MidlandRed.net

Here's a few more pictures taken at Donington Park on Sunday 25 Sept 2016.

Those 1970s coaches are

MattW wrote: ↑

22:45 Friday 30th September 2016

Those 1970s coaches are

Glad you like them Matt! Yes, I really rate the looks of some of the modern coaches like the latest creations of Irizar and Van Hool, but the clean and simple lines of the Plaxton Elite bodywork, especially with round headlights still cut it with me - timeless style.

RSL 383 is an interesting coach with Roe Dalesman body on AEC Reliance chassis, it was originally registered MJD 759 when new in May 1958. Even back then Roe coach bodywork was rare and this style was similar to Duple Britannia coaches, but the overall look is elegant - at least in my eyes. Note the shiny wheel trims.

I was disappointed to miss the parade of Barton vehicles as I was on a different part of the site when the cavalcade arrived; all the other entrants were parked on level ground, but every Barton entrant ended up parked on grass at the bottom of a hill which looked too steep for this geriatric enthusiast to negotiate. Therefore, would appreciate some photos of these vehicles from other members on this website as Barton was as famous in its own way as Midland Red. They rebuilt many pre-war Leyland single-deckers, ran large numbers of second-hand double-deckers, operated a number of innovative low-floor double deckers and had one of the most attractive liveries anywhere in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s. Always a pleasure to see their offerings working out of St Margarets bus station in Leicester when 'spotting' Midland Red buses at this famous venue.

Morning Tim. Thanks for taking the time to post the photo's taken at Showbus.
If you get the "flickr" site up on your screen, type in "Barton Transport Showbus 2016" and you will get a good selection of pictures. I love the Bedford VAL , I did not realise how long it looks - and dual-doors as well - enjoy.

ANDREW wrote: ↑

08:35 Saturday 1st October 2016

Morning Tim. Thanks for taking the time to post the photo's taken at Showbus.
If you get the "flickr" site up on your screen, type in "Barton Transport Showbus 2016" and you will get a good selection of pictures. I love the Bedford VAL , I did not realise how long it looks - and dual-doors as well - enjoy.

Thanks for the link, we can all enjoy pictures of these vehicles now. Yeates bodies were always something of a rarity and always very elaborately decorated with mouldings and embellishments. It seems that they only bodied 11 Bedford VAL chassis with Barton taking 7. I had forgotten that they were two-door vehicles, so rare enough to be priceless. I only ever had one ride on a VAL and that was on a demonstrator running from the Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court, London fifty odd years ago. The ride at the front was very smooth, though you could hear the Leyland O.350 (was that O.370 or O.400?) working away by the driver's left leg. I believe they only had 16 inch wheels (possibly 7-50 x 16 tyres), the idea being that it was safer if the vehicle suffered a front wheel puncture or blow-out, it also meant a lower step height and very little wheel arch intrusion inside.

The following list of Yeates bodied VALs was posted on the Old Bus Photos site by Mr Ron Mesure - acknowledged with thanks.

Barton, Chilwell
963 963 RVO Bedford VAL14 1016 – Yeates 0010 C50D 6/63
964 964 RVO Bedford VAL14 1104 – Yeates 0011 C50D 6/63
965 965 RVO Bedford VAL14 1111 – Yeates 0012 C50D 7/63
966 966 RVO Bedford VAL14 1115 – Yeates 0013 C50D 7/63
967 967 RVO Bedford VAL14 1145 – Yeates 0015 DP56D 7/63
968 968 RVO Bedford VAL14 1146 – Yeates 0014 DP56D 7/63
969 969 RVO Bedford VAL14 1167 – Yeates 0016 DP56D 7/63

Gibson, Barlestone
54 179 CNR Bedford VAL14 1126 – Yeates 0020 C52F 5/63
58 407 EAY Bedford VAL14 1195 – Yeates 0021 C51F 10/63

Rickard. London W2
AYV 92B Bedford VAL14 1181 – Yeates 0029 C52F 5/64

Whippet, Hilton
390 GEW Bedford VAL14 1060 – Yeates 0019 C52F 5/63
These were the only Bedford VAL with Yeates bodywork.

Ron Mesure

Did you manage to spot me on the Edwards van hool?

anthony215 wrote: ↑

17:42 Sunday 9th October 2016

Did you manage to spot me on the Edwards van hool?

Sorry I missed you, obviously need a new pair of glasses!