Bus

This was at the Arts Festival and had come from Cobham Bus museum. Later on some children were singing in the top of it.

At the time D 142 was built, the London bus scene was suprisingly similar to the situation outside London today. The market was relatively unregulated, with the network of routes being dominated by one large operator, which was surrounded by many small competitors. As time went by, the large operator gradually gobbled up the smaller ones.

D 142 was delivered in 1925 to London independent operator W H Cook, who traded under the name Dominion Omnibus Co Ltd, for use with the other similar bus they operated on the Uxbridge Road route 514. By 1926, Redburn was the fifth largest independent London operator, when it was taken over by the London General Omnibus Company. The body of this bus was then fitted to XU 6822 of the Alberta fleet in December 1926, who allocated it the fleet number D 22.

The body was later found in 1970, in use as a store shed at Wickford, Essex, where it had lain for 39 years when discovered covered in corrugated iron. It was acquired for preservation in 1971 by the late Prince Marshall and once a correct chassis had been sourced, was restored for him by LPC Coachworks. Remarkably very little work needed to be carried out on the body and therefore the majority of the woodwork is still very much original.

When completed in 1972, it was whisked off for a 2000 mile tour of Japan and on returning to England, immediately commenced a promotional tour of the country for The English Tourist Board. It then continued it’s busy new life with Obsolete Fleet including; working the 100 Route Vintage Service & making numerous Film & T.V. appearances for the next fourteen years. (Nearly three times as long as when it was originally in service!)