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Pictures from our Archives (Part 2)

Pictures From Our Archives (Part 2)
by David Hunter

In this, the second of the series of articles illustrated by pictures from our CD-Rom we look at the buses that were bought to replace the tram cars, originally introduced by Imperial Tramways Co. Ltd.

Bogie tramcars had served the travelling public of Teesside well in the years between their introduction in 1898, to their planned demise on the Norton to North Ormesby Toll Bar route on January 1st 1932.

By 1929, however, Stockton Corporation was mindful to abandon the system, and in 1930 Middlesbrough Corporation agreed. There were alternative suggestions, notably that United Automobile Services or the L.N.E.R. should run the service but in the end the two Corporations decided to operate the route themselves and the necessary licences were obtained.

Stockton Corporation Transport - 1928 to 1934

In preparation for the withdrawal of the tramcars, both Stockton and Middlesbrough Corporations bought new double deck buses for the service. This was a time of great development in the technical aspect of buses and Stockton, particularly; having little experience of double-deck buses tried several in their search for the best vehicle to order.
Six double deck Leyland TD1s had been obtained in 1928, these had Leyland built Lowbridge bodies with open staircases at the rear, they were numbered 34 to 39 in the Stockton Fleet.
Pictured when brand new (top right)UP 1544 was Stockton Corporation No. 38. It had a petrol engine and seated 27 in the lower saloon and 24 in the upper. The livery is vermillion with three white bands and a white roof
Demonstrators were loaned from A.E.C. and Leyland in 1929 and an order was placed with Leyland for a further ten vehicles similar to those purchased in 1928. These were numbered 40 -50
In 1930 a further batch of five TD1s were obtained, these had enclosed staircases but only had 24 seats on the upper deck.Shown in picture two is No 51 (UP3707) which was delivered in 1930
More trials were conducted in 1930 and vehicles were loaned from Maudsley, Sunbeam, Thornycroft and Daimler in an effort to evaluate all possible contenders for the standard Tram replacement bus.
A Daimler CG6, UP 4746 with a Park Royal highbridge, 50 seater, was delivered to the Corporation in November 1930
Three similar chassis were delivered in May 1931 but these was fitted with Brush 52 seater bodies. Pictured middle right, No.58 (UP 5326) was one of the three. It was re-engined in 1939 and lasted through the war years until 1949, finally being scrapped in Middlesbrough
Another of the experimental vehicles was No.61 (UP5459), a rather ungainly, A.E.C.Regent with a 50-seater body by Shorts.
Pictured below right, this vehicle was one of only three A.E.C. Regents ever operated by Stockton Corporation. It had an 8.1 litre oil engine, which was replaced by a more modern version in 1933. Interestingly, it was requisitioned, for use by the Army in July 1941. It didn?t return to Stockton.
Shown bottom right, a further experimental vehicle was this extremely rare Crossley Condor. It had a Crossley built 48-seat body and a 9-litre oil engine. It was registered in December 1931 as UP 5706 and carried Stockton Fleet No. 62. The livery was different in that it had white around the lower deck windows. It was disposed of in 1938 to a Glasgow showman.
Following these purchases by Stockton Corporation Transport Department, it was decided that Daimler should be the preferred chassis supplier. Eleven CH6 models, with Brush 52 seat bodywork were supplied in 1932.
None were received in 1933 but in 1934 a further order was placed with Daimler for 5 CP6, petrol engined models and a single COG5 oil engined bus, the former with Brush bodywork and the oiler with Weymanns fifty-four seat highbridge bodywork

Pictures from our Archives (Part 2)

Middlesbrough Corporation Transport 1928 - 1933

Middlesbrough's experience with double deck buses was even more limited than that of Stockton Corporation. The first vehicles were obtained in 1929, when three Guy six wheeled buses were delivered.
Shown top right is perhaps the best-known picture of one of these distinctive buses. DC8929 was allocated No 63 in the Middlesbrough fleet. Its bodywork was also built by Guy and it was withdrawn in 1936. It is seen here, working a ?D? service from the Exchange, before the station was rebuilt.
Shown second right, an extremely rare photograph of one of the Guys, taken from the offside rear. DC 8930 was No 64 in the Middlesbrough Fleet and was photographed in Parliament Road Depot.
In 1931 three batches of Daimler double deck buses were obtained with various styles of bodywork. All were CH6 models with petrol engines. They replaced the bogie double deck trams.
(Middle right) No.56 (XG 733) was of the first batch and had a 52-seat bodywork by Hoyal. It is depicted in the then current aluminium livery with blue band and white upper deck windows and roof.
Lower middle right: No. 50 (XG 1192) had a body by Charles Roe of Leeds. It had more ornate beading, which perhaps was the inspiration for the later triple cream band.
Bottom right lower No.51 (XG 1193) was from the final batch and had a Brush body; it was photographed at Loughborough when brand new.
No more double deck buses were obtained in 1932 but three ex demonstrator Daimlers were purchased on the expiry of their loan in early 1934, VC 7690. VC 8959 and VK 3418 (24,25,23) they all had Hoyal bodywork.

Interworking patterns as at June 2006

Ian Wilson
I will examine the interworking patterns operated by vehicles of the Stockton depot of Stagecoach Transit in Jun 2006. All details refer to Monday to Saturday workings through the main part of the day. Interworking patters tend to break in some cased by the afternoon peak.
Services 3 and 4 were introduced in April this year, this being the only noticeable change to Stagecoach services since the last major round of service changes in October 2005. They were basically copies of the Alrite services 23 and 24 running just in front of these services. They operate Middlesbrough to Elton Park via Portrack Lane and Stockton, each running hourly. Alright Travel introduced the Portrack Lane service when Stagecoach withdrew service 39 (Except for a few peak and early morning journeys which are virtually staff bus journeys) in October, claiming at the time that it was not viable to run daytime services to Portrack Three vehicles are used.
Five vehicles interwork on Service 11, Middlesbrough to Coulby Newham and 34 Middlesbrough to Low Grange via Haverton Hill Road, service 11 operates every twenty minutes and 34 half hourly.
Eight vehicles operate service 12 to Coulby Newham via Hemlington every ten minutes.
Two vehicles operate service 13 Middlesbrough to Hemlington via Tollesby and Brookfield, half hourly.
Two vehicles operate on service 14 alone; Middlesbrough to Baldoon Sands, service 14 operates every twenty minutes
A further two vehicles intework between service 14 and 34.
Two vehicles operate service 35, Stockton to Wolviston Court and High Grange (Ex Blue Hall) and Crooksbarn half hourly.
Thirteen vehicles operate service 36, Park End to Hartlepool via Middlesbrough, Stockton and Billingham, quarter hourly.
Five vehicles operate half hourly on service 37 James Cook (Ex South Cleveland) Hospital to North Tees Hospital via Park End, Middlesbrough and Stockton.
Four vehicles operate half hourly service 38, Park End to Norton Glebe via Middlesbrough and Stockton.
Ten vehicles operate service 52 Stockton to Low Grange and 61 Stockton to Elton Park via Oxbridge proviiding a ten minute frequency on each.
Four vehicles operate service 58 Stockton to Hardwick every ten minutes.
Six vehicles operate service 59 and 60. Service 59 operates every ten minutes between Stockton and North Tees Hospital via Elm Tree and Tithebarn and service 60 half hourly between Stockton and Salter Lane via Grangefield and Fairfield.
One vehicle operates Mecca Bingo service 477 though there are sizeable gaps in the service.
Finally one vehicle operates service 525 between Middlesbrough and Teasdale, though this is scheduled to be withdrawn during July.
One other service worthy of mention is service 39, which operates in the evening peak only (as well as some early morning journeys). The vehicles operating it often tend to have come off another earlier service.
As to the allocation of vehicles to routes, the following are advertised as being operated by mostly Easy Access buses, 36, 37, 38, 59, 60 and 525. (In addition to eve/Sunday service 568). However, some high floor vehicles can usually be found on these services, especially the 59 and 60. The only vehicles currently branded ate ten of the 22656-75 batch of MANs for service 36 and MANs 22061/3-6 for service 27 and these are mainly found on there. Service 525 is usually worked by Low Floor Dart 34401. The majority of service 12 journeys tend to be operated by Volvo B10B/Verdes. Apart from this virtually anything can appear anywhere. Double deckers can often be found on at least some of the service 58 workings, and usually on a couple of the 52/61s and a couple of duties on Middlesbrough routes, e.g. 11/34 or 12. Often �deckers� tend to be replaced by saloons on some workings in order to perform afternoon school duties.
The only Stagecoach Hartlepool service into the Middlesbrough/Stockton area is service 1 between Middlesbrough and Hertlepool (Throston Grange), via Haverton Hill and Seaton Carew. It interworks at High Tunstall with the 1A to Seaton Carew and employs eight vehicles, usually branded low floor Darts.

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