Busworld Photography: Staffordian Ford Duple OCA 433L at Picher Bank

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

Friday, 4 August 2017

Staffordian Ford Duple OCA 433L at Picher Bank

At various times it has been fascinating to be a bus enthusiast but it has it's lows too. For myself just before my time the wonderful Fifties with coach operators sporting Burlingham Seagulls, Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB's and Dosal finned Harringtons and so many rarities from small bodybuilders often local must have been great. But then came the boring lightweight era of the Bedford and Ford. Thankfully for us Duple changed it's designs regularly but Plaxton's Panorama basically stayed the same. Having nobody suitable to inherit the business Greatrex was bought out the Austin family who owned Happy Days. But they at least introduced DAF's, Leopards, and even an Iveco to the renamed Staffordian, but as you can see they also retained a number of Greatrex Fords plus Duple bodied OCA 433L. As for the Chaserider National, one would have to wait a long time for a bus to Hyde-Lea Coppenhall today as it doesn't run any more a far cry from the Sixties when there was still a decent Midland Red Sunday Service using double-deckers.