Norton Motors of Burnie

[Tas Bus Nut]

Absolutely fantastic reading (and photos) from yourself Darren, and Les. Even though I'm not from Burnie, the history of Nortons is very enthralling as very little was known/told beforehand. I would like to make contact with you Darren if I may, so shall send a PM message asking your details. I have made contact with Les, so have his details already. It would be very much appreciated AND beneficial to you in your research too.

[burrumbus]

I wish to completely agree with Neil and thank you,Darren ,for your work on recording the history of Nortons and your willingness to share it with us.It has been absolutely fantastic with the detail you have given us.A real tribute to a pioneering bus family.
Cheers-Burrumbus.

[werkhorse]

Thanks guys... Just finished chatting with Neil and it looks like I will be able to share the story with more people than I had ever hoped to.

The video has arrived so I will be editing it in the next week or so and I'll work out a way to get some of it on here for all to see

[werkhorse]

Another angle of No.19 at Boat Harbour for you Loco Les. Not too sure about that rope coming off the window frame though

img012 (Custom).jpg

Les, the film footage show the bus being dragged back onto the road.... Sideways by the back end first.... I'll try and get it up on here first for you

[werkhorse]

Ok ... Lets see if this works. A short clip of the Norton's SB fleet No.19 being dragged back onto the road at Boat Harbour.

seems you have to click on the picture to be transferred to the video on Flickr
Boat Harbour SB Bedford crash by werkhorse, on Flickr

Cheers

[Tas Bus Nut]

The video has arrived so I will be editing it in the next week or so and I'll work out a way to get some of it on here for all to see

Don't think I've uploaded a video onto this site, but trial and error, I'd imagine Darren. Look forward to your results.

[werkhorse]

Well it seems the first video was a success.... Can anyone confirm its viewable?

[system improver]

It says the video is private.

[werkhorse]

Should be public now

[werkhorse]

Here is either 21 or 22 being offloaded at Burnie

Fleet No. 21 or 22 being offload from Ship at Burnie by werkhorse, on Flickr

[werkhorse]

One of the OBs in Burnie

OB CAC driving by werkhorse, on Flickr

[werkhorse]

One of the early OBs exiting the driveway of the 88 Mount St depot

OB in driveway of 88 Mount St by werkhorse, on Flickr

[werkhorse]

Ther Federal with crossing the Leven River in Ulverstone on it's way to Hobart for the annual rowing competitions

Federal with row skull Ulverstone by werkhorse, on Flickr

[werkhorse]

Here are two shots of the Reo ... Quite possibly the only time it was ever captured.

Norton's Reo in Mount St

Reo Diesel 2.png (246.88 KiB) Viewed 6637 times

Second Capture of Norton's Reo in Mount St

Reo Diesel.png (251.08 KiB) Viewed 6637 times

[LocoLes]

Another angle of No.19 at Boat Harbour for you Loco Les. Not too sure about that rope coming off the window frame though

img012 (Custom).jpg

Les, the film footage show the bus being dragged back onto the road.... Sideways by the back end first.... I'll try and get it up on here first for you

Hi Darren,
No.19's rear axle appears to be dragged sideways by the flat tray truck. Looks like an excellent result was achieved. The gravel surface no doubt helped because a bitumen surface would not assist a sideways drag. In the video No.19 is sign written above the passenger windows [Norton's Motors Pty Ltd Burnie] which was removed when MTT purchased Nortons. All the fleet had Norton details removed using wet and dry sandpaper. 7SB No. 22 was the only ex Norton bus which did not display Norton details. In fact No.22 did not have a fleet number painted on its' side until MTT's logo and 522 were applied in the usual MTT 'spots' early in 1960. The photo of the 'wraparound' windscreen 7SB arriving by ship, as you state, could be either No.21 or No.22. Norton's appear to have received their buses without fleet details as an early photo of No.19 in this post shows it also without logo etc so suggest it was brand new in the photo. Bus 19 was re-registered WER-082 after the major accident at the West Pine turnoff on the Bass Highway early '60s.
Great pics and history of Norton's bus era thanks Darren.
[Corrections to text 18Jan19] .. LocoLes

Loco Les

[werkhorse]

Yes I believe I've seen a photo of that accident .... rear ended a car which ended up on it's side I think

[LocoLes]

Hi Darren,

The Syd Wood bodied Reo No.17 with Perkins engine looks quite smart in these photos and it did get some use apart from West Mooreville Road school bus trips before and after school.
Built in 1939, it was always beside the workshop when parked at Mount Street depot as it mostly need to be started by either rolling it or towing it by the Land Rover.
The old Reo was sold privately to a former driver who on sold the Perkins P6 motor for use in a fishing ? boat. No.17 was not much good just like the 3 MTT Seddon buses [373-74-75] which used the same type engine apart from No.375 that was later fitted with a Bedford SB motor. No.375 lasted until 1967 only because of the Bedford engine! The other 2 Seddons went in 1961-62. Excuse my rambling on here but the old Perkins engined buses were not fond vehicles and MTT Launceston who acquired them from the Launceston Municipal Tramways in 1955 were only too pleased to be rid of them! Launceston MTT received new CBW Bedford SB3 buses in place of the 3 Seddon vehicles. Looking forward to some more photos, Cheers.

Loco Les

[LocoLes]

Yes I believe I've seen a photo of that accident .... rear ended a car which ended up on it's side I think

Hi Darren,

Not quite correct. A Morris Minor tourer allegedly did not obey a stop sign facing him when it came out of West Pine Road into the path of No.19 which was operating the early Burnie to Penguin and return service. The Morris Minor steered onto the wrong side of the Bass Highway and the impact caused it to tip up on its' side.

Cheers Loco Les.

[werkhorse]

seems some of the videos were private....all should now be public

[werkhorse]

This is the photo of No.19's crash Les .... with thanks to Trove/LINC/Libraries (or what ever name they go under this week)

[werkhorse]

Another great piece in the Norton puzzle was given to me by Tony on Sunday.
A 1948 Norton Motors timetable... I was speechless when Tony handed it to me.

Now one little bit of interesting trivia that Tony and I have been working on, and you can see it on the cover, was the association of both Hill's and Norton's at 50 Mount St... Not 88.

We finally got to the bottom of it when Tony asked his Aunt (Percy's sister) about it. My research has 50 Mount St at the it's corner with Caterley St in the town centre... But... We now know that until approximately late 1945/early 1946 there were many vacant blocks along Mount St which were unnumbered and we believe that after the War the street was adjusted/renumbered to make use of these vacant blocks for returned soldiers/the upcoming housing boom and 50 Mount St became 88 in the process.
I have newspaper articles showing Hill's at 50 in the mid 1930s then Norton's at 50 in mid 1944 then showing 88 in mid 1946. Now the question is... Why are they still using the old numbering in 1948?

1948 Norton timetable 1

1948 Norton timetable 2

1948 Norton timetable 3

[burrumbus]

GREAT STUFF Darren.Some of the sections have some pretty good frequencies too !! There must have been good patronage to justify that !!

[Tas Bus Nut]

Video uploaded OK for me. Photo of #19 is the one I knew of. There is another from a different angle (shall try and find) Great to finally meet last weekend Darren and look forward to our 'talk' later in the year. You (and Tony) will thoroughly enjoy yourselves.

[werkhorse]

Yes it was really great to meet... This should lead to a great outcome for all. And it looks like I may have picked up another history project with Pages Tspt.