OHA956

[daveevans2010]

This is not my photo, so please don't ask me too many questions about it. It was posted on a Facebook forum, but I cannot find the service or the vehicle number on your website. My guess is that the B90 is a local Bridgnorth Town Service. Any ideas, anyone, about this route or the vehicle?

[TimBrown]

This is not my photo, so please don't ask me too many questions about it. It was posted on a Facebook forum, but I cannot find the service or the vehicle number on your website. My guess is that the B90 is a local Bridgnorth Town Service. Any ideas, anyone, about this route or the vehicle?

3956 OHA 956 is a BMMO S13 which entered service in September 1952 with dual purpose Nudd Bros DP40F bodywork. It was based at Wellington garage throughout a relatively short working life and withdrawn in June 1965. The B90 is indeed a short local service which ran to and did a circuit around Sydney Cottage estate to the North West of Bridgnorth town centre. The photograph would probably be taken early in the life of this bus as it is still in all over red; they were given a black top and polished brightwork quite early on in life. I don't reckon the bodywork was very well put together as they shook and rattled inside, giving the impression in later life of a mobile garden shed!

In the early 1990's I worked part-time at Kidderminster garage covering late turns and one of these started around 16-00 hours on a 297 from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, then ran to Sydney Cottage on a B90 before running from Bridgnorth to Wolverhampton as an 890. In the evening the bus covered tendered 504/5/6/7 Pendeford local Wolverhampton services until nearly midnight if my memory is correct. At that time the turn could be operated by Leyland National, Lynx and later on by Dennis Lance and possibly by Dennis Dart 313.

[chason]

Thanks, Tim, for the comprehensive info on these dual purpose vehicles.

During my younger days, Malvern garage had two, 3931 and 3972, and used mainly on MN local services but occasionally on day trips and the Sunday evening mystery trip.

The rattling, particularly the seats when not being sat on, was an irritation but were comfortable nevertheless. They were unusual in that the driver sat in the saloon without any sort of screen or barrier other than a chrome rail as I recall. I think this led to them being nicknamed 'showboats' by some.