SCOTTISH VINTAGE BUS MUSEUM

DETAILS

Chassis: Bedford OB, built 949, No. 132317.

Body: Duple Vista, built 1950, No. 56030.

Engine: Bedford 28 HP, 6 cyl petrol, No. OX 16203 (Formerly No. KMO 22704).

First Licensed 25/3/50.

SS 7501 at Whitburn in 19??(Edward George)

The first Bedford buses and coaches appeared in 1931, but it was not until August 1939 that the purpose built passenger chassis, designated OB. was launched, featuring a rear extension, and an offset differential. The electrical system was 12 volt, and had, unlike previous models, a compensated voltage control. The chassis was supplied by Vauxhall Motors complete with scuttle, bonnet, front wings and bumper. A factory fitted Perkins P6, 29.4 HP diesel engine was available as an alternative to the more common Bedford petrol unit.

Though several British coachbuilders bodied 0Bs, the majority were designed and built by Duple Motor Bodies Ltd of Hendon, who offered on the OB chassis, both the Vista coach and a more basic Almet service bus.

Production of the OB chassis continued until late 1950, by which time over 16,000 units had been built, it was replaced by the SB model.

In Glass livery in Haddington, March 1966.
Iain MacGregor

SS 7501 was first registered in March 1950 to Mrs M S Fairbairn, trading as William Cleghorn, West End Garage, Haddington, from where the vehicle was run on local service. In January 1958, the garage business, complete with bus, was sold to Ian B Glass, who has, since that time, built up an independent bus and coach fleet.

In November 1965, SS 7501 was sold to J R Dale & Sons, farmers, of Seacliff, North Berwick, where she was used for several years to transport farm workers, before being ‘retired’ to a barn at Scoughall Farm, North Berwick.

She was purchased for restoration in July 1978.

The vehicle, when acquired, was basically complete out in a well-worn condition. Restoration work involved removal of all interior fittings, together with the exterior mouldings, front and rear wings, and several body panels. Some minor rot in the timber frame was found and repaired, and the vehicle was reassembled and retrimmed with suitable moquette and headcloth.

A replacement engine was acquired and comprehensively overhauled. The rest of the running gear and braking system was systematically checked and parts replaced as necessary.

Repainting was carried out in the livery of Wiles of Port Seton, who operated several OBs of a similar vintage.

The restoration was completed in June 1982, and the vehicle was regularly rallied throughout the summer months. It appeared in the BBC series ‘Strathblair’.