Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

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rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:assorted photos.

Post by rodd.hood »

Landseer wrote:1983 V.I.P. got the first Landseer (The Horse float /looked at a corner and fell over like a mono used to0 ) rear engine - front radiator,
they built some test units, Richmond Coaches got the first proto type single wheel tag
Briscoes? got the dual tag prototype
VIP took delivery of 1030 the first Landseer in early 1985.1050 The R & D white Dual tyred Landseer with red & black arrow type stripes on it was also built at the same time.It was later sold to Briscoes S.A. Both 1030 & 1050 had a floor line approx 100mm higher than a std Landseer and both had front radiators.Denning continued to build Monos after they were built until the last Mono was built in April 1985.1070 was Landseer painted silver in the attached picture which was sold to Sunshine Coast Coaches after demonstrations were taken place.I drove 1070 to Bathurst raceway in 1985 for promotional purposes when JRA entered the Jags in the race and won. The first production Landseers were sold to the SRA.It was the last 2 coaches of an order of Denning Denairs received and the last coaches Denning ever supplied to the SRA.I have attached a picture delivering the 1st Landseer to the SRA in May 1985 when I came across the SRA doing some driver training of their train guards to become coach drivers south of Swansea in early model Denairs.
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1985 SRA 1.jpg
1985 SRA 1.jpg (75.58 KiB) Viewed 18145 times
Denning 1030 1.jpg
Denning 1030 1.jpg (64.59 KiB) Viewed 18145 times
1985 Bathurst 1.jpg
1985 Bathurst 1.jpg (75.54 KiB) Viewed 18145 times
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:assorted photos.

Post by Denv12 »

rodd.hood wrote:
8 SPEED wrote:Does anybody know who bought the bus show landseer and does anyone have a photo of it in action?
Attached is a photo of the 1986/87 Denning Landseer R & D Landseer in action. Job no 1151.It was built with a 7sp ZF syncro box and the first 6V92 DEEC 1 engine fitted to a coach rated at 300hp fitted with 47 recliners and an o/s centre toilet.I was driving this coach in the picture on the leg from Docker River NT to Giles weather station in WA when this photo was taken and then we overnighted at the camping grounds at Ayers Rock.We had a number of engineers onboard as well as suppliers.The coach was built in 86 and then I sold it to Alan Richardson in Sydney in 1987.The coach was then purchased by McCaffertys when Austral Denning decided to stop building Landseers in 1992.
Great Photos Rodd.Nice history there.You must have seen some interesting things whilst at Denning over the years.Please add anything else of interest to the history topic here.

Is this the same coach shown in the Denning advert further up? It had yellow paint in its livery.I saw this at the bus show.It had a toilet near the front on the right downstairs and a door to outside there too.Were any other Landseers were built with the front toilet? There was a calendar in 'Truck & Bus" one year showing the coach.
rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

Attached are photos of the 1986 Denning Landseer that was displayed along wiith the Denning Team at the 1986 Bus Show at Warwick Farm.Unfortunately 3 of them are no longer with us.
This coach was sold to Australian Kakadu Tours in Darwin by Glen Miller.It had a 6V92TA mechanical engine,6sp overdrive Spicer gearbox,rear toilet with 4 channel multi lingual tape system fitted, big time in its day.
The young bloke behind the wheel in the brochure shot was me.
Attachments
86 Bus Show 86.jpg
86 Bus Show 86.jpg (76.22 KiB) Viewed 18092 times
86 BUS SHOW 68.jpg
86 BUS SHOW 68.jpg (93.56 KiB) Viewed 18092 times
Last edited by rodd.hood on Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

rodd.hood wrote:Attached are photos of the 1986 Denning Landseer that was displayed along wiith the Denning Team at the 1986 Bus Show at Warwick Farm.Unfortunately 3 of them are no longer with us.
This coach was sold to Australian Kakadu Tours in Darwin by Glen Miller.It had a 6V92TA mechanical engine,6sp overdrive Spicer gearbox,rear toilet with 4 channel multi lingual tape sytem fitted, big time in its day.
The young bloke behind the wheel in the brochure shot was me.
Hi Rodd.

Thank you adding more here.Love the photos.
I remember this coach at the bus show that year.

I got this one confused with the R & D Landseer.One had a centre toilet-closer to the front on the hight hand side.I thought that was the one at the bus show.Were both of them there together? There was a similarity with the liveries between the 2.Thats what confused me.This coach must have been included in the photos of the "Truck & Bus" calendar one year.It had the yellow.

Were any other Landseers built with the centre toilet? The Landseer High deck had a centre toilet on the left side.
rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

Attached are 2 photos one on the way to the Sydney Show with the R & D coach Job no 1151 and one cleaned up on display.You can see the centre door on the off side in the 2nd photo.This R & D unit also had wider mounted air bags on the drive to assist in stability but never became a std feature.The only other centre toilets fitted to Landseers were to the Hi Decks except Lindsays Hi Deck which was rear mounted and the only one with a roof mounted A/C unit.Lindsays was certainly a special build even fitted with an air start and a 450hp mechanical 8V92TA and 7sp Spicer,good fun to drive.
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86 BUS SHOW RD SHOW.jpg
86 BUS SHOW RD SHOW.jpg (101.81 KiB) Viewed 18077 times
86 BUS SHOW RD.jpg
86 BUS SHOW RD.jpg (89.74 KiB) Viewed 18077 times
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

rodd.hood wrote:Attached are 2 photos one on the way to the Sydney Show with the R & D coach Job no 1151 and one cleaned up on display.You can see the centre door on the off side in the 2nd photo.This R & D unit also had wider mounted air bags on the drive to assist in stability but never became a std feature.The only other centre toilets fitted to Landseers were to the Hi Decks except Lindsays Hi Deck which was rear mounted and the only one with a roof mounted A/C unit.Lindsays was certainly a special build even fitted with an air start and a 450hp mechanical 8V92TA and 7sp Spicer,good fun to drive.
Love these photos.Thanks Rodd.This R&D looks immaculate considering where it had been prior to the show.This was in the article in "Truck & Bus" in the outback.
I did get this confused with the one with the yellow in it.

I really would love to see a book published on the history of Denning,etc.There's so much to see.
What year did Denning go into refurbishing? Where was that done?
rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

Denning had always carried out refurbishing or accident repairs at Acacia Ridge.Evan Isaacs was the worksop manager that looked after all after sales repairs.When Denning moved to Geebung in around 1991 Evan left and started Coachworks QLD at the rear of the Denning main plant and is still there today.The Denning shop was very capable of major repairs ie:The repair of the "Nambucca Princess" as it was known a VIP Denair that hit the bridge south of Nambucca Caravan park and ended up in the river on the oyster leases with only the rear of the coach behind the tag axle out of the water luckily no one was seriously injured.That coach was repaired at went back on the road for VIP and then onsold to Coral Coaches Cairns many years later when VIP closed.Ther are a number more stories but the day is not long enough.
Last edited by rodd.hood on Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

rodd.hood wrote:Denning had always carried out refurbishing or accident repairs at Acacia Ridge.Evan Isaacs was the worksop manager that looked after all after sales repairs.When Denning moved to Geebung in around 1991 Evan left and started Coachworks QLD at the rear of the Denning main plant and is still there today.The Denning shop was very capable of major repairs ie:The repair of the "Nambucca Princess" as it was known a VIP Deanir that hit the bridge south of Nambucca Caravan park and ended up in the river on the oyster leases with only the rear of the coach behind the tag axle out of the water luckily no one was seriously injured.That coach was repaired at went back on the road for VIP and then onsold to Coral Coaches Cairns many years later when VIP closed.Ther are a number more stories but the day is not long enough.
I remember seeing the adverts for coachworks in the ABC magazine and "Truck & Bus".There were some amazing refurbishments.
Thats another part of the Denning history worth preserving.Might have to start a new topic specifically on that.

Does anyone have any photos of that VIP Denair?

Thanks again Rodd.
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

Just found another Denair photo.
Can anyone add information about this coach and the company?
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Industry
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Industry »

They operated an express route Sydney and Brisbane via the longest route via a lot of the small towns Newell/New England hwys ie Waystaions
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Industry
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Industry »

dupe msg
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

Industry wrote:They operated an express route Sydney and Brisbane via the longest route via a lot of the small towns Newell/New England hwys ie Waystaions
Thanks for the info.They got a nice livery as shown on this coach.
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Mr Scania
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Mr Scania »

I noticed this picture a while ago and it bought back memories.

In the fleet lists for Pick of the Crop there is a Denning ex G H Plant Hire. I am not sure if this is the same vehicle but is came from the same stable.

The Big River Motel in Grafton and I think the Port Aloha Motel in Port Macquarie were owned by the same bloke.

I cant say that these coaches were based in Grafton but they showed up there occasionally.

As I mentioned in a way earlier post there was also a coach called The Bitch that was used for touring bands which Mondo Rock was one of at the time.

One of these Dennings was painted in AAT colours and was doing centre trips.
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Guy_Arab »

rodd.hood wrote:Attached are 2 photos one on the way to the Sydney Show with the R & D coach Job no 1151 and one cleaned up on display.You can see the centre door on the off side in the 2nd photo.This R & D unit also had wider mounted air bags on the drive to assist in stability but never became a std feature.The only other centre toilets fitted to Landseers were to the Hi Decks except Lindsays Hi Deck which was rear mounted and the only one with a roof mounted A/C unit.Lindsays was certainly a special build even fitted with an air start and a 450hp mechanical 8V92TA and 7sp Spicer,good fun to drive.
Roberts coaches used all Denning coachs the coach displayed was great tp drive on long runs. When I worked for them in 1980s I was lucky to get Roberts full History plus photos of all there buses,But never got around to Publish it in a book
Guy Arab
rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

Roberts also purchased from us a Leyland Tiger 3 axle with a Denning body in 1986 and later on an Austral LRP Tourmaster around 1991 and an Austral Hi Deck around 1990.Do you have any photos of those coaches.
Denv12
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Denv12 »

rodd.hood wrote:Roberts also purchased from us a Leyland Tiger 3 axle with a Denning body in 1986 and later on an Austral LRP Tourmaster around 1991 and an Austral Hi Deck around 1990.Do you have any photos of those coaches.
Was the Leyland a Majestic body? The same one that was featured in "Truck & Bus" when new?
What is a LRP?
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Guy_Arab »

rodd.hood wrote:Roberts also purchased from us a Leyland Tiger 3 axle with a Denning body in 1986 and later on an Austral LRP Tourmaster around 1991 and an Austral Hi Deck around 1990.Do you have any photos of those coaches.
By that time once in a life time leased Roberts thence name on leased *I left in 1987
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rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

Denv12 wrote:
rodd.hood wrote:Roberts also purchased from us a Leyland Tiger 3 axle with a Denning body in 1986 and later on an Austral LRP Tourmaster around 1991 and an Austral Hi Deck around 1990.Do you have any photos of those coaches.
Was the Leyland a Majestic body? The same one that was featured in "Truck & Bus" when new?
What is a LRP?
The Leyland was a high floor Denflex body with a few coach type extras, reading lights, cloth interior trim in lieu of laminex etc so they called it a Majestic 11,this style of body was also fitted to Mercedes Benz 1617 & 1621 chassis also as a semi coach type vehicle.
The Austral LRP name was given to a chassis that Austral designed to be either 2 or 3 axle in modular format however it was a lot heavier that the original Tourmaster and Austral only produced about 10 units and it was not a big seller. The design was driven from a manufacturing/engineering point of view not from what the customer wanted, thats what happens when you allow engineers to drive a new model and not the Sales department from a customers point of view with the Engineering department input. I'm getting wound up now and I will start on the idiotic reason made by Australs senior management that the Landseer in 1992 was squashed and what a tragedy. This was the day I almost walked out of my job at Austral Denning as Tony McCafferty had just given me an order for 10 new Landseers at a value of $4,000.000.00. that was never to be built.
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by captainch »

why did you stay? :oops: :roll:
"CAPTAIN.C.H "Lives in the home of "SUGAR CANE' not "chickens" :lol: :lol:.........."INGHAM NTH QLD"
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Guy_Arab »

rodd.hood wrote:Roberts also purchased from us a Leyland Tiger 3 axle with a Denning body in 1986 and later on an Austral LRP Tourmaster around 1991 and an Austral Hi Deck around 1990.Do you have any photos of those coaches.
Sorry Roberts name was taken over by Once in A Life Time who went broke
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rodd.hood
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by rodd.hood »

captainch wrote:why did you stay? :oops: :roll:
It is called a mortgage! Seriously I hoped that they would come to their senses,that did'nt happen however I did leave in Sept 1993 and moved to Motorcoach where alot of our customers followed ie: McCaffertys etc as we gave the customer what they wanted.Below is a photo of 401 the first Motorcoach Stretchliner built for McCaffertys taken at Mt Cotton race track in Brisbane whilst doing some testing.
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Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by mrobsessed »

Digressing from Dennings a little. Rodd, what was the exact story behind these five coaches? What was the brief from Deluxe? Admins, feel free to move this one if you like.


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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by Desto Dave »

Weren't these built to operate Contiki tours on behalf of Deluxe??
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:assorted photos.

Post by E.L.Wood »

rodd.hood wrote:
8 SPEED wrote:Does anybody know who bought the bus show landseer and does anyone have a photo of it in action?
Attached is a photo of the 1986/87 Denning Landseer R & D Landseer in action. Job no 1151.It was built with a 7sp ZF syncro box and the first 6V92 DEEC 1 engine fitted to a coach rated at 300hp fitted with 47 recliners and an o/s centre toilet.I was driving this coach in the picture on the leg from Docker River NT to Giles weather station in WA when this photo was taken and then we overnighted at the camping grounds at Ayers Rock.We had a number of engineers onboard as well as suppliers.The coach was built in 86 and then I sold it to Alan Richardson in Sydney in 1987.The coach was then purchased by McCaffertys when Austral Denning decided to stop building Landseers in 1992.
Here it is in it's days with McCafferty's, although the branding had become Greyhound Pioneer/Greyhound Australia by then - 29/5/2005.
P5290009 - Greyhound Aust 349 ATDB.jpg
yolo seems to be a bit of a trend!
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Re: Denning buses and coaches:a history in photos.Part 1.

Post by E.L.Wood »

Desto Dave wrote:Weren't these built to operate Contiki tours on behalf of Deluxe??
There was a batch of MCA's with Denning 'Majestic' bodies plus 1 Denning 'integral' and later a batch of the Austral Minimasters, 2 of the Dennings were based in Melbourne and used to do suburban feeder runs, the Minimasters were all in fleet livery.
yolo seems to be a bit of a trend!
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