THE SHOWBUS UK MIDLANDS BUS IMAGE GALLERY
South Midland Motor Services
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 South Midland 867 (521ABL) was a rather special coach. It was the Bristol RE prototype, designated REX, to be followed by thousands of the popular rear engined chassis in both bus and coach form. This view in Victoria Coach Station in the early seventies shows well the extra bay in the ECW body which did not feature in production examples. Amongst other differences, the radiator grill was deeper on 867. The prototype was not without its problems and drivers kept a log for Bristol of any problems. One entry reads along the lines.... "there was a sudden loss of power and I could see the engine on the road behind me in the rear view mirror". |
SOUTH MIDLAND |
 Despite the delivery of 867 and two more production RELH coaches (C404/5 - 834/5CRX), two batches of these Duple Bella Vega coaches joined the fleet in 1963. This is C406 (836CRX) seen at Newbury Bus Station and pressed into service on local bus routes due to the seemingly endless vehicle shortages at Thames Valley, and later, Alder Valley. |
SOUTH MIDLAND |
 Bedford C406 is seen some years later on Southsea Common - a destination it may have reached on the Oxford - Southsea Summer Saturday express route. It was at annual Southsea Spectacular and the coach had been acquired and modified as part of the subsequently successful campaign to raise the Mary Rose. |
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 The 1965 delivery of Bedfords comprise a batch of three Harrington bodied SB13 coaches. A singularly unusual purchase for a Tilling fleet. South Midland C410 (EMO551C) is seen later in life at Newbury Bus Station, probably in the same capacity as C406 above. |
SOUTH MIDLAND |
South Midland C415 (GRX415D) of the 1966 Duple bodied Bedford VAM14 delivery is seen in Langley, unusually on the London - Oxford service (which extended to Worcester), a duty normally the preserve of Bristol coaches.
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