"Where are you going?"
Stonier's like many a bus operator of the time were keen to take advantage of the then Government's 'New Bus Grant' scheme. At it's height, the deal was that Central Government funded half the purchase price of a new bus or coach subject as we'd say nowadays to terms and conditions. In a nutshell, the vehicle had to conform to certain standards,perhaps most noticeable of which was the wider entrance specification in the case of something 'coach' bodied giving rise to the term 'Grant Doors'. For their part, the operator had to undertake to use said vehicle for at least 50% of it's mileage on 'stage carriage' (local bus service) work.
W Stonier & Sons of Goldenhill acquired five coaches under these conditions, the first two being Bedford YRTs. LBF 248P seen descending Tunstall High Street was the first of three Leyland Leopards though the only Duple bodied one.
Long serving driver George 'Ducky' Hancock is the driver, his clippy is June Bala... neither of whom seem to have considered that their destination blind is incorrectly set which won't help their cause in the quest for passengers. An unfortunate side effect of using a coach on service at the time was that people not in the know would stand back and let it pass lest they end up in some far flung location rather than the town centre.
"Where are you going?"
Stonier's like many a bus operator of the time were keen to take advantage of the then Government's 'New Bus Grant' scheme. At it's height, the deal was that Central Government funded half the purchase price of a new bus or coach subject as we'd say nowadays to terms and conditions. In a nutshell, the vehicle had to conform to certain standards,perhaps most noticeable of which was the wider entrance specification in the case of something 'coach' bodied giving rise to the term 'Grant Doors'. For their part, the operator had to undertake to use said vehicle for at least 50% of it's mileage on 'stage carriage' (local bus service) work.
W Stonier & Sons of Goldenhill acquired five coaches under these conditions, the first two being Bedford YRTs. LBF 248P seen descending Tunstall High Street was the first of three Leyland Leopards though the only Duple bodied one.
Long serving driver George 'Ducky' Hancock is the driver, his clippy is June Bala... neither of whom seem to have considered that their destination blind is incorrectly set which won't help their cause in the quest for passengers. An unfortunate side effect of using a coach on service at the time was that people not in the know would stand back and let it pass lest they end up in some far flung location rather than the town centre.