1940s BIRMINGHAM CORPORATION DOUBLE-DECKER

Reg No: HOV 685 - new 1948
Chassis: Leyland Titan PD2/1
Engine: Leyland 0600 9.8 litre diesel
Gearbox:Synchromesh
Body: Brush 54 seats (to operator’s design)
OWNED BY THE 1685 GROUP

Birmingham City Transport renewed its fleet after the Second World War. Around 1750 new buses delivered between 1947 and 1954 replaced virtually all the existing buses, plus the remainder of the trolleybus and tram systems.

Those built up to 1950 were generally of this appearance with exposed chrome-plated radiator, heavily raked windscreen to reduce reflections, and half-drop ventilators. Several manufacturers were involved, Leyland supplying 200 double-deck chassis.

One hundred of the Leylands had Brush bodies to the Corporation’s specification and were delivered in 1948-9. All were allocated to Yardley Wood and Perry Barr garages. No. 1685 entered service in November 1948 at Yardley Wood and spent its entire life running from the garage on routes such as the 13/13A, 18, 24, 29, 29A, 90/91 plus, from 1962, the 37 to Hall Green. It was bought for preservation by the 1685 Group upon its retirement in July 1968. Restoration was completed in 1977.

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