OA7093

[daveevans2010]

144 to Malvern, sometime between 1923 and 1929.

[AdamH]

The route number 144 was not used until February 1928, so it will be after that date.

Early details of the route can be found here... http://midlandred.net/service/informati ... e=overview

[MattW]

Christ. Imagine that journey on a sleety January day

The advert on the front is hilarious too (well it is to people like me )

[TimBrown]

Christ. Imagine that journey on a sleety January day

The advert on the front is hilarious too (well it is to people like me )

No heating in the cab or downstairs; I wonder if the crew carried a flask of hot tea (assuming Thermos flasks had been invented by 1923!) or did they have to wait until each end of journey to warm up? Imagine too, descending from Great Malvern to the Link with just back brakes to hold you back, none on the front! I wonder what it was like heaving these buses around without power steering and what effect the solid tyres had on effort needed from lock to lock?
Have checked in Midland Red History Part One by Messrs. Gray, Keeley & Seale and it states that OA 7093 was a Tillings Stevens TS3 chassis new 1915 with a Brush or Birch B29R single-deck body formerly mounted on an ex-Worcestershire Motor Transport Leyland, the chassis of which had been impressed by the War Department in 1914. The bus was re-bodied as KO22/29F double-deck by Carlyle in 1923 and the bus was withdrawn in 1929, hence the photograph taken during its last year of service.

[AdamH]

This bus was withdrawn in January 1929 and the chassis only was sold a month later. The photograph would most likely date from 1928 then, during the first year of the 144 route number.

[MattW]

Apparently the vacuum flask was invented in 1892 - whether they had migrated down to a price level a mere bus driver or conductor could afford by 1928 I don't know!

[chason]

Christ. Imagine that journey on a sleety January day

The advert on the front is hilarious too (well it is to people like me )

No heating in the cab or downstairs; I wonder if the crew carried a flask of hot tea (assuming Thermos flasks had been invented by 1923!) or did they have to wait until each end of journey to warm up? Imagine too, descending from Great Malvern to the Link with just back brakes to hold you back, none on the front! I wonder what it was like heaving these buses around without power steering and what effect the solid tyres had on effort needed from lock to lock?
Have checked in Midland Red History Part One by Messrs. Gray, Keeley & Seale and it states that OA 7093 was a Tillings Stevens TS3 chassis new 1915 with a Brush or Birch B29R single-deck body formerly mounted on an ex-Worcestershire Motor Transport Leyland, the chassis of which had been impressed by the War Department in 1914. The bus was re-bodied as KO22/29F double-deck by Carlyle in 1923 and the bus was withdrawn in 1929, hence the photograph taken during its last year of service.

Indeed, it must have been very uncomfortable for passengers and crews alike. But let's not forget there were many Midland Red buses running well into the 1950s without heaters, no platform doors and drivers doors that were not fully glazed. No wonder platform staff were issued with greatcoats for winter use and I still well remember conductors struggling with change and trying to issue tickets from Verometer machines whilst wearing gloves with the fingers removed!

[JustinTyme]

Imagine too, descending from Great Malvern to the Link with just back brakes to hold you back, none on the front!

And no engine braking on petrol electrics either!