The Long un !

Re-engined with a normally aspirated DAF engine this is a 12m Duple bodied Leopard.

VODKa tonic

Devon General 88 VOD 88K made her return to her native Devon today. In particular she recreated some of the routes that, as a Newton Abbot bus, she would have been used on.



Arrival from Dorchester .





Combeteignhead.



Twickenham Road, Newton Abbot.



Off the beaten track !









Coffinswell.





Back you go !



Heskyn Crescent, Torquay.









Brixham.



Totnes.



Ashburton.



Back to Dorchester.

Now watch and listen !



Teignmouth



More about these intriguing buses at

http://tgprojects.blogspot.com/2007/11/light-horizontal-short-marshall.html

Ministry of Education

The Maltese Ministry of Education transport maintenance depot is at Pembroke Ranges.

The Ministry of Education Transport Section provides transport services to the various departments, sections and units engaged in the general welfare of schoolchildren.

The Transport Section also provides services to local councils, charitable institutions and non-government organisations.

The Transport Section is also responsible for seeing that the car pool, the Coaches Section and the Education Division maintenance garage co-ordinate efficiently and for the processing of invoices relating to vehicle hiring, fuel bills and vehicle maintenance. In addition, the section supervised the maintenance of vehicles due for the annual VRT, processed collision reports and referred, when necessary, cases for legal advice.

A dozen Dominants

A large group of Beford and Fords with Duple or Plaxton bodies dating from 1971 - 79 were imported to Malta between 1984 and 1987.



FBY 041 Bedford YLQ JTU 227T new 2/1979 to Bostock,Congleton.

The Duple bodies were the original Dominant, the modified front end that became the Dominant I and the Michelotti of Turin restyled front end the Dominant II.

Most of them are still operational, but as bought their large fixed windows created unbearably hot interiors in the summer. This has been rectified and nowadays all have had the windows replaced with opening ones. Exceptions were those used on the unscheduled services that were air conditioned.



DBY 314 Bedford YLQ LUX 543P new 5/1976 to Corvedale,Ludlow as their 43



DBY 316 Bedford YLQ VNT 48S new 1/1978 to Corvedale,Ludlow as their 48



DBY 411 Bedford YRQ XTH 700M new 4/74 which was acquired from Jones, Newchurch, Cymru (Mid & West)



DBY 425 Bedford YLQ BTU 654S new 2/1978 to Bostock,Congleton



DBY 449 Bedford YRQ JWO 48P new 9/1975 to Bebb Travel,Llantwit Fardre as their 48



DBY 568 Ford R1014 NJS 622S new 7/1978 to Newton,Dingwall



EBY 593 Bedford YRQ HNT 841N new 3/1975 to M&M,Highley as their 33.



FBY 724 Ford R1014 LHO 418T new 8/1978 to Marchwood,Totton.



FBY 735 OOT 267M Bedford YRQ new 9/73 that was acquired from Pulfry, Great Gonerby , Lincolnshire



FBY 751 Bedford YRQ GUX 401N new 2/75 which was acquired from Trefaldwyn, Montgomery, Cymru Mid & West.



KCY 919 Ford R1114 CYH 801V new 9/79 to Cowie, London N16.

E&OE

Maltese spotters !

Right guys where shall we go ?



Follow that bus.



Wooah - stop everybody out !





What's in there then ?



Waiting for ??



Tucked away !



What's the attraction ?





.. and whats here ?





Explanations without divulging trade secrets !

Torpoint Depot

Bus services started in the Torpoint area just after the First World War with H J Harris of Antony. As most enterprises at this time he motorised his carriage business. He provided a service from Tregantle and Antony (and Crafthole later) to Torpoint. Here was the crossing by steam ferry to Devonport and Plymouth.

The business expanded to provide char-a-banc and toastrack vehicles to take passengers from the ferry to the beaches of East Cornwall.

After a fire at the garage the business and route was continued by E E Chalk who introduced another route to Whitsands (Freathy). This service was acquired by WNOC in 1933 to become their 77A. The business then passed to Skinners at Millbrook.

Skinners (Supreme Coaches) founded in 1916 had by 1943 acquired another firm operating from Kingsand. This was E S Haddy & Sons. This business also dated from the First World War.

Another early operator dating from 1919 was the Millbrook Steamboat & Trading Co Ltd who as with Harris provided routes from the passenger ferry from Cremyll to North Corner, Devonport. In 1946 they acquired Skinners & Sons of Millbrook and thus established the basis of the routes on the Rame Peninsula.

To round off this part MS&TC Ltd was acquired by Western National in 1968. They acquired the bus licences but no vehicles. (The coach licences went to Embankment in Plymouth).

However in 1925 another operator appeared on the scene. This was the highly succesful Devon Motor Transport. They operated a service from Torpoint to Looe and Polperro. By 1927 the depot at Torpoint was well established with new services to Liskeard and Saltash with local services to Downderry and Seaton


View Larger Map

The depot shown in this aerial view was established by DMT, passing to NOC Ltd in 1927 and then to WNOC Ltd in 1929. It would appear that DMT bought the land in Trevol Road and built the first garage there.

The depot still continues to this day after WNOC Ltd evolved into First Devon & Cornwall.















Naturally I have no very early photos of the depot as it was not until the late 1970s that I could afford taking photos. Nevertheless here are a few memories !









Gradually the VRT was used for the schools contracts with at first some series 2 buses. Single decks were usually the LH DPs.









However for many years Torpoint was associated with three of the original series 1 flat screen VRTs. They survived long enough to receive the "Captain Birdseye" livery.





Then came the Nationals ! These were sourced from Badgerline subsideries and on one occasion pressed into service before applying the livery !









Eventually some VRTs were altered to allow them to use the ferry more easily.







At times independents have been used on contracts.

A day in the life of..........

Today was planned as the routine exchange between the two storage locations of my buses. Roger and I were to take the RE 2700 HDV 626E to Winkleigh and bring back the DAF Leopard 186 AFH 186T



The day started with heavy rain and this continued as we descended Haldon Hill towards Exeter. Halfway down something hit the driver's windscreen which exploded and sprayed glass everwhere.



After inspecting the damage we pressed on. As the speed was being kept down we were being constantly overtaken by lorries. So added to the wind and the rain Roger was well and truly sprayed !



Luckily on board was one of my old waterproofs and a sheet of polythene. So suitably attired Roger plodded on.



Mind you if you could dodge the rain coming in, you could get some good shots !



A welcome sight was the village of Winkleigh.



After a warming cuppa, Roger was no worse for wear. Thanks bud !



The RE was parked away undercover and it was time for some food!



Parked in the car park of a Winkleigh Cafe we finally had our all day breakfast.



The journey home was uneventful but for the foul weather !

Reo Speedwagon

I first came across this treasure in 1992. When first in service probably in 1937 this Reo Speedwagon psv chassis looked somewhat different. A replacement Aquilina body was fitted in the mid 1950s and the bus altered to forward control. As with many buses in Malta she is powered by a Perkins diesel engine.



The REO Speed Wagon was a motor truck manufactured by REO Motor Car Company. It was an ancestor of the pickup truck. REO are the initials of the company's founder, Ransom E. Olds, also the founder of the Oldsmobile (company later sold to General Motors and the brand recently retired).



In 2003 I renewed my acquaintance .

The bus has carried the following registrations 2370, 1306, A-1306, Y-1069 and Y-0368. She now carries EBY 368. Owner is Farrugia of Attard.



In 2007 I had enough time to ride out to Cirkewwa at the north of the island.

The following are from this site

http://rides.webshots.com/

They show typical REO Speedwagons that are of similar age !

The Maltese Swifts

Over the period 1981 - 1987 Malta imported some 250 complete vehicles from the United Kingdom. From London Transport came 57 AEC Swifts of classes SM SMD & SMS with bodywork by Marshall, MCW or Park Royal. 40 were sold whilst the rest were retained by the Government.

Look here for their time with London Transport.

http://www.countrybus.org/merlswft/swift.html

Here are a few seen in February 2007



EBY 633 (SMS 603 EGN 603J MCW)



EBY 623 (SMS 274 EGN EGN 274J Park Royal)



DBY 301 (SMS 200 EGN 200J Marshall)



EBY 534 (SMS 572 EGN 572J MCW)



FBY 744 (SMS 258 EGN 258J Park Royal)



FBY 776 (SMS 238 EGN 238J Park Royal)

The Ministry Education has several operational Swifts as well as a reserve of vehicles for spares. They are garaged and maintained at a base in Pembroke Fort.



GVH 137 & GVH 130



GVH 137 ( SMS 337 EGN 337J Park Royal)



Stored SMS 278, SMS 602, SMS 736 (not in that order !)



GVH 140 (SMS 259 EGN 259J Park Royal)

Plym Bridge to Cann Viaduct

The valley of the River Plym northwards from Plymbridge is of great interest.


View Larger Map

This blog traces the route of the Cann Quarry Canal, the Cann Quarry Railway and the standard gauge line from Plymouth to Tavistock and beyond.

Both the Cann Quarry railway and canal pass under the GWR branch at the start and keeps between it and the river until Cann Viaduct.



At the start are a few reminders of mining for lead that took place in the valley.



This is believed to be the adit of Boringdon Park Mine.





This is the remains of Cann or Canal mine which was worked about 1824 - 25. The shaft lies between the canal and the river as does the remains of the engine house.







The Cann quarry Railway was a branch of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway. The iron rails were carried on slate sleepers, many of which can still be seen. This was built to 4ft 6in gauge and used horses.



As it nears the quarry there is this concrete duct. The canal ends before the quarry.

The other railway was built by the South Devon and Tavistock (later to be taken over by the GWR) railway to the broad gauge, indeed at one point a third rail was built to allow standard gauge trains of the LSWR to transverse the branch.





There are many remains of the standard gauge railway to be seen.



Approaching the Cann viaduct this over bridge shows the width required by the broad gauge.



Beyond the bridge are the Railway Cottages.









Finally the Cann viaduct comes into view.



The structure that stands today was built 1905 - 1907 from blue Staffordshire brick and replaced the original timber built viaduct. The original piers and approach lines can still be seen.





The viaduct is 127 yards long and is 63ft high. Quite an imposing structure when you see the size of the River Plym below !







Up stream is the weir that fed the Cann Quarry water wheels.







Entering the quarry below the viaduct.









Nowadays the viaduct gives superb views of a pair of Peregrine Falcons that nest on the quarry face. A pair were in residence when I saw both on th March 2008.



http://www.plym-peregrines.co.uk/plymbridge.html

Rumple Quarry - the video !

My seat collapsed hence the ending !

This is along the Elvan dyke which forms the left wall of this part of the quarry.

Rumple Quarry

Situated in the River Plym Valley slate was quarried as far back as 1683.

Where the later railway from Plymouth to Tavistock crossed the river on a 63 ft high viaduct there were two major quarries. On the west bank was Cann Quarry and on the west bank Rumple Quarry.

A canal and branch of the Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway served Cann quarry.

Slate from Rumple Quarry was brought up an incline to be loaded on the Tavistock branch. The incline had been operated both by steam and water.








The wheelpit viewed from the viaduct.









At the foot of the incline was the entrance to the quarry.





The slate here as in Cann quarry was not as good as Welsh slate for example, but found a ready market in the Plymouth area. The quarry face is a dark gloomy place with a small pond that almost empties in dry periods.



In this quarry, like Cann quarry there was an "elvan" dyke intruding into the slate.



This too was quarried and forms the southern face of part of the quarry. The quarrying has left Rumple quarry with two entrances separated by a small island of slate.





The elvan here is a creamy microgranite as seen here.



Looking back to Cann Viaduct along the quarried dyke.



The intervening slate island !

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=50.417874~-4.079684&lvl=16&style=a#JndscD0x