I remember that the Old Steine was always busy and a difficult place to cross.
Don’t know the date of this shot. Maybe some of our transport enthusiasts can date it from the buses?
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This is definitely post-1960 as the trolleybuses have gone, as have their wires, though the posts that carried the overhead are still present, so not too long after. Nice to see the splendid Corporation tramshed / staff room so well depicted – I recall standing inside it on many rainy afternoons waiting for the 26. The really useful clue to the date is the nearest bus, the one partly obscured by the parapet of the Royal Albion Hotel whence the picture was taken. This is definitely one of the Corporation’s four ex-Southdown pre-war Titan TD5s with post-war East Lancs rebodying, in service only from June 1961 until the last one was withdrawn in June 1964. Two of these only lasted in service one year, and the third only till November 1963, so the odds are on the picture dating from the earlier part of this three-year period. Assuming this picture was taken at the same time as Sue’s earlier picture along Kingsway, that puts both pictures between June 1961 and June 1964, and most likely no later than June 1962. Once again, Sue, a wonderful colour view, and I’m hoping you’ve got a lot more of these!
Thanks for your information which all makes sense – I am glad people are enjoying the pictures – I am supposed to be decluttering but the ‘to throw’ box is virtually empty!
Well done Sue for another superb colour photo in your guess the year series, please keep the throw away box empty! Len as one Omnibiologist to another, game set and match to you.
I would agree with Len about the date; the pale blue poles which supported the trolleybus overhead wires were taken away by late 1962 / early 1963.
Working on Len’s theory of it being between June ’61 and June ’62 we might be able to narrow it down from the state of the trees and the length of the shadows. Unless they are all copper beeches (!) they are ‘turning’ to autumn colours as if in late September or early October. The shadows are quite long and the sun is in the southwest. Maybe 4.30 in the afternoon. Needs someone obsessive enough to measure the lengths and directions of shadows at the Old Steine next autumn to get an accurate fix on the time and date!
The tower blocks in the far right look complete - that would put the date circa 1962, to my guess. Also it could well be the Lyon’s Tea House at the bottom of St. James’ Street.
Anyone really that obsessive out there? (Don’t tempt fate!) Sue, don’t you dare throw away any pictures as good as these two! Other “omnibiologists” (never heard bus enthusiasts called that before) may be interested to hear that I did once take a ride on one of the TD5s when it was called out to dep for one of the then almost new PD2s on the 26A. I remember mounting this antique at St Saviour’s and dismounting at Grand Parade, my teeth chattering in my head from the vibration of the old girl. I expected it to shake itself to pieces at any moment. History records that these four old-timers were pressed into service only to cover for late deliveries of PD2s due to a fire at Weymann’s bodyworks, and were clearly put out to grass as soon as possible. A fine picture of one at Old Steine on service 48 can be found in Glyn Kraemer-Johnson’s and John Bishop’s “Streets Of Brighton”.
As already commented, the bus with the grey roof and Watneys advert, is one of four aging Leyland TD5s purchased second hand by Brighton Corporation from Southdown in 1961 and used as stop gaps. Entering service in June of that year. These life expired vehicles would spend most of their short working lives with The Corporation, as spare buses, or trundling up and down the Lewes Road on the 48s, occasionally they would work the more challenging routes. The Corporation paid Southdown around £70 each for those old vehicles, in todays values, about £3,500 per bus. The sixteen new PD2s that were delivered in 1961 cost The Corporation £73,000 – approx. £4,600 a bus – putting things into perspective a brand new BMC Mini or Ford Anglia, would cost you around £500 at that time. Nowadays the equivalent new Scania Omnicity DD, will probably cost in excess of £230,000. Of course there is no such word as ‘Omnibiologists’ although I think there should be – just a bit of fun 🙂 Sounds much better than being know as a plain old Bus Enthusiasts. By Chris Wrapson
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