During WW II, a number of single-deckers including 60/2/3/5 were modified with circumferential or peripheral seating,
greatly increasing the space for standing passengers. 67 was sold early 1939, 59 was among the Eastney Garage blitz
casualties and none of the other 1928-29 buses survived to re-enter peacetime service in 1946.

1924-25 Dennises began what became routes A-B and E-F (for details of the pre-war services, see SBN 160, 163 and 167) and-
later went on to the original I-J and K-L as well as to G-D when the old Thornycrofts were superannuated in 1929. 36-37 were
used as required such as on extras. The 54s, 62s and 66s went on to C-D and E-F until 1933 when double-deckers took over,
G-H, M-N (1938 version) and Highbury service, and in the case of the 54s 0-P (1937 version). They would all have appeared on
extras and reliefs, tram replacements, workmens,etc, including wartime workings.

All Corporation vehicles delivered up to 1930 including tram 1 were in the standard scarlet lake and cream with single lining.
The colours were normally applied in two broad horizontal bands along the sides with the city crest on the upper (lake) band.
In buses 62-65 and 68-73 as well as tram 1, the lake was applied all-over below the waistline; exceptionally on runabouts 11—
15 and Dennis 16-18 the crest appeared on the rear end and on tram 1 on the side of the end aprons. Fleet numbers were
normally in the form of gold block shaded transfer numerals but again there were exceptions. Cream was used upwards from
the waist and this included the roofs, except on tram 1 (always lake), the Karrier double-deckers (white, later lake but
reverting to white when the red livery was applied) and the Guy runabouts (black). Although I used the word "standard", in
practice there were variations in shade between different batches and at different times, and this was also true of repaints
at works. Cream could be quite a deep shade but could also come out white, while lake seems to have been a somewhat
indeterminate colour. These comments even remained true to some extent in the red livery era which was initiated in 1931
when buses of new types and more modern appearance began to enter the fleet, perhaps appropriately recommencing at
number 1. The new colours of red and white with a more ornate lining-out in the earlier years was progressively applied to
the older vehicles as they came in for overhaul, including a number of the trams, car 1 not excepted. Of the 1924-25
Dennises, only 26 and 34 survived long enough to receive the new colours but most, though perhaps not all, the other
vehicles above went red in due course.

After the 1929 purchases, it was to be over 50 years before the Corporation again opted for the Dennis marque, when in 1982
three Wadham Stringer bodied Lancets, 95-97 GTP 95-7X, entered the fleet, but by this time the Corporation was in its last
years as a bus operator. Then of course, coming up-to-date, we have experienced the Darts of both First and Stagecoach.
_____________________________________________________________















GTP 95X, Portsmouth Citybus. Dennis Lancet, Wadham
Stringer DP33F, new in 1982. On service in Edinburgh
Road. Robert Smith First Bus Dennis Dart/Wright at The Hard. Rodney Barnes

e-news Finally, the Club has invested in a memory stick (one of those
In August I took the opportunity to do a test distribution of things the Government keep losing with all our personal data
Newsletter 172 by e-mail. This electronic magazine works just as on). As photographs and other ephemera are scanned, rather
the paper copy, with the pages turning back and forth, but has than store them on my computer they are now transferred to
the advantage of being ‘as produced’ e.g. in colour, and without the memory stick. This will enable permanent storage and can
the printers quirks, crooked and shrunk pages etc. The copy can be passed to future editors and committee members ensuring
also be enlarged up to twice its normal size (handy for those of continuity. Barry T
us getting to that time in our life). If you would like to join the
distribution list, please made your e-mail address known to Quiz answers
Rodney and I will forward this and the August edition to you. As
an incentive there are four extra pages in this months electronic 1. Wallasey Corporation
copy containing items which normally end up in the Editors bin.
Looking at the stock of photographs currently held, I seem 2. SLF Dart
desperately short of independents operating east of Fareham, 3. 7,9,12.
also Southdown and Provincial. Any contributions would be most 4. it has an under floor engine
welcome(must be your copyright). 5. Spain
The website is now up and running and receiving a steady 6. Taunton
number of hits. Do you have a website, blog, google group or 7. Arriva The Shires
fotopic site, if so would you consider putting us, 8. Aqua Travel
www.freewebs.com/solent-omnibus-club , on your Link Page. I 9. It was the only Bristol LDL operated
would be more than happy to reciprocate if you let me know
when you have done so. 10. 72.
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