Small Operator Bus Overhauls.

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Something I’ve been meaning to ask for a while…

Before buses/coaches had annual testing (pre 1980s) and had a seven year certificate of fitness when new, how did a small operator without access to their own large workshop facilities manage to get the vehicle prepared for a test?

M

 

[RT4038]

Something I’ve been meaning to ask for a while…

Before buses/coaches had annual testing (pre 1980s) and had a seven year certificate of fitness when new, how did a small operator without access to their own large workshop facilities manage to get the vehicle prepared for a test?

M

They more than likely sold the vehicle on at this point! Others will have contracted an operator (or private workshop (possibly a dealer set up for this kind of work)) to do it for them. I think the maximum you could get was a six year on renewal, and some operators with vehicles in a suitably good condition would do a reduced amount of work to get a one, two or three year ticket. [vehicle had to be in quite good condition to start with!]. Sooner or later, particularly with wooden or composite body frames, all the panels had to come off to inspect underneath, which was an expensive and time consuming task.