Birmingham City Transport Daimler COG5 - CVP 207

STANDARD BIRMINGHAM BUS 1934-39

Birmingham City Transport was attracted to Daimler buses because of the preselector 'easy change' gearboxes that saved drivers a lot of physical effort. Apart from the first 10, they all had reliable and economic Gardner diesel engines. Around 800 were purchased from 1934 to 1939.

Birmingham passengers were able to ride in a comfortable, well-upholstered vehicle with noise and vibration minimised by Daimler's flexible engine mountings and moquette covered interior panels.

1107 entered service in November 1937 at Perry Barr garage and worked hard throughout World War Two. Bus bodies were neglected during the war. During post-war overhauls, bodies were separated from their chassis due to the amount of repair required and often refitted to another chassis. 1107 eventually received a 1939 body. It ran from several garages in the early 1950s, before becoming a snowplough in 1954.

It was one of 41 reintroduced when services were taken over from Midland Red in 1957-8, running from Moseley Road garage before finally retiring at the end of 1959.

Preservation

1107 passed to a dealer, failed to sell but escaped being scrapped. In July 1964 Barry Ware took the then unusual step of buying 1107 for preservation, ensuring that this important period of Birmingham's transport history was saved. It was soon restored to its original appearance. It has been owned by the 1685 Group since 1971 and was re-restored in 1987.