59Prototype Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I am a member of a Facebook page that is all about old memories of Bournemouth and Poole. Today someone has posted a photo of an omnibus cum milk lorry that operated in an around the area. Here's the photo: Comment has been passed that it was probably a WWI lorry converted after the war was over. Would anyone like to pass comment? Three things of note. The man standing on the right appears to have a false leg. Could he have lost it during the war? The registration is EL 927 which indicates Bournemouth. EL ran from 1903 to 1924 so it's not a great deal of help in trying to pin a date on the vehicle or the photo. Finally it says DECOY just above the bonnet. I assume that's the manufacturer but after an extensive Google search I am none the wiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 The truck is I believe a Straker Squire. The registration EL 927 dates from about 1910, so no it is too early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 It was a common prcatice at the time to use a vehicle for dual purpose. Bus in day , truck by night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 It was operated by H.Newland & Co., haulage contractor of Stewart Road, Bournemouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 What an extraordinary combination. There must be a lot of fine weather down Bournemouth way - this unit is designed to keep the milk cool . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 The 'Decoy' name plate looks to me like a fleet name. Thousands of civilian haulage lorries were requisitioned in the first few months of the war, although many of those were never shipped to France. It is more likely that it would have been fitted with a GS lorry body than converted to a bus. In 1914 buses were being converted to lorries on arrival in France, although we were using French buses as troop carriers with some success at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchinuk Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wonder why the 'crew' are posed at the front of the vehicle, yet there appears to be a lady sitting in the driver's seat. jh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Brilliant picture! Could the artificial leg in fact be a pair of these or similar? The position of his foot looks normal and the other leg seems a little smooth and shiny too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Another photo of "Decoy", shows it was No.2 in the fleet. See on this link at bottom of the page: http://www.booty.org.uk/WestMoorsRailway/Sub_pages/05_ACountryRailway.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtskull Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Another photo of "Decoy", shows it was No.2 in the fleet.See on this link at bottom of the page: http://www.booty.org.uk/WestMoorsRailway/Sub_pages/05_ACountryRailway.htm The crew appear to be the same men as in the first photo, no sign of anything resembling an artificial leg in this pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Brilliant picture! Could the artificial leg in fact be a pair of these or similar? [ATTACH=CONFIG]87232[/ATTACH] The position of his foot looks normal and the other leg seems a little smooth and shiny too.. Ah!! Dear old leather gaiters, worn with short boots, commonly called Butcher's Boots. They are considered 'Working' dress for horseman or worn when Cub Hunting. They were later adopted for chaffeurs and drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Peskett Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 In more rural locations , often to and from market towns this type of vehicle enjoyed a spell of popularity in 1910 / 1920s. Scout Motors of Salisbury built several similar dual purpose vehicles but many were smaller based on Ford TTs etc. Southdown Motor Services of Brighton some of their buses had compartments behind the driver to carry milk churns colected and delivered at farm gates. Names were popular , even into the 1950s the local bus service Grayshott to Farnham used small Dennis 20 seaters always refered to as the 'Whippet'. Vehicle names possibly originate from pre 1904 registration act when in some road events 1901 /2 such as London to Oxford, London to Southsea the cars were given names displayed printed in large letterpress on boards back and front to identify them. Richard Peskett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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