Clipper Tours:a look back at their history.

[Denv12]

I remember seeing a tour company in Sydney by the name of Clipper Tours.They seemed to have a wide variety of coaches in their fleet.Volgren 12.2M,Volgren Twin Deck,Volgren Double Deck,Domino and Australs,to name a few.You are welcome to add futher detail here.I'm starting a post of their coach fleet from all years so feel free to add any photos,etc here.

As you can see there has been some changes over the years of their liveries.

[Fleet Lists]

The better question is: In what Years did they change their livery as they had plenty of them over the years.

One in the photo galley with a total different livery again http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... p?pos=-331

And then when they became part of Hawkesfords http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pos=-1500

[Denv12]

The better question is: In what Years did they change their livery as they had plenty of them over the years.

One in the photo galley with a total different livery again http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... p?pos=-331

And then when they became part of Hawkesfords http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pos=-1500

Yeah,they seemed to have had some liveries over the years.I first saw them in 1985.

I like the first photo link you added.Nice colours.

[Centralian]

I copied this one from a tourist brochure of the time, this is their Volgren decker. I'll add vehicle details later when I've tracked them down.

Clipper Tours Volgren decker..JPG (64.67 KiB) Viewed 2930 times

[David10]

The better question is: In what Years did they change their livery as they had plenty of them over the years.

Recall that the maroon and white livery was introduced when Clipper was sold to interests associated with Australian Rambler in Melbourne in the mid-80s. I think the white with 3 stripes livery was introduced when the Deane family bought the business back in the late-90s.

[burrumbus]

Basically correct there David 10.The Deane family had Clipper Tours from the early 60s purchasing it from Cotterill's Clipper Tours.1963 rings a bell.VIKing may have an exact date.The Deane family sold Clipper Tours to a partnership of Jim Hawkesford and Don Nugent(Rambler Tours-Melbourne)on 1/10/85 with 17 coaches. (Clipper Tours Operations Pty.Ltd).Jim Hawkesford worked for Deanes as marketing manager from 1977.Later as general manager.The maroon and white livery of Rambler was then introduced.The business was then sold to Ross Adair(Clipper Tours Australia Pty.Ltd)(16167)in 1994.Adair sold it to Driver Group 1/1/97.Drivers only wanted the day tour operations for their Gray Line business.The coach charter and inbound businesses were sold to the Deane family as Deanes Coach Tours Pty.Ltd in 2/98(19549).The white with yellow over orange over blue stripe livery was introduced here.A variation on the Ron Deane junior family owned Southtrans livery.Brenton Deane and his wife,Natasha later purchased the shareholding of Ron Deane Junior in 6/00.This was Clipper Tours Australia Pty.Ltd,(30155).This was reformed as Australian Panoramic Holdings Pty.Ltd in early 2004-but only lasted a short time.
Hope this helps.Cheers.

[VIKing]

The Deanes records (examined during the time I worked there) showed the coaches were purchased on 06 October 1964. Three vehicles were purchased on that date -
TV339 Bedford J2 / CCMC 62.111 9/62 22 seats
TV357 Bedford SB3 / CCMC 61.105 4/8/61 C35F
TV419 Bedford SB3 / CCMC 59.103 25/11/59 C37F
The operation was Cottrills Clipper Tours (note spelling - confirmed from some brochures and company letterheads collected).
So far as livery is concerned, the first Deane livery was dark blue panels and white roof, as per their bus livery. In the mid 1970s an AEC Reliance / PMC was purchased from Canberra (became m/o 682 in the bus fleet), the Deanes liked the oraange livery due to what were considered an excessive number of accidents around dusk / early evening, believed to be because of the dark blue colour being difficult to see. The change of livery filtered through to the coach fleet, in the form of white base with orange and blue stripes. I think the first coaches in this livery were the Domino Tourmasters delivered new in 1978 - but I would stand correction on this point.
As an aside the Deanes records showed 3 coaches purchased on 27/8/65 from Beaver Bus Lines of Cooma -
TV397 Bedford SB (short) / CCMC 65.48 4/5/65 DP23F
TV457 Commer minibus (1964)
TV495 Bedford SB3 (short) / CCMC 65.53 5/65 C20F
I am assuming this represented a take over of Beaver Bus Lines (can any board members confirm this ?) and were these coaches relocated to Sydney for use or operated in the Snowy Mountains. They were all sold by the time I first started taking an interst in buses and coaches.
operataion was Cottrill

[ToowoombaGuy]

I remember seeing one of the Bedfords in the Turramurra depot- still signwritten Beaver- but don't know if these coaches were actually relocated to Sydney. Beaver also had a travel centre in Sharpe St, Cooma. Does anyone know what happened to it?

[ToowoombaGuy]

The following Beaver Bus Tours brochure dates back to 1963. Then, after the takeover by Cottrill's Clipper Tours, an updated brochure from 1965.

[User7526]

I remember that 'decker being in at Suttons Arncliffe for a second engine rebuild, it was listed on the whiteboard as a boat anchor. To be honest I would have loved to get into that two axle twin deck, it would have been good to drive.

Peta.

[VIKing]

When delivered the Volgren double decker was fitted with a manual transmission. It had a nasty habit of brekaing clutch cables - to the extent that a spare cable was left threaded through ready to connect up when the cable in use broke. This was all solved when the auto transmission was fitted. The decker normally worked the Katoomba day tour each day, however during the ski season it was used on weekend snow work : Katoomba day tour Monday to Friday, run through the workshop Friday night (in ski season there was a night shift Friday night), then depart 10.00 pm on overnight run to the snow with weekend group to Matterhorn Lodge, Perisher Valley, depart back on Saturday morning from the Lodge with the group who had stayed there for the week, back in Sydney Saturday night. Depart 7.00 am Sunday morning down to Perisher Valley with the next group that stayed for the week, depart Sunday afternoon from Perisher back to Sydney with the weekend group, then back on the Katoomba day tour on Monday. So it did it's fair share of work with Clipper.

Yes, the 2 axle Volvo / Volgren (TV059) was a cracker to drive, the first time you cracked your knuckle on one of the handrails when engaging reverse gear your learned how to hold the gear stick when selecting reverse. Compared to the double decker this coach was very reliable.

[burrumbus]

When delivered the Volgren double decker was fitted with a manual transmission. It had a nasty habit of brekaing clutch cables - to the extent that a spare cable was left threaded through ready to connect up when the cable in use broke. This was all solved when the auto transmission was fitted. The decker normally worked the Katoomba day tour each day, however during the ski season it was used on weekend snow work : Katoomba day tour Monday to Friday, run through the workshop Friday night (in ski season there was a night shift Friday night), then depart 10.00 pm on overnight run to the snow with weekend group to Matterhorn Lodge, Perisher Valley, depart back on Saturday morning from the Lodge with the group who had stayed there for the week, back in Sydney Saturday night. Depart 7.00 am Sunday morning down to Perisher Valley with the next group that stayed for the week, depart Sunday afternoon from Perisher back to Sydney with the weekend group, then back on the Katoomba day tour on Monday. So it did it's fair share of work with Clipper.

Yes, the 2 axle Volvo / Volgren (TV059) was a cracker to drive, the first time you cracked your knuckle on one of the handrails when engaging reverse gear your learned how to hold the gear stick when selecting reverse. Compared to the double decker this coach was very reliable.

[ToowoombaGuy]

]According to my records, the Deane family used the trading name "Cottrill's Clipper Tours" until about June 1977, when it was changed to "Deane's Clipper Tours".

The original livery- zenith blue, ivory roof and light blue stripe- which dated from 1964, was progressively changed from late 1976 to yellow fire, white roof and light blue trim - similar to Denv12's last photo above.

Attached is another tour brochure from 1968. I love the fare structure! Fancy a full day out to Jenolan Caves for only $5.95! That would hardly buy you a decent cup of coffee nowadays!

[Denv12]

]According to my records, the Deane family used the trading name "Cottrill's Clipper Tours" until about June 1977, when it was changed to "Deane's Clipper Tours".

The original livery- zenith blue, ivory roof and light blue stripe- which dated from 1964, was progressively changed from late 1976 to yellow fire, white roof and light blue trim - similar to Denv12's last photo above.

Attached is another tour brochure from 1968. I love the fare structure! Fancy a full day out to Jenolan Caves for only $5.95! That would hardly buy you a decent cup of coffee nowadays!

Thank you for adding some printed history.Thank you for helping.

[Alfy]

I remember seeing a tour company in Sydney by the name of Clipper Tours.They seemed to have a wide variety of coaches in their fleet.Volgren 12.2M,Volgren Twin Deck,Volgren Double Deck,Domino and Australs,to name a few.You are welcome to add futher detail here.I'm starting a post of their coach fleet from all years so feel free to add any photos,etc here.

As you can see there has been some changes over the years of their liveries.

The twindeck was a shocker for pax in rear saloon chucking up , you had to keep two hands on wheel or it would sway constantly. the decker had issues with airlocks in up
stairs heater piping hence the engine going u/s. think it used to drop cold water on hot cyl no 5

[Denv12]

I remember seeing a tour company in Sydney by the name of Clipper Tours.They seemed to have a wide variety of coaches in their fleet.Volgren 12.2M,Volgren Twin Deck,Volgren Double Deck,Domino and Australs,to name a few.You are welcome to add futher detail here.I'm starting a post of their coach fleet from all years so feel free to add any photos,etc here.

As you can see there has been some changes over the years of their liveries.

The twindeck was a shocker for pax in rear saloon chucking up , you had to keep two hands on wheel or it would sway constantly. the decker had issues with airlocks in up
stairs heater piping hence the engine going u/s. think it used to drop cold water on hot cyl no 5

Hi Alfy.Thanks for adding here.
I loved the Volgren Twin Deck with the rear saloon behind the axle.I'm amazed that during the time I used them on express and a few tours I didnt encounter any problems like that.I never had a passenger vomitting.They swayed in strong side wind.
As for the Double Deck,I'm glad I never drove any.Remember when a Greyhound one in Parramatta leaned over into the verandah and damaged both the coach and verandah? That was around 1988 I think.I never rode in one either.
I was at PMC Adelaide in 1988-89 when a V/Line Double Deck came in.It had a fire in the engine bay.There was a lot of work done.Dont know the situation.

[Tas Bus Nut]

ex Clipper Tours Denning brought by Tasmanian based Hilders Coaches

[Landseer]

That denning 37 footer was deans then Chester. / Foleys coaches cause of the yellow headrest and the blue paint after a refit in 1986
With Newmans buyout it was sold