Ribble buses in Liverpool

[xkopite]

I am posting these pics for my friend Ray Smyth who use to drive for The Ribble Motor Company.
The first picture is of a Leyland PD2 number 55, I think this may have been a joint service at Old Haymarket. this was a busy terminus for Ribble and Liverpool Corporation buses.

The second picture is of, 2 Leyland PD3 72 seaters. in London Road. L3 destination Crosby

More to follow unless Ray can manage to post on this thread in place of me.

[Gardner 180]

Thanks to Dave xkopite for starting this thread. As soon as I learn how to post pictures properly,
I will put some more pictures on this page. The first picture is at Old Haymarket, this was a joint
service with Liverpool Corporation. In the 2nd picture, the bus on the left will soon turn to its right
and head to Crosby, the bus on the right will turn to its left near the "Legs Of Man" and head along
Lime Street and then left into Skelhorne Street to its terminus. I would like to see more Ribble photos
from any Bootle Forum members, some of whom may have worked for Ribble Motor Services.

Regards, Ray Smyth.

[filsgreen]

Thanks for posting and the info, lads.

[fatboyjoe90]

Hiya Dave and Ray, I’ve enlarged your Buss photos.

[Gardner 180]

Ribble fleet No. 1438, seen here in Skelhorne Street in the late 1950s was the first
Ribble bus that I drove in 1968, by which time it was based at Ribble Wigan depot.

[Gardner 180]

I have tried to add the picture to the posting above, but it does not appear.
I clicked on "Add image to post"
I then clicked on "Choose Images"
I selected the picture in the file, and clicked on "Open"
The picture title appeared very briefly and disappeared.
It then shows "Add image to post" and I am back to square 1.
what should I have clicked on to send it, I tried "Submit" but it
sends the script but not the picture, Ray.

[Bernie R]

Ray

There's a pinned post at the top of the forum with Mack's instructions on how to upload pics.

Good luck

Bern

[xkopite]

Thanks Joe for enlarging the pictures.
Cheers
Dave

[fatboyjoe90]

My pleasure Dave, I can help you with posting your photos. Just send me a PM, and I'll try to sort it for you.

[Dan]

I always thought Ribble buses were just for posh people. 28 was always corpy green.

Some from my bus file. A sentence only an OAP could write.





1970 Pier Head.



1977 Stanley road.



1978 Old Roan





Lord Street



St John's Lane



1973 Lord Street Southport



The Strand



2005



Regards

Dan

[Gardner 180]

Dan, Many thanks for posting these Ribble pictures earlier today. I have seen just 3 of them before.
We, as youngsters also thought that these buses were for posh folk, Mam & Dad would take me and
my 3 brothers about once a year to visit Auntie Bella and Uncle Jack and cousins who lived at Maghull,
We used to board the 321 to Lydiate, these buses had a heater in the lower saloon, and the seats were
upholstered in Moquette fabric...There`s Posh...and they went to posh places like Waterloo & Crosby.
We were some of the poor folk from Belle Vale Prefabs.

My favourite picture from those you sent is Pier Head 1970, Interesting things such as the man & woman
carrying 2 young children and a bag of shopping, perhaps on their way to catch the ferry to Birkenhaed.
The Liverpool Corporation bus crew that are walking briskly will be going for a cup of tea across the way.
I can tell that they are a "Corpy" crew, the conductors ticket machine is an "Ultimate" box, whereas
Ribble conductors used a "Setright" machine.

From early 1968, I drove for Ribble at their Wigan depot for 2 years, but the only connection we had with
Liverpool was if we were on the 320 circuitous route via Ashton, Haydock, St Helens, and Prescot that
ended at South John Street. My 2 favourite buses to drive were Single Deck 899, and Double Deck 1760.
I would like to find some pictures of these 2 machines. "Machines" was Ribble parlance for bus.

Dan, can I have a borrow of some of these pictures to post on the Buses thread on TrucknetUK ?
Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.

[john j connell]

I don't know whether it was just me, but when smoking was prevalent on the upper decks of the buses it always seemed to be much more of a fug on the Corpy buses compared to the Ribble, other than opening the windows did the Ribble have any other means of extracting the smoke.
As a matter of interest, have you any idea of the year when smoking was officially banned on buses.
My dad used to roll his own cigarettes and i can remember that on the lid of his tobacco tin was a strike plate that he had liberated from the back of a seat on the 39. JJC.

[Ernie Jackson. (Bunty)]

We always avoided Ribble when going to town from Bedford Road in the 60's and would wait till the cheaper corpie bus came along. I think, from memory, that the fare on Ribble was 7d and on the Corpie was 3d.

[Shelagh]

Every Saturday night after the Orrell Park ballroom emptied, upper deck of the 61 would be filled with smokers - couldn’t breathe, but what the heck, thought we looked cool and sophisticated

Ernie, bus fare from Knowsley to Strand Rd also cost 3d
Sitting on top deck of the 24 bus, best part of Saturday afternoon - that and shopping in Woolies

[Dan]

Ray

Take what you like.

Great post, information and homework, all in one.

Years since anyone has used the term "moquette". A female mocker at first guess.

My recollection of the 28 top deck was the unmistakable (sorry that should be great) smell of Brut from the lads going into town of a Saturday night.

That's when you really needed the windows open.

Regards

Dan

[Dan]

Can I interest you in a Ribble 366 single deck, with accompanying moquette seating?





Regards

Dan

[Dan]

That's another 30 minutes of my life I'm never going to get back.

Ultimate Bus Ticket Machine. (Corpy)



Setright Bus Ticket Machine with spare ticket rolls. (Ribble)



Now I remember the difference.

Regards

Dan

[Patricia]

Dan - I have really enjoyed your lovely postings of the "Ribble Buses."
Delighted to see the "L2" which was my main mode of transportation
every morning into Liverpool where I worked and also to visit my
Grandparents who lived off Endbutt Lane in Crosby where I got off the
bus outside the "Endbutt Hotel." ( I wonder if it is still there?)
Brought back a lot of memories.

[Dan]

Patricia

From March 2019. I think that's the one.



Just come in from that neck of the woods. I go to Crosby library(opposite The Plaza) a couple of times a week.

Regards

Dan

[Patricia]

Bingo!!! That's the one!!!
Remember very carefully carrying a many of my Mum's "Famous" Apple Pies
on a Sunday afternoon to my Grandparents on the L2!!

[Dan]

1962 Atlantean



Regards

Dan

[Patricia]

Photo I found of my Daily travels to and from Liverpool on
the Bus...............

[filsgreen]

Classy lady, Patricia. Is that the Corpy 57a going up Park Lane?

[Patricia]

[Shelagh]

Memories of your days in Liverpool, Patricia
Coordinating shoes and bag, very with it

[Gardner 180]

Photo I found of my Daily travels to and from Liverpool on
the Bus...............

Patricia, This bus is one of many operated by Crosville on Merseyside and North Wales.
Where was the picture taken ? Cheers, Ray.

[Patricia]

Ray - To the best of my recollection it was taken on
Liverpool Road where I lived for about a year after
marriage, before moving to Germany.

[Gardner 180]

Patricia, Thank you for your post. How I knew it was a Crosville bus is because I recognised the
style of "Fleet Number" plate on the side of the bus. The main routes that Crosville operated from
Pier Head were via Liverpool Road as you mentioned, and on to Prescot and Warrington.
Danke, Auf Wiedersehen, Ray.

[BossHogg]

My patrol partner is a former MPTE driver, he had an uncle who drove for Crossville for many years, he said he was heartbroken when the company ceased operations.

[Gardner 180]

This post is for the benefit of lorry drivers, bus and coach drivers, past and present,
also transport enthusiasts of all ages, and anyone that would like an interesting day out.

The 21st Leyland Society Gathering will be on Sunday July 7th 2019 at the
British Commercial Vehicle Museum in the town of Leyland, Lancashire.

Ray Smyth.

[BOBHAMO]

ribble bus station southport 1950s
bobhamo

[Gardner 180]

ribble bus station southport 1950s
bobhamo

Nice picture Bob, I remember Southport bus station very well from my time driving for Ribble in the late 1960s.
I was based at the Wigan depot of Ribble, and on seeing this picture, a particular "Late Duty" comes to mind.
Start at 4pm, do 2 round trips, Wigan to St Helens.. at 7.15pm, 1 trip to Billinge, back in Wigan by 8.15 then
into the Mess room for a butty and a brew. Next journey was 9pm, route 376, Wigan to Southport, arrival time
at Southport was 10.28pm, but instead of setting off back to Wigan at 10.30pm, our departure time was set back
to 10.40pm in order to arrive back in Wigan at 00.08am to meet up with the Standerwick Blackpool to London
overnight coach. At Southport, the Ribble Inspector would give you a sticker to put in the front window of the bus,
showing "LONDON -VICTORIA COACH STATION", as this journey was a duplicate service for any passengers
for London whose coach fare was valid for the Southport to Wigan journey. Strangely enough, the London coach
was timed to leave Wigan bus station at 00.05am, and the 376 was timed to arrive at Wigan bus station at 00.08.
I was always back at Wigan by about midnight, and if the London coach was running late, and if we had passengers
for London, we would wait for the Double Deck coach to arrive, and the passengers and their luggage would stay on
our bus until it showed up. Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.

[xkopite]

Hi folks,
Just posting some more pictures for Ray till he gets the hang of it.
He will add the story line for them when he logs on.
Thanks.

[Dan]

Enlarged for Ray to work his magic.











Regards

Dan

[BOBHAMO]

1980 Hawthorne road
bobhamo