Coventry Garage

[busfan2847]

The "mid-1980" list did not include any Metrobuses so perhaps it was closer to early 1980, although the SO vehicles were delivered in late 1979 so should be there. I will have to check the Fleetlist again tonight.

All of the 5 Titans were at PB by the time of this list.

The Hull Atlanteans were withdrawn between 1976 and 1979.

OK I had missed 2001-2075 in the DJS summer 1980 fleetlist, which were in service. 2016-2031 were at H.

[4130Quinton]

Reading through the lists with much interest. The odd/even fleet number split between Sandy Lane and Harnall Lane that had existed in the past and was discontinued in the late 1960's was brought back in during the 1980's but going by the lists this hadn't happened by mid 1980 (buses still allocated in batches or in some cases randomly) but by 1984 the odd/even split was back. Does anyone have an exact date this happened? Been asking this for a while but no definite answers so far.

[paulb1973]

Reading through the lists with much interest. The odd/even fleet number split between Sandy Lane and Harnall Lane that had existed in the past and was discontinued in the late 1960's was brought back in during the 1980's but going by the lists this hadn't happened by mid 1980 (buses still allocated in batches or in some cases randomly) but by 1984 the odd/even split was back. Does anyone have an exact date this happened? Been asking this for a while but no definite answers so far.

I was going to say the same thing. Sometime between early 1980 and 1984, a whole raft of criss-cross transfers must have taken place!
 
A few other thoughts; on the 1986 fleet list Leyland National 1852 is listed - I don't recall that one operating in Coventry at that time? (did 6845 - later 1845, begin its life here in Coventry? Perhaps that was an Easyrider conversion before being sent elsewhere). I have a 1987 WMT list and neither of those two are listed. Dennis Lancets 1053-54 are missing (originally numbered 7053/4 of-course). They arrived in 1985 to operate the Easyrider services, so they must have been present in 1986. With 2166 not appearing and 2263 being in the '86 list - I assume one of those was an advert bus and they were swapped for each other.

[busfan2847]

Reading through the lists with much interest. The odd/even fleet number split between Sandy Lane and Harnall Lane that had existed in the past and was discontinued in the late 1960's was brought back in during the 1980's but going by the lists this hadn't happened by mid 1980 (buses still allocated in batches or in some cases randomly) but by 1984 the odd/even split was back. Does anyone have an exact date this happened? Been asking this for a while but no definite answers so far.

I do not know for sure, but I have marked up the DJS fleetlist to be an odd / even split so likely happened in late 1980 or early 1981. Certainly the next batch of Metrobuses 2156-2167 were delivered split odd and even and they arrived January 1981.

[Tony]

I do not know for sure, but I have marked up the DJS fleetlist to be an odd / even split so likely happened in late 1980 or early 1981. Certainly the next batch of Metrobuses 2156-2167 were delivered split odd and even and they arrived January 1981.

It was done to appease the unions, so neither garage could say it was the poor relation

[busfan2847]

I was going to say the same thing. Sometime between early 1980 and 1984, a whole raft of criss-cross transfers must have taken place!
 
A few other thoughts; on the 1986 fleet list Leyland National 1852 is listed - I don't recall that one operating in Coventry at that time? (did 6845 - later 1845, begin its life here in Coventry? Perhaps that was an Easyrider conversion before being sent elsewhere). I have a 1987 WMT list and neither of those two are listed. Dennis Lancets 1053-54 are missing (originally numbered 7053/4 of-course). They arrived in 1985 to operate the Easyrider services, so they must have been present in 1986. With 2166 not appearing and 2263 being in the '86 list - I assume one of those was an advert bus and they were swapped for each other.

1852 moved from Coventry to Hartshill by October 1986. 1845 was an Easyrider conversion and was stored by March 1987. Yes you are correct I missed 1053/4 which were at S in July 1986. The list is of all WMPTE allocations at that time so it is easy to miss vehicles! I cannot remember if 2263 was an advert bus but it had swapped back to Wolverhampton by March 1987, so it probably was (2166 was still at Wolverhampton as well).

[paulb1973]

1852 moved from Coventry to Hartshill by October 1986. 1845 was an Easyrider conversion and was stored by March 1987. Yes you are correct I missed 1053/4 which were at S in July 1986. The list is of all WMPTE allocations at that time so it is easy to miss vehicles! I cannot remember if 2263 was an advert bus but it had swapped back to Wolverhampton by March 1987, so it probably was (2166 was still at Wolverhampton as well).

Thanks for that re. 1852 & 1845, looks like 1852 arrived in Cov after March 1984 and obviously prior to July 1986. While I was around in the 1980s - my interest in the scene really started at the beginning of the WMT era. I always associate the two Lancets with Wheatley St, but they did arrive before it opened.

The inclusion of 2619 is interesting, I thought that one was a Dudley bus and came much later on.

Going back to 1977, CVG6's 1211/20/4/5/9/32-5/42/5/50-2 are at Acocks Green; but 1247/8/63 were also at AG but listed separately. Were one batch gone permanently and the other temporarily? Is there is a distinction between the two?

The only other query is the omission of Metrobus 2105, which I thought was a Coventry bus part of the 2105-2116 batch (or maybe it wasn't!). Was that based at HN/SY and if it was - did it leave earlier than some of the others in that batch? There is a picture on Flickr of 2105 in the WMPTE era operating a service 98 in Birmingham, so I am beginning to doubt myself now!

[busfan2847]

Thanks for that re. 1852 & 1845, looks like 1852 arrived in Cov after March 1984 and obviously prior to July 1986. While I was around in the 1980s - my interest in the scene really started at the beginning of the WMT era. I always associate the two Lancets with Wheatley St, but they did arrive before it opened.

The inclusion of 2619 is interesting, I thought that one was a Dudley bus and came much later on.

Going back to 1977, CVG6's 1211/20/4/5/9/32-5/42/5/50-2 are at Acocks Green; but 1247/8/63 were also at AG but listed separately. Were one batch gone permanently and the other temporarily? Is there is a distinction between the two?

The only other query is the omission of Metrobus 2105, which I thought was a Coventry bus part of the 2105-2116 batch (or maybe it wasn't!). Was that based at HN/SY and if it was - did it leave earlier than some of the others in that batch? There is a picture on Flickr of 2105 in the WMPTE era operating a service 98 in Birmingham, so I am beginning to doubt myself now!

2619 is  a DY bus in July 86 and should not be in the list.

1247/8/63 were at AG permanently as were the others (I should have moved them too). I remember 1263 always being on the 11A/C in the mid 70s! I am pretty sure once the CVG6s left Coventry non of them returned, unlike the Fleetlines.

2105 was delivered to LH and stayed there until early WMT days when it moved to BC.

[4130Quinton]

I do not know for sure, but I have marked up the DJS fleetlist to be an odd / even split so likely happened in late 1980 or early 1981. Certainly the next batch of Metrobuses 2156-2167 were delivered split odd and even and they arrived January 1981.

That's brilliant thanks. A list I have from September 1980 shows the allocations still in batches so the return to the odd/even split must have happened between then and January 1981. I can focus my research on those four months now and hopefully narrow it down further. It involves the history of two of my buses hence the interest in pinning down the dates.

[Gareth]

It was done to appease the unions, so neither garage could say it was the poor relation

They should do that these days to stop the bus spotters from moaning. All buses ending in 1 to AG, ending in 2 to BC etc etc.

Will stop the 'Wolverhampton has no Crimson' 'Pensnett has the oldest fleet' 'we only get cast offs' Bordesley only has boring Scania' type comments.

If you ever need help with allocating the fleet, just give me a shout!

[paulb1973]

They should do that these days to stop the bus spotters from moaning. All buses ending in 1 to AG, ending in 2 to BC etc etc.

Will stop the 'Wolverhampton has no Crimson' 'Pensnett has the oldest fleet' 'we only get cast offs' Bordesley only has boring Scania' type comments.

If you ever need help with allocating the fleet, just give me a shout!

Using busfan2847 notes, the split batches, listed in its full odd/even-ness! (a few exceptions to the rule did exist in 1986). Still a few Coventry Transport Fleetlines hanging on:

Sandy Lane:
1053, 1054, 1111, 1135, 1844, 1845, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031, 2107, 2109, 2111, 2113, 2115, 2157, 2159, 2161, 2163, 2165, 2167, 2195, 2197, 2199, 2451, 2453, 2455, 2457, 2459, 2461, 2463, 2465, 2467, 2611, 2613, 2615, 2617, 2627, 2629, 2631, 2633, 2635, 2763, 2765, 2767, 2769, 2771, 2837, 2839, 2863, 2865, 2867, 2877, 2879, 2885, 2891, 2893, 2895, 2897, 4447, 4449, 4451, 4453, 4455, 4457, 4459, 4461, 4463, 4465, 6721, 6723, 6725, 6727, 6729, 6731, 6733, 6735, 6737, 6739, 6741, 6743, 6745, 6747, 6749, 6751, 6753, 6755, 6757, 6759, 6917, 6919, 6921, 6923, 6925, 6927, 6929, 6931, 6933, 6935, 6963, 6965, 6967, 6969, 6971, 6985, 6987, 6989


Harnall Lane:
1105, 1127, 1132, 1136, 1140, 1846, 1851, 1852, 1854, 1856, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030, 2106, 2108, 2110, 2112, 2114, 2116, 2156, 2158, 2160, 2162, 2164, (2166 PL), 2168, 2196, 2198, 2263*, 2452, 2454, 2456, 2458, 2460, 2462, 2464, 2466, 2468, 2612, 2614, 2616, 2618, 2626, 2628, 2630, 2632, 2634, 2764, 2766, 2768, 2770, 2772, 2838, 2840, 2862, 2864, 2866, 2868, 2878, 2886, 2892, 2894, 2896, 2898, 4448, 4452, 4456, 4458, 4460, 4462, 4464, 4466, 6722, 6724, 6726, 6728, 6730, 6732, 6734, 6736, 6738, 6740, 6742, 6744, 6746, 6748, 6750, 6752, 6754, 6756, 6758, 6760, 6916, 6918, 6920, 6922, 6924, 6926, 6928, 6930, 6932, 6934, 6962, 6964, 6966, 6968, 6970, 6984, 6986, 6988.

[JoNi]

Bus Lane being physically removed from Ansty Road with new white line in middle road. Presume green road surface will be removed if Bus Lanes are permanently removed.

[John]

4836 has been in service on the 21 today without any working LED boards, saw it more than once. Just had the one dot in the top left corner of each display

[Twi]

is there anyway of finding out what happened to a particular bus im wanting to know the fate of the old coventry fleetline 6750

[Gareth]

is there anyway of finding out what happened to a particular bus im wanting to know the fate of the old coventry fleetline 6750

Scrapped years ago I think. 6757 still survives in preservation though.