[NSW] Once upon a time - Parramatta Ryde Bus Service Part 1

[Centralian]

I have seen some amazing photos covering the fleet of this operator over its long history, so my sample over the next few posts is very modest. I have no doubt that other enthusiasts out there have some great pictures and will share some with us as well. A sad day when this operator sold out, even if 50% at a time. As usual, I cover a sample of the fleet that was around in the late 70's and into the 80's, with a couple of more modern offerings.

Parramatta - Ryde operated, you guessed it, Route 173 (later 540) from Parramatta to West Ryde Station with some deviations. It also acquired the former Willcox route from Auburn to Silverwater and Ermington and for a while operated a Red Arrow service from Chatswood to Parramatta.
The operator built and modified their own bodies for decades, and ran all their activities from premises in Atkins Rd, Ermington. Enjoy!



http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16644
The coach and charter side of the business traded under the name Trailer Tours, for this historical reason. The last trailer unit operated was registered 5461 in the mid 70's. Here is one of their former trailer units I photographed in Newtown about 1974 owned by a church group at the time.



http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16653
White was a popular chassis with Parra-Ryde and they bodied many examples to this fairly standard own design, with slight variations.



http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16668
Another example of this style, unfortunately well after its days with Parramatta Ryde.



http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16669
5439 was a White truck chassis conversion fitted with a raised deck body by Parra Ryde in 1968.



http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16676
Another shot of 5439 later in its life with Parramatta Ryde after it received a spruce up, the most obvious being the new front and paint job.

[Andy Lee]

The last shot is after it was re-chassis'd with a Leopard chassis and still survives today and is to be restored in the near future, it was sold from Parra-Ryde to the Vision Valley youth camp.

[Centralian]

Thanks for that Andy, I didn't know about the re-chassis. I did notice the steering wheel and the front wheel hubs which made me think that some more major changes could have taken place, but I couldn't find anything about it. Cheers.

[Maff]

Hello, I know this is old but I have just joined this forum because of this post. I own the white superpower with gospel hall on it & am looking for more information and images. Please contact me at skate.photograph@gmail.com if you have any info. Cheers

[GM]

The First "Bus" to operate from Ryde Station in the direction of Parramatta was operated by Aif Wigzell in 1895.
The next operator c1915 was Harry Howell whose International is shown.
(Later Harry was to operate Routes 164 and 165 out of Parramatta).
c1925 the service passed to William Henry Phillips.
Bus No 3 was a Federal Knight with a body by Bert Staunton, (with the Phillips Family).
Bus No 4 was a 1927 Reo with a body by Peter Bros.
Next was another Reo m/o 73.
Later in 1934 a Fageol was purchased, then a Garford.

[Centralian]

Greetings GM, gems of information and images as always. Maff tells me that in the early '90's the bus he refers to above and an identical unit were parked in an industrial area around Somersby and then the unit was owned by an elderly gentleman in the Gosford area who converted it into a mobile home. Any recollections by anyone ?

[Bedford-29]

One picture of m/o-5461 with a different trailer attached the other picture of m/o-5439.Picture from the Leon Batman collection
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-13065
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-13064

[VIKing]

The White as the church bus was Parramatta - Ryde m/o 4421, a White with a diamond T petrol motor. The body was built at the Parramatta Ryde depot, 65 Atkins Road, Ermington by one of the
subsidiary companies - Ermington Motor Body Works P/L - though the bodies were always referred to as Parramatta - Ryde bodies. It was a 41 seater, completed in 5/1961. Chassis number was 252949.
I have recorded it was sold in 3/1975 for use as a church bus, rego HFX 834. I noted it parked on Epping Highway. I am guessing the photo was taken at the Billy Graham crusades at Randwick Racecourse in
1979.

[Maff]

I'm not sure about the church sale or maybe this isn't my bus. Trying to find info years ago my partner spoke to a man who was apparently the builder of our bus & he said that in that period there no two that were identical, there were slight differences. I would have thought that if ours was sold to the church it would not have the 173 to left of the destination board. This photo was taken in 2002 ish.


http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-13748
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-16653

[Centralian]

173 was Parramatta-Ryde BS route number between Parramatta and West Ryde. Subsequent owners of buses sometimes retain the original labels and just stick their own signage over the top.
Edit: oops, just realised your point about the route number still being there in the 2002 photo, whereas it's the church bus signage in my shot.

[Maff]

Yeah it's weird. After living in my bus for nearly 17 yrs I look at the image with gospel hall & it just feels right, little details are exact. Though if you look closely my bus has the same front wheels as the other one, the gospel ones are different. But then look at the gospel & mines front bumper, they are exact both even look slightly crooked in the same direction. That's why I thought maybe these were the two parked together at somersby but the wheels swapped over. Doesn't explain the 173 bit though. Unless mine is another bus all together.

[Maff]

Actually you may right about that. The north Ryde was probably a sticker on the outside which could be easily peeled off or deteriorated in the weather.

[Swift]

You can plainly see that the North Ryde sign is a label crudely affixed over the route number and starting to peel off in the shot at Randwick.
Everything checks out in the fronts in both photos.
-Grill design.
-Skinny Bumper (appearing to slope slightly downwards toward the near side - as you pointed out)
-In board vent flaps either side of the upper part of grill.
-Badge positioned exactly between bottom of windscreen and top of grill.
Regarding the front wheels, I cannot detect any difference in the second photo and the third.
I think it is just the different camera angles. The wheels in the first shot showing m/o 4671 look to be different with straighter looking spokes on the spider wheels.
I am convinced your bus is ex m/o 4421.

[Maff]

I think you're right swift. I just looked closer & realised I was looking at it wrong. thanks. Yeah I'm convinced 100% now.

[GM]

Some more vehicles fro W H Phillips, Ryde-Parramatta Bus Service and Parramatta-Ryde Bus Service.
1) Parramatta, Cnr Church and Macquarie Sts., c1930
2) Ryde-Parramatta Reo, possibly m/o 73
3) m/o 115 Ford with 30 seat Syd Wood body from Reo, 09.12.1948 - Note the background. South side of Argyle St Parramatta
4) m/o 788 Ford with 31 seat Parra-Ryde body 14.12.1948 - Note the background. South side of Argyle St Parramatta
5) m/o 117 Bedford GMH body
6) Three Semi-trailers m/o 917, 876, 390 Hollywood Picnic Ground Lansvale 05.12.1948
7) Ford, Oldsmobile with body off White from Maunder St Ives, Bedford c1944
Fleet 1961 from R-L, Ten MBA bodied Whites, Six White powered Semis.
9) Fleet 1961 L-R, Six White powered Semis. Ten MBA bodied Whites
10) Semi-Trailer and Camel Train GM

[Swift]

Any pics showing the many all over advertising treatments I remember seeing on Parramatta Ryde's AECs in the late 80s?

[Fleet Lists]

We have just one in the photo gallery http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-15190 only added in the past week or so

[lunchbox]

Love the semi's. Thanks GM.

[billh35]

Where did the Fageol come from?

[Swift]

We have just one in the photo gallery http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... pos=-15190 only added in the past week or so

Forgot to thank you for that Fleet Lists. Great blast from the past. I remember that one.