CWK205 (2009)

DEMONSTRATORS TO CCT…………..T.W.MOORE


I have compiled this list of known demonstrators to CCT, with a few notes along the way.


RW 5000, Maudslay CP Hickman B54RO 1925 on loan prior to purchase.

VC 1573, Daimler CH6 Buckingham H26/24R new 1931. First ran for Birmingham C.T. as No. 100. Not sure when it came to CCT on extended loan as No. 100. in full CCT colours. It was burnt out in 1938, returned to Daimler and remains sold to L.T. March dealer in 1939 and scrapped. I am sure it would have been re-engined at sometime with CCT, but have no details..Anyone know?

KV 64 Daimler CP6 H24/24R new 1931. It was on extended loan to CCT in 1933. It was fitted with an AEC engine in early 1934 and became the prototype COA6. It was purchased in 1936 and re-seated to H27/26R in 1939. It was sold in 1949 possibly just after running into a ditch alongside Tile Hill Wood

JR 1573 Daimler COG5 H24/24R. on hire in CCT colours through Spring and summer of 1937. Returned to Daimler and sold to BSA Tools, Birmingham 1938. BSA Tools in postwar years purchased two Daimler CVD6 d/d chassis that were bodied as display units and used for transporting new bikes. What JR 1573 did for BSA I do not know. To mention here is the reg. no. Unusual as all Daimler demonstrators were reg. in Coventry. There is possibly the only picture of this bus, a Coventry postcard view, published F.P. Groves and A.S.Dentons book, Coventry Transport 1884-1940 published by the Birmingham Historical Group

There were a string of AEC demonstrators on loan during the thirties, Mr Fearnley of course had a liking for AECs hence the AEC engined Daimlers.

AML 272 AEC Regent Park Royal L27/27 1933. Date not known, middle to later ‘thirties at a guess.

AMV 433 AEC Q, Park Royal H60F. 1933. Now that would have been an interesting bus to have for a couple of weeks, there are a couple of pics of this bus in the city, Alf Owen Tram driver and later conductor did the pictures, they are available I believe with Travel Lens Photos..Anyone know the address?

CMF 843 AEC Renown Weymann B43F 1935

AML 667 AEC Regent…no other details

The ex Halifax AEC Regents CP 8010-11 and CP9O70 and 9077 were hired from AEC therefore not on demonstration prior to their purchase, evaluated the best description.

Postwar….

GNE 247 Crossley 44/27…came in 1946 and worked the Walsgrave service to demonstrate the Brockhouse automatic, self change gearbox. Before CCT ordered Crossley 100

The next demonstrators I know came in 1953….if anyone knows of more before this date do let us know, I am sure their must have been one or two inspected or given a trial in the city.

7194 H AEC Regent V Park Royal H32/26 1952. In Oxford colours, on hire 1953 and photographed by A.A.Cooper working the 21 service. On hire from AEC. I believe most of his negs are with Penine Photos,. Who knows?

REH 500 Daimler CLG5 Metro-Cam H32/26 1952 A PMT bus, and the bus that was balanced on 6 tea cups, at the Wedgewood Pottery. See earlier Forum topic Bus on Teacups. And of course CLG5..L is for lightweight bus. On hire from AEC and another AACooper pic.

MOF 132 Daimler CVG6 Crossley H30/25R…a Birmingham standard on demonstration December 1953. on hire to evaluate fuel economy, was the result 171 CVG’s between 1955-1963? Another Alan Cooper pic.

SDU 711 Daimler CVG6 Willowbrook H37/29RD 1956. On hire October 1956. This was the ‘jumping jack’ Daimler I wrote about recently…see Jumping Jack Daimlers. On hire to evaluate platform doors

VKV 99 …Daimler ….No details, but may have been inspected by CCT only

7000 HP Daimler Fleetline. Weymann 77 seats. On hire 8th to 24 April 1962 in BCT colours with Daimler engine. Worked the 21 service. This bus was also inspected at a later date.

4559 VC Daimler Fleetline, Northern Counties circa September 1963. Inspected by the CCT Management and the Transport Committee outside the Council House.


SGD 584 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/2. H44/32F. on Hire from Leyland in Glasgow colours. On loan 19th-25 August 1962. That bus was said to have performed very well, on the Tile Hill service, but when it left Coventry we enthusiasts all thought..Well that’s the last of an Atlantean we will see in Coventry…then what happened….a political and controversial purchase of 22 Atlanteans….Lets move on…

CRH 175C Leyland Panther B45F on hire July 1965. This was a Hull C.T. bus on hire from Leyland. Spent time on the 22 service

HWU 641C Bristol RELL6G ECW B45F on hire January 1966. On hire from Bristol, it worked the 22 Willenhall-Purcell Road service

FGW 498C AEC Swift. Willowbrook B53F. Inspected only by CCT Management and Transport Committee…did not enter service. I photographed the front entrance steps/platform of the bus at Pool Meadow for Mr McDonald to compare with the pics of the Bristol platform area pics.

LAX 104E Bristol RESL6L ECW B46F Red and White bus on hire from Bristol on hire April 6th – 14th 1967. I see it on the 22 service.

VWD 452H Metro-Scania Metro-Cam. On loan April 1972. Photographed on the Cannon Park service.

PNF 941J Leyland Atlantean PDR1A/1. East Lancs. Manchester/Selnec bus, on hire 26th June to 23rd July 1971. No idea why CCT had this bus on hire..anyone else know anything? The bus ran up and down the 20 Bedworth service.

That’s all folks…Let us know if you know that there were more CCT demonstrators. Thanks to PSV Circle and Omnibus Society, and my recordings to compile above.

Congratulations Tom on an amazing list.

I believe VKV 99 was a 30 foot CVG6 with Willowbrook H41/33R body (from www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk)

Technically, shouldn't the CCT buses that appeared at the Commercial Motor Show be listed too?

They appear on ebay occasionally, there are a couple of part 1 (1884-1940) on amazon.co.uk but expensive.

Not really, they're technically not demonstrators, they're exhibits owned by CCT

Tom Moore mentioned on the Forum this week about Daimler Demonstrator VKV 99 and wondered whether it had actually been in service here for a week around 1958 time, while he was away on Holiday ??? This particular Bus was on loan to Birmingham City Transport from June 23rd -July 22nd, 1958, so if it was some time between these two dates that you went away on Holiday Tom (it's probably too long ago for you to remember now ?), it obviously couldn't have been VKV 99 that your Neighbour saw on the 21 route !!! This Bus could easily have come on loan to "CCT" either before or straight after its month spent over in Birmingham ???
I think that this Red and Cream coloured Bus seen on the 21 route, could well prove to be a permanent mystery ??? The only person we have left now who might have a clue as to what it was would be Colin Holloway ??? Then again, Colin would probably have been busy himself at the Keresley Works at that time and might not have even seen or known anything about it being here ??? (Unless it broke down on the 21 route that is !!!LOL).

A 30ft Daimler from the Walsall Corporation fleet (No.824) registered YDH 224 was seen outside Harnall Lane Garage on February 1st, 1957 and could possibly have been on a test run for Daimler or more than likely was being inspected by "CCT" management ???

Besides the Birmingham CVG6 (MOF 132) that came on-loan in 1953, i have a note here (that i can't seem to find at the minute ?) that mentions about another Birmingham Bus coming here, but this time it was a 1954 Guy Arab IV 6LW (MOF 80). I can't remember off the top of my head exactly when it was here or how long it was here for, but i've got it written down somewhere ???

The "SELNEC" PTE Leyland Atlantean (PNF 941J) that came to Coventry on-loan is now in Preservation today and is fully restored to its origional condition !!! When i saw it at the Sheffield Bus Rally a few years ago now, it looked absolutely immaculate, inside and out !!! When it ran here for "CCT", its Cab Door was replaced temporarily and it was fitted with a Coventry one, complete with "CCT" Ticket equipment !!!