Highland bus registered no KSC 919 at Helmsdale

Date Added: 07 August 2017 Year: 1950 Institution Name: dnhhl Cat No: ◀ | 2017_038_059 | ▶ Picture No: 13511

From the Sinclair collection, a colour photograph of a Highland red and white livery bus at Helmsdale on the service to Dornoch.

Dimensions: digital image

1 Comment

The chassis of this vehicle ( Fleet number K87 ) was originally a double deck "utility" Guy Arabll/5LW built for London Transport toward the end of the war. It was purchased for Highland by Scottish Omnibuses Ltd -the chassis was lengthened to 30 feet and SOL built a new single deck body with 39 bus seats. It was one of 2 delivered to Highland in 1953.

Similar vehicles were delivered to Highland in 1952 ( 10 with 39 bus seats ) and 1954 ( with 35 coach seats). They were prematurely withdrawn by London Transport, as they were fitted with crash gearboxes ( and selector the wrong way round to "normal" to boot ), and London Transport drivers were spoiled by having preselector gearboxes on most of their contemporary buses.

They would have been a good buy for Highland (and cheap!), as many of their double deck and single deck service fleet at the time were of similar specification.

London Transport had a history of withdrawing buses they didn't like early - providing windfalls for operators not only in Scotland but throughout the UK. Comment left on 26 August 2020 at 11:18 by malcolm hirst

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