David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: Burlingham Seagull

Mid 1950s - The ‘Creams’ fleetname as carried on LDK 382, a Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Regal, which was delivered to the main Yelloway fleet in 1954. Transferred to Creams in 1957 it remained as a Creams coach until sold in 1964. The Creams (Lancashire) Limited was acquired by Yelloway in 1947 and remained a separate subsidiary until 1970. From 1960 to 1970 the policy was to employ lightweight coaches in the Creams fleet replacing them after one or two summer seasons but during the earlier years heavyweight vehicles transferred from the main Yelloway fleet.

Mid 1950s - The Creams (Lancashire) Limited was acquired by Yelloway in 1947 and remained a separate subsidiary until 1970. From 1960 to 1970 the policy was to employ lightweight coaches in the Creams fleet replacing them after one or two summer seasons but during the earlier years heavyweight vehicles transferred from the main Yelloway fleet. LDK 382, a Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Regal, had been delivered to Yelloway in 1954 and in 1957 was transferred to Creams. It remained in the Creams fleet until sold in 1964. The garter scroll on the rear door comprised a ‘C’ in an old English text surrounded by an orange belt. This garter differed from that carried on Yelloway vehicles. The transfer (decal) for the latter was gold lining on clear film and so when applied to the coach the main body colour showed through. Thus the belt was the same colour as the body.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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 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.

Summer 1965 or 1966 – A Burlingham Seagull bodied Leyland Tiger Cub of W C Standerwick Ltd had just left the Yelloway coach station as it set out for Blackpool on the X79 service. It was paused at the end of Penn Street (later Ink Street) ready to turn into Smith Street. The buildings were subsequently demolished to provide more space for coach parking. Whilst a rather poor and now scratchy snapshot from my schooldays it appears that the coach is registered NFR 957 and if so was number 9 in the Standerwick fleet.

Summer 1963 or 1964 – I think it would be 1964 and one of my earliest Yelloway photographs which shows that a varied fleet was operated at this time. Seen under the large Yelloway sign on the front of the coach station and garage at Weir Street, Rochdale are (from right to left): one of the first batch of the shorter 30 foot long Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliances bought in 1961 (YDK 585-590). (From 1962 the longer 36 foot model became standard and the front wheels on those were set further back); a Duple bodied Bedford SB5 (the 1963 and 1964 Bedfords carried this style of body. The 1963 coaches were 4229/4230 DK. The Creams (Lancashire) Limited, a Yelloway subsidiary, operated 4227/4228 DK. In 1964 Yelloway operated 6475/6476 DK and Creams 6477 DK). Under the magnifier it could be 6477 DK which is seen here (new 1964); another Harrington Cavalier; and a Duple Donnington (one of four such coaches new in 1960 registered WDK 950-953). On the extreme edge of the photograph is a Burlingham Seagull. At this time, the first Plaxton bodied coaches (on Bedford SB5 chassis) were operated as were the first of the six wheel Bedford VAL model. The low buildings behind the Duple Donnington were subsequently demolished to provide more covered parking for the coaches.