Coventry Buses - past and present

Just found this article on bus no.344

Hi all I was told that so many new highway regulations were coming into force at this time, which included vehicle lighting rules, had accelerated the rate at which these rear exit buses were being withdrawn. The two GKVs next to it, I believe were amongst the finest, furnished & fitted out town buses that I ever had the privilege of travelling in. A very sad picture.

Hi, I came into this world in 72 and there were Fleetlines and Atlanteans everywhere. I can just remember the half cabs especially on the 21 route to Wood End. I can recall skiving from school in the early 80s and looking through the fence at Harnall Lane at all the above buses smashed up, no engines etc. Shame. It was then WMPTE and begins another chapter. I don't know why but the Park Royal Fleetlines were my fave's, maybe coz they looked ugly and stood out, not sure. Great Memories....

Hi all on this very soggy morning in Coventry. The title of this thread could say "100 years of Coventry Transport" & "Continuing". That is because it is. With only one exception, we no longer see COVENTRY TRANSPORT on the side of our buses, as the undertaking is now part of the National Express business. Also we now have several operators providing services, whereas it used to be Coventry Transport for within the city & the old Midland Red for out in the sticks. I am a prolific bus & public transport user, as many of you know & have been even during my full time working life. Whilst I might use the problems of my eyesight as a reason nowadays for hardly ever using my car, the real reason is convenience. I have just returned home from a short meeting in our city centre transport museum. I was the first there, arrived the driest & now home mostly dry, by bus. Horses for courses. Public transport is not everyones cup of tea, but it is definately mine. I do have my free bus pass, but just like in past days, if I did not have a free bus pass, I would buy one, just as I used to buy a West Midlands pass years ago. I have just spent nearly £200 on school bus passes for my two grandchildren, which is only for one term, but what peace of mind for me, that they have safe transit to & from school, across our city. Their passes allow them on any bus at any time in the West Midlands, which is a big bonus in holidays. I have never been without a car in all of my adult life, as there are out of hours times when I have been very glad of it, but I am so glad that for most high density journeys, I can travel in the dry, usually on time to virtually anywhere in & around Coventry. DING DING.

Here are some more buses for you also Pool Meadow, same colour buses like Philip's dustbin lorries. 1970s LINK

Mystery bus garage.

This one has me stumped. Which bus garage had a paint shop and when did Brandish deal in Lanchester and Daimler as well as Vauxhall? I will have to pass on this one

I would guess at Watery Lane, Keresley - but it is ONLY a guess

This shot was next to the 'paint shop' one, might be the same site, there are a few more, welding and stuff. Bus Mystery Bus Engine

All I can say about the bus engine shot is, the bus pictured must be getting on in years, because that is a major overall, they are replacing the piston liners, also the king pins are out, so in my book this vehicle has done a lot of miles to need work like this.

It could well be Watery Lane. The roof height appears to be about right. Also the depot could under take any repair. Cannot remember the year but Watery Lane was incorporated into Sandy Lane garage about 1966ish. There were many repairs undertaken at Sandy Lane and nothing to do with buses either, lol. My new big-end bearing came from there in 1966. This had to be made for me as my dad had filed my crankshaft round again and the old bearing shells used as a mould. These were bored out, cut back in half and the white metal was about one eighth of an inch thick. Some one else had a trailer made and was taken out in pieces and reassembled at home. Oh, forgot, I had a new exhaust made but I think that came from Watery Lane. If anyone asks, I do not know where these places are, never been there and have not the slightest clue about anything.

Found an old shot of Watery Lane

Back to Watery Lane, the engine the two men are working on, the bus was registered between 1949-52. The other pic, looking at the back end of three buses, the one nearest appears to have been registered in 1952. I would say the photo would be mid fifties but who knows? Stroke of luck, type in cct-society. Watery Lane became defunct in 1966

Looks like another result!

When you think of the miles they clock, prob 50,000 in a year, it's not long before they need a major overhaul. When they changed to the new style buses, these engines were in and out like a yo-yo. A car in the 50s was almost scrap at that mileage unless well maintained.