Buses in Nottingham

[StephenFord 866]

The number 1 did start from Hanley Street - to Aspley Estate (Rosslyn Drive), along with the 7 Bulwell and 22 Bells Lane Estate. But normally all were double deckers - our regular buses until I was 5, living on Aslockton Drive.

[FLY2 10,108]

They always seemed to be older AEC's on those routes Stephen. Perhaps the NCT didn't want to risk more modern traction to those areas !

[benjamin1945 16,139]

Thanks Stephen,just had this vague memory.

[StephenFord 866]

Re #709 - you're right Fly2 - in my day it was the KTV301 series, manufactured in 1949, and I think they stayed on those routes until the early 1960s. Air-operated pre-selector gearboxes, and rather heavyweight bodywork from Charles Roberts of Wakefield. (Are you all asleep yet?.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!)

[benjamin1945 16,139]

You go for it Stephen,..........just going to check that banana in kitchen...lol.

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

A demonstration of what StephenFord is talking about..... http://www.sct61.org.uk/nt339

[FLY2 10,108]

No, 301's yes I remember them . If I'm correct were there only about five of these.

I seem to remember having a little book with all the Reg No's in. Would it be one of the Ian Allen series of books ?

[catfan 14,793]

In the '70s white Leyland Leopards single deckers were used on the services 1, 7, 22. All "P" reg.

Incidently all three services now replaced with the service 79, bulwell bus station via aspley to the city.

[FLY2 10,108]

Anyone remember a mechanic named George Wilshaw worked at the main depot in the 70's.

I believe he's passed away now, but lived on Stevenholme Cres, or nearby

[Guest]

Know the family fly..pm me.

[FLY2 10,108]

Ok. Tomorrow.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

No, 301's yes I remember them . If I'm correct were there only about five of these.

I seem to remember having a little book with all the Reg No's in. Would it be one of the Ian Allen series of books ?

No, FLY - there were 40 of them.

Here's the page from my own copy of Ian Allan's ABC British Bus Fleets vol. 5 - The East Midlands. First edition, published in 1960. Needless to say, I'd seen all of them - underlined in red. Numbers crossed through in black were those withdrawn from service.

I'd include a scan of the front cover of the booklet, but half of it's missing as I evidently cut a big chunk out of it many years ago.

[roger peatman 337]

Anyone remember a mechanic named George Wilshaw worked at the main depot in the 70's.

I believe he's passed away now, but lived on Stevenholme Cres, or nearby

I knew a George Wilshaw when I worked at Trent Bridge Works -- we used to both race sidecars in the 70's .

Don't know if it's the same chap , but sorry to hear if he has passed away

[FLY2 10,108]

I bet that it could be the same one Roger.

[Enigma. 1,533]

curiosity question about the leyland atlantean buses - upstairs at the front on the right hand side , there is a inspection glass where you could look down and see the driver - why did the buses have them - did the driver have a mirror where he could see upstairs?

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Yes a bit like a periscope so the driver could see the top deck bus, now buses have C.C. cameras watching your every move.

[catfan 14,793]

#721. Enigma 1st.

They were installed so the driver could see if there were empty seats upstairs when routes first became one man operated.

I think the idea was by John Lowry the then chief engineer of NCT.

Incidently can anyone remember music on the buses, a continuous stream of music & adverts played on the top deck of the bus ? NCT got lots of complaints from passengers over that idea, so it did'nt last long.

The music equipment consisted of a eight track player which was hidden inside the void above the cab where the driver looked up in the periscope ! So easily disconnected !!

Now all you get to listen to is some recorded voice of a middle aged posh bint telling us that the next stop is bulwell bleedin bus station, & every stop on the way, as if we didn't know.

So much for progress.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Yes, there was a mirror above it in the corner of the top deck ceiling so the driver could see the top deck reflected in it when he looked up.

The old rear entrance, rear staircase buses had one at the top of the stairs so the conductor could look up the stairs and see the top deck reflected in it.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Now all you get to listen to is some recorded voice of a middle aged posh bint telling us that the next stop is bulwell bleedin bus station, & every stop on the way, as if we didn't know.

It's probably for the benefit of the people who DON'T know.

[The Pianoman 1,532]

Looking at Merthyr Imp's post #718 on that page of the book just makes me wonder, was KTV *** reserved for Nottingham City Transport vehicles. All of the ones on that page alone plus all 6-wheeled trollies 500-601. And although it is a 1949 registration not all were registered in 1949.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Buses KTV 500 -KTV 601

Were registered between 01/12/1949 - 01/071952

The last was withdrawn from service in 1966

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Well, they wouldn't all have been reserved for NCT as that would imply all but a thousand vehicles and it would take several years for NCT to take in that many new buses.

However, they did have KTV97 to 126, KTV270 to 341, KTV479 to 495 and KTV 500 to 601 which is around 220 vehicles which was a fair amount.

The trolleybuses were delivered new up to 1952, but the four single deckers delivered in 1951 were LTV 700 to 703, and the next new vehicles were OTV127 to 198 in 1953/54.

I think only the likes of London Transport are likely to have taken in the whole of a particular letter combination (I don't know whether they ever actually did or not).

[catfan 14,793]

#. 725.

So 99.99999999999% of passengers who know where they are have to listen to that "twaddle".

[StephenFord 866]

I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that NCT may have been the only users of the KTV series - although, as Merthyr Imp says, they were certainly not all taken. I think major operators were allowed to book blocks of numbers with their local licensing office, when they had placed orders for series of buses.

[StephenFord 866]

By the way, the supposedly two-part article on Huntingdon Street bus station in "old-bus-photos" has turned into a three-part article, and parts 2 and 3 are now available to read.