Desto Time 14 - Leslies Blacktown

[1115]

As much as the photography here is fantastic, if I see another white or red CB60 or Volgren i'll expire!
So to break it up a bit, another instalment to this occasional series.
A Leslie's Blacktown roll from an ex-UTA Leopard (number unknown), with what must have been the most unusual use of abbreviations ever seen on a roll. Under the tape at "PARKLEA" was "MKTS", at "MT DRUITT" was "VIA HOSP".
Any feedback welcome.

[boronia]

I suppose it would all mean something if you were a local

[GM]

Having lived and worked in the Blacktown/Huntingwood Area I will try and interpret some of the names/ GM
B'lktown Blacktown
D'side Doonside
M'ash Monash Rd
K'dare Kildare Rd
H'tington Hts Huntington Heights
T'wong Tallawong Ave
Walters Walters Rd
H'tingwood Huntingwood
Res'voir Reservoir Rd
H'becke Holbecke Rd
Pk Park
Mch'bury Minchinbury
W'land Wonderland
P'ospect Prospect
T'Top Could be Tip Top Bakery in Sunnyholt Rd
Blk Hosp Blacktown Hospoital
Eastern Crk Raceway Eastern Creek Raceway

[ged]

I lived at Plumpton from 1986 to 1999 and passed through Blacktown almost every day. The Leslie's operation depicted here follows their takeover of Palmer's routes (187). It's interesting seeing "Mt Druitt vis Hosp" on the blind as that was never a service provided by either Leslies or Palmers - similarly with Minchinbury - both deep in Busways (Rowe's) territory. The Parklea Markets indication was probably for a Weekend / Sunday's only service. The 5th indication - three lines of text - is probably for what used to be the route 211 Monash and Bungaribee loop of Leslies. Whoever made the blind was certainly a master of brevity!

[Centralian]

Good recollection there GM. I don't know where the name came from because Palmers never used it, but T'Top is Tabletop which is that part of Palmers run that went parallel to Flushcombe Rd - down Lock St, Berg St and then either back onto Flushcombe and return to the Station or onto Prospect. So you have on the desto Prospect via T'Top or just T'Top, or T'Top via B'lk Hosp. Leslies added Blacktown Hospital at some time during their tenure. Some memories there for me as well.

[MAN_LOVER]

One of my favorite rolls .... i have the same and just love all those abreviations

If theres some things I regret, it's when you first met someone that took me about places and i never took any photo's in the first year or so.
I remember the yard full of all sorts of interesting buses and wrecks..... i'm guessing it would've been just at the end of the operation.

Keep up the interesting desto postings, thanks 1115.

[Centralian]

This is a shot I took of the former Palmers depot in Doonside Rd after Leslies had acquired the business. Can even see the window line of an ex Adelaide unit there.

Leslies.jpg (45.77 KiB) Viewed 20033 times

[mrobsessed]

Awful! Awful then, still awful, but quirky and collectable now!

[KBS]

T / Top stood for TIMBERTOP which was the new housing estate built in the late 80/s on the eastern side of Flushcombe Rd behind the old timber yard and A Hudsons Hardware, all have gone now and there is a servive station there. And Holbecke should be spelt HOLBECHE.

[Centralian]

T / Top stood for TIMBERTOP

Thanks for the correction KBS. I remember seeing a Leslies bus with the full word on a supplementary sign (but I was obviously thinking of a timber tabletop when typing). Looking at a current street directory I can see a Timbertop Reserve next to the GWH at Prospect, off Norman St.

[User7526]

This is so nice to read, I used to live in Blacktown and caught the Palmers buses to and from Blacktown Station on my way to school years ago. The old AEC vehicles that were the mainstay of Phil Leslies bus fleet always looked good and his coaches were even better. I worked at Busways between 1995 and '98 and I still remember some of the ex Leslies drivers, some of them are still there today. Busways as you know took over Leslies a number of years ago.

Peta.

[KBS]

This is so nice to read, I used to live in Blacktown and caught the Palmers buses to and from Blacktown Station on my way to school years ago. The old AEC vehicles that were the mainstay of Phil Leslies bus fleet always looked good and his coaches were even better. I worked at Busways between 1995 and '98 and I still remember some of the ex Leslies drivers, some of them are still there today. Busways as you know took over Leslies a number of years ago.

Peta.

What route did you live on, I probably took you to school on one of those shitty Albions

[Centralian]

Peta.[/quote]
What route did you live on, I probably took you to school on one of those shitty Albions[/quote]

Shitty Albions !! I thought they were great as a passenger. I don't know about petamechanic but myself and another poster on here lived off Reservior Rd and Theresa St. I was a regular passenger on the Albions to the station, school and then work - the first Albion I recall was their Victor with CE body, I recall the Denning bodied Albion well and the camel back, plus the other CCMC's with the newer one having the padding on the destoflap. I guess with the short journey to the station a passenger never picked up any "shitty" features about them. Then came the Superior bodied Volvo's and the distinctive thigh support shape in the seats. Never rode on the MAN Superior though, it always seemed to do the Flushcombe Rd service only. I guess I'm talking late sixties here and throughout the '70's. Some memories there for me.

[mrobsessed]

Shitty Albions? Wash your mouth out! They were a thinking man's Bedford!

[User7526]

What route did you live on, I probably took you to school on one of those shitty Albions

I was living there and riding the Palmers vehicles in the days of the B58s and I even managed a ride in the old MAN too. one of their old drivers (Bruce (god rest his soul)) was also at Calabros when Westbus bought them out and he was telling me about what a challenge that MAN was to drive because of the "pogo stick" gearshift. To go across the gates you moved the stick up and down apparently. I even remember how Bruce Palmer had air horns on the roof too, great things when people cut you off in traffic!

I know that this is a Leslies thread actually but the history remains, Phil took over Palmers and that meant that he took the history of those routes too!

Peta.


P.S. "shitty Albions"? No way in hell! The last one that we had at Westbus Penrith when I was there (I left in late '94) was old m/o 831, one of Fred Bowmans fleet at the takeover. It was a "banger", I preferred driving that one with it's 6 speed (true, it had 6 gears) on school runs when they got me out of the workshop to cover shifts for no-show drivers! Oh the smiles right now!

[KBS]

Peta

Your right what you say about Albions they were a great bus and went well, I owned 4 of them and 1 was one of Fred's, a terrific bus. The term "shitty Albions" was in reference to the ones at Palmers, they were just neglected and m/o 5638 if you scored that well you had the lowest card in the deck. You spoke about the driver "Bruce" your right that was Bruce Cummins a terrific man, a proper gentleman and everyone got on well with him till the big "C" got him. And that bloody MAN m/o 5641 was originally a IPEC truck till they made a bus out of it.There was a second one there for years that was going to be a midmount but they cut it up for parts.

[throttle]

This is a shot I took of the former Palmers depot in Doonside Rd after Leslies had acquired the business. Can even see the window line of an ex Adelaide unit there.

Leslies.jpg

That blue and white Leslie bus rear mount in the picture is what I rode to school on in the 90s love to find one to buy or even specs on them. Does anyone know what happen to them or seen them around anywhere?

[hugh45]

A former operator of this route in the 50's was Killdare Bus Service Proprietor Ryder and Sons. I am interested in buses used by this operator. I do have a record of one bus a bonneted Chev. with m/o 011. Does anyone know of any other buses belonging to this operator.

[LB608]

m/o OO4 x DRT &T 1295 Leyland Cub