billh35 Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 Can anyone tell me what the number of RCT service coaches was in Northern Ireland during Operation Banner would have been? These were supplemented by vehicles operated on a private hire basis from Ulsterbus but there were a number of Strachans and Marshall bodied Bedford SB's in use in a variety of liveries included "Ulsterbus look-a-like" liveries. There were further ex-Ulsterbus vehicles operated with military drivers. Ulsterbus operated a covert driving school to train RCT drivers to drive PSV vehicles. I have been able to document these fairly accurately but want to complete the picture so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 I can’t answer your question, but thought this photo may be of interest. I was with LAD REME, 18/26 Sqn RCT from 1972 to 1974, serving for a year in Lisburn and a year in Ballykelly, where the photo was taken. We had 2 or 3 coaches there and a few more in Lisburn, all painted in different colours, but all army coaches, not civilian. Apologies for poor quality of picture. Steve. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billh35 Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 I think I accidentally captured the same vehicle (although it may be a different one because of the windscreen) at Portrush on a summer Saturday. The civilian number plates were changed regularly to fool the terrorists. The Ulsterbus Leyland Leopard was on a civilian private hire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 I don’t recognise the driver, so I guess this was taken later, as it was virtually straight from the vehicle depot when I photographed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldscaley Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 hello ex-boy, apologies, very late to the game, my father was a REME vehicles Tiffy, he was posted to 18 SQN wksp in 1972, he came over from Fremington/Instow looks like 4 April through 7 August, he was a SSGT, at the time, and left to go over to Celle, with 1RGJ LAD as far as i recall he was based in Thiepval Barracks, he said was living in a caravan by the side of the SGTS mess, at that time I believe Magheralave Rd was open to traffic. if you have any photos / details of that time please message me, would love to find out more (good/bad) many thanks, oldscaley I got to Lisburn much later Feb 1988 - April 1990. had an interesting time, got our MQ at Pond Park; nicely re arranged courtesy of PIRA in December 88 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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