Coventry Buses - past and present

Yep! Rebuilt, rebodied and re-entered service for another 13 years!

Well you would never believe it, it deserved a War Medal

Hi all During the war, a skilled industry grew around, where vehicles were constantly re-built using bits & bobs from wherever throughout UK cities. I once visited a London underground railway depot where I was shown underground train carriages that had been re-built following blitz damage, where one end of the carriage was a different design & model to the other end. Thank you all, for your contributions to this theme of inovation.

Hi all No 126 was the first of the last. No 126 up to 165, (kvc 126-165) were beautifully fitted out buses, with wooden interior trim around the windows & light fittings. When a couple of years later, more new vehicles started to arrive, Nos 166 onwards, gone was the wooden trim.

Hi again, Wooden trim was always a big statement in motor vehicles. Many cars manufactured in Coventry had a price tag dependent on how much wood trim was included. I bought a series five Hillman Minx which had no wood trim & cost a lot less than the Gazelle, which had wood facia & door trim. Thank you for that photo link Foxcote. Happy days. At the same time as you may have been travelling on this bus, I could have been listening to this! Listen-With-Mother Another loss to our past.

Hi CKV 1D, the bus maintenance board photo was taken At Harnall Lane garage sometime in 1952, and the person viewing it was the garage foreman Mr Sam Gaylard. This was part of an article on Coventry transport by the Coventry Telegraph. I was an 18 year old apprentice at this time at Watery Lane Works and I was photographed on the crack detecting machine inspecting a Guy axle.

Hello Colin Welcome to Rob's forum

Welcome from me as well, col cov, you'll be very welcome on here I am sure, especially with all your knowledge and memories

Thank you Dutchman and Foxcote for your kind welcome to the forum, I hope I'll be able to give useful information whenever possible.

A few days before KVC154 was due to be handed over to the Coventry Friendship group, the fluid flywheel was found to be leaking badly, so the late Graham Barber and myself fitted a new oil seal in our own time after normal hours. For this we were invited to the summer holiday film at the Alex, and to the send off afterwards. Looking at this film tonight I can see myself standing at the kerbside with my arms folded seeing 154 depart, and Russell Bloom who was chief engineer standing behind me outside the Alex. What a coincidence, I have never seen this film until tonight after 43 years ago, thanks Foxcote.

Thanks colcov! It was truly amaxzing to read your post regarding the KVC 154 video, your details are great combined with the footage. I'm going to have another look to see you watching the departure of the bus.

Thanks for that bonus bit of information there Colin (Col Cov) regarding the Maintenance Board photo ! I'm glad I got the year right when it was taken (that was just a roughly worked out guess ???lol), although I thought the photo was taken up at the Keresley Works, but pleased to know now that it's actually taken at Harnall Lane Garage !!! I've heard the name "Sam Gaylard" (Garage Foreman !) mentioned a few times by people in the past and I'm guessing that he must have worked for "CCT" for quite a long time ???

Hello Philip, the Graham you knew was a driver then inspector, known as Graham Shaw. I believe he left Coventry to live in the Gloucester area a few years ago. I hope this info is sufficient for you.