FAO Mr DD12

[AdamH]

Was this the photograph you were asking about?

[DD12]

Thanks very much Adam for this very welcome photo of a WR DD12, 6055 JHA55E.

It has been converted for one "man" operation, but I think they were only used as such in the evenings at first.
….. and very appropriate is the advert asking for drivers !

The photo I'd like to see again, is of 6094 LHA594F, again on the W4 (I think), and very rare, because the photo showed it had been converted to O.M.O. -- --

it then stayed at WR for just a small number of weeks before being transferred away

The photo MAY have been of 6092, but the exactly the same happened to that.

-- If you cannot find it in your collection, I shall ask bmmoboy if he has a copy.

Thanks again.

[bmmoboy]

This photograph shows the Fleetline on a W4 service which would have been going to Malvern Road, but it is clearly on Bromwich Road which should have been W16!

[AdamH]

Wasn't Bromwich Road the W3 ?

[DD12]

I cannot comment on the above two posts, but the DD12 currently in WR garage is currently showing "Herefordshire House" on it's "A" roller-blind ( - the upper one) !

Therefore I assume THAT was the ultimate destination ( - near Bromyard, - on the 375 according to my 1964 timetable).

I would be surprised if ANY (Midland Red) DDs were used in the Bromyard area EVER (??)

I had just started to wonder whether the "A" roller blind fitted in 6015 ( - built 1966) might be older than the bus, and so I referred to the excellent Midland Red timetable info provided by Adam on the main website, and this shows that the 375 continued until April 1971.

(Thanks Adam).

[bmmoboy]

Bromwich Road services were originally numbered W16 and terminated at Whites Road. Buses normally turned up the road and reversed into Coventry Avenue and waited time at the stop near the end of Whites Road. Sometimes drivers used a short cut and used Brown Street and Coventry Avenue to get to the terminal point. My Godmothers house was at the end of Coventry Avenue so I went out every hour to see this large red bus reverse, and this is where my infatuation with Midland Red buses began (Tim Brown had a similar experience, living in Fernhill Heath, watching 144's trundling past his mothers house).
In the late 1960's or early 70's, the W4 (Malvern Road) and W16 were extended to Lower Wick, as the W3/4. The W3 was clockwise, and the W4 anticlockwise. Several years later, both services were extended to go round Lower Wick estate and renumbered W23/24, until Lower Wick estate was served by the W24 only, and Bromwich Road was not served.

[MattW]

Fantastic picture - the scene has changed remarkably little in the intervening years. 6055 is being chased by a Triumph Herald 13/60 and Volvo 'Amazon', with I think a Triumph Toledo heading in the opposite direction.

[DD12]

…… with I think a Triumph Toledo heading in the opposite direction.

I think it's a Triumph 1300 ! -- Let's ask Tim

[TimBrown]

…… with I think a Triumph Toledo heading in the opposite direction.

I think it's a Triumph 1300 ! -- Let's ask Tim

It could be either, as the bodyshell was almost identical at the rear, however the Toledo had an additional horizontal chrome embellishment bar just below the rear number plate and I can't quite make out the configuration of the car in this photo.

Incidentally I owned two Toledos a white one in 1972 and a blue one in 1974 - that 1296 cc Triumph engine always felt a bit strangled compared with the BMC 1275 cc A series in the Morris Marina. Perhaps Triumph engines were built to tighter tolerances than Morris? I didn't try advancing the timing, but remember that the factory settings on a 1978 Marina 1700 O series engine made for flat performance, I used to take it to a steep hill and advance the distributor until there was a faint pinking tinkle when the car was dropped to walking pace in second gear. After that the acceleration was much better and it pulled like a steam engine from 25 MPH in top, just wish it had an overdrive 5 speed gearbox instead of the 4 speed direct top box. My current Skoda Fabia 1.2 has a 7 speed DSG box and runs with 2,250 RPM on the rev counter at 70 MPH where the old Marina would be at 4,500 RPM - now that is progress!

[MattW]

Great! I love cars from that era. Had a 1275 Marina coupe for a bit in lovely 70s 'Black Tulip' (i.e purple). Nippy up until you got to the huge gulf between 3rd and 4th gear!