Valentia St

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tonyp
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Valentia St

Post by tonyp »

I'm wondering who took this brilliant photo, which I would take to be 1970s, showing Karrabee, 640 (one of the HHBC Reos) and 074, a Ken Butt acquisition.

Image

My apologies if it's someone on this board but I'm trying to find the source.

In the waters beyond I sailed 16 footers as a boy. And rode a host of Lady ferries, Reo Speedwagons with canvas doors - and the turning circle was about half that width requiring about a thirty-point turn for the bus. The stone bus shelter was a constant through the ages!
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Bedford-29
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Re: Valentia St

Post by Bedford-29 »

Here is two pictures one of 074 and 640.Pictures from the Graeme Turnbull and Ken Magor collections.
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19753
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19817
Previoulsy known as United Diesel 15
tonyp
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Re: Valentia St

Post by tonyp »

Thank you Bedford-29.

A really interesting thing about that photo is that there is a higher-capacity ferry than was normally on the run, two buses (common in the 1950s to pick up big crowds from the ferry) - all suggestive of a mass-movement occasion, but absolutely no people on either buses, ferry, or in between! I wonder what was going on there?
tonyp
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Re: Valentia St

Post by tonyp »

I have finally tracked down the provenance of that photo in the OP above. It is taken by Ian Lynas on an enthusiasts tour in 1972.

https://www.busesworldwide.org/view214.php?pic=166

I can only assume then that the explanation for the empty ferry and two empty buses was that the (presumably substantial!) tour group was disembarked and up the hill behind the camera, taking photos.

To see the turning circle before it was widened (and the stone waiting shed there since forever), this photo shows me sitting on my dad in late 1948:
ValentiaSt1948a.jpg
ValentiaSt1948a.jpg (133.1 KiB) Viewed 8854 times
No bus in the photo sorry. The only connections I can offer is that, not long afterwards, my dad joined the DGT as an engineer and later went on to join a major bus manufacturer. My own efforts in those years were to pioneer (indeed at this very location during layover waits) remote opening of the then new-fangled air doors by saying "open sesame" and "close sesame" from the back of the bus, upon which the doors would mysteriously open and close. Very patient drivers in those days! I must say that I've tried this method to gain access to the back doors of today's Sydney buses but obviously they haven't caught up with the science. :roll:

Over at Cockatoo, by my best guesstimates, are HMAS Tobruk, recently launched, being fitted out (though could also be a Q class destroyer) and AMC HMAS Kanimbla (McIlwraith McEachearn), which was to be decomissioned the following year and later returned to its owner.

My dad had the unfortunate habit of carrying me on and off buses in that elevated position, resulting in me being brained a couple of times against (ironically) the "safety first" sign above the door. I'd like to think the experience was inputted into bus design at some stage.
tonyp
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Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:31 am

Re: Valentia St

Post by tonyp »

To make up for the lack of a bus in the previous photo, from the same years here (off this board) is MO 485 beside the stone waiting shed at Valentia St, exactly as I remember things clear as a bell! Whether or not the rear air door has been fitted is hard to tell but they came with the introduction of OMO. Obviously a conductor is still on the run here but the provision for OMO is obvious on the sign by the door. A grey dust coat was standard HHBC "uniform" through to the 60s. The conductors wore a lighter colour.

http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19820
CCCC
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Re: Valentia St

Post by CCCC »

Wasn't it the karrabee that ended her days at the Gosford wharf ??? , I think she is the one that sunk after a ferry boat race.

Yep karrabee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSv5cuQSzvg
ross johnson
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Re: Valentia St

Post by ross johnson »

Used to travel on Rte 234, for work 1961-1963, alighting at Figtree. Don't remember seeing the desto 'VALENCIA ST VIA RYDE RD', usually 'VALENCIA ST WHF' or 'WOOLWICH FERRY ' on display. I do remember sighting back in the 1950's the sign " CIRCULAR QUAY VIA VALENCIA ST WHF", perhaps indicating that the bus in question was 'meeting' the ferry ?

Any comments?

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tonyp
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Re: Valentia St

Post by tonyp »

It probably depended on the age of the bus (and hence the destination roll) what it had on the roll. The Circular Quay via Valentia St destination dates from the 1930s or 40s when they had a combined bus/ferry ticket arrangement with Sydney Ferries Ltd.
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