Small bus companies of the 60's & 70's. Part 2.

[captainch]

Sorry did have but lost the photos and rego numbers in the big floods up here in 2016 but they have been posted on here before some of the older members might have them. plus at 76 my minds not all that great can pic them running the buses were cream top dark red bottoms with a dark band hope that helps the depot was in undercliffe next to cooks river on illawarra rd marrickville then moved to behind marrickville public school on victoria rd near chapel st marrickville marickville bus lines with MAX HOLDMEN HAVE A COUPLE IN HIS DEPOT NEXT TO MARRICKVILLE RAILWAY STATION ON ILLAWARRA RD ONE WAS USED AS A OFFICE THINK IT WAS A PROPHETS MAPLE LEAFE ALL THE BUSES WERE BUILT BY THEM IN KING ST NEWTOWN. HOPE THIS HELPS.ask me anything might be able to help you.I hears recently that a couple of buses were taken to a farm on the far south coast were they had a farm but that was in the 60's 70's.

[Centralian]

I've got a photo of the GMC that captainch refers to used by Max Holman as an office at the back of a servo in Illawarra Rd. But not in action. I did ride on those vehicles as a kid as lived at Dulwich Hill. Red & Cream posted some images of the fleet ages ago, but I suspect that's lost somewhere on here, and I didn't think to keep copies of those images.

[captainch]

All I REMEMBER 2 whites i forward control one encloses cab 3 reo's 2 gmc's I maple leaf all with prophets bodys newtown then 3 CAC BEFORDS NOT WRAP AROUND WINSCREENS then 2 ccmc bedfords from 1961 to replace the wites and the gmc buses.if my memory serves me corect 2 plates were mo 127 as the forward control left handed white & mo 222.

[captainch]

in a post on here a long time ago the details were posted of what buses and plates but have lost them !

[hugh45]

Thank you for your information. I did have details of the white on m/o 127 plates. I also noted this plate was on a Bedford Vam in 1970 with Tempe Bus Service. I do not think m/o 222 was on a Marrickvillle bus as I can remember that plate was on an Albion with Punchbowl Bus Co. in the 1950's which I sometimes caught to school. The m/o 222 plate was later reissued to Pioneer Coaches, Bexley. I do have registrations of m/o 223 and m/o 229 with Marrickville Bus Lines but think they were on later buses. However these plates could be reissues of earlier buses. I did also find details of another white with Marrickville Bus Lines. -m/o 648.

[hugh45]

I have found some information on above buses from Australian Bus magazine July/August 2008. Apparently there were 3 maple leafs m/o 79,813 and 901. m/o 79 was reregistered as m/o 768 and m/o 855. a further three Chev's were acquired in the late 40's as m/o 021,m/o 762 and m/o 854. Centralian can you advise me the registration of the GMC. The two ccmc Bedfords could possibly be m/o 223 and m/o 229.

[captainch]

the 2 ccmc befords the last new buses had 4 number plates I THINK 43---- SOMETHING

[hugh45]

I have plates m/o 4371 and m/o 4477 with Marrickville Bus Lines which must be the ccmc Bedfords. The plates m/o 223 and m/o 229 were more likely on later buses with Holman. I think I have covered most of the buses you originally mentioned.

[Centralian]

The b&w photo I have of the GMC as Holmans office is unregistered and in poor exterior condition. It has overhead power connected to it, and there was also a derelict double decker ex DGT 1654 in front of it. The Holman era relevant plates I have shots of are mo 223 - Ld Lion Denning that he brought over from Matraville (and first vehicle to carry Australian VIP Leisure Tours signage) then the plate on on a Bd Vam 3 CCMC; mo 229 Bd SB5 CCMC and then on a Bd Vam 3 CCMC; and mo 232 on a Bd Vam CCMC coach body. As I mentioned, there are photos somewhere on this site (if still accessible) of some of Ms Warrens buses.

[Red and Cream]

I think i can add a few more details of Mrs. Warren's buses for hugh45 and captainch. My registrations records of her buses in this period included the following buses:
m/o 021 NC Chev. Propert
m/o 127 NC Reo ? Syd Wood ? ( Chev. Propert ?) 31 seater Sold to Appelby and Nelson.
m/o 129 NC GMC Propert 35 seater. Sold to Beazley, Shellharbour as MO 4402.
M/O 622 FC Bedford SB CAC body. Sold to Appleby and Nelson.
m/o 630 FC Bedford SB CAC body
m/o 648 NC White Left Hand Drive. Sold to a South Coast Operator as MO 3258.
m/o 890 NC GMC Propert Sold to Appleby and Nelson.
m/o 969 FC Reo Syd Wood
m/o 4005 FC Mack Syd Wood.
m/o 4247 FC Bedford CCMC
m/o 4371 FC Bedford CCMC
m/o 4477 FC Bedford CAC body. Ex RAAF Ex Hornsby Bus Service.

Below are a few photos of Mrs Warren's buses from the cameras of Don Allitt and myself

ANimg20210228_174144592OK.jpg (56.89 KiB) Viewed 4952 times

ANimg20210228_180359422OK.jpg (63.94 KiB) Viewed 4952 times

ANimg20210228_1800458422OK.jpg (59.51 KiB) Viewed 4952 times

[Centralian]

Wow, thank you so much for re-posting those images.
I'll make sure I save them this time.

630 was my school bus from Dulwich Hill to Lewisham which started my love of the CAC body.
The beauty was in their simplicity, the manual door lever, the seats, the quiet petrol engine.

890/129 & 648 were also units of the style I remember travelling on with my parents to the station. Some or all had canvas doors.

I'm in heaven again. Thanks !

[captainch]

thanks again for the pics of my relitives bus I WASHED THEN WITH KERO EVERY SAT FOR 10/-THEY DID MANY INDUSTRIAL TRIPS AT NIGHT to factories like ETA PEANUT/MEDOW-LEA MARG- SHELLYS SOFT DRINKS= PYE T.V golbe-australian wollen mills and sat sun buses ran from sydnenham station to henson park football ovel for when the newtown jets played I was a conductor collecting those fares at that waiting shed at sydenham railway station which is still there. they never did school charters or special hirings the depot was behind marrickville public school on victoria rd near chapel st before that the depot was at undercliife just over the tram bridge on illawarra rd. her first husband was o'brien from the white bay bus servive with there depot at norton st leichhardt the buses ran from newtown bridge to white bay via stanmore and johnson st annandale.latter taken over by A B C bus lines who bought out lowes bus servive erskinville. latter taken over by state transit........brought back many fond memories she was a hard boss but a great granny and at the time there was not many female bus operators in the 40's - 50's - 60;s.

[captainch]

CENTRAILIAN Do you remember a balding man who was autistic who used to ride those buses 24/7 working the merc/hand and doors for the bus driver he did it for years and used to take masses of pics of buses & ambulances his name was merv.

[Centralian]

I remember a man who seemed to have a bit of a speech impediment would sit behind the driver on many trips I'd be on.
I'm thinking he might have worn a hat (giggle hat or similar).
Can't remember his appearance clearly, but there was some comedian on an American TV show of the time that he reminded me of.
Going back a long time and I was in late primary school at the time.
Has brought back some more memories for me though.

[Swift]

Amazing how beautiful those b&w shots look with all that clarity.
Sure beats 70s instamatic shots, although I love them as well in their own way.

[captainch]

CENTRALIAN yes that was merv he wore a cap because from birth he was bald and and a cleft mouth his parents died in the 60's he got there house opp seymours hardware store on victoria rd marrickvile he used to go around all the newsagents in marrickville get the forms for the lottery tickets and take them to head office & bring the tickets back in the end people fleeced him of money and he lost the house & became homless mrs warren took him in untill she died he was then put into callan park as he had no family he was a marrickville instution.he had some of the best bus pics from all over sydney & they were thrown out or burnt. sad sorry but glad I HAD him in my life as a young bus enthusist.

[Centralian]

Thanks for that information captain. It's taken over 50 years but I've finally learnt his name and his story.
Briefly there we brought him back to life, in memory anyway.
Thank you.

[Red and Cream]

Sorry, forgot to add this photo of the Warren left hand drive White m/o 648 after it had been sold to the South Coast. When i came across it in Nowra in about July 1966 it was unregistered and standing in long grass beside the roadway but appeared to be in good condition and not just abandoned. The registration label showed that it had been last registered as MO 3258. It appears to have the the word Gerringong plus some other letters painted on the destination box glass.

[captainch]

yes this was the left handed white one of mrs warrens sons drove permantley.one of the sons had a farm on the south coast a couple of buses ended up there many years ago about 30 I WAS GOING UP to TOOWOOMBA along the new england highway past tenterfield in a paddock was one of the prophets ROE'S still in the old colour scheme plus destos didn't have camera 4 weeks latter on the way back it was gone would love to have had it those old REO'S were a great bus!....think it might have been m/o 969.mrs P WARREN favoured properts bobys as they were built just up the rd in king street newtown the building is still there on the left just past missiden road.I think the building is heratage protected but these days that dosen't mean much just a name if the price is right!

[captainch]

I remember a man who seemed to have a bit of a speech impediment would sit behind the driver on many trips I'd be on.
I'm thinking he might have worn a hat (giggle hat or similar).
Can't remember his appearance clearly, but there was some comedian on an American TV show of the time that he reminded me of.
Going back a long time and I was in late primary school at the time.
Has brought back some more memories for me though.

BUT there was a comedian on american t.v I THINK YOUR THINKING OF RALF THE BUS DRIVERS MATE in the t.v show THE HONEYMOONERS his name was NORTON.

[Centralian]

Red and Cream - I can't reply to your pm as error message says you've diasabled yourself from the pm message receipt.

[Red and Cream]

Try again now Centralian.