Coventry Buses - past and present

Coventry and Oxford set to be UK's first all electric bus cities (Department for Transport).

Looking through 'Rob's Pics', this particular image reminded me of the huge Christmas decoration figures put up outside Owen Owen every year - visible in this photograph! The bus on the right is exactly where I used to catch the no.2 bus for Radford (Jubilee Crescent). Amazing pictures, and may I add my thanks.

Coventry bus driver "MARGARET MORONEY", seen here behind the wheel of her bus back in February 1986, giving a wave and a cheerful smile! ("BLESS HER"!). x

I'm responding from memory, but this particular image is fascinating. During & immediately after the war, Coventry was desperately short of buses. The tram network was abandoned which, as well as bomb damaged vehicles, all added to the shortages. Coventry Transport tried to order a hundred AEC (London Transport type) buses, but the delivery of such an order was around 1950ish. That was too long to wait, so Daimlers were ordered that started to be delivered in 1947. A consortium of the Coventry Maudslay company, who had also been contacted, supplied nine buses, very similar to the AEC London Transport design. The bus in the picture is one of those.

Ronald Fearnley who was GM at Coventry Transport was an AEC fan. Coventry Council wanted to support Daimler so Daimler Chassis with AEC Engines became the standard purchase from 1934-1951. At that point Council insisted they used the Daimler engine which proved to be more unreliable and thirstier than the AEC. Mr Fearnley persuaded the Council to buy 9 AEC Regent 3s but they were badged Maudslay given Maudslay Heritage in Coventry. Unlike all other AECs the chassis were built at Great Alne again to try and make them local. They also had a larger capacity engine than immediate post war AEC with Daimler chassis. The Maudslays (117-125) only lasted some 5 years on front line duty again due to excessive fuel usage versus the smaller AEC engines used post war. It all culminated that from 1955 Coventry Transport standardised on Daimler Chassis but with a Gardner engine which was not only more fuel efficient than both AEC and Daimler but also did more miles between mechanical breakdowns. This was the standard until the first rear engine buses were delivered in 1964/5 which were Leylands. Coventry Council would never have allowed the bulk purchase of AEC vehicles given the strong Trade Union influence at the time.

That is fascinating, Busman, but then, no less from an expert. Thank you. I've always enjoyed yattering with bus people. Not long before he died, I listened to stories from bus driver Mr Ford, in his retirement home in Exhall. He lived off Albany Rd, during his working life. In his long nearly unblemished driving career with CT, his only mishap was a partial break failure in a JKV. He ran into the back of a bread van. My memory is sketchy, but do you recall Mr Ford. His son who I knew we'll was Martin.

Continuing with Mr Ford, I didn't know his first name, he was always Martin's dad. A story that he told me was, during the early days of the then new No 18A Canley variant service, he got lost on route. Neither he or the conductor were familiar. Anyway, a greengrocery lady Girty, who had just started her business in a block of shops opposite the rear entrance to the crem, came to his assistance. That started a life long family friendship, that is also the reason that I got to be friendly with his son Martin. That was my Auntie Girty!!!

These are two of my Coventry Transport buses operating in August 2020 at Wythall Transport Museum. 366 is the oldest surviving Coventry double-decker and GKV 94 the second oldest, dating from 1945 and 1950 respectively.

Thank you for your picture. Love it. An instant pic using my Kindle just now. Hope you like.

Three Spires From Rob's collection. Post copied from topic Three Spires on 17th Mar 2022 10:45 pm

Prof, Looks like the bus lights are masked, the guy behind with respirator?

I'm not sure if this zoomed in image helps? It was a grainy original postcard photograph I'm afraid.... The postcard makers also craftily made two cards from one image - here is the wider view.

Hey, I'm loving this! A clue might be the bus route, which is marked as 16a. That meant it went to Keresley Rd not Keresley village. So our transport friend Peter might be able to help as to when the 16a started.

Your post crossed with my research It appears that the 16A service was introduced in Dec 1938