I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

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DAMILER BILL

I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning All.
I just joined this site and i have a story to tell about Ex nsw Gov BUS 2661, i will display all the photo's of it in another story as i just found this site.
I beleave the 2661 is in Nimbin and it looks OK from the photo, which is on the net, I purchased it from Casula wreckers for a $1000 dollars in February, 1980 and drove it to my mums house in Leumeah nsw (2560) after one week i had pulled out the seats and put a carpet in it, then took mums curtains from the house and put my bed in ,tool box, 1x 44 gallon drum of diso , then my number plates off the old car in the back yard, screwed them on and then drove off to ADELAIDE, for a week, before i crossed the big paddock to Perth, and what a trip that was, That Bus *2661* has a lot of memories very good ones and we had a lot of fun in it.
That old Gardner Motor was reconditioned before they sold the Bus to the Wreckers, she did 30 MPH, flat out, (UP HILL and DOWN) 4 speed pre select, tyres were half life left on them, and i never got a flat in the time i had it, the trip took (10) ten day's to cross the Nullabor from Adelaide to Norseman, everyone wanted a photo of it and all went well for me on the crossing, at a parking bay just over the border of SA and WA, i found a family of three, broken down in their 68 ford falcon towing a caravan, the radiator leaked and all the water was leaking out and they just had enough money to get to Norseman for fuel and that was where he lived, SO the first tow for 2661 was about to happen , on with the roap and away we went, did not know he was on the back of the 2661, bus and i towed him all the way to Norseman which was 790 kilometers from where i hooked him on.

I will give you some more stories about the life of 2661 in my next visit.

Cheers for now.....William Hinds.....Bunbury WA...0452089113.
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by Fleet Lists »

It looks as though we may be able to fill a few gaps in the 2661 history which is currently listed as
2661
? Unknown owner, u/r motorhome, Murwillumbah NSW [1/91]
ex 6EP 682 (wa) Unknown owner - noted in Liverpool [2/84]
ex Casula Wreckers 4/73
Living in the Shire.
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning All. Story no 2.
After leaving that road side stop and hooking up the Falcon and van we headed off to Balladonia and *2661*, didn't even know that it was towing the Falcon and caravan, Must have been a sight to see coming down the Highway,as i had EXPRESS to KINGSCROSS on the front and Pay as you enter , that was always a talking point, as i lived in the CROSS for four years, when i was in the Navy,OK the next stop was Caiguna for a rest , then off to Balladonia for the night for a well earned rest, when you stop at the servo in Balladonia, you need to get right out of the way to sleep and being one bus and car and van, we ended out on the truck bay for the night.
Next morning i awoke and after a coffee and toast with bacon and eggs from the servo, we set off for Norseman, but not before some older truck drivers, had a look over the 2661 and were fascinated with the old Gardner motor with a four speed select gear box and TOWING a car and van to Norseman, one stupid old fart said i would never make it, but the 2661 DID make it, and it also went around Australia "TWICE" with no problems, not even a flat Tyre.
Ok, we arrived at Norseman and fulled up at the BP servo on the left and that is where i left the car and van with one happy family, they paid for my fuel at the BP and after a rest, for the night, the next day at 9 am i awoke to the sound of birds and a crisp morning, after coffee and a bacon and egg roll, i set off for the Gold mining town of Kalgoorlie and to see my old school mate Garry who lives in Boulder and wasn't he surprised when i rolled up in an OLD Sydney bus, the fun we had in that 2661.

More to come from when i arrived at Kalgoorlie and on my way to Perth.

Cheers for now........William Hinds......0452089113
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DiAmOnD T »

What a great story! thank you for sharing it thus far! Imagine all the rego natzis now running the plates on the bus and finding it was "hot plated"
The Diesel Guy
- Mobile heavy vehicle repairs serving Sydney to Newcastle -

dieselguynsw@gmail.com
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning All. Story no 3.
Well *we* (2661) and I arrived in the big town called Kalgoorlie,at 2.30 Pm and stopped in Hannan street, in one of the truck bays, at the start of the industrial area opposite an old truck stop cafe, called Hyway Deli where i headed for the regular cup of coffee bacon and bred roll, lots of lookers and Tyre kickers, looking at the old 2661,, as i sat on a seat outside watching and listening to the comments, that some made about the old bus, while having the coffee... *Long way from the Cross*, *slow old bus*, *must have a lot of time on his hand's,* were some of the comments, so after the coffee and a Coke to go ,i was over in the bus and pushed the button and the old 6LX GARDNER started and we were off to see my old school mate Garry, who was working as a boiler maker for one of the big company's at the mines.

2661 and I, rolled up to his house, parked out the front and low and behold he was sitting on the front veranda having a cold beer,a smoke and just resting after just finishing a shift at work, he just sat there and he had a look on his face of disbelief, when i excited the front sliding door's, as i haven't seen him since he left for Kalgoorlie, from our Home town of Campbelltown.
"Well i'll be".....I didn't think i would see you, in an old bus, where you off to in that +@#%*! old thing, ????????, (something i will tell you about in one of the next few stories to come)
Well after two days with Garry and a few trip's to his local at the Boulder Hotel and late nights parting on, till the early hour's in the morning's and a BIG tow hitch welded, on to that big old thick rear bumper bar and the electrics wired in, it was time to say good by to Kalgoorlie.

We left Kalgoorlie for Perth at six Am, the next morning early and went via Coolgardie where i fueled up,I didn't stop long there, as i needed to get to Perth, which was 600 kilometers away and i do about 300 kilometers a day and then park it up, As i need to fly back to work in Dampier for another 9 week shift, i worked 9 weeks on and 9 week's off and was flown back to Perth, for my time off which was good, it gave me more time with the *2661*, next stop was Merredin for fuel and a sleep before the early start for Perth.

In Merredin i stopped at the Shell Garage, along side a truck and when i woke up,it was the usual cup of coffee and bacon and egg roll and then i was ready to go for the last trip on the long road to Perth which was another 300 kilometers stretch, it was great to reach the top of the hill at Midland, as you could see all of Perth in the distance and it was a great relief, to have crossed Australia from East to the west in an old Ex NSW's GOVERNMENT, Bus no *2661* a distance of about 4,300 Kilometers, with all the side stops on the way, throw in a tow, and a side trip to Garry's place, sleeping in truck stops, as 2661 weighed about 10.5 Tons and parking on soft dirt was a no no, also eating the early form's of *JUNK* food on the road stops, with a distance of 4,300 Kilometers, over a three week trip .........It was good to park the bus at Footsie's place, and have a good long shower and sleep....then fly back to work for 9 weeks

More to come from when i arrived at Perth, and then on my way to where i worked at HEARSON COVE near Dampier

Cheers for now........William Hinds......0452089113
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning All. Story no 4
I've been a bit slack for the last week, as the heat here in Bunbury and all home duties need to be done, no excuse for not writing about the old *2661* and the good times i had in her. so here we go.
After a nine week stint at work (nine weeks on and nine weeks off ) at Hearson cove, at the Poon brother's camp, i returned back to Perth for a nine week leave break and to service the *2661*, before heading up the north west Hwy to Dampier, all oils were changed and tyres pumped up, the fuel tank needed to be cleaned out, as when i replaced the fuel filter, it showed that it had some thick sludge in it, which was an indicator that it needed to be pulled out and cleaned out, a job to be done in Perth and not on the side of the road somewhere, also i built a frame for my bed at the back of the bus and i used the long back seat as part of the bed head , installed a fan and ran the 240volt lead to the front of the bus, along the hand rails in the center of the roof and built a robe to hold my shirts and jeans with one draw for the left overs, i went to St Vinnies and found an old two seater lounge which fitted through the front doors and had two old bean bags also, The old *ESKY*, iv'e had for years, traveled alongside the motor, on the left side, it was filled up and Iced, now the old 2661 was ready to go,*NORTH*.

We left Belmont at six AM, with a coffee from Footsies place and traveled along the Great eastern Hwy to Midland and turned left on to the Brand Hwy to Geraldton, a distance of 400 Kilometers, the first fuel stop was at the Shell servo in Dongara and a feed of Hwy fast food and a coffee, with a five minute cat nap, then on to Geraldton, where we arrived at 3PM , so i decided to keep going to a small town called Northampton, 50 kilometers north of Geraldton, where i stayed for the night at the local pub, where you have good country food and cold beer and plenty of solid ground for parking the 2661 for the night, i parked on the left of the parking lot, so i wasn't in the way of the road trains, when they were leaving in the early morning.

Woke at around 7am and all was well, after checking the tyres and oil ,water, cleaned the two windscreen's, had a piss , then i was ready to leave the Northampton Pub at 8am, when i was approached by two young overseas travelers, (ladies), who were heading to Denham, (near Monkey Mia) for work on the Prawn boats, as i was going to Dampier and pass the turnoff to to Denham, i have never been to Denham and it was a small side trip of the Hwy of 130 kilometers and it was a chance to visit the small town, so in they hopped and off we went, for the next 360 kilometers to Denham, the old lounge and beanbags were comfortable for them for the trip, we arrived at the Overlander Roadhouse at 2.30 PM in the afternoon and fueled up, then off to Denham, for the next 130 kilometers or four hours driving, arriving around 7pm that night at the little town of Denham where a well earned rest was needed.
A days driving of 360 kilometers for the day

More to come from when i arrived at Denham, and then Finnish my trip to where i worked at HEARSON COVE near Dampier

Cheers for now........William Hinds......0452089113
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by Maladjusted »

Thankyou Daimler Bill for your adventurous and humorous tale of driving east to west in a an old Sydney bus.
When compared with a bus new today in 30 years time would be hard pressed to even drive to the scrap metal dealer.

I believe I have seen this one in Nimbin, with a photo somewhere filed in a place never to be seen when wanted.
Who bleedin thanked me? I was just doin my job
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Thankyou for your * Quote* about 2661, im going to the Gold Coast soon and will go to Nimbin to find it, if it's able to be resqued i might think about getting it *BACK* the old Garddner motor will start, and then let it run for an hour or too to get the oil's up ,pump up the tyres , put the *plates * on off you go, maby back to Perth.
I had so much fun in 2661 and was sorry to sell it, that bus just went and went and never let me down.
More to come in the next story when i went to Denham.
Cheers for now. ...Bill.
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning All.....Story no 5.
After arriving in this little small town of Denham, on the west coast of West Australia, where the fishing is perfect and a great place to stay for anight, I decided to park up near the little Pub/Tavern and have a well earned rest for the night, it was a cool night and the double bed looked good, i switched off the lights, stopped the Gardner and walked 25 feet to the bed and that was me finished for the day/night and i sleep well!!!!, the two backpackers culled up on the been bags till morning.
When i awoke in the morning and went for a walk around the small town, i found a shop for breakfast and a coffee, the two ladies were out and about and finding where to go and i was now single again for the next part of the trip to Dampier where i worked, they were fun to have on the trip and always asking questions about Australia.
Just a short history and what is at Denham, as i stopped here on the Patrol Boat, that i was on, HMAS Adroit, in the 1976/77/78
The Denham area was the first part of the Australian mainland discovered by European sailors. On 25 October 1616, Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog and crew came unexpectedly upon "various islands, which were, however, found uninhabited. Denham has a semi-arid climate typical of most of central Western Australia. Summers are warm but not as hot as areas further inland due to coastal influence. The majority of Denhams rainfall falls in winter due to cold fronts moving in off the Indian Ocean, however the town receives far less rainfall from these systems than areas further south such as Geraldton and Perth. The period from September to March is largely rain less, apart from possible erratic thunderstorms or influence from tropical cyclones.There is a Crisis center, two Churches, a unit of the Red Cross, Returned Services League (R.S.L.), plus the normal amenities / facilities / social organisations to be found in any small Australian rural town; for example, two grocery shops, hardware, laundromat, hairdressing salon, two hotels, three caravan parks, various types of holiday accommodation, butcher, tourist and souvenir shops. There is also the unique Old Pearlier Restaurant.
The area is flat and sandy, so I set off for Dampier at about midday and made my way back to the Overlander Roadhouse at about 3.30 PM in the afternoon and fueled up and headed for the town of Canarvon which was about 200 kilometers from the road house, so in all for that part it was 330 kilometers for the day and arrived around 8pm at night, at the old Shell roadhouse where the Big road trains stop.
Found a spot over from the trucks and stopped for the night.
More to come in the next story, when i stopped at Canarvon, on my way to Karatha.
Cheers for now.......William Hinds 0452089113
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning all.......Story no 6.
Woke to a smell of sheep XXX at 5am, as i was parked out of the way, from all of the trucks, as a sheep truck pulled up alongside during the night alongside of 2661 and didn't it smell, so out of bed and moved the buss over to the fuel pumps, filled her up and parked her out the front and went in to have bacon and eggs with the usual cup of coffee, with all of the drivers and tourists that had stayed the night.....and I listened to the usual comments about the green bus and how it was so far away from Sydney, My turn at the cash register, where i ordered what i wanted and paid for it, then out the door to 2661 and checked the oil and water, started her up to let her warm up and while that was happening, i went and kicked the tires and finished my coffee, by this time it was 8AM and the next stop was 368 kilometers up the highway to the Caltex at Nanutarra, just a small road side servo with plenty of parking for road trains and whoever else stop's there.
The trip was the same as always heaps of Roos and some stray cattle, a few emu's and some wild dogs, some old cars that were abandon by the side of the road, also one caravan that was damaged from a road accident and all over the place, must have been hit by the wind from one of the road trains as it went past, you need to be very careful when you are out on that Great Northan Hwy.
Pulled into Nanutarra Caltex road house and filled up with Diso, cleaned the windows and paid for the fuel, then over to park for the night, the trip was 368 kilometers and took ten hours to complete as some road works were happening on the way, a well earned rest for the night was needed, i Just parked the bus and walked to my bed and that was it for the night.
Woke to the sound of birds at 5 am, as the sun rose over the rocky hills in the distance and some early noise of cars leaving the road side stop, as i was already fulled up, all i needed to do, was have my coffee and i was off to Karatha for the last leg, with a distance of around 270 Kilometers to go and i was starting to feel the fatigue of sitting in the half rounded seat and swinging off the big steering wheal, yes i needed a rest from 2661 and i was looking forward to going back to work for another 9 week shift, with Westham Dredging, working on the Gas pipeline into Dampier and Dredging the wharf area at King bay, all this was the start of the North west gas pipe line and did we have some fun in Dampier and Karatha, more to come in the next story's on the life of *2661* The trip from Perth to Dampier, with a side trip thrown in to Denham was around 1,794....Kilometers for the trip.

More to come in the next story no 7, when i stop at Karatha, on my way to Hearsons Cove on the Dampier peninsular
Cheers for now.......William Hinds 0452089113
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by Bedford-29 »

2661 at rest Nimbin NSW. https://flic.kr/p/8QaY13
Previoulsy known as United Diesel 15
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning all.........story no 7.
At 13.51 today (ESDT TIME) i received a phone call from Scottie,.....The new owner of 2661, we spoke about the 2661 bus for 53 minutes and 11 seconds, I'm so happy that that 2661 is in a full restoration as we type this story.
sent him some photo's of the bus and i need to pull out the rest of them when i have time, also Scottie has a Facebook site called Restoration of bus no 2661 so I'm now going to look at setting Face book up, to view what he has done to 2661.

OK will do a full story of the trip soon and will carry it on.

More to come in the next story no 8, when i stop at Karatha, on my way to Hearsons Cove on the Dampier peninsular
Cheers for now.......William Hinds 0452089113
DAMILER BILL

Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning all.
After i arrived at Karatha it was time for a rest and a cold beer at the walkabout hotel, parked the bus on the hard stand at the Shell servo and walked over to the pub, (i had one two many ) so that was the end of the day for me, as it wasn't safe, to drive the ten ton bus after i had a skinfull of icy cold Swan beer and rolled out of that terrable place at closing time and made my way back to my bed in *2661* I sleep for the rest of the night till 8am when everyone was going to work, as usual, 2661 had a lot of lookers and comment's while at the servo.
So back into the cab and check the oil and water shut the lid and in to the half round seat with the pillow on the steering wheal and that was where i stayed for the next two hours still feelling a bit sleepy.
Time to go to the Hearson Cove, on with the power and pushed the black starter button and the gardner started, waited for ten minutes and started on the road again towards Dampier then to the Cove where i parked it up for a few days, 2661 took up three parking bays next to the mess hall so i could run the power out to it and keep the batteries charged.
that is where i stayed for the next nine week's while i went to work on the Dredger, we did nine week's on and nine weeks off on that job and during the time off i would go for trip's in 2661, a great way to travel.
next story will be the trip to Broom for the festerville.
Cheers for now..............William Hinds 0432055503
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning all.
Im back to post a few stories of the time *I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986*, i know it's been awile so in a few days i will continue the short stories of my time i owned the 2661

It's been two years since i wrote about it and so i will start now to get you intrested.
After arriving at Hearson Cove after that cross Australia in the 2661, i went to work for nine weeks, and then had nine weeks off from the Dredger from Westham who were doing the cutting of the gas pipeline out to the Rankin A platform which is producing the gas for export and the local market in West Australia.
ok we started the 2661 and went into Karatha for the day, to the lia, for an oil change and grease, and a few other little things for the bus ,so its ready for the trip to BROOM which is on the North west coast of West Austalia, we left Karatha to 8AM on the Thursday and started to head out on the North west HWY to Port Headland, which is a distance of 245Klometers which took us 8 hours to do the trip, we had a few stops along the way for a piss and something to eat, from the trusty old Esky that i bought from Sydney, so around 4:30PM we stoped at the carpark at the Wallkabout Hotel, which was on the outskirts of Port Headland going to *BROOM* their i slepped for the entire night and awoke in the morning with a clear head, as you cant drive the 2661 if yourve had a *FEW* coldies under your belt.
Ok woke had a cold wash and a piss, kicked the tyres, checked the water and oil belts on the big generator and then flipped the switch and pushed the black starter button and 2661 fired up for her tem minut warmup before we set off for broom.

More next week so cheers for now William Hinds...0432055503
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Re: I once owned EX NSW DOT GOV Bus 2661 from 1980 till 1986

Post by DAMILER BILL »

Morning all.
Damiler Bill is alive and well just turned 70 years old yesterday and I will contrubit more stories about 2661 for you, been a long time between posts .
I found some photos of 2661 and will up load them soon.
Cheers for now Damiler Bill.
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