THE LONDON & HOME COUNTIES SHOWBUS BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Thames Valley Pre-War vehicles
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 Thames Valley started in 1915 with this bus, a 1913 Brush bodied Leyland S3.30 loaned by fellow BAT company, Barnsley & District, their number 5 (HE12). Altogether five Barnsley Leylands started Thames Valley's first service between Maidenhaead and Reading which carried route number 1 for many years to come. Sadly route 1 no longer survives.
Picture ref B299 |
Barnsley 5 has been expertly restored by "The Leyland Man", Mike Sutcliffe and these photos were taken at the home of his collection in Totternhoe. The Brush bodies on the Leylands were an adaptation of tram designs of the times, with Barnsley trialling the design as a potential replacement for some of its tram fleet. There is a tram style separate compartment immediately behid the driver.
Picture ref B302 |
 This view of the body builder's insignia inside the bus give an insight to the intricate and lavish detail bestowed on Barnsley & District's Leylands.
Picture ref B301 |
 Mike Sutcliffe's magnificant collection of buses was exhibited at SHOWBUS in 2015. Barnsley & District 5 is seen sandwiched between Britain's oldest surviving doubledecker, London Central's Leyland X2, LN7270, and the LN&WR Leyland Torpedo charabanc. The trio are seen at Woburn Abbey on the Saturday being prepared for the display the following day.
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 The Leyland participated in celebrations of the Thames Valley Centenary the previous month. Several buses recreated the original Maidenhead to Reading service in the morning, some then provided free rides and HE12 joined some of the older participants on display on the new Reading Station forecourt. To the left is the London Transport Museum's B2737 (LH8186) which had been specially returned to its wartime garb to commemorate the First World War. The other three buses are depicted on page 4.
Picture ref B750 |
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