Last Halfcabs (RM's excepted)

[delt1c]

Following on from my last post re last conductors, what were the last halfcabs in service and when, RM's excepted)?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Following on from my last post re last conductors, what were the last halfcabs in service and when, RM's excepted)?

I’m assuming that you don’t mean every instance of a KSW being used on an open top service or a sole Lodekka as a heritage vehicle or a driver trainer Daimler CCCG5 being turfed out to cover vehicle shortages?

The last in regular service of significance were probably the Blackpool Titans that lasted until c.1987/8.

 

[delt1c]

I’m assuming that you don’t mean every instance of a KSW being used on an open top service or a sole Lodekka as a heritage vehicle or a driver trainer Daimler CCCG5 being turfed out to cover vehicle shortages?

The last in regular service of significance were probably the Blackpool Titans that lasted until c.1987/8.

Sorry should have expanded, yes meant in regular service, not special services

 

[Springs Branch]

Among the original PTE's, Greater Manchester Transport was the last to operate half-cab buses, according to Stewart Brown's book "Greater Manchester Buses".

Within GMT, the last of the large fleet of ex-Lancashire United Guy Arabs was withdrawn in January 1982.
The last former municipal half-cabs were three ex-Stockport Corporation PD3 Titans - GMT fleet numbers 5891, 5894 & 5896 (5891 was the last back-loader, the other two were front entrance versions) withdrawn in May 1982.

Half cabs did continue in regular service a few years longer outside the PTEs.
In the NBC, according to the book "Bristol Omnibus Company: The Twilight Years" (author: Stephen Doyle, custodian of the excellent Fray Bentos Flickr site), Bristol's routes 87 & 88 were the last in the country to use Lodekkas in regular service in July 1984.

 

[iantherev]

Warstone, Great Wyrley must be a contender - their ex Caerphilly PD3 was active well into the late 1980s.

 

[martinsh]

Warstone, Great Wyrley must be a contender - their ex Caerphilly PD3 was active well into the late 1980s.

I last saw it in November 1990

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Warstone, Great Wyrley must be a contender - their ex Caerphilly PD3 was active well into the late 1980s.

Good call Ian. Flickr has a photo of yours from 1990 but there’s others from 2000!

Ex Stockport MJA892G also survived with them til 1990 apparently

 

[GusB]

I recall seeing half-cabs on services around the Glasgow area when I was very young - Eastern and Central Scottish, I think. I don't know when these were withdrawn from regular service, though.

Stagecoach had Lodekkas in service until the late 80s on Perthshire services, did they not?

 

[Busaholic]

Among the original PTE's, Greater Manchester Transport was the last to operate half-cab buses, according to Stewart Brown's book "Greater Manchester Buses".

Within GMT, the last of the large fleet of ex-Lancashire United Guy Arabs was withdrawn in January 1982.
The last former municipal half-cabs were three ex-Stockport Corporation PD3 Titans - GMT fleet numbers 5891, 5894 & 5896 (5891 was the last back-loader, the other two were front entrance versions) withdrawn in May 1982.

Half cabs did continue in regular service a few years longer outside the PTEs.
In the NBC, according to the book "Bristol Omnibus Company: The Twilight Years" (author: Stephen Doyle, custodian of the excellent Fray Bentos Flickr site), Bristol's routes 87 & 88 were the last in the country to use Lodekkas in regular service in July 1984.

I went to Bristol University in October 1984. For several weeks, if not months, after that there was a regular Lodekka peak working on route 14. It was the only Lodekka I ever saw in service, although they were present on the 88 when I went for an interview in June of that year, which accords with the info you quote.

 

[Clydeflyer]

I recall seeing half-cabs on services around the Glasgow area when I was very young - Eastern and Central Scottish, I think. I don't know when these were withdrawn from regular service, though.

Stagecoach had Lodekkas in service until the late 80s on Perthshire services, did they not?

The Lodekkas (think there were 4 in the fleet) were still doing daily morning and afternoon registered school runs in Perth when I was there in 1990/91... usually driven by office staff from HQ.

 

[andy1571]

Good call Ian. Flickr has a photo of yours from 1990 but there’s others from 2000!

Ex Stockport MJA892G also survived with them til 1990 apparently

Indeed - I recall having a ride on GNY432C around the turn of the century on a normal service run from Wolverhampton to Landywood. I understand that on this occasion, it had coincided with an inspection that had seen a number of vehicles taken off the road, and so the barrel was being scraped for serviceable vehicles!

Andy M

 

[Beemax]

When Southampton Citybus were using RMs to compete against Solent Blue Line in 1987/8, retired native East Lancs Regent 401 was reinstated to help out now and again.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

When Southampton Citybus were using RMs to compete against Solent Blue Line in 1987/8, retired native East Lancs Regent 401 was reinstated to help out now and again.

That's the sort of thing I was driving at in terms of sporadic appearances in extremis rather than regular service. Darlington had a Daimler driver trainer than used to go out but again not regular service.

 

[37114]

I went to Bristol University in October 1984. For several weeks, if not months, after that there was a regular Lodekka peak working on route 14. It was the only Lodekka I ever saw in service, although they were present on the 88 when I went for an interview in June of that year, which accords with the info you quote.

Bristol still had a Lodekka in use until the 90s, I can't recall which one but I recall it is in Germany now

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Bristol still had a Lodekka in use until the 90s, I can't recall which one but I recall it is in Germany now

Again, I alluded to said vehicle as “a sole Lodekka as a heritage vehicle“ - it was GAE883D. There was one driver who was not OMO and so it did a couple of peak hour trips and then was parked in Lawrence Hill depot all day.

For regular proper service, it’s looking like Green Bus.

 

[Statto]

Didn't Blackpool operate half cabs way past d-reg?

 

[Rikki Lamb]

Halifax JOC used an AEC Regent 3 in 1997/8 on its hebden bridge service, this was replaced by routemasters which ran until approx 2000/2001

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Didn't Blackpool operate half cabs way past d-reg?

See message #2

 

[Statto]

See message #2

My

 

[alangla]

I recall seeing half-cabs on services around the Glasgow area when I was very young - Eastern and Central Scottish, I think. I don't know when these were withdrawn from regular service, though.

Stagecoach had Lodekkas in service until the late 80s on Perthshire services, did they not?

Clydeside, Kelvin & later KCB ran ex-London RMs around Glasgow in the late 80s/early 90s, is that maybe what you’re thinking of?
I’m sure I read somewhere that some of them eventually went back to London as well.

 

[GusB]

Clydeside, Kelvin & later KCB ran ex-London RMs around Glasgow in the late 80s/early 90s, is that maybe what you’re thinking of?
I’m sure I read somewhere that some of them eventually went back to London as well.

No, it definitely wasn't the RMs. It was earlier than that - late 70s, possibly very early 80s, but we've established that there were examples running well after this.

 

[philthetube]

Were Burnley and Pendle single deckers the last half cab singles to run?

 

[90sWereBetter]

Ipswich still had a few AEC Regents being used on peak hour services as late as 1985/1986. Probably some of the last non-RM AEC deckers in normal service.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

No, it definitely wasn't the RMs. It was earlier than that - late 70s, possibly very early 80s, but we've established that there were examples running well after this.

Central ran Lodekkas on their services til 1981/2 (I think). Eastern had them working in from Clarkston depot but they might have finished a little earlier.

 

[6Gman]

Again, I alluded to said vehicle as “a sole Lodekka as a heritage vehicle“ - it was GAE883D. There was one driver who was not OMO and so it did a couple of peak hour trips and then was parked in Lawrence Hill depot all day.

For regular proper service, it’s looking like Green Bus.

"Regular" and "proper" may not be words often linked to Green Bus.

Allegedly.