[NSW]Buses at special events in the 50/60s.

Red and Cream · Post by **Red and Cream** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:50 pm

Whenever special events occur, it is always a great chance for enthusiasts to photograph large numbers of vehicles in a short space of time and often country buses seldom seen, appear. It was the same in the fifties and sixties, especialy when Billy Graham visited in 1959. Following is a selection of buses at special events from that period.

m/o 408 Albion M80 Syd Wood Punchbowl Bus Company ex m/o 1231 in Lang Road Moore Park waiting whilst its passengers attend the Billy Graham Rally on 19th April 1959.
This is one of my favourite early bus photos, not only because it is an interesting vehicle but because of the drivers, just hanging around to give atmosphere to the shot.

m/o 4263 Ford Syd Wood Riverstone Bus Service attending another religious service at the Showground but it was not a Billy Graham rally.

Buses in front rows left to right are: m/o 049 AEC Reliance Com Eng. W.A.& J.C.Johnson of Fairfield:Reo Syd Wood Austerity Church Bus:m/o 656 Leyland Syd Wood (Patgay front.) Punchbowl Bus Co.:m/o 4361 Bedford CCMC Rowes Bus Svce. trading as Coach Tours.:m/o 448 or m/o 705 AEC DD Foley and nc Chev Properts not sure about.
This is the same religious gathering as the last photo after all the buses were parked. Certainly a technicolour bunch.

Buses from L to R :M/O 981 Atkinson Syd Wood West Bankstown: m/o 4319 White Ryde- Parramatta Body Ryde-Parramatta Bus Svce.:m/o 4248 Austin Milperra Body Works. Granville Bus Company: AEC Reliance Com Eng Hills Bus Svce.
These buses were providing transport for scouts attending a Jamboree at Lansdowne. Neat rostering of the government buses has provided us of one of each make of DD in service at the time.

Something for AEC Decker. m/o 2279 at an event at the Sports Ground.

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:55 pm

I think I might need an ambulance.

"Red and Cream", would you have a photo date for 2279

dave · Post by **dave** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:05 pm

2279 looks brand new at the time of the photo

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:09 pm

dave wrote:2279 looks brand new at the time of the photo

I'd say just after its 1959 overhaul.

AEC Decker · Post by **AEC Decker** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:10 pm

Red and Cream wrote:Something for AEC Decker. m/o 2279 at an event at the Sports Ground.

After picking my self up from the floor from the shock of seeing what looks like a brand new AEC Decker 2279. I now have my face glued to the screen examining this fine vehicle in minute detail.

Heart pills please leopard1543

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:15 pm

AEC Decker wrote:
Red and Cream wrote:Something for AEC Decker. m/o 2279 at an event at the Sports Ground.

After picking my self up from the floor from the shock of seeing what looks like a brand new AEC Decker 2279. I now have my face glued to the screen examining this fine vehicle in minute detail.

Heart pills please leopard1543

Just done a further check and I think that 2279's photo date could be around November, 1961 as that was one of its overhaul dates.

Red and Cream · Post by **Red and Cream** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:18 pm

Yes spot on leopard1543, November 1961. Judging by the state of the wheels i would say it was its first trip out on the road after returning from overhaul at Chullora.

GM · Post by GM » Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:28 pm

m/o 4263 Riverstone Bus Service, I think the Shell Oil Co owned this vehicle originally. GM

Member 573 · Post by **Member 573** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:10 pm

So, the God Botherers are useful for something I suppose-if they cause lots of great buses to come together!

In the shot of the White leaving the scene with the three DGT deckers behind, would the canvase door Leyland happen to be a low bridge??

I notice that the engine hatch handle on 2279 has been painted green-do you have chest flutters AEC?

Red and Cream · Post by **Red and Cream** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:18 pm

No Bus Fahrer, they are all full height deckers.

Novocastrian · Post by **Novocastrian** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:44 pm

Magnificent photos !!!

Note the tramlines covered with bitumen in the foreground .

Windy · Post by **Windy** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:46 pm

Is the Syd Wood bodied Albion decker a low bridge, or is it just the body looking like it's lower than the decker behind? Looks nicer than the Waddington bodies...

Dave Wilson · Post by **Dave Wilson** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:59 pm

Yes it is a lowbridge, and Red and Cream did you happen to note what the red and cream dd was right at the back in the same shot as the brown and white Foleys (Ramsgate Omnibus Serv?) dds -its looks vaguely like a lowbridge as well -McVicars?

Front brown and white dd appears to be M/0 705 ex DGT 1651 AEC The red and cream Reo Speedwagon is also interesting as I think it is one of the so called 'austerity' Syd Woods of about 1944/5 vintage. GM might elaborate on the latter...

Windy · Post by **Windy** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:12 pm

Has anything similar to m/o 408 been preserved?

Red and Cream · Post by **Red and Cream** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:38 pm

David, the McVicar decker towards the rear was m/o 911 ex m/o 1493 unfortunately not a lowbridge. The Foley DD amongst the other buses was their OPD2 m/o 358, one of the private build deckers before it was rebuilt as a SD. The Reo with unusual austerity body is owned by the Wentworthville Baptist Church.
Windy, the only lowbridge decker surviving today that we know of is the ex Campbelltown Waddington bodied one (apart from the wreck of m/o 1482 at Nowendoc).

Thirroul · Post by **Thirroul** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:43 pm

Dave Wilson wrote:Yes it is a lowbridge, and Red and Cream did you happen to note what the red and cream dd was right at the back in the same shot as the brown and white Foleys (Ramsgate Omnibus Serv?) dds -its looks vaguely like a lowbridge as well -McVicars?

Front brown and white dd appears to be M/0 705 ex DGT 1651 AEC The red and cream Reo Speedwagon is also interesting as I think it is one of the so called 'austerity' Syd Woods of about 1944/5 vintage. GM might elaborate on the latter...

I'd back you with the DD at rear of photo 3 being from McVicar's Omnibus Services, Arch McVicar Snr.

3rd from right in second row behind Ramsgate DD in Red & Cream is either m/o 656 or 662 from Punchbowl Bus Company.

The WBBS bus in photo with the White is most likely m/o981 Atkinson Syd Wood.

There are some long gone liveries amongst these, someone might like to nominate the liveries???

Is that an Arthur Marrin vehicle at the laft rear photo 3?

GM · Post by GM » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:47 pm

There were a number of Reos and Whites built in 1943 with the Austerity Syd Wood body. There may have been other chassis bodied but I have no record of them.
Bill Neely had a 32 seater m/o 612 which went to a Church Group in the Western Suburbs. This vehicle could be it.
George Sinclair had a White m/o 230. Allomes m/o 524 White.
The Entrance Red m/o 892 Reo which went to E S Riley Ettalong. Bales m/o 690 Reo.
From what I can gather the body sheeting was black iron instead of Zinc Anneal. The gutters were shaped steel & were straight along the body & did not dip down at the front or back, the inside lights were let into the body & covered with a small piece of glass.
If somebody has the Syd Wood body register we could clarrify the position.

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:56 pm

Red and Cream wrote:Yes spot on leopard1543, November 1961. Judging by the state of the wheels i would say it was its first trip out on the road after returning from overhaul at Chullora.

The AEC decker behind 2279 looks fresh out of overhaul also

Dave Wilson · Post by **Dave Wilson** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:56 pm

The WBBS bus in photo with the White is most likely m/o981 Atkinson Syd Wood.

There are some long gone liveries amongst these, someone might like to nominate the liveries???

Is that an Arthur Marrin vehicle at the laft rear photo 3?

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I'm thinking that the lovely Comeng Reliance is Bales Wallacia. Would it have been too late in the peace for Marrin to have had a bonnetted bus (although it certainly looks like Marrin's colours)?- but maybe Red and Cream has the gen....

GM · Post by GM » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:39 pm

Thirroul - Arthur Marrin sold a number of his buses to the West Ryde Baptist Church and they remaind in his colours.
I will send a photo to Dave Wilson and get him to post it for me. GM

Red and Cream · Post by **Red and Cream** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:48 pm

The Reliance with the Comeng body is m/o 049 W.A.& J.C.Johnson of Fairfield before it became Fairlines Bus Service and i am not sure about the nc Bedford but you are right about the colour scheme.

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:19 pm

1943 Syd Wood bodied Reo (m/o.602 W A Neely)
As BUH484 with Wentworthville Baptist Church

GMC Syd Wood body (A Marrin)
As BSR602 with West Ryde Baptist Church

Photographs: GM

Dave Wilson · Post by **Dave Wilson** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:29 pm

Ooops -last two not my photos but GMs.

leopard1543 · Post by **leopard1543** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:36 pm

Dave Wilson wrote:Ooops -last two not my photos but GMs.

Thanks Dave, have amended them.

boronia · Post by **boronia** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:55 pm

I recall the late Sam Browne had a bonnetted GMC for "preservation" in the early 70s. He drove it to HCVA meetings a few times. Was it the unit in the picture above.

[NSW]Buses at special events in the 50/60s.

[NSW]Buses at special events in the 50/60s.

Great photos!

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Re: [NSW]Buses at special events in the 50/60s.

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