Walsall CT 13, St Paul's Bus Station, 1968
A study of an un-rebuilt Walsall CT Fleetline, parked in the litter strewn surroundings of St Paul's Bus Station.
Arriving between the end of 1963 and into January 1965, 28 of these buses (2-29) were built to a unique design specified by Walsall Corporation Transport Department's, General Manager Mr. R. Edgley Cox. The design was based around a similar looking but earlier experimental Fleetline - No1 (1UDH). No1 had been exhibited at the 1962 Commercial Motor Show, and would become the shortest Fleetline ever built at around 26ft long.
The 28 production buses were built on short-length chassis, featuring a forward-entrance platform that sat behind the front axle; so these buses could only ever be crew-operated. The curved windscreens in both the upper and lower decks gave the buses a streamlined yet narrow look, while providing the driver (and front seat passengers) with a good field of view.
Within a short-time of the West Midlands PTE takeover in October 1969, these buses were selected for conversion to one-man-operation (OMO) status.
Lex Garages of Stour Valley were chosen to convert the Fleetlines, with the conversions taking place between January 1971 and April 1972. Only the cab and frontal area were rebuilt, the curved upper-saloon screens being retained. The existing platform area and door behind the front-axle was retained becoming the second door. A new platform area was created next to the cab and given platform doors, albeit with a narrow access. The intention being that passengers alighted by the second door. The driver's curved-screens were lost in favour of flat windscreens, giving these buses an even more unique look.
The only exceptions to the conversion program were No3, which had been written off in an accident earlier, also 14, I believe lost to fire in 1970? Additionally, 17 and 24 had both been rebuilt by Northern Counties in the late 1960s to a more conventional 2-door layout, again following accidents.
All subsequent deliveries of Fleetlines to Walsall Corporation between 1965 and 1969 were of a more standard design, but continued to be built onto a short-chassis. Today, two of these later type Walsall Fleetlines survive; 116 and 119.
Most of the 'Lex Rebuilds' were withdrawn from use during 1976 and 1977, while others such as 15(L) (fire damaged) had gone earlier. However, 17(L) and 18(L) lasted into January 1978. 13, the bus seen in the photograph, was withdrawn from use in October 1977 following a collision.
None of the rebuilds survive, all having being sold for scrap following withdrawal.
Scanned from the original 35mm slide.
Walsall CT 13, St Paul's Bus Station, 1968
A study of an un-rebuilt Walsall CT Fleetline, parked in the litter strewn surroundings of St Paul's Bus Station.
Arriving between the end of 1963 and into January 1965, 28 of these buses (2-29) were built to a unique design specified by Walsall Corporation Transport Department's, General Manager Mr. R. Edgley Cox. The design was based around a similar looking but earlier experimental Fleetline - No1 (1UDH). No1 had been exhibited at the 1962 Commercial Motor Show, and would become the shortest Fleetline ever built at around 26ft long.
The 28 production buses were built on short-length chassis, featuring a forward-entrance platform that sat behind the front axle; so these buses could only ever be crew-operated. The curved windscreens in both the upper and lower decks gave the buses a streamlined yet narrow look, while providing the driver (and front seat passengers) with a good field of view.
Within a short-time of the West Midlands PTE takeover in October 1969, these buses were selected for conversion to one-man-operation (OMO) status.
Lex Garages of Stour Valley were chosen to convert the Fleetlines, with the conversions taking place between January 1971 and April 1972. Only the cab and frontal area were rebuilt, the curved upper-saloon screens being retained. The existing platform area and door behind the front-axle was retained becoming the second door. A new platform area was created next to the cab and given platform doors, albeit with a narrow access. The intention being that passengers alighted by the second door. The driver's curved-screens were lost in favour of flat windscreens, giving these buses an even more unique look.
The only exceptions to the conversion program were No3, which had been written off in an accident earlier, also 14, I believe lost to fire in 1970? Additionally, 17 and 24 had both been rebuilt by Northern Counties in the late 1960s to a more conventional 2-door layout, again following accidents.
All subsequent deliveries of Fleetlines to Walsall Corporation between 1965 and 1969 were of a more standard design, but continued to be built onto a short-chassis. Today, two of these later type Walsall Fleetlines survive; 116 and 119.
Most of the 'Lex Rebuilds' were withdrawn from use during 1976 and 1977, while others such as 15(L) (fire damaged) had gone earlier. However, 17(L) and 18(L) lasted into January 1978. 13, the bus seen in the photograph, was withdrawn from use in October 1977 following a collision.
None of the rebuilds survive, all having being sold for scrap following withdrawal.
Scanned from the original 35mm slide.