THE SHOWBUS MIDLANDS BUS IMAGES GALLERY
West Midlands PTE | Fleetlines
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An impressive line up of WMPTE deckers at Showbus 79.
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The WMPTE MCW bodied Fleetline, part of the above Hillingdon SHOWBUS line up, is an all over advert for a Birmingham Renault dealer.
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 The 1977 SHOWBUS Jubilee contingent comprised Silver Jubilee MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6432 (NOC432R), Leyland National 6823 (OOX823R) and Coventry Daimler CVG6 239Y (VWK239), together they carried off the Premier Operator Award.
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 Before he Premier Operator Award line up, 6432 was parked with Colchester's new ECW bodied Leyland Atlantean 76 (TPU76R).
Picture ref H552 |
East Lancs bodied Leyland Fleetline 6757 (SDA757S) is seen arriving at SHOWBUS international 2005. The preserved bus was due to be delivered to Coventry, but the undertaking was merged into WMPTE before the buses were completed, so the batch differed from what was the WMPTE standard.
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 In 2007 the West Midlands SHOWBUS contingent at Duxford produced a formidable line up by the Land Warfare Hall. The first four start with Fleetline 3913 (SOE913H), Bristol VRTSL6G 4413 (NOB413M), Ailsa 4738 (JOV738P) and a Metrobus. |
 More Brummie buses at SHOWBUS 2008 with WMPTE MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6311 (KON311P) alongside short Walsall Fleetline 116 (XDH516G) and TWM MCW Metrobus 2949 (D949NDA).
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 Part of the West Midlands display in 2008 at SHOWBUS starting with TWM Metrobus 2949, Walsall Fleetline 116 and WMPTE MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6311. Around the corner is another Metrobus in WMPTE colours. |
 In 2009 the West Midlands put on a good display as always. Here we see Ailsa 4738 with Park Royal bodied Daimler Fleetline 4613 (JOV613P) and Travel Coventry Metrobus 2618 (ROX618Y). |
 Staging SHOWBUS near Stratford-upon-Avon in the Midlands in 2013 meant a larger than usual contingent of WMPTE buses, though as the early SHOWBUS pictures show, they have always been a strong feature at the event. The nearby Wythall Transport Museum supported the event strongly and a large number of their historic Midlands buses took part. This is 6600 (NOC600R), one of the last Park Royal bodied Leyland Fleetlines built for WMPTE. It is not a Wythall resident. Picture ref 13-5625 |
 Arriving in the fabulous grounds of Woburn Abbey for SHOWBUS international 2015 was MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6986 (WDA986T).
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 The Feetline is seen on display in the Abbey grounds alongside MCW Metrobus 2 2462 (NOA462X).
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 In June 2013 a visit to BaMMoT's collection at the Wythall Transport Museum found Crossley bodied Daimler CVG 3225 (MOF225) leading a mixed line up of mostly West Midlands buses. The Park Royal bodied Daimler Fleetline in Birmigham livery, believed to be 3913 (SOE913H) was new to WMPTE.
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 The bus also appeared at SHOWBUS international the following year and is seen leaving the new Donington Arena venue.
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 Joining 6986 at Donington was ex Midland Red Alexander bodied Daimler Fleetline 6225 (UHA225H).
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 A second view of 6225 departing followed by London Transport RT3902 (LLU701).
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 An anonymous Midland Red Alexander bodied Daimler Fleetline at work in Birmingham in the seventies.
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 MCW bodied Daimler Fleetline 4174 (YOX174K) on route 26.
Picture ref H444 |
 MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6354 (KON354P) is seen resting off a 280 to Dudley.
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 Heading into the City on route 7 is 6755 (SDA755S) a new East Lancs bodied Leyland Fleetline ordered by Coventry City Transport.
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 Former Coventry ECW bodied Bristol RESL6G 5517 (KHP517E) - an early Bristol purchase by a non Tilling company - is seen with MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline 6365 (KON365P). The RE, originally Coventry 517, and later 4443 had been transferred from Coventry with its blinds set for Cradley Heath.
Picture ref H462 |
 Many companies benefited from a London Transport blunder. They bought 2646 Fleetlines, but nobody thought how the buses might progress through the Aldenham Overhaul Works which required the separation of the body from the chassis, but Fleetlines were not built to readily faciltate this, so as they became due for the usual seven year overhaul they were sold off. They joined the list of London purchasing blunders: Merlins, Bendibuses and - almost - New Routemasters. Sadiq Khan wanted rid of the BORISmaster! Anyway other operators benfitted enormously from London's premature disposal of its Fleetlien fleet, designated DMS. WMPTE snapped up eighty, this is one of the first, 5501 (JGU257K), a Daimler with MCW body. It is seen at a SHOWBUS 79 at the Hillingdon Show. Note the single door conversion by Ensignbus. Stevensons of Uttoxeter - who thoroughly modernised their fleet with ex London DMS - pioneered a neater conversion with no external hint of a door having ever been there.
Picture ref H487 |
 A depot view of several Fleetlines, starting with MCW bodied Leyland 6922 (WDA922T) alongside early Metrobus 6834 (SDA834S).
Picture ref H484 |
 Another Fleetline line up with Park Royal bodied Daimler 4533 (GOG533N) = the Travelcard advert - first in line. The advert dates back to the days of hand painted adverts, rather than preprinted vinyls.
Picture ref H483 |
 Sandwiched between WMPTE standard MCW bodied Fleetlines are two lowheight Daimlers inherited from the West Bromwich fleet, the one on the left bodied by ECW and the older one to the right by Willowbrook.
Picture ref H475 |
From Walsall came some interesting buses - and trolleybuses - from an individualistic fleet which had a number of short Daimler Fleetlines bodied by Northern Counties. This one, 18L (2748DH) is extra interesting, new in 1964 with a curvaceous Northern Counties body, it was rebuilt by Lex in 1971 with this piano style front which resembled the bodies on Northern Counties contemporary Walsall deliveries.
Picture ref H466 |
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