Open top buses in Torbay
Encyclopedia
Devon General
first operated open top buses in Torbay
in 1919 but reintroduced open top bus
es on tourist routes in 1955. New buses were introduced in 1961 which were known as 'Sea Dogs' because of the names they were given, but these were later replaced by those of 'Warships'.
s was introduced by the Torquay Tramways
in 1907 on a network around Torquay
that included Beacon Quay, St Marychurch and Babbacombe
. The following year saw an additional route along Torbay Road which terminated near Torquay railway station
, then in 1911 it was extended to Paignton
. The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company
started operations in south Devon
in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter
to Torquay
. These were operated with the usual open top buses of the era. In 1922 Torquay Tramways bought Devon General, although it was operated as a subsidiary and the motor buses already owned by the tramway company were transferred to the omnibus company. The tram network was closed in January 1934.
In the 1930s a few seaside resorts started to see open top buses operated as tourist attractions on their seaside roads. More resorts started such services in the years following World War II
. In 1955 five old buses had their roofs removed for services in Torbay and one more was converted for Exmouth
, another resort served by Devon General. They entered service on June 19 and a new sea front route was started on July 19. These proved a success and so a larger fleet of new buses were delivered for service in 1961. They were launched at a naming ceremony on 11 May 1961. These were 'convertible' buses that could operated as open tops during the summer and with roofs during the remainder of the year, although after the first winter they were usually stored during the winter as putting the roofs on caused some damage. It took half an hour to fit or remove a roof using the mechanism that had worked a bus washing machine which had recently been superseded. When not in use the roofs were stored on three mobile racks made from old bus chassis from which the bodies had been removed.
Devon General was privatised in 1986 and became a part of Transit Holdings. This company preferred to operate minibuses and the open top fleet was reduced to just one vehicle. This was transferred to a new Bayline operation, which covered services in Torbay and Newton Abbot, in 1992.
Bayline was sold to the Stagecoach Group
in 1996, and became part of the new Stagecoach in Devon operation in 2003. Stagecoach brought a revival of large buses instead of minibuses, and a larger fleet of open top buses was established.
. To reach Paignton's sea front at Preston the bus had to pass under a very low railway bridge. A licence for the route was only granted on condition that buses would come to a stop before passing under the bridge, the conductor would then have to instruct passengers on the top deck to remain in their seats and then stand at the top of the stairs to see that they did.
From 1959 a second route was operated. The 12C followed the same route as the 12A from St Marychurch to Goodrington but then continued to Churston and Kingswear
instead of turning down to the sea front at Broadsands. The larger fleet of "Sea Dogs" available for the 1961 season allowed two further routes to be added. One was the 12B, which was already operating with conventional buses between Brixham
and Kingswear. The second was a new 12D which followed the usual route from Babbacombe to Goodrington then continued through Churston to Brixham. Devon General routes were renumbered in 1975 which saw the sea front services numbered from 120, and additional buses allowed a Torquay to Dawlish Warren
service to be offered the following year.
Three seasonal services are currently operated by different operators and a fourth offers a scenic tour from Torquay.
was bought from the London General Omnibus Company
in 1920 but was rebuilt after a few months. The Torquay Tramways purchased six AEC K-type
double deck buses in 1921 which were transferred to the Devon General fleet the following year. Double deck buses delivered from 1929 were fitted with roofs and by 1932 the open top buses had been sold or rebuilt as single deck vehicles.
. These were replaced by nine Leyland Atlantean
s with convertible Weymann
bodies in 1961. These were all given the names of historic sailors and known as "Sea Dogs". In 1976 two AEC Regent V
s with Willowbrook
bodies had their roofs removed and were added to the open top fleet.
The Sea Dogs were replaced in 1978 by nine new Bristol VR
Ts with 74 seat Eastern Coach Works
convertible bodies. Two of the VRTs were allocated to Southern National
when Western National's Somerset and Dorset operations were divested in 1983 but five continued to operate at Torbay until the end of the 1990 season. After this a limited open top service was operated with just one bus.
but services around Torbay continued to operate in the old name and buses were sometimes moved between the fleets for short term loans or on a more permanent basis. Two rare Bristol LDLs
in the Western National fleet had their tops removed from 1972/3 for operation at Penzance
and one of these was swapped in 1975 for Sir Francis Drake, and the other in 1977 for Admiral Blake. When the nine "Warship" VRTs were ordered for Devon General, two more were ordered for Western National. Both Atlanteans and VRTs also operated seasonal services at Weymouth. Western National's usual livery for open top buses was white and green, although Sir Francis Drake retained its red and white scheme.
, the open top fleet at Torbay had been reduced to just one vehicle, but the new owners quickly boosted this by drafting in additional Bristol VRs from other parts of the group. The first two (936 and 937) came from Sussex Coastline in 1996 and three more (932 to 934) arrived in 1998 from Bluebird in Scotland but came without their roofs. A heritage vehicle, in the shape of Leyland Titan PD1 LRV 992 was also sent from Portsmouth
to Torbay and was often used on scheduled services alongside the Bristol VRs.
Most of the Bristol VRs were withdrawn after the 1999 season, although 936 and 937 were sold to Dart Pleasure Craft to operate services in connection with their boats on the River Dart
. Eight Scania N113
s were then transferred from London. Their roofs were removed on arrival but five (numbers 15322 – 15326) were done in such a way as to be convertible back to roofed buses. and they generally operate in this form, open top services being in the main provided by 15327–15329. They are all named and, like the Leyland Atlanteans of 1961, are named after British sailors.
kept an open top Leyland PD3 at Torquay for many years. It was used on local tours and shuttle services in connection with its longer distance operations. It even travelled to Lisbon
on one occasion. Dart Pleasure Craft
started services in 2000 using Bristol VRTs (two of which were obtained from Stagecoach Devon). More recently Devonian Motor Services and English Riviera Tours have introduced a wider variety of bus types on new routes. One of Devon General's former "Sea Dogs" is in the Devonian fleet.
Devon General
Devon General was the brand name for the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919. The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919. In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company which merged with British Electric...
first operated open top buses in Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
in 1919 but reintroduced open top bus
Open top bus
An open top bus is a bus, usually but not exclusively a double-decker bus, where all or part of the roof has been removed to enable enjoyment of fresh air and uninterrupted views.-Usage:...
es on tourist routes in 1955. New buses were introduced in 1961 which were known as 'Sea Dogs' because of the names they were given, but these were later replaced by those of 'Warships'.
History
A service of open top tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s was introduced by the Torquay Tramways
Torquay Tramways
Torquay Tramways operated electric street trams in Torquay, Devon, England, from 1907. They were initially powered by the unusual Dolter stud-contact electrification, but in 1911 was converted to more conventional overhead-line supply...
in 1907 on a network around Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
that included Beacon Quay, St Marychurch and Babbacombe
Babbacombe
"Babbacombe" may also refer to John 'Babbacombe' LeeBabbacombe is a district of Torquay, Devon, England. It is notable for Babbacombe Model Village, and its clifftop green, Babbacombe Downs, from which Oddicombe Beach is accessed via Babbacombe Cliff Railway.There is a miniature village in the area....
. The following year saw an additional route along Torbay Road which terminated near Torquay railway station
Torquay railway station
Torquay railway station is on the Riviera Line and serves the seaside resort of Torquay, Devon, England. The station is operated by First Great Western...
, then in 1911 it was extended to Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
. The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company
Devon General
Devon General was the brand name for the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919. The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919. In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company which merged with British Electric...
started operations in south Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
to Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. These were operated with the usual open top buses of the era. In 1922 Torquay Tramways bought Devon General, although it was operated as a subsidiary and the motor buses already owned by the tramway company were transferred to the omnibus company. The tram network was closed in January 1934.
In the 1930s a few seaside resorts started to see open top buses operated as tourist attractions on their seaside roads. More resorts started such services in the years following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1955 five old buses had their roofs removed for services in Torbay and one more was converted for Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
, another resort served by Devon General. They entered service on June 19 and a new sea front route was started on July 19. These proved a success and so a larger fleet of new buses were delivered for service in 1961. They were launched at a naming ceremony on 11 May 1961. These were 'convertible' buses that could operated as open tops during the summer and with roofs during the remainder of the year, although after the first winter they were usually stored during the winter as putting the roofs on caused some damage. It took half an hour to fit or remove a roof using the mechanism that had worked a bus washing machine which had recently been superseded. When not in use the roofs were stored on three mobile racks made from old bus chassis from which the bodies had been removed.
Devon General was privatised in 1986 and became a part of Transit Holdings. This company preferred to operate minibuses and the open top fleet was reduced to just one vehicle. This was transferred to a new Bayline operation, which covered services in Torbay and Newton Abbot, in 1992.
Bayline was sold to the Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
in 1996, and became part of the new Stagecoach in Devon operation in 2003. Stagecoach brought a revival of large buses instead of minibuses, and a larger fleet of open top buses was established.
Routes
The first route to be introduced in 1955 was the 12A from St Marychurch through Babbacombe, Torquay, Paignton and Goodrington to BroadsandsBroadsands
Broadsands is a beach in the Churston Ferrers part of Torbay in South Devon, England.It is a tourist attraction, with a large pitch and putt course. The beach is popular for fishing and watersports....
. To reach Paignton's sea front at Preston the bus had to pass under a very low railway bridge. A licence for the route was only granted on condition that buses would come to a stop before passing under the bridge, the conductor would then have to instruct passengers on the top deck to remain in their seats and then stand at the top of the stairs to see that they did.
From 1959 a second route was operated. The 12C followed the same route as the 12A from St Marychurch to Goodrington but then continued to Churston and Kingswear
Kingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
instead of turning down to the sea front at Broadsands. The larger fleet of "Sea Dogs" available for the 1961 season allowed two further routes to be added. One was the 12B, which was already operating with conventional buses between Brixham
Brixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
and Kingswear. The second was a new 12D which followed the usual route from Babbacombe to Goodrington then continued through Churston to Brixham. Devon General routes were renumbered in 1975 which saw the sea front services numbered from 120, and additional buses allowed a Torquay to Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren is a small seaside resort near the town of Dawlish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon in England. Dawlish Warren consists almost entirely of holiday accommodation and facilities for holiday-makers especially caravan sites....
service to be offered the following year.
Three seasonal services are currently operated by different operators and a fourth offers a scenic tour from Torquay.
| Service | Route | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Dart Pleasure Craft Dart Pleasure Craft Limited River Link is the trading name of Dart Pleasure Craft Limited, a ferry, cruise boat and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.... |
|
| 200 | Totnes to Torquay | Stagecoach South West |
| 500 | Paignton to Broadsands | Devonian Motor Services |
| – | Sightseeing tour | English Riviera Tours |
First buses
Devon General's first buses were AEC YC type with roofless double-deck bodies typical at the time. A second-hand AEC B-typeLGOC B-type
The LGOC B-type is a model of double-decker bus that was introduced in London on 1910. It was both built and operated by the London General Omnibus Company .-History:...
was bought from the London General Omnibus Company
London General Omnibus Company
The London General Omnibus Company or LGOC, was the principal bus operator in London between 1855 and 1933. It was also, for a short period between 1909 and 1912, a motor bus manufacturer.- Overview :...
in 1920 but was rebuilt after a few months. The Torquay Tramways purchased six AEC K-type
AEC K-type
The AEC K-type was a type of bus chassis built by Associated Equipment Company from 1919 until 1926, mainly for use in London by the London General Omnibus Company ....
double deck buses in 1921 which were transferred to the Devon General fleet the following year. Double deck buses delivered from 1929 were fitted with roofs and by 1932 the open top buses had been sold or rebuilt as single deck vehicles.
| Fleet | Registration | Chassis | Name | In service | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | T 6942 | AEC YC | Sir Francis Drake | 1919– ca.1928 | Devon General |
| 2 | T 6944 | AEC YC | Sir Walter Raleigh | 1919– ca.1927 | Devon General |
| 3 | T 6946 | AEC YC | Sir John Hawkins | 1919–1926 | Devon General |
| 11 | LF 8399 | AEC B LGOC B-type The LGOC B-type is a model of double-decker bus that was introduced in London on 1910. It was both built and operated by the London General Omnibus Company .-History:... |
1920–1921 | Devon General | |
| 13 | TA 1004 | AEC K AEC K-type The AEC K-type was a type of bus chassis built by Associated Equipment Company from 1919 until 1926, mainly for use in London by the London General Omnibus Company .... |
1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 14 | TA 1005 | AEC K | 1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 15 | TA 1006 | AEC K | 1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 16 | TA 1168 | AEC K | 1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 17 | TA 1169 | AEC K | 1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 18 | TA 1170 | AEC K | 1921–1926 | Torquay Tramways | |
| 71 | T 8328 | AEC B | 1926–1932 | Devon General | |
| 72 | T 6946 | AEC YC | 1926–1932 | Devon General | |
Devon General
The six old buses rebuilt to open top form in 1955 were 21-year old AEC Regents with bodies by Short BrothersShort Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
. These were replaced by nine Leyland Atlantean
Leyland Atlantean
The Leyland Atlantean is a model of double-decker bus built by Leyland in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1986....
s with convertible Weymann
Metro Cammell Weymann
Metro Cammell Weymann was once a major player in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe. It was formed in 1932 by Weymann Motor Bodies Ltd and Metro Cammell's bus bodybuilding division to produce bus bodies....
bodies in 1961. These were all given the names of historic sailors and known as "Sea Dogs". In 1976 two AEC Regent V
AEC Regent V
The AEC Regent V was a front-engined double-decker bus built by the Associated Equipment Company between 1954 and 1969. It was the last version of AEC Regent series double-decker and built as the successor of the AEC Regent III .The Regent V had AEC's own frontal design and concealed radiator as...
s with Willowbrook
Duple Coachbuilders
Duple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
bodies had their roofs removed and were added to the open top fleet.
The Sea Dogs were replaced in 1978 by nine new Bristol VR
Bristol VR
The Bristol VR was Bristol's rear-engined bus chassis, designed as a competitor to the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline.-Development:...
Ts with 74 seat Eastern Coach Works
Eastern Coach Works
Eastern Coach Works Ltd was a bus and railbus body building company based in Lowestoft, England.-History:The company can trace its roots back to 1912, when United Automobile Services was founded in the town to run bus services. United began a coach building business at the Lowestoft site in 1920...
convertible bodies. Two of the VRTs were allocated to Southern National
Southern National
Southern National was a bus company operating in South West England from 1929 to 1969, and again from 1983 to 1999.-Original company :...
when Western National's Somerset and Dorset operations were divested in 1983 but five continued to operate at Torbay until the end of the 1990 season. After this a limited open top service was operated with just one bus.
| Fleet | Registration | Chassis | Name | In service | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 203 | OD 7490 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | ||
| 205 | OD 7492 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | ||
| 210 | OD 7497 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | Operating for Nostalgic Travel in Newton Abbot. | |
| 218 | OD 7505 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | Initially based at Exmouth. | |
| 219 | OD 7506 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | ||
| 224 | AUO 90 | AEC Regent | 1955–1961 | ||
| 507 | 507 RUO | AEC Regent V | Prince Regent | 1976–1978 | Operating with Chepstow Classic Buses |
| 508 | 508 RUO | AEC Regent V | Regent Princess | 1976–1978 | Preserved |
| 925 | 925 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Admiral Blake | 1961–1977 | To Western National Admiral Hardy in 1977 (see below). |
| 926 | 926 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Francis Drake | 1961–1975 | To Western National (see below). |
| 927 | 927 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Martin Frobisher | 1961–1978 | To Southern National as Admiral Hardy, now operating with by Chepstow Classic Buses. |
| 928 | 928 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Humphrey Gilbert | 1961–1983 | |
| 929 | 929 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Richard Grenville | 1961–1983 | |
| 930 | 930 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir John Hawkins | 1961–1983 | |
| 931 | 931 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Thomas Howard Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk Admiral Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, KG, PC was a son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Margaret Audley, Duchess of Norfolk, the daughter and heiress of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden.... |
1961–1983 | Preserved by Rubicon Classic Travel, Bristol |
| 932 | 932 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Earl Howe Earl Howe Earl Howe is a title that has been created twice in British history, for members of the Howe and Curzon-Howe family respectively.The first creation, in the Peerage of Great Britain, was in 1788 for Richard Howe, but became extinct on his death in 1799.... |
1961–1983 | |
| 933 | 933 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Walter Raleigh | 1961–1982 | |
| 934 | VDV 134S | Bristol VRT | Golden Hind Golden Hind The Golden Hind was an English galleon best known for its circumnavigation of the globe between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake... |
1978–1983 | Became Southern National Thomas Hardy in 1983 now preserved in Saltash Saltash Saltash is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of 14,964. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by... . |
| 935 | VDV 135S | Bristol VRT | Triumph | 1978–2001 | Renamed Exeter HMS Exeter (D89) HMS Exeter was a Type 42 destroyer, the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named Exeter, after the city of Exeter in Devon.Exeter was the first of the slightly modified 'Batch 2' Type 42 destroyers. This was a mid-build consideration with her later sister ship, HMS Southampton sporting a similar... in 1987, now used by a catering company in Leicestershire. |
| 936 | VDV 136S | Bristol VRT | Revenge | 1978–1991 | Renamed Torbay HMS Torbay (S90) HMS Torbay is a nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy and was the fourth vessel of her class.Torbay was the first vessel to be fitted with the new command system SMCS-NG , which meant that she was also the first Royal Navy vessel to put to sea under the "command" of the Microsoft Windows operating... in 1987, it is now used for cutting trees by East Yorkshire Motor Services East Yorkshire Motor Services East Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services... . |
| 937 | VDV 137S | Bristol VRT | Victory HMS Victory HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.... |
1978–83 | Transferred to Western National, now preserved by West Country Historic Omnibus and Transport Trust. |
| 938 | VDV 138S | Bristol VRT | Warspite | 1978–1992 | Renamed Illustrious HMS Illustrious (R06) HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew... in 1987, now in service with East Yorkshire Motor Services. |
| 939 | VDV 139S | Bristol VRT | Renown | 1978–1992 | Renamed Ark Royal in 1987. Sold to East Yorkshire Motor Services but exported to Italy in 2009. |
| 940 | VDV 140S | Bristol VRT | Invincible | 1978–92 | Sold to East Yorkshire Motor Services but exported to Italy in 2009. |
| 941 | VDV 141S | Bristol VRT | Illustrious | 1978–83 | Transferred to western National, now preserved by Cornwall Bus Group. |
| 942 | VDV 142S | Bristol VRT | Hermes | 1978–1983 | Became Southern National Lawrence of Arabia in 1983, now operating with Chepstow Classic Buses. |
Western National
From 1971 Devon General became part of Western NationalWestern National
Western National was a bus operating company in South West England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Western National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company...
but services around Torbay continued to operate in the old name and buses were sometimes moved between the fleets for short term loans or on a more permanent basis. Two rare Bristol LDLs
Bristol Lodekka
The Bristol Lodekka was a low-height double-decker bus built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles in England.Bristol manufactured over 5,200 Lodekkas from 1949 to 1968, as a standard double-deck vehicle for the UK state-owned bus sector. With all examples bodied by Eastern Coach Works in Lowestoft, they...
in the Western National fleet had their tops removed from 1972/3 for operation at Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
and one of these was swapped in 1975 for Sir Francis Drake, and the other in 1977 for Admiral Blake. When the nine "Warship" VRTs were ordered for Devon General, two more were ordered for Western National. Both Atlanteans and VRTs also operated seasonal services at Weymouth. Western National's usual livery for open top buses was white and green, although Sir Francis Drake retained its red and white scheme.
| Fleet | Registration | Chassis | Name | At Torquay | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 925 | 925 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Admiral Blake | Now operating with Devonian Motor Services. | |
| 926 | 926 GTA | Leyland Atlantean | Sir Francis Drake | Preserved in Eastleigh. | |
| 1935 | VDV 752 | Bristol LDL | Admiral Boscawen | 1975–1978 | Now with Quantock Motor Services Quantock Motor Services Quantock Motor Services is a privately owned company based in Bishops Lydeard, Somerset, England. that operates a small number of bus services around Minehead and Taunton under contract to Somerset County Council, and one commercial route and rural tourist bus services around Exmoor. Much of its... . |
| 1936 | VDV 753 | Bristol LDL | Sir Humphrey Davey | 1977–1978 | Now with Quantock Motor Services. |
| 943 | VDV 143S | Bristol VRT | Ark Royal | Sold to Badgerline in 1993, exported to Italy in 2010. | |
| 944 | VDV 144S | Bristol VRT | Vanguard | Sold for scrap in 2001. | |
Stagecoach
By 1996, when Devon General was sold to the Stagecoach GroupStagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
, the open top fleet at Torbay had been reduced to just one vehicle, but the new owners quickly boosted this by drafting in additional Bristol VRs from other parts of the group. The first two (936 and 937) came from Sussex Coastline in 1996 and three more (932 to 934) arrived in 1998 from Bluebird in Scotland but came without their roofs. A heritage vehicle, in the shape of Leyland Titan PD1 LRV 992 was also sent from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Torbay and was often used on scheduled services alongside the Bristol VRs.
Most of the Bristol VRs were withdrawn after the 1999 season, although 936 and 937 were sold to Dart Pleasure Craft to operate services in connection with their boats on the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
. Eight Scania N113
Scania N113
The Scania N113 was a transverse-engined bus chassis built by Scania AB of Sweden between 1988 and 2000.Like its predecessor, the N112, the N113 had an 11-litre engine mounted at the rear, coupled to either a Scania or Voith gearbox...
s were then transferred from London. Their roofs were removed on arrival but five (numbers 15322 – 15326) were done in such a way as to be convertible back to roofed buses. and they generally operate in this form, open top services being in the main provided by 15327–15329. They are all named and, like the Leyland Atlanteans of 1961, are named after British sailors.
| Fleet | Registration | Chassis | Name | At Torbay | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 932 | UWV 605S | Bristol VRT | 1998-1999 | ||
| 933 | UWV 608S | Bristol VRT | 1998-1999 | Exported to USA in 2000. | |
| 934 | UWV 609S | Bristol VRT | 1998-1999 | ||
| 935 | VDV 135S | Bristol VRT | Ark Royal | 1978–2001 | Now used by a catering company in Leicestershire. |
| 936 | UWV 604S | Bristol VRT | Illustrious | 1996–2000 | Now operated by Dart Pleasure Craft |
| 937 | UWV 614S | Bristol VRT | Invincible | 1996–2000 | Now operated by Dart Pleasure Craft |
| 992 | LRV 992 | Leyland Titan | – | ? | |
| 15322 | J822 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir Alexander Cochrane | 2000– | |
| 15323 | J823 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir James Saumarez James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez , GCB was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.-Early life:... |
2000– | |
| 15324 | J824 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir John Borlase Warren | 2000– | |
| 15325 | J825 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir Philip Bowes Vere Brook | 2000– | |
| 15326 | J826 HMC | Scania N113 | Edward Pellow | 2000– | |
| 15327 | J827 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir Home Popham | 2000– | |
| 15328 | J828 HMC | Scania N113 | Sir Sidney Smith | 2000– | |
| 15329 | J829 HMC | Scania N113 | John Hayes | 2000– | |
Independent operators
Wallace ArnoldWallace Arnold
Wallace Arnold was one of the UK's largest holiday motorcoach tour operators. It was founded in 1912 and was named after its founders Wallace Cunningham and Arnold Crowe. By 1980 it operated 290 coaches from its headquarters in Leeds, and owned a subsidiary based in Devon...
kept an open top Leyland PD3 at Torquay for many years. It was used on local tours and shuttle services in connection with its longer distance operations. It even travelled to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
on one occasion. Dart Pleasure Craft
Dart Pleasure Craft Limited
River Link is the trading name of Dart Pleasure Craft Limited, a ferry, cruise boat and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway....
started services in 2000 using Bristol VRTs (two of which were obtained from Stagecoach Devon). More recently Devonian Motor Services and English Riviera Tours have introduced a wider variety of bus types on new routes. One of Devon General's former "Sea Dogs" is in the Devonian fleet.
| Operator | Fleet no. | Registration | Chassis | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dart Pleasure Craft | 1 | UWV 614S | Bristol VRT | Frankie | Ex-Stagecoach |
| Dart Pleasure Craft | 2 | UWV 604S | Bristol VRT | Ex-Stagecoach | |
| Dart Pleasure Craft | 3 | WTU 467W | Bristol VRT | ||
| Devonian Motor Services | 925 | MSJ 499 | Leyland Atlantean | Admiral Blake | Former Devon General "Sea Dog" |
| Devonian Motor Services | 934 | GJZ 9571 | Leyland Atlantean | Black Prince | |
| Devonian Motor Services | 935 | A146 OFR | Leyland Atlantean | White Lady | |
| English Riviera Tours | – | BYX 304V | MCW Metrobus | ||
| English Riviera Tours | – | JTD 395P | Daimler Fleetline Daimler Fleetline The Daimler Fleetline is a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis built between 1960 and 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, and from 1973 until 1980 in Farington, Lancashire, England. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983... |
||
| Wallace Arnold | – | BUF 425C | Leyland PD3 | Uncle Wally | No longer at Torbay. |
See also
- Open top buses in the United KingdomOpen top buses in the United KingdomOpen top buses, or open toppers, are used for a variety of reasons in the United Kingdom, mainly for sightseeing and seasonal services. Open top buses are also often exported to other countries, to give the impression of the 'traditional British bus', i.e...
- Open top buses in Weston-super-MareOpen top buses in Weston-super-MareOpen top buses in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, were introduced in 1950 and have run along the sea front every summer since. The current route runs from Weston-super-Mare railway station to Sand Bay and is operated by First Somerset and Avon....
- Open top buses in Weston-super-Mare