CWK205 (2009)

No. 1…scrapped T.W.Moore

In a previous forum piece I mentioned the shocking and distressing sight of Coventry buses, I knew as new buses, being dismantled for scrap. Seeing CCT. Daimler No 1 was a shock to me I can tell you, it was so unexpected, for at the time I was photographing a woman hanging out her washing at the end of her garden in an area around Bradford St and Aderlaide St off Harnell Lane East not far from the bus depot, way back in 1966. The whole area of housing had been demolished for new development, the washing hung and blew against this scene of desolation and made a good picture. It was when I was taking the ladies name that I glanced to the right to see a CCT bus at least a 100 yards away in this clearance area. I soon discovered it was No. 1, the bus I had seen on it’s first day in service, way back in April 1948, I was 9 years old and that bus was the newest thing I had ever seen in those early postwar days. I can still smell the new paint and warmth of that bus, and that tall sparkling Daimler radiator was just hypnotic, as the bus stood outside the Kepple St. gate, waiting to proceed into the depot after its day’s service. It was that day I really became interested in buses, the excitement to discover more new Daimler buses was just all I could think about. When I told my dad, he said. I bet its an old ‘un done up…but, I knew it was a brand sparkling new Daimler..No.1.

There was no sparkling Daimler radiator to be seen on that day in Aderlaide St., it had been removed, the engine too. (see pics 1 and 2). No.1 was in tatters, its windows had been smashed and shattered its lower deck panels torn off, the roof was missing and a lone scrapper hovered about grabbing at more parts. And he was not too pleased about me being there, however, I did managed to purchase the registration plate and the brass chassis plate from the cab, cost me 15/- bob. Whats that worth now? See pics 3 and 4)




A month, before No.1 was withdrawn in February 1966 the engine was replaced by a reconditioned engine. We might say. Why replace an engine when the bus was so near withdrawal?

No.1 was one of eleven CT CVA6s sold to local scrap dealer George Hilditch in April 1966, the CVA6s were 1,2,4,6,9,21,28,44,48,49,60. (see pic5) Some of these buses could have been seen stored behind tall metal fences in Pinley Gardens in Stoke Aldermoor, an area of a few scrap dealers and in wartime and early postwar years a caravan site with some old CCT buses as caravans. Mr. Hilditch sold No.1 to the scrapper, I see dismantling the bus. In Mr Hilditch’s ownership, No.1 transported a bus load of scrappers on a weekends trip to Blackpool. (see pic 6) of No1 setting off from Pool Meadow on its Blackpool trip) It was on that trip the scrapper was so impressed by No. 1’s engine he decided to buy the bus, remove the engine and fit it in his tow wagon and scrap everything else. Just why the bus was being scrapped in Aderlaide St. I do not know, but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to photograph the end of No.1. I returned to the scene three days later and the remains of No 1 had all gone. The other ten CVA6s were scrapped near Berkswell…. another tale to tell late….. And what about those CCT buses as caravans in the very early postwar period….yet another tale.

THE REASON NO.1 HAD A RECONDIONED ENGINE FITTED PRIOR TO WITHDRAWAL, WAS DUE TO THE GARAGE SUPERVISOR NOT KNOWING IT WAS TO BE WITHDRAWN ON THE EXPIREY OF IT'S CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS,WHEN 18 YEARS OLD,THE AVERAGE LIFE OF A CCT BUS THEN.

AS REGARDS CCT BUSES CONVERTED TO CARAVANS POST WAR,THE AREA BETWEEN MUCH PARK STREET AND LITTLE PARK STREET WHICH IS NOW THE COURT AND POLICE STATION,THIS WAS FULL OF CONVERTED BUSES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,SOME WHERE IN RUNNING ORDER, OTHERS WHERE MINUS THE ENGINES. THERE WAS TWO CCT BUSES,AVC 129,I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER ONE. THERE WAS ALSO A TROLLEY BUS ,I BELIEVE FROM NEWCASTLE.

THE FIVE BODIES FROM THE COA6'S THAT WHERE REBODIED IN 1949,WHERE SOLD MINUS THE SEATS FOR £5 EACH,THREE WHERE PARKED ON LAND AT THE BACK OF MILES GARAGE NOW QUICK SAVE ON THE BINLEY ROAD, ONE BECAME A CARAVAN MADE ONLY FROM THE THE TOP DECK. A MECHANIC AT WATERY LANE BOUGHT THE OTHER ONE AND BROKE IT UP FOR SCRAP.

Colin's reply reminds me that my colleague Richard Sayward had told me about the site in Binley Road, next to Empress Buildings , it later became Mortons Transport depot I believe. The original bodies from the COA6 rebuilds is of great interest, that top deck must have been mounted on something to form a caravan. Pity there's no photographs of it. The site in Little Park St. must have been larger than I imagined, by the middle fifties it must have been reduced in size when I first noticed a bus down that way. Colin says he remembers 129 there, but acording to the CCT bus disposal list, compliled by F.P.Groves, who was working in the Harnell Lane office at the time, shows this bus to have been sold to W.T.Bird Stratford along with 130,131,133-138 and scrapped. I wonder if it were 159 Colin had seen, that was sold to a Mrs Cluck and converted to a caravan. I have added a new topic on CCT buses as caravans that may be of interest to all.

TOM IF IT WAS'NT 129,IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 126, I REMEMBER IT BECAUSE IT WAS ONE THAT HAD BEEN REBODIED DUE TO BOMB DAMAGE. BUT ACCORDING TO MY LIST 126 WAS SOLD TO IRVING BROS.MOTHERWLL. THE BUYER OF 129 COULD HAVE BOUGHT IT DIRECT FROM BIRDS AND NOT CCT,AND 129 GOING STRAIGHT TO MUCH PARK STREET NOT BIRDS.THIS IS HOW SMITH'S OF LONG ITCHINGTON BOUGHT THEIR C V G 'S,, A QUICK PROFFIT TO THE DEALERS.

This may answer several issues I have been trying to solve for years.
My parents married in 1947 and in 1949 purchased a bus body from Coventry Transport to convert to livivng accomodation as houses were obviously difficult to come by after the war. He bought the body from Watery Lane works and a lorry chassis to transport it on.
It was moved over a weekend to a site in the Binley Road, in an orchard on the land of MIles Garage, opposite the Bulls Head pub. My father recollects that his bus body was there first, then it was joined by another and then 3 caravans.
My father converted the upper deck to a bedroom and bathroom and the lower deck to be a kitchen and living room. He also tells me that he painted his bus blue.
He was there until early 1954 and the bus was then sold as a static "house" to a man who lived there for a further 6 -9 months before having to disopose of the body as the land was to be developed.
My father does not recollect only the top deck from another body being used for a caravan however.
The information I don't know is - which number bus the body came from. Can anybody help?