Gash KAL 579
GASH OF NEWARK BUS
Reg No: KAL 579 - new 1948
Chassis: Daimler CVD6
Engine: Daimler CD6 8.6 litre diesel
Gearbox: Pre-selective
Body: Massey 61 seats (new 1958)
The development of the William Gash fleet is typical of many small operators. Early in 1919, the family purchased a corn mill in their home village of Elston in Nottinghamshire. To facilitate deliveries a lorry was acquired which, on market days, was fitted with a small number of seats to carry passengers. They traded up to a true bus in 1926 and gradually developed or bought bus services including, from 1932, a Nottingham to Newark service which became the mainstay of operations. Growth was sustained, particularly after the establishment of wartime RAF camps in the area.
New double-deckers were purchased after the war, including four of these Daimlers, originally with Strachans bodywork. The chassis proved considerably more robust than the bodies so in 1958-62 all four received new bodies by Massey.
The Daimler CVD6 chassis was powered by Daimler’s own CD6 engine which was smooth if a little thirsty. As was standard on Daimlers of this period, the bus has a preselector gearbox and fluid flywheel transmission. Gash purchased nine double-deckers and two coaches on CVD6 chassis. This was a significant total for a small company (Birmingham, incidentally, purchased 438 CVD6 chassis). The Gash double-deckers enjoyed long lives, this one running until the end of the 1970s. It came to the Museum in mid-1980 via an intermediate owner. It was overhauled and repainted in 1990-1. Little attention to the bodywork was necessary, rather more work being required on the chassis and mechanical units.
Gash survived into the era of deregulated bus services, forcing its much larger neighbour, Road Car, to close its Newark depot. Road Car fought back, however, and Gash was absorbed by them in May 1989.
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