Old REOs
Re: Old REOs
Boronia, the c1935 Reo appears to have Canterbury Stn - Dobroyd Point painted on its side.
The next one looks like a Reo that Rutty's had which went to Moores at Moorebank,
the 2LM looks like Brian Le Quesne's when owned Maroubra Beach to Randwick.
Parramatta Bus Co had two 34 Passenger Reo's m/o 274 and m/o 314, 314 became the tug for the Semi m/o 932.GM
The next one looks like a Reo that Rutty's had which went to Moores at Moorebank,
the 2LM looks like Brian Le Quesne's when owned Maroubra Beach to Randwick.
Parramatta Bus Co had two 34 Passenger Reo's m/o 274 and m/o 314, 314 became the tug for the Semi m/o 932.GM
- Attachments
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- mo 274 REO - Syd Wood 33 - Nth Parramatta Depot 26 Jan 1950 - An RD Photo.JPG (34.92 KiB) Viewed 8037 times
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- Fleet No 26 - 01 1942 White - Receipt for purchase from J H Moore of Parramatta-Epping Bus Service mo 857.jpg (183.4 KiB) Viewed 8037 times
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- Le Quesne B - mo 036 - REO 2LM - Syd Wood 00-00-1934 25 - Maroubra Beach to Randwick - LH Side - DRT & T mo 1613.JPG (58.04 KiB) Viewed 8037 times
Re: Old REOs
Wow what a blast from the past boronia. Most of those models were still running in the 50s.
It's interesting that they listed the Speedwagon on its own beside buses and trucks. Was there some distinctive characteristic of the Speedwagon chassis and was it both a bus and truck chassis?
Those younger among us who think that a centre door is a back door can see here what a back door looks like!
The door arrangement on the forward control is more reminiscent of continental European practice.
It's interesting that they listed the Speedwagon on its own beside buses and trucks. Was there some distinctive characteristic of the Speedwagon chassis and was it both a bus and truck chassis?
Those younger among us who think that a centre door is a back door can see here what a back door looks like!
The door arrangement on the forward control is more reminiscent of continental European practice.
Re: Old REOs
I have not seen before the statement "Trucks, Speedwagons, Buses".
I thought most Reo's were Speedwagons except m/o 186 which was a "Reo Safety Bus"?
The only person who is still alive that could shed some light on Reo vehicles is Peter Anderson.
The yard where 186 is and the house next door became Jim Newport's Delwood Bus Co Depot some years later when Herb Katen sold to W H Wilcox.
On the photo of Bill Neely's Reo m/o 787 you can see the "Reo Speed Wagon' nameplate on the side of the bonnet, also the Mechanical Hand and the front number plate which you had to make yourself because you only got the rear plate. GM
I thought most Reo's were Speedwagons except m/o 186 which was a "Reo Safety Bus"?
The only person who is still alive that could shed some light on Reo vehicles is Peter Anderson.
The yard where 186 is and the house next door became Jim Newport's Delwood Bus Co Depot some years later when Herb Katen sold to W H Wilcox.
On the photo of Bill Neely's Reo m/o 787 you can see the "Reo Speed Wagon' nameplate on the side of the bonnet, also the Mechanical Hand and the front number plate which you had to make yourself because you only got the rear plate. GM
Re: Old REOs
Addendum, when Bill Neely sold his depot on the corner of Guildford Rd and Marion St Guildford to become a Service Station, he purchased land in Lisbon St., Villawood.
When Dick Rowe purchased Bill's Route 186 he named it Parramatta-Villawood.
Many years later Jim Newport had to get out of his depot in Onslow St., Granville, because of the expressway, and purchased Parramatta-Villawood to get a new depot which meant he ended up with Bill,s Lisbon St Depot.
Bill Neely always had Reo's, when he could get them, he did have a Bedford, several GMC'c, an Austin and an International over the years, all Normal Control.
He did not believe in Forward Control buses.
It was not till his son Robert entered the business that an F/C bus was purchased which was of course a Reo Syd Wood m/o 636. GM
When Dick Rowe purchased Bill's Route 186 he named it Parramatta-Villawood.
Many years later Jim Newport had to get out of his depot in Onslow St., Granville, because of the expressway, and purchased Parramatta-Villawood to get a new depot which meant he ended up with Bill,s Lisbon St Depot.
Bill Neely always had Reo's, when he could get them, he did have a Bedford, several GMC'c, an Austin and an International over the years, all Normal Control.
He did not believe in Forward Control buses.
It was not till his son Robert entered the business that an F/C bus was purchased which was of course a Reo Syd Wood m/o 636. GM
Re: Old REOs
That's funny! What year was 636?GM wrote: He did not believe in Forward Control buses.
It was not till his son Robert entered the business that an F/C bus was purchased which was of course a Reo Syd Wood m/o 636. GM
It seems the Speedwagon was basically a truck chassis, a pick-up:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REO_Speed_Wagon
Of course not to be confused with this!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REO_Speedwagon
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Re: Old REOs
Here are couple pictures of some REOs.Pictures from Ken Magor collection.
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Previoulsy known as United Diesel 15
Re: Old REOs
Those buses are too modern for this thread Bedford-29
(but appreciated nonetheless )
(but appreciated nonetheless )
Re: Old REOs
Bedford 29's Reo MO 5951 had many guises, in the photo it is painted for Roberts of Gosford.
It originally was built for Eric Riley of Ettalong in 1947, then upon his death it passed to Richter Bros of Umina c1953, in turn it was sold to the Baptist Church at Green Point Gosford, then went to Roberts.
After Roberts it went down the Coast to around Batemans Bay.
Where was purchased by Peter Anderson and it now resides at Deepwater awaiting restoration? GM
It originally was built for Eric Riley of Ettalong in 1947, then upon his death it passed to Richter Bros of Umina c1953, in turn it was sold to the Baptist Church at Green Point Gosford, then went to Roberts.
After Roberts it went down the Coast to around Batemans Bay.
Where was purchased by Peter Anderson and it now resides at Deepwater awaiting restoration? GM
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Re: Old REOs
Just happened across this pic - the REO operated by Clarinda Transport in the late 1950s, shown here in late 1958:
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Re: Old REOs
Thanks everyone for the fantastic photo's and history !
Re: Old REOs
They were also basically truck chassis except for the odd forward-entrance bus chassis like the Higlett's bus above and HHBC MOs 4269 and 4399. Another even rarer chassis here was the forward-entrance, rear-engined Reo Pusher of which I think there were only a couple of examples here.
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Re: Old REOs
Now that Peter Anderson has passed away, I wonder what will/has happened to his collection?GM wrote:Bedford 29's Reo MO 5951 had many guises, in the photo it is painted for Roberts of Gosford.
It originally was built for Eric Riley of Ettalong in 1947, then upon his death it passed to Richter Bros of Umina c1953, in turn it was sold to the Baptist Church at Green Point Gosford, then went to Roberts.
After Roberts it went down the Coast to around Batemans Bay.
Where was purchased by Peter Anderson and it now resides at Deepwater awaiting restoration? GM
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Re: Old REOs
Great photo - never say never - I thought pictures of ex Clarinda Transport buses would never come to light. The bus was new to Giuseppe (Joe) Cianciarulo, one of the multiple operators on Route 1, North Road (and Kooyong Road) to the City, in 1946 and has a Giles body with a Hercules diesel engine. With the amalgamation to form Melbourne Brighton Bus Lines in 1954, it became their No 16 and Graeme Bail (son-in-law of Lew Page) acquired it from Joe to come into the business. He sold it to Bert Trotter's Clarinda Transport in December 1957, just a few months before the sale of his business to Ventura in May 1958. Seven of the 8 Clarinda buses continued on with Ventura until they were replaced with new Bedford SB3 buses (two Piper bodied and 6 CAC bodied) in 1959/60. At the time of the sale, Ventura's newest and highest numbered bus was No 33. So the ex Clarinda buses were numbered 40 to 46. None of them were painted into Ventura's livery but stayed with the two tone green Clarinda livery.Keats wrote:Just happened across this pic - the REO operated by Clarinda Transport in the late 1950s, shown here in late 1958:
Re: Old REOs
Peter Anderson's collection of buses has been advertised for sale by his family.Thus far the collection is being sold in a piecemeal fashion one by one and for parts as I understand it.
Re: Old REOs
And judging from the fleet number 46 displayed on the Reo/Giles it was under Ventura ownership at the time of the photo.
Re: Old REOs
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/tailgat ... wagon-bus/
A REO Speed Wagon bus would be a rather small bus.
A REO Speed Wagon bus would be a rather small bus.
Re: Old REOs
I guess that includes Hunters Hill's MO 4576, a rare bus?burrumbus wrote:Peter Anderson's collection of buses has been advertised for sale by his family.Thus far the collection is being sold in a piecemeal fashion one by one and for parts as I understand it.
Re: Old REOs
The ones illustrated early on this thread are mostly short chassis versions. They were also full-size buses (back in the days when buses were about 10 metres rather than 12 metres).neilrex wrote:https://www.hotrod.com/articles/tailgat ... wagon-bus/
A REO Speed Wagon bus would be a rather small bus.
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19820
Re: Old REOs
they would presumably have been built on the chassis of one of REO's other truck lines, I would have thought.
Re: Old REOs
The Reo Speedwagon truck chassis was also used as a bus chassis and was available in different lengths (client-specified I guess). Some of the Australian examples were converted from normal control to forward control:
Reo also offered a variant with the front axle set back for a forward-entrance bus chassis. Only a few of these reached Australia:
Reo also had a rear-engined bus chassis known as a Reo Pusher. Again, very few of these reached Australia, all pre-war I think.
Having lived all of my early life on the interface between private and government territory, these petrol-engined Reos were limousines to ride compared to the rough and noisy diesel government buses. I think that's when my philosophy of passenger-focus-first developed!
Reo also offered a variant with the front axle set back for a forward-entrance bus chassis. Only a few of these reached Australia:
Reo also had a rear-engined bus chassis known as a Reo Pusher. Again, very few of these reached Australia, all pre-war I think.
Having lived all of my early life on the interface between private and government territory, these petrol-engined Reos were limousines to ride compared to the rough and noisy diesel government buses. I think that's when my philosophy of passenger-focus-first developed!
Re: Old REOs
TonyP Reo Pusher, 1942 Model, Eight supposed to have entered Australia only one survives in Victoria.
Fogg's Newcastle
The Entrance Red
Wagg A J
All had Syd Wood Bodies and converted to front engine
Still looking for rest? Have to ask Peter?
Fogg's Newcastle
The Entrance Red
Wagg A J
All had Syd Wood Bodies and converted to front engine
Still looking for rest? Have to ask Peter?
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Re: Old REOs
Here's another Victorian REO, operated by Parlorcars:
Re: Old REOs
There were also two Hunters Hill buses that looked very much like Reo Pushers (or converted ones). These photos iirc came from GM or elsewhere on this forum. The suspected Pusher at the right was I think MO 430 (??).
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19919
And MO 863:
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19911
This Reo brochure illustrates the three different chassis:
I have a hunch that they had trouble with cooling the rear engine as here the radiator is shown to scoop from the side of the bus. In the Australian climate it seems logical that, from experience, they converted them to front-engined buses.
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19919
And MO 863:
http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/dis ... ?pid=19911
This Reo brochure illustrates the three different chassis:
I have a hunch that they had trouble with cooling the rear engine as here the radiator is shown to scoop from the side of the bus. In the Australian climate it seems logical that, from experience, they converted them to front-engined buses.
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Re: Old REOs
Some more pusher Reo's i have come across in my travels.