Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

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tboyallan
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Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by tboyallan »

I recently obtained some photos on ebay to add to our records. All were taken in the 1950's and are surprisingly clear and sharp for the age.

#1 Murray Valley Coaches 'semi-trailer' coach, no fleet number visible.
#2 Pioneer Clipper with SA rego 258-622 (not imported model, has side door rearward of passenger door).
#3 Pioneer Clippers (same type as above) at Berowra Roadhouse. Photo shows six identical Pioneer Clippers parked outside. Closest to camera is TV-294 and what looks to be TV-035 behind it (subject to confirmation). For those around at the time, the roadhouse has an angled tile roof with a 'spaghetti neon' sign on the roof that says "DINE & WINE, FISH-GRILLS". It's not a big roadhouse so I don't know how they went catering for six coaches at once. It is a sensational period photo though.

I'll try and upload them over the weekend though I'm not too good at that. I may have to get help.
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Looselion
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Looselion »

("not imported model, has side door rearward of passenger door")

I'm guessing you mean the side door is behind the front wheel....

I'd love to see the images you're referring to.....

I knew the roadhouse and although it wasn't very big, it could possibly have catered for the Pioneer group that you describe. I'm assuming these units were examples of what I consider were Pioneer's second generation touring coaches, being based on the standard petrol powered Commer Avenger chassis, with Ansair steel framed bodies, the first in the fleet to carry Pioneer's original 'Scenic Clipper' logo.

A tranche of approximately 36 were built, mostly during 1948 and 1949, incorporating a number of Flxible licensed components. They were something of a stop-gap between the original 'Roadcruisers' and the coming Ansair Flxible Clippers, and served also to transition Ansair's production from wooden framed bodies to all-steel construction.

Any more progress re posting the pictures here....?
Last edited by Looselion on Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
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system improver
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by system improver »

I was forwarded the photos. Here they are:

Image
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Looselion
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Looselion »

Many thanks S.I.....
Close inspection of the group in front of the roadhouse reveals just four Ansair Commer Clippers, with an (Ansair?) Flxible Clipper angle parked in the middle of them.
I added the ? because there's not enough detail to positively determine whether the Flxible Clipper is the original US import or an Ansair example. Beginning in 1949 the US vehicle did a wide ranging series of national demo tours ahead of the introduction of the Ansair Flxibles which began in 1951.
alburybuses2
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by alburybuses2 »

Hi Looselion,
Some years ago, I copied page 27, September 1949 issue of Truck and Bus Transportation's Feature Section, left front angle of the Commer 'Avenger' with 'new' under-floor O.H.V. engine fitted with an Ansair coach body for Pioneer Tours. The name badge has the full width 'Ansair', it appears to have a single word below which I assumed to be Clipper, however it maybe a condensed 'Scenic Clipper' as described in the description. I have just noticed the story continued on page 66. Unless someone still has that issue, it looks like another trip to the State Library Victoria, although think it came in from their Ballaarat Archives.
alburybuses2
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by alburybuses2 »

Murray Valley Coaches usually had 'Unit No.--' (31-34 or 50-59) written below the circular MVC logo behind both doors on the White prime movers, although they did seem to miss out on many occasions. On the Foden the 'Unit no.--' (62-63 & 66-69) was written below 'Viewmaster' under the front corner index windows.
Commer Scenic Clippers may have been built for Pioneer Day tours as there isn't any lockers or a rear side cargo door, as was normal on Ansair built touring bodies.
Maladjusted
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Maladjusted »

I have a couple of photos which I have been meaning to post right here, a couple of Clippers with a pair of guys clowning around at the front.
Must have been a promo shoot, as one of them is Reg Ansett,
The last photo put up by Systemimprover of tboyallans collection shows two men standing near the door of one, the man on the far right looks familiar!
Who bleedin thanked me? I was just doin my job
heritagefutures
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by heritagefutures »

The book
Buses Up & Down the Murray. The Murray Valley Coach Company of Albury
by Dirk H. R. Spennemann (2006) has just been uploaded here for personal use:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303680157
enjoy !
Denv12
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Denv12 »

I remember their coaches at Franklin St Bus Station in the mid 1960s.Does anyone have photos of any of those vehicles?
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boronia
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by boronia »

Found this ex MVC Foden at Black & White of Sandgate, Qld in the late 1960s. They had another unit which I saw out on the road, but didn't photograph.
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Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
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Car177
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Car177 »

This was the fourth Foden bought by McGraths, it had been operating for a couple of companies on Kangaroo Is.This was in the Continental Coachline days but not sure if it actually entered service.
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Bedford-29
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Bedford-29 »

Here is another of Murray Valley Coaches Foden coaches.Picture from the Ken Magor collection
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MURRAY VALLEY COACHES FODEN
MURRAY VALLEY COACHES FODEN
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Denv12
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Denv12 »

What coaches did they have in the 1960s? I'm sure they were Freighter Lawton ,maybe Bedford SB5's.
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system improver
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by system improver »

Murray Valley Coaches (as a public company) went out of business in 1958/59, with the routes either abandoned or sold to others. Most of the Fodens were sold off along with the older buses like the CAC Bedfords. Streaky Bay Motor Services ( Johnson & Freeman) bought the name and some routes. They may have operated one or two of the Fodens for a short period of time. Most of their buses were Bedfords (some SB3, some with Perkins and some SB5) and Albions with Freighter bodies. They sold MVC to John Wadmore in 1965. He had at least one Lewis bodied Albion. Buses in the 70s were Dennings.

Here is a photo of the first new bus for the Streaky Bay MS owned MVC:
Image
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Centralian
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Centralian »

Probably going a little off the course you wanted this post to go, but I am led to believe that the chassis here was the first of MVC's 6 camel back units.
I have it recorded from some fleet listing or records as chassis 27322 and I believe it was rebodied for Appleby & Nelson (Tempe Bus Service/Transit Scenic Tours)
of Tempe NSW in 1969 by Denning. It was mo 4846 with Appleby & Nelson until accident damage and sat in their yard at Tempe for many years as I have captured it here.
I think this photo is late '70's. Open to correction if any of my records are wrong.
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Denv12
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Denv12 »

system improver wrote:Murray Valley Coaches (as a public company) went out of business in 1958/59, with the routes either abandoned or sold to others. Most of the Fodens were sold off along with the older buses like the CAC Bedfords. Streaky Bay Motor Services ( Johnson & Freeman) bought the name and some routes. They may have operated one or two of the Fodens for a short period of time. Most of their buses were Bedfords (some SB3, some with Perkins and some SB5) and Albions with Freighter bodies. They sold MVC to John Wadmore in 1965. He had at least one Lewis bodied Albion. Buses in the 70s were Dennings.

Here is a photo of the first new bus for the Streaky Bay MS owned MVC:
Image
Thanks Centralian. Beautiful photo.Would have been a great looking coach in its day.
I remember when I was a child in the 60s we saw a Freighter Lawton bodied coach at Central Bus Station in Adelaide.It was white and green.It stood out because it looked nice.Werent many green buses and coaches here around that time.Its likely it was an SB5.I've never seen any photos of them after that.Is it possible that the vehicles retained their livery at the time but they took on the new owners name?
CCCC
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by CCCC »

So Guys first lot of pics with the clippers at Berowra , where was this dinner located , does not look like any current roof structure at the shops on corner of Berowra water road.
Could this be back further on the seven eleven corner , before it was a seven eleven. edit.... nup can't be , pic shows a somewhat slope, edit... google map slop looks about right in front of Chinese/old RSL on corner Berowra waters road however
there is a big drop away from the current road , old pic looks level.
VIKing
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by VIKing »

The picture of the Clippers is taken on the Pacific Highway looking south IE all the coaches are northbound just north of the intersection with Berowra Waters Road - Berowra Waters road which descends to the right is obscured behind the coaches.

The Tempe BS / Transit Scenic Tours Foden PVD6 .. I have the history as .. New in 1950 to Murray Valley Coaches with a camel back Lawton body. Sold to Pykes Tours in 1954. Sold to Sandgate Black and White 1962. Sold (transferred ?)
to Continental Coachlines as #51. Rebodied in 1968 with Denning body #202 and registered PFP 939. Continental ceased trading in 1971 and Tempe purchased the Foden at auction 10/03/71. It was registered m/o 4846 on 06/07/71. When Tempe purchased the Foden it was powered with a vertical Leyland 680 motor. It came to grief on 27/10/73 descending into Wisemans Ferry on a charter. It remained at the depot (as in the photo) and was partly stripped before sale 12/75 to Fairfield for a caravan.
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system improver
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by system improver »

Here are three MVC buses from three eras showing three liveries:
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Image
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Denv12
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by Denv12 »

Thanks System Improver.Love the photos. Now I remember the livery.It was definitely green. Were there any Freighter Lawton Bedfords in the 60s? I remember a Bedford similar to the one in my photo below.What other chassis' did they use?
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system improver
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Re: Pioneer / Murray Valley Coaches photos

Post by system improver »

Looselion wrote:Many thanks S.I.....
Close inspection of the group in front of the roadhouse reveals just four Ansair Commer Clippers, with an (Ansair?) Flxible Clipper angle parked in the middle of them.
I added the ? because there's not enough detail to positively determine whether the Flxible Clipper is the original US import or an Ansair example. Beginning in 1949 the US vehicle did a wide ranging series of national demo tours ahead of the introduction of the Ansair Flxibles which began in 1951.
You are right Looselion, it's four Commers and one Flexible.
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