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As an "Annex" to my listing of Surviving Single-deck Halfcabs,
this is a list of all known British double-deck front-engined buses converted
to single-deck service vehicles, tow trucks, and other odd things.
I have not included double-deck chassis that were actually built as single-deck
vehicles, only those converted to single-deck. It's a growing project, so
is bound to be incomplete. Please send me any corrected information you may
have about the list, or examples not shown below, and let's see how long
the list gets. By the way, the colour scheme is meant to represent
the livery of Eastern Counties.
To set the scene, here is former Portsmouth 114, a 1958 Leyland PD2/40
originally registered ORV 991, but now GSU 678 in its new guise as a tow
vehicle. It is seen here in the late 1990s at Exmouth bus station, but has
since fallen on hard times - see the list below for a more recent picture.
The photo was kindly supplied by Kevin Staddon.
The listing is arranged in order of (1) Chassis manufacturer,
(2) Chassis model, (3) Original operator in alphabetical order. Then each
entry shows original operator, original fleet number, subsequent owners /
fleet numbers if applicable, chassis type, chassis number in brackets {__}
if known, body type (and age if different from chassis age), body number
in brackets {__} if known, chassis build date, registration number, ownership
details.
Abbreviations are listed at the end. The bodywork abbreviations
are in the standard format, i.e. 'B', 'C' or 'DP' (for Bus, Coach or
Dual-Purpose), followed by the seating capacity, then by the door position
'F', 'C', 'R' or 'D' (for Front, Centre, Rear or Dual). The prefix 'U' means
a wartime Utility body, 'F' means a full-front, and 'O' means Open Top.
'RV', of course, means 'Recovery Vehicle'.
For the latest additions (i.e. a vehicle that was always around,
but I've only just found out about it !) look for
thesymbol.
For any significant information updates see the
symbol.
Entries with links from the registration number (or with
links crediting a photographer) will connect to a photograph of the vehicle
elsewhere on this site, or to information on another site.
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Owner
Glasgow 615 > AR292, Regent {O6616225} / Cowieson H30/26R (rebodied Scottish
Commercial H30/26R in 1950), 7/38, BUS 181, RV, Glasgow City Council, stored
at Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust Bridgeton depot 2007
Huddersfield 120 > Bournemouth 12, Regent {6612689} / Hall Lewis H31/24R
body from Huddersfield Karrier Consort 105 / VH 3090 rebuilt by Park Royal
as H26/24R), 3/34, VH 6217 (Photo by David Beardmore,
Poole 8/02) tower wagon, Bournemouth Heritage Transport Collection
London Transport STL162 > 832J, Regent {6612307} / LGOC Chiswick H34/26R,
6/33, JJ 4379 (Photo by Charles Roberts, Chiswick
1983) emergency equipment tender (from 5/50), Dyckhoff, Smith & Burton,
Ealing.
London Transport STL169 > 738J, Regent {6612314} / LGOC Chiswick H34/26R,
6/33, AGX 520 (Photo by Charles Roberts, Chiswick
1983) breakdown tender (from 1/50), Roger Stagg, Offham
London Transport STL175 > 739J, Regent {6612320} / LGOC Chiswick H34/26R,
6/33, AGX 517 (Photo probably by Bob Geenty, 2002),
breakdown tender (from 2/50), Bob Geenty, Daytona Beach, Florida USA
London Transport STL390 > 830J, Regent {6612610} / LGOC Chiswick H30/26R,
4/34, AXM 649, breakdown tender (from 3/50), LT Museum
London Transport RT143, Regent {O6616891} / LT Chiswick
H30/26R, 6/40, FXT 318, mobile asphalt patcher from 4/60 for Limmer &
Trinidad Lake Asphalt Co. (chassis only, body scrapped). Beith Transport
Museum, Scotland 2008. Museum closed, for sale on eBay 4/09
Nottingham 116 > 509, Regent {6611707} / Park Royal H28/24R, 10/31, TV
4949, RV, Notts Vehicle Preservation Society
Nottingham 48 > 503, Regent {6611857} / Park Royal H30/26R, 7/32, TV 6749,
Tower wagon, London Trolleybus Preservation Society
Nottingham 31 > 802, Regent {O6616460} / MCCW H28/26R, 7/39, FTO 614,
Tower wagon, Sandtoft Transport Centre 2007
Nottingham 178, Regent III {9613E4882} / Park Royal H30/26R, 8/54, OTV 178,
asphalt patcher, Smith, Yardley
St.Helens 8 > Harper, Heath Hayes 10, Regent III {O9617138} / Park Royal
{B35159} H30/26R, 2/52, BDJ 808, RV, Greg Lawson, Shipley 2008, being dismantled
for spares.
Sheffield 255 > G55, Regent III {9612E2649} / Weymann {M3249} H30/26R,
7/48, KWE 255 (Photo by David Beardmore, Sheffield
9/96) gritter, Sheffield Bus Museum Trust
Eastbourne 66, Regent V {2D3RV1261} / East Lancs {5965} H32/28R, 5/63, KHC
366 (r/r VSV 990 in 1/88, regained KHC 366 in 2007), breakdown vehicle from
1976. Ian Grindrod, Cornwall 2007, under long-term restoration.
Pontypridd 91 > Wilfreda-Beehive, Adwick, Regent V {2MD3RA607} / Weymann
{M1565 or 1566?} H34/26F, 1965, ETG 373C, RV, Blackman, Halifax
London Transport RM66, Routemaster {R2RH066} / Park Royal H36/28R, 11/59,
VLT 66 (Photo by David Beardmore, North Weald 6/94)
withdrawn 1987 and converted to single-deck tow bus / engineers support vehicle.
447 Preservation Group, Llanelli 1996.
London Transport RM1368, Routemaster {2R2RH1368} (Single deck conversion
for LT Chiswick Experimental Shop after fire damage) / Park Royal (&
L.T.Chiswick) {L4573} H36/28R (now B28RD), 12/62, 368
CLT Andrew Morgan, St.Albans 2006
London Transport RML2284, Routemaster {R2RH/1/2298} / Park Royal {L5562}
H72R (converted to mobile, single deck, centre entrance workshop &
accommodation unit by Gordon Laming / Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering
Society 2005), 10/66, CUV 284C, Coulsdon Old
Vehicle & Engineering Society, Surrey 2006
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last
Known Owner
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last
Known Owner
BRISTOL (5 Vehicles)
Chatham & District 871 > Maidstone & District 919, K5G {49080}
/ Weymann {M1687} H28/26R, 6/39, GKE 65, breakdown lorry from 3/54 with body
from KR 6393 (Chatham & District Leyland TD1 No.372), David Moores,
Diseworth.
West Yorkshire 858 > 4044, KSW6G {94024} / ECW {5955} L27/28R, 5/53, LWR
424 (Photo by David Beardmore, Sandtoft 7/94) RV,
c/o Aire Valley Transport group, owned by Greg, Alex and Anna Lawson of Baildon.
Coventry 290 > West Midlands PTE 290Y, CVG6DD {19670} / Metro-Cammell
H33/27R, 11/59, XVC 290, RV, Group 94, Coventry
Rotherham 135, CVG6-30DD {30037} / Roe {G4008} H39/31F, 3/59, TET 135
(Photo by David Beardmore, Sheffield 8/01) tow truck
& gritter, Sheffield Bus Museum Trust
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last
Known Owner
DENNIS (1 Vehicle)
Leeds 111, Lance {125038} / ?????, ????, 1931, UB 7931, tow truck, Tramway
Museum Society, Crich (unrestored)
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last
Known Owner
GUY (3 Vehicles)
Blackburn 76 > 502, Arab II {FD28341} / Northern Coachbuilders H30/26R,
3/47, ACB 904 (Photo by Charles Roberts, Lathalmond
2006) Tow vehicle, Ian Parry ( Heswall), Charles Roberts (Upton) and
Roland Williams (Saline) 2007. Under restoration at SVBM.
See
here for more details.
Blackburn 79 > 503, Arab II {FD28344} / Northern Coachbuilders H30/26R,
3/47, ACB 907 (r/r HFO 659) (Photo by Charles Roberts,
at Whitburn 1989) RV. Jasper Pettie, Dunfermline. Written off after
accident but chassis restored as static exhibit at SVBM, Lathalmond
Bournemouth 40, Arab II {FD26423} / Weymann {C7985}
H30/26R, 1944, FRU 224 (Photo by David Beardmore, Winkleigh
10/08) mobile crane, Bournemouth Heritage Transport Collection. Stored
at WETC Winkleigh 2009.
Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last
Known Owner
LEYLAND (31 Vehicles)
Redcar 347 > Maidstone & District 347 (1/35) > London Transport
TD193 (7/35) > Liverpool 21 (7/40) > CL4 > Merseyside PTE, TD1
{72057} / Weymann {C167} H24/24R (top deck removed by 1951, used by Liverpool
as office. Centre entrance static canteen 1954-77) 7/31 KJ 2578
(Photo by Charles Roberts, Liverpool 1976) at Ensignbus,
Purfleet 2008, probably as a spares donor.
Southdown 907 > Wilts & Dorset 243, TD1 {71826} / Short H50R, 5/31,
UF 7407, RV, Stokes, West Willow
Portsmouth 17 > TW1, TD2 {2874} / English Electric H26/24R, 7/33, RV 3411,
RV from 1952, Portsmouth Museums
Portsmouth 18 > TW2, TD2 {2875} / English Electric H26/24R, 7/33, RV 3412,
RV from 1952, Dorey, Old Bolingbroke
Maidstone & District 310 > DL310 > 310 > 908, TD4 {9692} / Weymann
{M610} L24/24R, 3/36, CKO 988 (Photo by Charles Roberts,
at BaMMoT, Wythall 1985) Lorry from 7/50 with 1936 Harrington body from
KP 3400 (1929 Leyland TD1 No. 805 {70529}), Murphy, Bearwood
Preston 106 > 6, PD1A {471690} / Leyland L27/26R, 11/47 BCK 939
(Photo by David Beardmore, Sandtoft 7/92) to RV
in 1962 after collision with very low bridge, inheriting the crane from its
predecessor, an ex-army Chevrolet. Sandtoft Transport Centre, towing vehicle
2007.
Barrow 124, PD2/3 {491238} / Park Royal {B33057} H30/26R, 10/49, EO 9051,
RV, Hambler, Barrow
Central SMT L475 > Alexander (Midland) ML245, PD2/10 {531122} / Leyland
L27/26R, 1953, GM 5875 (Photo by Charles Roberts, Birkenhead
2005) RV, John Karlberg, New Ferry, Wirral 2008
Glasgow L266, PD2/24 {583145} / Alexander {5667} H33/28R, 6/59, SGD 268 (r/r
GSV 580) RV, Ferguson, East Kilbride
Ribble 2593 > Alexander (Midland) ML240, PD2/3 {483598} / Leyland L27/26R,
9/48, CCK 368, RV, Black Prince, Morley, to ????
Ribble 1466 > Maidstone & District (trainer) P1466,
PD2/12 Titan {556011} / Burlingham {6180} H33/28R (To B??RD single deck
conversion and Maidstone & District livery 2009 by OTT Buses, Ramsgate,
at request of Belgian client) 8/56,
JCK 541, Fuller,
Penshurst, Kent. To Belgium 2009.
CIE R653, OPD2/2 {560677} / CIE H36/30R, 1956, BIK 253 (r/r BIK 257), Tow
wagon, Transport Museum Society of Ireland