LETTERS TO OMNIBUS
3236 AT BRUSH WORKS
With reference to your recent article and photograph of S8 3236 (JHA836) in Omnibus no.163, I have a few comments and suggestions to make. Actually 3236 was the very first S8 to be built to the new 8ft dimensions, and the first to be placed in service on 8 May 1948, followed by 3226/40 on the 15 May 1948, then 3241/46 on 25 May 1948.
When photographed at Brush Works it was obviously brand new, as the paint is still shiny. I do have in my collection an identical photograph, but with the Driver and Mechanic stood in a slightly different position, and taken by Mr.W.J.Haynes, of Lewisham, London, a well-known transport photographer.
I would suggest that 3236 was taken up to Brush Works for the bodybuilders to inspect and take all measurements from, for the 50 bodies that were built for, or intended for S6s (7ft 6in wide), so they could be modified to eight foot before being fitted to the S9 chassis. On the first fifty S9s, from 3357-3406, these were obviously to the S6 design, and it could be seen where the bodies and the seats had the extra six inches added; the seats had extra Rexine added on the gangway side, with the moquette squares slightly offset. Also the bell pushes were to the S6 pattern on the bottoms of luggage racks, and the full destination and route numbers at the rear. Those from 3407 onwards were probably built to eight foot from new, and as we know only had the route numbers at the rear, as on the later S10 type. Incidentally, the last two Brush bodied S6s to be placed in service were 3008 on 11 September 1947 and 3096 on 26 September 1947.
The first Brush bodied S9 to enter service was 3357 on 10 March 1949 followed by 3358/9/66/80/92 on 25 March 1949, with the remainder going into service between April 1949 and February 1950, the last one being 3455.
From March 1949 onwards brand new S8s and S9s were entering service together, and at Leamington for instance we were getting batches of each type coming here together. One reason given as to why the S8s did not enter service in chronological order - explained to me once by someone who was at Central Works at one time - was that the first twenty-five or so S8s were actually built as S6s to the 7ft 6in measurements, then they all had to be converted to the new permitted 8ft wide pattern, so they were put at the end of the queue, and so 3226-3299 entered service first. But 3236 was clearly chosen as the prototype. Other chassis built to 7ft 6in wide earmarked for S6s were probably used for the C1 coaches.
One item of interest, when driving an S8, you had an extra six inches on your left hand side, compared with other types, so you had to be jolly careful when passing parked cars or pulling into bus stops. With the S9 and S10 you only had three extra inches on either side of you. Also the S8 had a long gearstick almost up to steering wheel height, whereas the S9 and S10 had a much shorter and handier gearstick. The handbrake was on the left on both S8 and S9 types, but the S10 had it moved over to the right hand side.
Hope these notes will be of some interest.
John Goddard, Leamington
LEICESTERSHIRE AT LONG LAST
Many thanks to Malcolm and the rest of the crew for a most enjoyable day out on Saturday 11 June. In particular, I'm sure the Leicester contingent much appreciated the efforts to put a D9 back on some of our local routes.
Which brings me on to the 661/2 services which, remembering from somewhat earlier days, was the route used by myself to see my grandmother! The 661 was the shorter working to Melton, whilst the 662 worked through to Grantham.
There was an unusual route variation when the railway station at Frisby-on-the-Wreake closed, as part of the Beeching axe, round about 1965. Certain journeys on the 661/2 were diverted through the village, using Rotherby turn and then later the Buena Vista kennels, as the entry and exit points to the A607. I remember the country lanes being widened, and trees lopped extensively, to take double decks. I can certainly recall going to Frisby on crew operated DD12s.
The 661/2 was a joint working with Lincolnshire, who operated their rota as service 25. Oddly, whilst the 'Red' diverted certain journeys into Frisby, I'm pretty sure all the Lincolnshire rosters were along the main road.
And then we come to the Asfordby conundrum. I think the only scheduled 'Red' services through Asfordby were the peak only 630, which ran through from Leicester to Melton via Asfordby, or the shorter 649 Leicester to Asfordby. In both cases, I think they were single deck operated and vaguely remember my cousins getting on something like a S10, or even S13, one afternoon going back to another local village, Thrussington.
The main local services between Asfordby and Melton were actually run by Barton, and just checking my trusty October 1963 Midland Red Leicester area timetable, indeed it states, "Local passengers are not conveyed on these journeys between Asfordby and Melton Mowbray".
I hope this adds further interest on the subject.
Brian Dicks, Radcliffe-on-Trent
According to the Barton timetable of October 1964, Melton Mowbray - Asfordby was served by services 20 (every 20-30 minutes), 20A to Loughborough, 41 to Nether Broughton (both occasional), and 30 Old Dalby circular (one journey each way on Tuesdays only). Editor
HARTS HILL HERESEY
In Omnibus no.128 of September 1998 the following words of mine appeared - "...Dudley and Harts Hill (the latter is two words, as I think I have said before)..."
You can imagine my chagrin when, less than an inch away from my own letter in Omnibus no.165 the word "Hartshill" has insidiously wormed its way back into print. Just for the record, "Hartshill" is in Nuneaton (there are also roads named Hartshill in various towns, such as Bedford, Guildford and on the Isle of Wight).
This proves that I read Omnibus assiduously, and am keeping a beady eye on you!
Stan Letts, Oldbury
TWO MUSEUMS WEEKEND
Paul, Ted, Roger and his partner Martine thoroughly enjoyed the Two Museums weekend and wish to thank everyone concerned. They have vowed to return on a quieter open day to have a thorough look round! I am sure that much will be written about the day's events in Omnibus and all seemed to run exceptionally well. Kevin was beaming each time I met him on the road in either the RTW or RML!! I too enjoyed my three rounds in the FSF, which drove very well until the last trip, when it suddenly became hard work. I hope it is now better.
This is just a quick note to record who supplied what. Thanks are due to Paul Almeroth for driving RTW75 up to Wythall from Essex, and to Roger Wright (MD of Blue Triangle Buses) for giving his consent and support. Thanks are also due to Ted Price, the owner/driver of RML898. He rebuilt the bus after it sustained major front end accident damage, with cab and engine compartment completely taken out - and then what was left had been heavily cannibalised by Stagecoach at Bow garage. The next part of this major project will be to restore the interior of the bus by removing the strip lighting, painting the ceilings yellow and putting the bulbs back in. Seats will then reappear in the traditional LT moquette.
Dave Hales, via e-mail
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
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