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Ex. WD 'Lorry Buses'


Richard Peskett

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Having started with the Tilling-Stevens lorry bus of Midland Red I have looked out some more information and photographs of the somewhat larger fleet of A.E.C. 'Y' types ( probably mostly 'YB' or 'YC' models) used by the London General Omnibus Company from June 1919 to January 1920. Officially known as 'Traffic Emgerncy Vehicle' and licenced to carry 27 passengers they retained their service paintwork.

Purchased from the Ministry of Munitions (Disposal Board) whom eventually agreed to take them back to sell at auction, but a few found their way to other operators who used them as lorry buses for a short time before rebodying them a coventional buses or charabancs. Correspondence at PRO. Kew states 99 were provided direct from A.E.C. as new and unused and 81 from the Board of Trade. A memo from the War Office of May 1920 'can only trace 98 of the 100' , all very confusing as numbers do not add up. Correspondece continues with the LGOC for many months over the two 'missing' vehicles, never to be resolved. More on surviving A.E.C. 'Y' types later.

Richard Peskett.

 

LGOC Lorry bus 1.jpg

LGOC lorry bus 2.jpg

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Will be interested to see any more images of the lorry buses Tim, they seemed to be somewhat camera shy as most I have seen are 'offficial' . Perhaps the very few bus enthusiasts of the day considered them unworthy of the camera. I have looked up a few more notes of interest on these vehicles in London. It would seem the London General first got the idea from experience gained when a lightening tube strike took place in February 1919, many civil servants in Whitehall etc. found great difficulty in getting to work so army lorries were used and subsequently made available for public use. With demobilization vastly increased numbers wished to travel and in the first half of 1919 congestion on bus, tram and tube became acute hence the introduction of the lorry buses. Used mostly on a limited stop basis and with no bell communication with the driver the conductor was issued with a whistle. Police regulations had to be considerably relaxed to allow the use of these vehicles and the General took advantage of this by putting into service more 'B' type buses in somewhat sub standard condition in khaki livery, again written 'Traffic Emergency Vehicle'. An all out railway strike in September / October 1919 brought them into their own and the official report quotes ' The lorry - omnibuses carried tremendous loads. Not only were they filled inside , but on the roofs whence lines of human legs protuded like a 'fringe'. Undoubtedly it was during this time that the lorry-buses experienced their maximum utilization'. It is also claimed that some 10,100,000 passengers were carried during their operational life in London.

Richard Peskett.

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  • 1 month later...

I have been looking for a Month and just found them. Only then, because i was looking for a spare folder and thought "whats in that one".

 

lorrybus5.jpg

 

The chap with the bowler hat is a picture. I am sure he took it all in his stride - anything else "just wouldnt be British".

 

Lorrybus2.jpg

 

Lorrybus1.jpg

 

Not lorry busses but here are a couple of fun ones.

 

Lorrybus4.jpg

 

Takes it all in his stride. I wonder what the H&S would make of it.

 

Lorrybus3.jpg

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Excellent pictures, I believe the one with WD lettering was in fact the 'prototype' this coming from the service fleet of garage lorries and was soon returned to those duties. Travel with the Foden steamer can only be described as 'exciting' . I have found another , this time a Glasgow built Caledon, not finding much favour with the WD but sold in reasonable numbers into civillian use no doubt as a very useful replacement for requistioned vehicles. Not too sure about the 'Express' part of the fleet name !.

Richard Peskett.

 

Caledon.jpg

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  • 2 years later...

I have found a couple of photos to add. The one below has no information on the back, as to the location or date.

 

AEC1.jpg

 

The date on the back of this one is 1919, taken at Hampstead Heath, with registration number LU 8057.

 

AEC2.jpg

 

As with the top photo there is no information on the back of this one. But looking at the crane on the back it was used as a tow truck at Willesden Bus Garage.

 

AEC3.jpg

 

Regards

 

Ross

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