Rex Law's Redline Coaches

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Car177
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Car177 »

Yes that is my photo taken at Toogoolawah at Toms.
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Here she is in 2013 when I photographed her at Borallon.
Note the interior, still entirely original, just as in regular interstate touring service with Redline, including the historic Round Australia tour in 1957.
Because of the vehicle's family connection, the owner generously offered her to me for restoration, which was thoroughly appreciated but unfortunately declined because I couldn't, in all honesty, take on such a project....simply for financial reasons.
I believe she is in good hands and, according to what I was told, would be eventually restored....hopefully back to her original Redline colours...!
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Ex Redline No 11 - Rear Interior - At Borallon - 2013.jpg
Ex Redline No 11 - Rear Interior - At Borallon - 2013.jpg (57.2 KiB) Viewed 24000 times
Old No 11 At Borallon - Front View
Old No 11 At Borallon - Front View
Ex Redline No 11 - Front View - At Borallon - 2013 (800 x 600).jpg (190.28 KiB) Viewed 24000 times
Old No 11 At Borallon - Driver's Area
Old No 11 At Borallon - Driver's Area
Ex Redline No 11 - Drivers Area - At Borallon - 2013.jpg (112.41 KiB) Viewed 23999 times
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Hello all.....
I need help with accrediting the attached photo.
Any help would be greatly appreciated because it's holding up the book print, and I'd rather not dump it.
Many thanks in advance...
Glenn
Attachments
Rex Law with Redline No 14 at Harwood, NSW, early 1958.
Rex Law with Redline No 14 at Harwood, NSW, early 1958.
Last edited by Looselion on Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

By any slim chance does anyone have a photo of 55 they could post Many Thanks Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Here we go Industry.....
Supplied to me by Paul Wright.
And a point worth noting.... the same TC chassis as under No 14 in the photo above.
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Redline No 55 - Denning/Tiger Cub/Perkins 6-354
Redline No 55 - Denning/Tiger Cub/Perkins 6-354
Redline 55 (800 x 533).jpg (44.04 KiB) Viewed 23838 times
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

Many thanks as this was the first Redline Coach I travelled in and has some good family memories for me also, once again many thanks
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

11224032_10206605651773007_145290155582920849_o.jpg
Even Redline needed a hand out in the Centre
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

Looselion Where the Redline NSW TV plates bought off Moores or was it they bought the plates and 3 coaches off Rex.
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Industry wrote:Looselion Where the Redline NSW TV plates bought off Moores or was it they bought the plates and 3 coaches off Rex.
In 1969 Rex sold all of Redline's six TV plates to Archie Moore, three of them attached to R226 Fords.
I understand Archie re-sold the six plates separately from the coaches in 1973.
Last edited by Looselion on Sat Jan 25, 2020 2:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

So Rex's TV plates were new to Redline
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

Superior Body for Redline no95 in this advertisement
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Industry wrote:So Rex's TV plates were new to Redline
Two of the plates came with Rex's purchase of Jim Duthie's "Tourist Service of NSW" business in 1959.
I don't have the history of the other four, but I'm sure they were originally new to Redline.
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

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Industry wrote:Superior Body for Redline no95 in this advertisement
This was the very first example of the factory rear-engine Viking to go into service in Australia, being a VK43L/505 series.
The full story of Rex pressuring Leyland to supply rear-engine Vikings is told in my book, to the extent that in 1964 he gained warranty-backed licence to construct many such chassis at Redline's West End, Brisbane workshops from CKD supplied components.
I have no formal confirmation, but I believe the VK43L/505 was Leyland's late response, following the Redline VK41L conversion program, to the obvious need for such a model.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

:lol:
Last edited by Industry on Sun Jan 26, 2020 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Redline no096 PDO.465 (800 x 459).jpg
Redline no096 PDO.465 (800 x 459).jpg (83.29 KiB) Viewed 22124 times
Redline no097 TV468 (800 x 561).jpg
Redline no097 TV468 (800 x 561).jpg (95.64 KiB) Viewed 22123 times
Industry wrote:This looks like one of the coaches sold to Moores in latter life
Not ex Redline Industry.
It's a Superior body of course but the two Superior bodied R226's that went to Moore were Redline Nos 96 and 97, which both had top-slider passenger windows.
I've attached photos of the two Superior coaches above, both of which I'm sure were supplied to me by Paul Wright.
(Note the positioning of the destos, hard up under the windscreen, in order to allow enough panel to fit the "REDLINE" logo underneath.) The other R226 was the Watt bodied No 98, also with top-sliders.
96 originally went into service on Qld plate PDO 465, later receiving TV-438.
97 originally carried Qld plate PIN 638, later receiving TV-468
I don't have a record of 98's original Qld reg but this unit later received TV-448.
I hope this helps.
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Ben O
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Ben O »

As per the post on Facebook that photo of m/o 4051 came from, the coach was new to Neville's / Coachways, then Woronora Bus Service / River Tours, then Greens Bus Line, then Moore's Tours. Please credit photos lifted from other sites. William King photo, Sydney Bus Museum collection.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

One of our drivers was on a Central Australia trip in 1964 and captured some of these Landliner coaches which he was a passenger on. Details of Landliner and the Coach are unknown but he assured me it was state of the art at the time Gbnf Man - Stewart & Sons bodied Albion Viking VK41L..beautiful! From a post by Matt Partridge from a Facebook Group
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84413131_10221885341392654_7939843295490867200_n.jpg
83440904_10221885340912642_3677083856164356096_n.jpg
83042047_10221885341152648_8926824632628019200_n.jpg
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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Industry wrote:One of our drivers was on a Central Australia trip in 1964 and captured some of these Landliner coaches which he was a passenger on. Details of Landliner and the Coach are unknown but he assured me it was state of the art at the time Gbnf Man - Stewart & Sons bodied Albion Viking VK41L..beautiful! From a post by Matt Partridge from a Facebook Group
Very candid shots Industry....and battling a rare water hazard during the '60s drought in the Centre.
This would have been 1965 or later because the coach is indeed the Stewart & Sons/Redline-rear-engine-converted VK41L No 49, NWA 437, which went into service in February 1965.
Many thanks to all involved in sharing.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

STORIES FROM THE ROAD.
By Liz Martin
Throughout the 1950's and 1960's the Commonwealth Governments 'Two Airline Policy' rigidly controlled the airline passenger industry. In a less formal way this was reflected with the land based passenger industry which was dominated by two competitive major national coach companies. One was Reg Ansett's corporately owned Ansett-Pioneer and the other was Rex Law's privately owned Redline Coaches.
Redline was one of the largest coach companies in Australia. A great achievement for a man who'd had a troublesome childhood. Rex was barely seven years old when he suffered the tragedy of losing his father in an accidental death. It was a severe blow to the young boy and his family heralding tough times ahead. However, these hardships taught Rex how to stand on his own two feet and cope with adversity.
There was no welfare in those days. Consequently Rex left primary school in the early 1930s and went to work as a farm labourer to help his mother raise his siblings. By the mid 1940s he had managed to save enough money to buy his family a home in Cooperoo, Brisbane and it was this property that became the first Redline's first bus depot.
Every bedroom was filled with spare parts for the buses or componentry for Rex's beloved midget and road racer cars which was his passion. He managed to squeeze an office in where he worked on business related matters but also on various bus design developments in which he was also an acknowledged innovator.
The highset old style 'Queenslander ' home also managed to store up to eight buses around the yard with a maintenance facility / garage under the house.
It was during WWII that Rex Law fully developed his interest in road transport. He and his truck had been seconded by the Allied Works Council for the duration of the war. Rex and worked on military airfeilds and road construction during this period. He had watched in awe as bigger and more powerful trucks than he could ever imagine ruled the roads as part of the massive war contribution of the US Military.
Many of the bigger trucks; hundreds of Diamond Ts, Federals and NR Macks that went to the front line in Darwin entered the country through Brisbane.
Additionally, Brisbane was pretty heavily trafficked with defence vehicles in its own right because of the intended 'Brisbane Line' strategy. This was a defence proposal to concede the northern portion of the Australia to the enemy in the event of an invasion by the Japanese.
At wars end Rex became excited about the new industrialised Australia and the opportunities that existed for people movements. In 1946 he established a passenger service between Brisbane and Kyogle using ex-military seven seater Studebaker staff cars.
In the twenty-five years following Rex built up an enormous national coach transportation, touring and accommodation enterprise. Redline Bus Service carried freight and mail in addition to passengers.
Redline Coaches was realised through hard work and determination and Rex never letting go of his dream. His foresight and innovation were legendary. He always found a way. AND, he did it all without public investment.
At its height in the late 1960s, the route network of Redline Coaches, including express and tour services, was the largest in Australia, covering over 16,000 kilometres of un-duplicated express route alone.
During this time Rex Law's motel company built, owned and operated several motels including at Ayers Rock (now Yulara), in Alice Springs and on the Gold Coast.
After WWII ended Rex had worked hard to accumulate sufficient money to inaugurate a passenger bus service operation between Brisbane and Kyogle. He later sold this business to undertake a newly won Queensland government licence to operate day tours from Brisbane to Bernard O’Reilly’s Guest House in Lamington National Park.
Bernard O’Reilly came to fame when he voluntarily set out from his guest house with a rescue team and located the wreck of a downed Stinson airliner in February 1937 saving the lives of two survivors.
The road from Canungra was unsealed at the time and was often cut during summer rain periods due to bridge damage and localised flooding. In heavy rains it became a boggy quagmire. During these times Rex used an ex-military WWII amphibious 4x4 Jeep to get the passengers and the mail through!
Rex found he was a natural with tourism; he loved the environment and the history and imparting his knowledge to his passengers. In return, the passengers loved his engaging personality and couldn't help but get caught up in his enthusiasm about what a wonderful country we lived in.
In 1952 Rex purchased a Brisbane to Sydney two day tour business from the Millar family which he revived under his business name of Redline Coaches. He still ran a continuous interstate service expansion alongside the existing O’Reilly service.
Rex was not only a tourism entrepreneur but also an innovator. He was always looking for a more efficient and productive way to do things. He went on to construct the first uniquely Australian rear-engined coach in his Brisbane backyard depot during 1953. He installed a motor in the rear of his Ansair bodied International.
With the motor and transmission mounted the rear axle rolled over 180 degrees and customized drive-shaft was installed. Interestingly, Rex left the original front engine and transmission in place, so effectively the unit was a twin engined bus during the proving period. The experiment was successful and the bus was converted to full forward control soon after.
In 1957 Redline conducted the first coach safari tour to Central Australia from the east coast. That coach, Redline No 11, is still in existence. His outback tours as well as his express tours are credited with opening up the outback and stimulating small economies along the highhways.
Rex Law passed away in 1995 at the age of 80. He was a man of vision with admirable family values and a strong work ethic; a man whose word was his bond. He was always at the ready to take up a new opportunity and is credited with giving a helpful hand to many along the way.
Rex is remembered as a truly kind and compassionate gentleman of the road; a man who brought the wonders of the outback to every day Australians building national pride through his love of the Australian landscape both natural and manmade. Vale Rex Law.












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Looselion
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

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Some kind words from a greatly respected woman who knows Central Australian heavy transport and those entrepreneurs who made it all happen...
Liz grew up closely observing and participating in the post WW2 emergence of the Outback's truck and coach industry.
She developed a passion for the place and the participants.
Liz Martin, the most recent Director of The Australian Road Transport Hall of Fame at Alice Springs, has received many awards over the years including:
Australian Road Transport Personality of the Year
Australian Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
NT Achiever of the Year
Tourism Ministers Award for Excellence in Tourism
Order of Australia Medal.
Her words could very well serve as an introduction to my soon to be published 450 page illustrated book about Rex and Redline...!
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

Question for Glenn re the 1953 apron 2 day tour via Uralla o/n Sydney Brisbane weekly tour. Do you details of departure and arrival times for each day and applicable lunch stops on record.
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

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Industry wrote:Question for Glenn re the 1953 apron 2 day tour via Uralla o/n Sydney Brisbane weekly tour. Do you details of departure and arrival times for each day and applicable lunch stops on record.
The original 1953 itineraries were:
BRIS - SYD:
Dep Bris 8.30 am
M/Tea Aratula
Lunch Stanthorpe
A/Tea Glen Innes
O/night Uralla
M/tea Murrurundi
Lunch Singleton
A/tea Calga Kiosk
Arr Sydney 6.00 pm
The original Syd - Bris tour was the reverse of the above, until in 1954 Rex redirected the northbound itinerary to the Pacific Highway which wasn't quite as simple as it sounds, with all the major roadworks that were taking place between Hexham and Taree due to the highway being rerouted from Stroud and Gloucester to the more direct route through Bulahdelah. The book describes this in some detail.
The eventual northbound Pacific Hwy itinerary was as follows:
SYD - BRIS:
Dep Syd 8.30 am
M/tea Calga Kiosk
Lunch Swansea
A/tea Bulahdelah
Dinner Port Macquarie
O/night Nambucca Heads
M/tea Harwood
Lunch Ballina
A/tea Coolangatta
Arr Brisbane 6.30 pm
Many changes were made to the north and southbound itineraries over the years following improvements to coach performance and highway upgrades, not to mention vehicle ferries being replaced by bridges on the Pacific Hwy.
Last edited by Looselion on Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Looselion »

Here's the Calga Kiosk (looking north) ten years later, in 1963, (with acknowledgment to Robert Young for the image) long after Redline had moved on to the Kangy Creek roadhouse at Ourimbah.
Both now of course consigned to oblivion.
Directly beside and to the rear of the kiosk there was rocky bushland where one morning a tour passenger decided to do some exploring, and didn't return to the coach.
He was found deceased from a heart attack not long after.
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The Calga Kiosk in 1963.
The Calga Kiosk in 1963.
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Industry
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Industry »

Photo by Geoffrey Foster of ex 14 rebodied by Denning becoming 55 and sold to Boomerang Tours in Brisbane
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Re: Rex Law's Redline Coaches

Post by Mr Scania »

At one stage on the two day Sydney to Brisbane service, dinner was at Port Macquarie and overnight was Coffs Harbour.
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