Associated Tourist Services/Johnsons' Aldgate,SA.

[Denv12]

Ex Daniel's Tours,Victoria, Freighter Lawton bodied Bedford prior to being repainted in the red and cream livery deigned by the Late Jack Sellick.Several buses were delivered to Len Johnson's Asscoated Tourist Services in that
livery.The rear freight compartment lwas removed and seats were added by Associated staff.

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Denning bodied Bedford,mid mount.Taken prior to delivery to Associated.Photo taken just off Bedford Street,Gilman in the Wool stores.

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As I was a former bus driver for Associated Tourist Service,Port Road,Queenstown in Adelaide's western suburbs and some of their fleet was bought from my Late Father,Jack Sellick,I would like to dedicate this post to the Late Len Johnson of Aldgate and the Late Percy Graeber of Lobethal.Len bought Percy's company.

If you would like to contribute information and/or photos here please do.

The following photos were taken around 1983-84 prior to these vehicles being bought by Len Johnson.The only non Adelaide ex STA bus is the early Denning bodied Bedford.All bus photos I added here were ex STA.

I few of their other vehicles included:
Older Bedford Comair ex Goldsworthy,Kaniva,Victoria.I think there were 2.Used on school runs in the Adelaide Hills.That was early 1984 I think.
The Leyland /Freighter Lawton as shown further down.I'm sure there was a Scania/Smithfield body too.
Ex Briscoe's "The Jet" as it was known,a Denning mono single axle.Its number plate had 707 on it.Based at Aldgate.Driven by driver Bob Pridham.
Another ex Briscoe's,Freighter Lawton bodied volvo also based at Aldgate.The "Moonraker" body in single axle form.
In late 1984 or early 1985 a 1980 ish Ansair Ansaliner Mk11 entered the fleet.I dont know who owned it originally belonged to prior to Associated.
There were various Percy Graeber buses mainly Bedfords and Albions,possibly a Freighter Lawton Leyland Lion ex Dept Of Supply Woomera.(sound familiar?) somewhere.
One bus was a Denning bodied Albion.It remained in Graeber livery when Len owned it.It was based at Queenstown depot used on charter.Nice vehicle to drive too.Looked nice too.
Between the fleet of Johnson's,Associated and Graebers there was a good variety of buses,mainly locally built Freighter Lawton bodied buses.
Len Johnson himself drove his own Bedford Comair on the service run into the city from possibly from Aldgate to the city.He drove the return on his way home from the Queenstown depot.You couldnt miss him smoking his pipe.His bus remained at the Queenstown depot until he returned home to Aldgate in it.
There was a Freighter Lawton bodied Leyland tiger cub outside the Aldgate workshop without a front axle.Its twin was in the Queenstown depot gathering dust until around 1985 when Jack Sellick bought it and refurbished it.I dont know where that went.They were identical to the "Bulls Bus Service" photo added here as shown because they are identical bodies.

If you would like to help out further please do.Thank you.

[system improver]

Denv12, do you have any history of Len Johnson's and Percy Graeber's companies? Who runs these services now? I'll post some photos soon.

[Denv12]

Denv12, do you have any history of Len Johnson's and Percy Graeber's companies? Who runs these services now? I'll post some photos soon.

While I was working at Aldgate in early 1985 Percy Graeber passed away peacefully.He was a wonderful man.I had met him several weeks before he died.The buses based at Lobethal were still at his premisis ebven though owned by Len Johnson.He was still working at his age.

Len Johnson died somewhere in the late 1990s I think.He died well before 1999.My dad,Jack Sellick did in 1999 so Len had died a few years before.I think the fleet and company was taken over by a relative who had the charter licenses for the buses.I think the company might have moved into a premisis at Port Adelaide,Lipson Street,maybe.TIt could have been a nephew from Mount Gambier.I dont know what happened to the company and the fleet.On the Aldgate premisis was a bus graveyard.There were a few buses there around the late 1980s.

If anyone can add further details here please do.
One of their drivers and mechanics for many years was John McKenzie,who was working out at Two Wells in a bus company,he might help with information.He might know where other former staff are too.And,he' might have photos.

[Bedford-29]

Here is another Associated Tourist services coach for you.Picture from the Andrew Potts collection.

[Industry]

Am I right that Associated Tourist Services had a Frieghter Step Deck with Skysighter Windows ex Parlorcars which ended up for a number of years in an old quarry in the back of Burliegh Heads in Qld

[Denv12]

Am I right that Associated Tourist Services had a Frieghter Step Deck with Skysighter Windows ex Parlorcars which ended up for a number of years in an old quarry in the back of Burliegh Heads in Qld

Yes,thats the one.Its a commer chassis.I saw a photo of it, some months ago.It had gone to "Arnold's Tourist Service" at Port Pirie still in the Associated colours.Someone had a photo of it.In 1994 it was purchased/traded in by my father,Jack Sellick.It was sitting amongst a fleet of ex Adelaide STA buses.I dont know where it ended up after 1984.We never kept records of where buses were sold to.

I think I saw some photos in some of the yahoo bus photos groups at some point.If anyone is in those types of groups someone has those photos.There was a colour photo of the Arnold's bus and a b&w photo of the parlorcars coach.I wonder how many of the coach body were made.

[Bedford-29]

Are you talking about this coach.Pictures from the Andrew Potts and Leon Batman collections.

[Denv12]

Are you talking about this coach.Pictures from the Andrew Potts and Leon Batman collections.

Thats definitely the Arnold's bus photo I remember.Wasnt that taken at the Port Pirie Depot?
Thank you for adding your photos.

Is Parlorcars the same as the WA based Parlorcars years ago?

[Industry]

I stand corrected by Parlorcars WA came after the original Parlorcars whom had a few owners and name changes before disappearing all together, which from Memory Golden Fleece was the last owner under the Panther Express name and in Sydney share a terminal on Broadway with Greyhound.

[system improver]

I Withers established the Parlorcars operation in WA around 1965 together with Jack Norman as managing partner and used 3 Bedford SBs and a Toyota. When Barnes acquired the Withers business in late 1967, the WA operations continued as a separate entity. After that, the wash up of Parlorcars is a bit complicated and is detailed in The People Movers.

[Denv12]

As for the WA based Parlorcars I dont know who owned it before Max Winkless bought it in 1985 and added it to his "The Bus Company" stable,which included "Across Australia Coachlines-that had been owned by Ross Love who might have some connection with the guys who started "Flight Centre" and something to do with Volvo.And,Quest Tours based in Provident Avenue,Glynde,SA,-the old Lewis Brothers depot,dare I say bus factory of years gone by.You might want to track down Alf Brewer.He'd have some history and a photo collection.

[Eagle Eye]

Here is another Associated Tourist services coach for you.Picture from the Andrew Potts collection.

The third pic up from here – are those tram wires or trolley bus wires? Hard to tell if they are tracks on the road and I can't pick the location.

[jibb]

Tram wires-St Kilda Road Melbourne.

[lordmayor]

Are you talking about this coach.Pictures from the Andrew Potts and Leon Batman collections.

This coach was in fact owned by Australian Roadlines Pty Ltd a company that Len had shares in but did not own .... was part of a scheme to increase his fleet as we had 14 buses and coaches ... and he used them on his charters , he became a Director of this company along with 3 others .

Any one wanting info can PM me for further info !!!!

[Denv12]

Are you talking about this coach.Pictures from the Andrew Potts and Leon Batman collections.

This coach was in fact owned by Australian Roadlines Pty Ltd a company that Len had shares in but did not own .... was part of a scheme to increase his fleet as we had 14 buses and coaches ... and he used them on his charters , he became a Director of this company along with 3 others .

Any one wanting info can PM me for further info !!!!

Thank you for the info.You are welcome to add further information here.It does belong here.Thanks again.

[Denv12]

What is the history of "Associated Tourist Services"? Who founded the business? Were they always based on Port Road,Queenstown?
Was there any connection between "Bulls Bus Service" and Associated? One man who had 2 coaches based there was Reg McKenzie of Taperoo.He had a Flxible Clipper and a Freighter bodied Commer with a Cummins engine.That was back in the mid 1960s.
What year did Len Johnson of "Johnson's Coaches" Aldgate become the owner? He also owned Percy Graeber's bus company based in Lobethal too. I remember their depot being at Port Road Queenstown at least as far back as the 1960s.They were still there up to the end of the business.

Over the years my late father,Jack Sellick sold a variety of buses to Associated.Some were based at the Queenstown while 2 school bus Comairs were based at the Aldgate depot.

If you can help out with any history,please do.Thanks.

Here are some links showing some of the fleet:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=83968&p=1001291&hilit=associated+tourist+service#p1001291
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=76279
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=84805

[Denv12]

Are you talking about this coach.Pictures from the Andrew Potts and Leon Batman collections.

In the background of this photo you can see part of the coach.I believe the vehicle did enbd up in Port Pirie soon after.Photo taken around late 1983 or early 1984 prior to my parents moving into their own business premises on Bedford Street,Gillman,the ex Fleet Express depot.