A service bus for the Knotty fleet.
Following my well documented financial hammering from trying to run a Bristol LH coach on a local bus service, something had to be done to stave off potential bankruptcy. After some shopping around I found this bus advertised. It was way too big for the bulk of the work required of it, but was something I understood, and replacing the odd kerbed tyre would be cheaper than engines.
This 'mediumweight' 505 engined AEC Reliance with semi-automatic transmission had been new to South Wales Transport in 1972, and had remained in that region serving as hospital transport, then passing to John's of Brynmawr before I bought it.
BWN 462K looks a little careworn here, but we soon had her looking presentable again, becoming the first service bus into the Knotty fleet. Mechanical failures on the service turn plummeted overnight, until a failure at the offside rear of it's Marshall body prompted withdrawal a while after. It seemed in insurmountable problem then, but nowadays we'd have just got on and sorted it. Sadly, after it lingering around for some time we resorted to the inevitable scrapping
A service bus for the Knotty fleet.
Following my well documented financial hammering from trying to run a Bristol LH coach on a local bus service, something had to be done to stave off potential bankruptcy. After some shopping around I found this bus advertised. It was way too big for the bulk of the work required of it, but was something I understood, and replacing the odd kerbed tyre would be cheaper than engines.
This 'mediumweight' 505 engined AEC Reliance with semi-automatic transmission had been new to South Wales Transport in 1972, and had remained in that region serving as hospital transport, then passing to John's of Brynmawr before I bought it.
BWN 462K looks a little careworn here, but we soon had her looking presentable again, becoming the first service bus into the Knotty fleet. Mechanical failures on the service turn plummeted overnight, until a failure at the offside rear of it's Marshall body prompted withdrawal a while after. It seemed in insurmountable problem then, but nowadays we'd have just got on and sorted it. Sadly, after it lingering around for some time we resorted to the inevitable scrapping