BUSWORLD PHOTOGRAPHY

I AM CHRISTOPHER LEACH THE ARTIST. I started this blog so that I can share with everyone my vast collection of transport photographs showing a personal and nostalgic view of the industry with images that span some 45 years taking in the U.K and some of Europe. I have no darkroom and so rather than being the perfectionist after tidying them up I upload the images warts and all, and even those that won't scan squarely or are scratched. In a way it adds age and character. You are all free to download these for your personal use but please remember I still own them and you are not just free to use them without prior permission for any knd of publishing. Click on images to enlarge them and if you want to see more leave your comments or visit my website for the mother-site with galleries including those Buses & Girls: PICTUREWORLD

Monday 15 June 2009

Digbeth Birmingham: Former Harper Brothers


In the Eighties Midland Red already had a large fleet of Leyland Leopards having taken it's first batch of forty-nine Duple (Northern) Commander coaches in 1965. After that the company chose the more popular Plaxton Panorama and later Panorama Elite, but the Duple Commander made a modest comeback to the fleet after Harpers of Heath Hayes who had liked that combination were taken over in 1974. The later Commanders looked a bit strange as Duple had added roof-line quarter-lights which made them look like they had been crossed with the lighter Viceroy range built at Hendon. Not the most beautiful coach ever to come out of the former Burligham factory in Blackpool the all white NBC coach livery did little to flatter it's awkward lines. Still it's styling was very much in accord with the Plastic Pig next to it at the lights which coincidentally almost carried a Midland Red bus registration as they had SHA-G's.

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