Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

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Red and Cream
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Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Red and Cream »

Thought i would post a few of my photos of Threlfall's buses in the 50' and 60's seeing that some interest was shown in a previous post.
I hope the images stir a few memories for some of the "oldies." I also hope that those viewing these photos can look past the bus in the view and observe the street scene going on around the vehicle. Enjoy.
m/o 361 a 1942 Syd Wood bodied White and ex m/o 633 a Watt bodied International  behind Threlfall's house in Lane Cove 17/3/1959.
m/o 361 a 1942 Syd Wood bodied White and ex m/o 633 a Watt bodied International behind Threlfall's house in Lane Cove 17/3/1959.
m/o 815 a 1950 Propert REO in Victoria Avenue Chatswood on 17/3/1959. It came from Deanne of Turramurra and was sold from Artarmon Red to Hunters Hill Bus Co. where it became m/o 4320. The Arcadia Theatre features prominently in the background and was one of three in Chatswood at the time, the others being the Esquire and the Kings. In the far background is the Chatswood Railway Station building.
m/o 815 a 1950 Propert REO in Victoria Avenue Chatswood on 17/3/1959. It came from Deanne of Turramurra and was sold from Artarmon Red to Hunters Hill Bus Co. where it became m/o 4320. The Arcadia Theatre features prominently in the background and was one of three in Chatswood at the time, the others being the Esquire and the Kings. In the far background is the Chatswood Railway Station building.
The White m/o 361 is seen at Artarmons terminal stand in Victoria Avenue Chatswood on 5/2/1960. The White was powered by a Hercules Diesel motor and from stories was a very temperamental beast. The building beside the two ladies is the original Chatswood Post office with the familiar weighing machine that was seen all over Sydney at that time.
The White m/o 361 is seen at Artarmons terminal stand in Victoria Avenue Chatswood on 5/2/1960. The White was powered by a Hercules Diesel motor and from stories was a very temperamental beast. The building beside the two ladies is the original Chatswood Post office with the familiar weighing machine that was seen all over Sydney at that time.
m/o 4351 a 1951 MBA bodied Morris Commercial at St. Leonards Station on 30/12/1961. It was purchased from Australian Paper Mills where it had been used for staff transport but was originally part of a fleet of these buses built for the Royal Australian Navy. Evidently John Laws was big in those days too.
m/o 4351 a 1951 MBA bodied Morris Commercial at St. Leonards Station on 30/12/1961. It was purchased from Australian Paper Mills where it had been used for staff transport but was originally part of a fleet of these buses built for the Royal Australian Navy. Evidently John Laws was big in those days too.
m/o 416 a 1951 Syd Wood Austin was originally with Wood of Bankstown as m/o 4016 and is seen at Artarmon's depot at Artarmon on 26/8/63. The m/o 416 plate was originally on another Artarmon bus, a small Syd Wood Thornycroft which had come from Bowden.
m/o 416 a 1951 Syd Wood Austin was originally with Wood of Bankstown as m/o 4016 and is seen at Artarmon's depot at Artarmon on 26/8/63. The m/o 416 plate was originally on another Artarmon bus, a small Syd Wood Thornycroft which had come from Bowden.
Artarmon decided to go into the tours business and had two of these PMC Austins built in 1963 but took delivery of only m/o 4651 sign written as Artarmon Coach Tours, the other was a carbon copy of this one and was eventually taken by Granville Bus Co who merely blanked out the Artarmon name and substituted Granville and became m/o 4697.
Artarmon decided to go into the tours business and had two of these PMC Austins built in 1963 but took delivery of only m/o 4651 sign written as Artarmon Coach Tours, the other was a carbon copy of this one and was eventually taken by Granville Bus Co who merely blanked out the Artarmon name and substituted Granville and became m/o 4697.
Sometimes due to a breakdown in a small fleet buses were borrowed from other operators and that is what has happened here as m/o 373 a Waddington bodied Ford has been lent by West Pennant Hills Bus Service. In the background is the imposing Station building.
Sometimes due to a breakdown in a small fleet buses were borrowed from other operators and that is what has happened here as m/o 373 a Waddington bodied Ford has been lent by West Pennant Hills Bus Service. In the background is the imposing Station building.
I think i took this photo in the period just after Artarmons  services were suspended and m/o 4177 a Comeng bodied Bedford was being used on the service.
I think i took this photo in the period just after Artarmons services were suspended and m/o 4177 a Comeng bodied Bedford was being used on the service.
After the dust had settled following Artarmon Red's demise, the service was purchased by David Denholme and one of his first buses was m/o 299 a Properts bodied GMC which was bought from Appleby and Nelson and came with this unusual hand painted number plate and is seen here at Artarmon Station.  Amazingly the buildings in the background have not changed and can be seen today, even those steps are still in place. Also in the background is a Holden, my wheels of the time.
After the dust had settled following Artarmon Red's demise, the service was purchased by David Denholme and one of his first buses was m/o 299 a Properts bodied GMC which was bought from Appleby and Nelson and came with this unusual hand painted number plate and is seen here at Artarmon Station. Amazingly the buildings in the background have not changed and can be seen today, even those steps are still in place. Also in the background is a Holden, my wheels of the time.
Another of David's buses was this Comeng bodied AEC Regal.
Another of David's buses was this Comeng bodied AEC Regal.
Last edited by Red and Cream on Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
burrumbus
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by burrumbus »

Great stuff David not only from the bus perspective,but from the historical side with the buildings,cars and streetscapes.
Bill Threlfall and later his wife and Murray Boucher certaintly operated a very interesting fleet of by and large second hand buses.
Route 192 was the original service from 2/51 which essentially was a very peak hour orientated industrial service,which didn't allow for the operation of a paticularily profitable operation .
The purchase of route 52 to West Chatswood from Brooks Brothers on 28/12/56 gave the business a service which operated in a purely residential area and with more consistent passenger and revenue flows.
This allowed better profitability and the abilty to invest in a better and more reliable fleet.
The patronage to West Chatswood ,now with operation by STA, in now a shadow of what Threlfall and Dave Denholm achieved.The personal operation by a small company with regular drivers allows relationships between the pax and the drivers which builds and maintains patronage.A large impersonal business like STA with multiple drivers and buses shuffling through the route daily does nothing to build patronage and customer relationships on what are small routes.Sad to see.
Thanks David.
LB608
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by LB608 »

Great photos as allways Dave
lunchbox
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by lunchbox »

Ahhhh....those cast spider wheels on the Whites......such style!
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Centralian
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Centralian »

I know that whatever you post Dave will be a historical gem, and so it is with this collection. You must have quite an archive of images (and the related historical information of the vehicle) you took when many
of us 'oldies' were still in strollers. I hope the future of that collection is secure. Great photos.
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
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Red and Cream
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Red and Cream »

Centralian wrote:I know that whatever you post Dave will be a historical gem, and so it is with this collection. You must have quite an archive of images (and the related historical information of the vehicle) you took when many
of us 'oldies' were still in strollers. I hope the future of that collection is secure. Great photos.
Hi Centralian, yes i have a massive archive of transport related items including all the negatives and colour slides i have taken over the 62 years i have owned my own camera even though i started off with a humble Kodak Box Brownie but luckily i have had them on disc for some time enabling me to easily access what i want.
I often regret most of my bus photos are in black and white but i must say keeping costs down by not using colour slides has enabled me to take many more photos than i might have.
Sorry to disappoint you with this post Centralian but there are no Globite suitcase shots but i did manage to slip in a Gladstone bag and a shopping trolley. :D
lunchbox wrote:Ahhhh....those cast spider wheels on the Whites......such style!
Yes they look the piece don't they.
LB608 wrote:Great photos as allways Dave
Thanks LB608 . Anything to brighten up the board.
burrumbus wrote:Great stuff David not only from the bus perspective,but from the historical side with the buildings,cars and streetscapes.
Bill Threlfall and later his wife and Murray Boucher certaintly operated a very interesting fleet of by and large second hand buses.
Route 192 was the original service from 2/51 which essentially was a very peak hour orientated industrial service,which didn't allow for the operation of a paticularily profitable operation .

Thanks David.
Thanks for your comments burrumbus, yes i always had a soft spot for those small operators who had a limited passenger catchment and admired them for the tenacity to hang on with sometimes some very elderly vehicles.
busmadrod
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by busmadrod »

Great Pictures of buses in Artatmon
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Red and Cream
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Red and Cream »

[quote="busmadrod"]Great Pictures of buses in Artatmon[/quote

Thanks busmadrod, your contribution about the Artarmon service timeline in the other post set me thinking what shots i had of Threlfall's buses.
burrumbus
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by burrumbus »

You have done well David with your Artarmon Red collection posted here.
They operated 11 registered and one unregistered bus over the 14 years the business existed for.You have posted 7 of that fleet.
Dave Denholm also operated 12 buses in the 30 years he operated Artarmon Bus Service for.
Just great stuff recalling these fascinating small operators who provided their communities with good quality,personalised services.
VIKing
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by VIKing »

I think David Denholm ran Artarmon Bus Service from 1965 to 1985 - 20 years rather than 30 years ?
burrumbus
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by burrumbus »

Correct Peter.My maths badly out there.Thanks for the correction.
I checked the dates off my records and Dave Denholm purchased the business on 16/8/65 and sold it to Guild Management Services Pty.Ltd.,t/a Macquarie Towns Coach Lines on 30/6/85.So he did not quite make the exact 20 years.
dannyl58
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by dannyl58 »

Dear Red and Cream / Dave,
Thank you so very much for these photos. I am amazed at all of them - they're excellent for memories of the old buses as well as the backgrounds. I particularly value the one in the back yard of Threlfall's house as I lived next door to them then.
I apologise if I don't know how to use this site properly - I'm not very computer literate and I've just stumbled around it. Took me a while to even realise this post was here. Thank you, thank you :) for sending it.
I am in touch with Bill and May Threlfall's grand-daughter in the US. She has two young children, Bill and May's great grandchildren. They have recently and unexpectedly lost Bill and May's youngest son, John. Sadly, they expected to have years more to learn about their family from John. I am hoping I can write some of the family history for them - fill some of the gaps as best I can.
Is there a way I can show them these photos and some of the lovely comments about Bill and May's Bus Service? I'm uncertain of the rules around this and do not want to offend or upset anyone.
Many thanks again for posting these photos and for the memories, Margaret (dannyl)
stranded
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by stranded »

Thanks ever so much for posting these, I grew up in Chatswood and Artarmon, so many great memories here...cheers
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system improver
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by system improver »

I think the Morris might have an MBA body.
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Red and Cream
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Red and Cream »

system improver wrote:I think the Morris might have an MBA body.
Quite right system improver , brain fade when i entered that. :oops:
Rclasstramcar
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Rclasstramcar »

Thanks for posting these, David.

Ben
Return Sydney's trams
Vote Morrison and his Government out this election.
JAN 26-INVASION DAY
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Red and Cream
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Re: Threlfall's Artarmon Red Bus Service.

Post by Red and Cream »

dannyl58 wrote:Dear Red and Cream / Dave,
Thank you so very much for these photos. I am amazed at all of them - they're excellent for memories of the old buses as well as the backgrounds. I particularly value the one in the back yard of Threlfall's house as I lived next door to them then.

Is there a way I can show them these photos and some of the lovely comments about Bill and May's Bus Service? I'm uncertain of the rules around this and do not want to offend or upset anyone.
Many thanks again for posting these photos and for the memories, Margaret (dannyl)
dannyl58 check your private messages for a reply.
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