Yelloway: Eric Fielding's photographs

Summer 1938 - This photograph was taken by Eric Fielding when he was just a boy - a quick snap he told me - and, despite the lamp post taking centre stage, it is a very evocative photograph. The bus is DDK 256, one of three Leyland Titan TD5 double deckers which Yelloway purchased in 1938. It had a Leyland body and was seen here when only a few weeks old at Thornham when working the Rochdale-Manchester service. An Oldham Corporation bus stands on the right. In 1944 when Yelloway sold the Rochdale-Manchester service to the three municipalities of Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale each received one of the Leylands. Coincidentally DDK 256 passed to Oldham becoming their 227. This photograph appeared in the Venture Publications 'Prestige Series' book on Yelloway (on page 27) although the lamp post had been photoshopped out. This was one of Eric's photographs not credited to him in that book.

Mid 1950s at Blackpool - GDK 303, a Burlingham bodied Leyland Tiger PS1 new in 1948, loading for Oldham. The famous Blackpool Tower can be seen beyond the modern houses in Palmer Avenue from where the coaches entered the coach station property.

Mid 1950s at Blackpool - GDK 727, a Trans-United bodied AEC Regal new in 1949, about to load for Rochdale. Note the canopy over the engine has a curved supporting pillar - a form of modernisation.

Mid 1950s at Blackpool - What is possibly the same coach as in the previous picture. If so then GDK 727, a Trans-United bodied AEC Regal new in 1949, loading for Rochdale. The houses in the background are located on Bloomfield Road itself.

Mid 1950s - In 1951 the first under floor engined coaches were added to the Yelloway fleet which carried this style of bodywork built by the Yelloway associated company, Trans-United Coachcraft of Rochdale. There was one solitary AEC Regal IV and four Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/15 like HDK 805 seen alongside the wall of Falinge Park in Rochdale.

Mid 1950s at Blackpool - In 1951 the first under floor engined coaches were added to the Yelloway fleet which carried this style of bodywork built by the Yelloway associated company, Trans-United Coachcraft of Rochdale. There was one solitary AEC Regal IV and four Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/15 like this one seen at the front of the Blackpool coach station

Early 1950s (1953?) - In 1952 the stylish Burlingham Seagull entered the fleet and continued to do so until Burlingham was acquired by Duple at the end of the 1950s. This impressive line up shows eight of the type parked on the ground owned by Rochdale Corporation Transport for town centre bus parking (Duncan Street is in the foreground and Baillie Street along the rear of the coaches). On the left is KDK 61 new in 1953 whereas all the others, in numerical order, are JDK 320 to JDK 326 bought in 1952. Close examination of the chassis manufacturer badges will reveal that the coaches at each end of the line-up are Leyland Royal Tigers whereas the six others are AEC Regals.

Mid 1950s - KDK 61, one of the three Burlingham Seagull bodied Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/15 coaches which Yelloway bought in 1953. These were to be the last Leylands acquired by Yelloway for many years – until the demise of the AEC marque in fact under British Leyland (1980). It was photographed alongside the wall of Falinge Park in Rochdale.

Early 1954 – KDK 61 about to leave Weir Street on the first winter run of the Rochdale-Cheltenham service. Prior to this time the Rochdale-Torquay ‘Devonian’ service was summer only and Yelloway had to fight to obtain a licence to run between Rochdale and Cheltenham during the winter months. In fact this first winter season didn’t commence immediately after the close of the previous summer timetable and there was a gap of some months before the new winter operation could commence. This resulted in only a short winter period before the already licenced summer service began again. Hubert Allen, the Yelloway Chairman and General Manager, had a tradition of ‘launching’ a new service by cracking a bottle of champagne over the front nearside wheel (there was always a shovel and brush on hand to sweep up the glass before the coach departed!). In these regulated days it was often cause for celebration to have obtained new road service licences which sometimes required a lot of preparation work to present a case in the Traffic Courts. Justifying the need for new services could often involve lengthy traffic court battles. One of the first passengers on the new service performs the task of ‘launching’ the service watched by Hubert Allen and Jack Wilson.

Early 1954 – KDK 61 about to leave Weir Street on the first winter run of the Rochdale-Cheltenham service This photograph features the driver (Cliff Holt I think his name was), Hubert Allen (the Yelloway Chairman and General Manager), Jack Wilson (Yelloway Traffic Manager) and Vincent Reeves (Road Steward). The coach was standing in the open air on ground close to Slack Street which would later become covered when the garage and coach station were extended forwards.Prior to this time the Rochdale-Torquay ‘Devonian’ service was summer only and Yelloway had to fight to obtain a licence to run between Rochdale and Cheltenham during the winter months. In fact this first winter season didn’t commence immediately after the close of the previous summer timetable and there was a gap of some months before the new winter operation could commence. This resulted in only a short winter period before the already licenced summer service began again.

Mid 1950s at Blackpool - KDK 62, one of the three Burlingham Seagull bodied Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/15 coaches which Yelloway bought in 1953. These were to be the last Leylands acquired by Yelloway for many years – until the demise of the AEC marque in fact under British Leyland (1980).

A group of drivers stand with ODK 772 under the large Yelloway sign, a proud feature over the entrance of the Rochdale garage and coach station. The coach was a Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Reliance delivered in 1956.

Circa 1958 - SDK 827, one of the three Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Reliances bought in 1958, pictured on the car park near The Beach Hotel at Hollingworth Lake.

Circa 1958 - SDK 827, one of the three Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Reliances bought in 1958, pictured on the car park near The Beach Hotel at Hollingworth Lake.

1959 or early 1960s - In 1959 the last Burlingham bodied coaches entered the fleet which were of a ‘tarted up’ Seagull featuring greater use of fibreglass panels and longer length panoramic windows. Four were bought registered UDK 311-314 and all passed to Premier Travel of Cambridge between 1963 and 1965. Directly behind the front of the coach were some cottages which were subsequently demolished to provide more garage space. Note too the covered bridge which linked the warehouses owned by the Co-operative Society.

1961 - The first batch of Harrington Cavalier coaches arrived in 1961 and were of the then permitted maximum length of 30 feet – from 1962 the maximum length of 36 feet was permitted. YDK 585 stands near Falinge Park in Rochdale.

1961 - The first batch of Harrington Cavalier coaches arrived in 1961 and were of the then permitted maximum length of 30 feet – from 1962 the maximum length of 36 feet was permitted. YDK 585 stands at the gates of Falinge Park in Rochdale.

Mid 1960s - Hubert Allen cracks a bottle of champagne on the front wheel of YDK 585, as he ‘launches’ another new service. The destination blind shows ‘Torquay’ so I would imagine this was perhaps an additional and speeded up express variant of the ‘Devonian’ service. The coach was among the first batch of Harrington Cavalier coaches which were delivered in 1961 and were of the then permitted maximum length of 30 feet – from 1962 the maximum length of 36 feet was permitted.