Charabanc made in Birmingham
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- Joined: 17:05 Monday 1st March 2021
Charabanc made in Birmingham
Can anyone identify these two vehicles. I believe they were made and registered in Birmingham. Then sold on. This picture is at Scarborough station. Thanks
Re: Charabanc made in Birmingham
Nice old photograph but a little before my time !!
Re: Charabanc made in Birmingham
Just checked on the internet and registration letters BT were issued by East Yorkshire authority from December 1903 until August 1926. Regret I am unable to identify the chassis type.Lincolnian wrote: ↑17:14 Monday 1st March 2021
Can anyone identify these two vehicles. I believe they were made and registered in Birmingham. Then sold on. This picture is at Scarborough station. Thanks
Birmingham commenced using BT registration letters in 1960.
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- Joined: 20:20 Monday 4th July 2016
- Location: Solihull
Re: Charabanc made in Birmingham
I googled "Charabanc BT255" and, miraculously, the answer appeared! Thanks to The Local Transport History Library, this link has all the details about the vehicles and operation: -
http://www.lthlibrary.org.uk/library/PDF-118-1.pdf
Briefly, BT212 was a Saurer new in 1906, and BT255 was a Durkopp new in 1907. They were operated by the North Eastern Railway, which started running buses in 1903 and charabancs two years later.
Saurer was a Swiss firm and Durkopp was German, so there is no Birmingham connection - except that BMMO had a few between 1905 and 1907, as detailed on MidlandRed.net - see: http://midlandred.net/vehicles/fleetlis ... rator=bmmo.
http://www.lthlibrary.org.uk/library/PDF-118-1.pdf
Briefly, BT212 was a Saurer new in 1906, and BT255 was a Durkopp new in 1907. They were operated by the North Eastern Railway, which started running buses in 1903 and charabancs two years later.
Saurer was a Swiss firm and Durkopp was German, so there is no Birmingham connection - except that BMMO had a few between 1905 and 1907, as detailed on MidlandRed.net - see: http://midlandred.net/vehicles/fleetlis ... rator=bmmo.
Re: Charabanc made in Birmingham
I have been waiting for others to reply, but a thank you does not seem to be forthcoming. However, I appreciate the information you found on the internet, I tried but without success! Later Lancia chassis had a similar style of radiator and bonnet so it was a surprise that one was a Swiss Saurer and the other a German Durkopp - we live and learn even at my advanced years.JustinTyme wrote: ↑18:16 Tuesday 2nd March 2021I googled "Charabanc BT255" and, miraculously, the answer appeared! Thanks to The Local Transport History Library, this link has all the details about the vehicles and operation: -
http://www.lthlibrary.org.uk/library/PDF-118-1.pdf
Briefly, BT212 was a Saurer new in 1906, and BT255 was a Durkopp new in 1907. They were operated by the North Eastern Railway, which started running buses in 1903 and charabancs two years later.
Saurer was a Swiss firm and Durkopp was German, so there is no Birmingham connection - except that BMMO had a few between 1905 and 1907, as detailed on MidlandRed.net - see: http://midlandred.net/vehicles/fleetlis ... rator=bmmo.
These were very early petrol-powered motor buses and the open charabanc layout plus solid tyres would restrict the distance covered to a few miles from base at the then limit of 12 MPH.
- Posts: 122
- Joined: 20:20 Monday 4th July 2016
- Location: Solihull
Re: Charabanc made in Birmingham
Thanks Tim. If it's any consolation I live and learn too - and I think that's a good thing!
It's a great photo. It looks like it was specially posed - perhaps for the start of a new tour or a new season (1907?) at Scarborough railway station. Forge Valley was less than five miles away and Filey less than 8 miles, so probably tolerable on solid tyres - although I have yet to have the "pleasure" of a ride on a solid-tyred vehicle: I live in hope!
I believe it was rare to have destination boards for excursions, which makes the photo even more interesting.
It's a great photo. It looks like it was specially posed - perhaps for the start of a new tour or a new season (1907?) at Scarborough railway station. Forge Valley was less than five miles away and Filey less than 8 miles, so probably tolerable on solid tyres - although I have yet to have the "pleasure" of a ride on a solid-tyred vehicle: I live in hope!
I believe it was rare to have destination boards for excursions, which makes the photo even more interesting.
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