I brought from Sydney an Albion Viking coach, converted to RV, many years ago.
It is a rear engine VK43, 6 speed gear box.
Was an impulse purchase off eBay, thanks to The Wife who asked no questions!
So I have had a low loader deliver to south of Goulborn NSW.
I have no Knowledge of her history and some of the mechanical bits are missing.
The bus is partly outfitted, but have been up dating the interior... Not as fast as My Wife would like.
She has a Freighter body and a oval plate left of front door,at the base. "TCB 3210".

Take a few pictures and post them its a bit hard without seeing the coach

thanks trying sorry technologically challenged. plate by door reads tcb 3210.

Not as fast as My Wife would like.
She has a Freighter body and a oval plate left of front door,at the base?

I also found some original paint and would like to know if members have an opinion on the history or bus company or is it primer paint. Thankyou in advance.

Im assuming Freighter badge on grille is genuine and not an add on also wondered if tcb stood for transport control board ex SA now defunt

warkeonbye wrote:Im assuming Freighter badge on grille is genuine and not an add on also wondered if tcb stood for transport control board ex SA now defunt

It's a Freighter body. This front and rear design was in vogue around 1964-1966. They moved to a different design mid 1966, although Freighter was one company that allowed purchasers to stick with "old design" if they wished. The bus is a raised deck version which puts it more in 1965 and 1966 or later. But I cannot recognise it. Are you sure it is a VK43L and not a VK41L? The first VK43L in Australia came in November 1966. Dunno about TCB, never seen that before but you could be right.

This body is the same vintage but without the step deck roof.

Your vehicle has a longer rear overhang.

thanks.Its rear engine with a 370 MK11 so with what i read i presumed a VK 43L .Have not found ID plates yet

finally found an id plate.Bus is a vk41L .Albion id plate gives chassis No as 53011L.Thanks to System Improver,Denv12 and all those members that have written of Australias bus and coach history and made me realise that an Aussie will always have a go at making something better than it was.

Good news, I can tell you the history of this bus now that I have the chassis number.

It was new to Cole Bus Service of Edwardstown in SA on 13th August 1968 and registered SA563 221 and was Number 7 in their fleet. It went the Municipal* Tramways Trust (later State Transit Authority) 24th February 1974 when they acquired the private bus services in Adelaide as their Number 7107. It is clear that the roof has been raised as part of the conversion to a mobile home. Here are two pictures of the original bus which were taken by Bruce Tilley:





* thanks to those below for the correction

Thanks for sharing the photos, system improver. Just for your reference, the MTT (SA) was the Municipal Tramways Trust; not the Metropolitan Tramway Trust.
The first photo I suspect would have been taken in the depot; the second looks to be in the City; possibly Franklin St but I'm not 100% sure on that.

Yes - the second photo is in Franklin Street, just west of Victoria Square.

The external staircase on the building on the far left belongs to the MLC building, right on the Victoria Square corner.

Then there is a Bank of Adelaide building (I wonder how many can remember that bank?), and the bus is right outside AVCO financial services, which I think was owned by Bank of Adelaide.

In fact, I borrowed some money from that very branch on one occasion (to buy a bus - what else?)

I would place the picture at the 1971-73 period - it is showing a route number (600) - these were introduced I think in 1971, or thereabouts, specifically for private routes, but there is no sign of the MTT takeover (eg 4-digit route numbers), so that suggests prior to February 1974.

The allocation of bus zones changed periodically, but I remember this one being used by Coles around this time. Later it was used by Henstridge for their Route 610 to Blackwood via Shepherd's Hill Road.

(And, I'll second your correction of the correct title for the MTT - I'm sure System Improver won't mind, as most interstaters seem to call it the Metropolitan Tramways (or even Transport) Trust.)

The name is a throwback to its original set-up, which involved several metropolitan councils having legal responsibilities. This all changed following a parliamentary enquiry in the early 1950s, when the Trust started losing money, and had to be bailed out by the Government (technically the councils were the ones who were legally responsible for any financial shortfalls) - The Trust was reconstituted with no further involvement by councils - but the name remained until around 1976 when the MTT was incorporated into the new State transport Authority, and another piece of history bit the dust!

Cheers,

Trevor

thanks once again System Improver also The Phongj and Leyland4ever for the info.With the work that went into the first conversion it doesn't surprise me that the builder went the whole hog and raised the roof.