. Their fleet included a number of imports including Duple bodied Thames chassis and Van Hool bodied Bedford Vam and Val chassis. Hope you don't mind my re-posting a few of those images that I took in the mid '70's.
Admin Note: see post http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 10&t=20592 TV 629 was reported there as TV 620.
TV 596 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17387
TV 202 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17377
TV 003 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17370
TV 629 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17376
HSY 393 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16588
JZB 083 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17386
Admin Note: see post http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 10&t=20592 TV 629 was reported there as TV 620.
TV 596 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17387
TV 202 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17377
TV 003 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17370
TV 629 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17376
HSY 393 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16588
JZB 083 http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-17386
Last edited by Centralian on Sun Sep 25, 2011 9:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
- DENAIR
- Posts: 1182
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 4:36 pm
- Favourite Vehicle: DENNING DENAIR
- Location: Cheltenham
- Contact:
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Hi the Van Hool Val ended up as a school coach with Hoys Wangaratta
cheers denair
http://austtransport.fotopic.net/
cheers denair
http://austtransport.fotopic.net/
- Centralian
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:03 pm
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Thanks Denair , was always an unanswered question for me as to where that Val ended up. I'd love to know what became of the rest of Pykes fleet, if anyone out there has any info ?
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
The one in Action colours is in a backyard at West Ryde plus another bus.
- ALBION1881
- Posts: 1961
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:32 am
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
I say there be some bus museum in England would of love to get there hands on these buses these would be a rare bus over there it is a pity we over here could not one of them and restore it.If it was the van hool twin steer bedford that would good restored great pictures mate I like to more of unusal buses.
- system improver
- Posts: 2893
- Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:38 am
- Favourite Vehicle: 1949 MBA Seddon
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
There must have been some reason that Pykes went for these imported vehicles other than their quality and looks eg. ex Brit in charge or other personal connection. Also, how did they manage to get these vehicles through the protection barriers at the time? They must have been more expensive than the local product. A harbinger of things to come though. Any info would be welcomed.
- TV600_Denning
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:52 pm
- Favourite Vehicle: There's a lot.
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Love the twin stack headlights on the Val, Very 70's man, groovy!
Thats one of the most unique bus fleets i've ever seen, thanks for sharing!
Thats one of the most unique bus fleets i've ever seen, thanks for sharing!
- AEC Decker
- Posts: 5336
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:56 pm
- Favourite Vehicle: AEC air-door Decker of course.
- Location: The Country Estate in The Hunter Valley
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
AEC Decker remembers Pykes Tours operating sightseeing tours along Sydneys' eastern suburbs beaches in the 1960s & 1970s.
STA CNG Scania 3461-3520,3621-3661=Scania Blοater
STA O405NH=Classic Blοater
STA O500LE 4868-4877,4879-4902,1800-1811=Heavy Blοater
STA O500LE 1812 onwards=Blοater
STA O500LE Euro 5 Diesel=Non Blοater or AdBlueter
STA O405NH=Classic Blοater
STA O500LE 4868-4877,4879-4902,1800-1811=Heavy Blοater
STA O500LE 1812 onwards=Blοater
STA O500LE Euro 5 Diesel=Non Blοater or AdBlueter
- boronia
- Posts: 21589
- Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
- Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
- Location: Sydney NSW
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
That Mee bodied thing looks plain ugly, what a comparison to the euro coaches. (And it doesn't seem to be registered )
Pykes morphed into AAT, I think the Van Hools operated in AAT livery for a while.
Pykes morphed into AAT, I think the Van Hools operated in AAT livery for a while.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
@ The Museum of Fire.
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
I do not know when Pykes Tours started but they were around in the 1940's. GM
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
When most operators had changed over to Metal Framed bodies the Duple Bodies were still Wooden Framed. GM
- system improver
- Posts: 2893
- Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:38 am
- Favourite Vehicle: 1949 MBA Seddon
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Gee, didn't know that. I wonder if they were the only ones in Britain to do this.GM wrote:When most operators had changed over to Metal Framed bodies the Duple Bodies were still Wooden Framed. GM
-
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:29 pm
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
AAT Kings website - History, in part : " One of the original components of AAT was Pykes Tours, who pioneered sightseeing in Sydney with a pre-World War 1 drive-yourself car service. In the 1920's Colonel Pyke extended the business to motor tours of Katoomba & Jenolan Caves using seven seater cars. Coaches were first introduced in 1935 and raised the passenger capacity to 14. Of note - the first ten tourist licences issued by the NSW Government Motor Dept. were registered to Pykes and are still held and operated by AAT Kings"GM wrote:I do not know when Pykes Tours started but they were around in the 1940's. GM
-
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:29 pm
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
[quote="
Pykes original paint scheme for the Fodens was a modified MVC, here is how I remember them after the repaint.
(If one keeps looking, it will turn up, even 10 years later). Pykes sale advert may be of interest (sori about the poor quality).
[/quote]Pykes original paint scheme for the Fodens was a modified MVC, here is how I remember them after the repaint.
(If one keeps looking, it will turn up, even 10 years later). Pykes sale advert may be of interest (sori about the poor quality).
- Attachments
-
- Foden Viewmasters Coaches (ex MVC) 026.jpg (17.42 KiB) Viewed 40925 times
-
- Foden Viewmasters Coaches (ex MVC) 024.jpg (41.22 KiB) Viewed 40925 times
- Looselion
- Posts: 820
- Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:54 am
- Favourite Vehicle: 3 1/2 window Flxible Clipper
- Location: Queensland
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Not sure if this image featured earlier. Most have disappeared. An Ansair/Ford photographed at Katoomba.
- Attachments
-
- Pykes Tours Coach - Katoomba NSW.jpg (18.9 KiB) Viewed 40712 times
-
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:35 pm
- Favourite Vehicle: denning landseer
- Location: bribie
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
I recall as a child in the mid 1960's boarding a Pykes Bus in Martin Place and travelling to Katoomba on a day tours.
Many years later an ex Pykes Bus still in their cream colours but converted to a motorhome was on Bribie Island for years.
Your post is most timely for me, I have no idea what happened to the motor home.
ps the pic's don't appear on your post or perhaps its me operating this end. .
Many years later an ex Pykes Bus still in their cream colours but converted to a motorhome was on Bribie Island for years.
Your post is most timely for me, I have no idea what happened to the motor home.
ps the pic's don't appear on your post or perhaps its me operating this end. .
- Centralian
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:03 pm
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
I've re-attached the photos. People may also be interested in this bit of Duple bodywork badging that appeared on the front bumper bars of the Duple body and visible in the above images.
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
-
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:35 pm
- Favourite Vehicle: denning landseer
- Location: bribie
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
tv202 is the style and colour I went to Katoomba and the one that was on Bribie as a camper'
many thanks for the posting
many thanks for the posting
Re: Once upon a time ....... Pykes Tours
Found this one in the Perth suburb of Bayswater this afternoon. Ex Pykes ?
Passengers must not talk to Driver