chester corporation transport 1902-1986 · tramway manager was opposed to ... routes from the town...

Chester Corporation Transport 1902-1986

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First Published 2018 by The Local Transport History Library.

With thanks to John Huddlestone, David Mitchell and Doug Nicholson for illustrations.

© The Local Transport History Library 2018. (http://www.lthlibrary.org.uk)For personal use only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, transmitted or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic,mechanical or otherwise for commercial gain without the express written permissionof the publisher. In all cases this notice must remain intact. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTSChester Corporation Transport - Fleet History 1902-1986.….….….…….….….…

Chester Corporation Transport - Tram Fleet List 1902-1930.….…….….….…….

Chester Corporation Transport - Bus Fleet List 1930-1986.….…….….….……….

Cover Illustration: Preserved 1953 Guy Arab IV No. 1 (RFM641), with Massey 56-seatbodywork. (LTHL collection).

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http://www.lthlibrary.org.uk


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Horse buses are recorded in Chester as early as 1870, when a service connectingChester General Station to the Town Hall commenced. In 1878, the Chester TramwaysAct authorised the construction of a tramway connecting the General Station via CityRoad, Foregate Street, Eastgate Street, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Bridge, HoughGreen and Chester Street to Saltney, where it terminated close to the border withWales, a distance of some 2.38 miles. The tramway was single-track with passingplaces and was built to the standard gauge of 4ft 8½ins. Operated by the ChesterTramways Company, it officially opened on the 10th June 1879 with an initial rollingstock of 8, Eades patent reversible, open-top, double-deck, two-horse cars in crimsonlake and cream livery, probably built by Milnes. At the same time, the Company wasalso operating a number of horse buses between the Market Square and Hoole Church,and between the Bache and Christleton.

The tramcars were soon replaced by 8 conventional double-deck one-horse cars, builtlocally, and supplemented, around 1885, by two Starbuck cars. The Company alsobuilt one tramcar themselves. Interestingly, tramcar No.9 (possibly one of theStarbuck-built cars) was converted to run on compressed air by the local engineeringfirm of Hughes & Lancaster around 1886 and ran in this way for a number of years,although by the early 1890’s it had been cut down to a single-decker.

The original Tramways Act of 1878 included a provision for the Tramway to be acquiredby the Corporation after 21 years. The Chester Corporation Act of 1901 empoweredthe Corporation to do so and on the 1st January 1902 the tramway was purchased for£18,000, with an additional £1,866 for the rolling stock, excluding the Company’s


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horse buses. The horse tram depot in Station Road was rebuilt by the Corporation toaccommodate the new electric tramcars.

Chester Corporation immediately set to work reconstructing the system to 3ft 6insgauge and the horse trams finally ceased running on the night of the 27th December1902. In the following few months, public services were provided by a number ofprivate entrepreneurs using horse buses.

The new overhead electric system opened on the 6th April 1903 with rolling stock builtby Milnes and liveried in apple green and ivory. Numbered 1-12, the double-deckopen-top, 4-wheel tramcars were unusual in being only 24ft long. The mainly double-track, electric line followed the old horse tram route, although it was extended slightlyat Saltney. An extension off the existing system at City Road, to the Fountain Inn onBoughton Road, where it divided into two single-track lines to Tarvin Road andChristleton Road was opened on November 22nd 1906. Although a line joining thesetwo termini was authorised it was never built and no further extensions to the systemwere ever made.

A deputation from Chester had visited Barrow to view a demi-car fitted withregenerative control and the Electrical Engineer was suitably impressed, although theTramway Manager was opposed to such a small vehicle. The Council decided to orderone demi-car and in August 1906 the car (No. 13) was delivered. It seated 20, but thesmall capacity rendered it unsuitable for normal service and although it was lateroffered for sale, the demi-car survived in spasmodic use until the end of the system.


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Proposals were also made in October 1906 for the provision of motorbus services andconsideration was given to operating a 15-minute frequency from the Market Squareto the Bache, and from Market Square to the Canal Bridge on Cheyney Road. Thescheme had gone as far as obtaining tenders for the supply of three vehicles fromDennis Brothers before it was dropped in April 1907, and it was to be another 23 yearsbefore motorbuses were finally introduced to the streets of Chester.

In 1907 another five additional tramcars (Nos. 14-18) were delivered. Built by theUnited Electric Car Company, they were similar in seating and layout to the 12 originalcars and completed the tram fleet.

The tramway then settled down to a comfortable existence for the next decade or so,until 1921, when the Council debated its future. The tramway had deterioratedbecause of wartime shortages and consideration was given to the costs of replacingthe infrastructure and rolling stock or to replace it with an alternative system. Aftertaking advice it was resolved that the tramways be maintained for a further 7 to 8years, in order to obtain the full life of the track.

The operation of motorbuses had been proposed a number of times since thetramways had been built and the original Act of 1901 had included powers to operatethem within 3½ miles of the city centre. With the tramway now coming to the end ofits life, the Tramways Committee showed a renewed interest in the motorbus and tosome extent the trolleybus. In March 1925 they inspected a Shelvoke and DrewryFreighter and prepared a report on the provision of a municipal omnibus and ‘tracklesstrams’ system. A recommendation that three Guy buses should be operated


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experimentally for a period of 6 months on routes between Hoole Road and Eaton Roadwas put forward by the Tramways Committee but turned down by the Council.

In March 1928 the Tramways Committee once again proposed the abandonment of thetramways in favour of motorbuses or trolleybuses and also suggested that theundertaking be handed over to a private company. Crosville Motor Services, who werebased in Chester, had already made an approach in 1927, but this had been turneddown. After a lengthy and heated debate on the 28th March 1928, the Council finallydecided to abandon the tramway in favour of a municipal motorbus system.

The Chester Corporation Act of 1929 authorised the abandonment of the tramwaysand also re-affirmed the authority to operate buses within 3½ miles of the city centre.On the 12th February 1930, the first of 16 AEC motorbuses commenced operating.Nos. 1-10 were AEC Regal 30-seat single-deckers, whilst Nos. 11-16 were 50-seat AECRegent double-deckers. 3 days later, on Saturday 15th February 1930, the last tram(No. 10) completed its journey from Saltney to the General Station and the tramcarera was over. The following day the tramway services were taken over completely bythe motorbuses and many of the former tramway routes were extended.

On 6th June 1930 a new service from the General Station to Sealand Road commencedand in the same month, four more AEC Regent’s (Nos. 17-20) were delivered. Anothernew service between the General Station and Parkgate Road began on 17th October1930 and on 19th December a service between Red House and Eccleston Avenue,Handbridge via Dee Banks and the City Centre was inaugurated.


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An agreement with Crosville Motor Services, who were already operating a number oflocal services, came into force on 1st July 1932. This had the effect of rationalising theservices provided by both operators. The majority of local services were to be operatedby the Corporation, whilst Crosville would concentrate on the longer routes. Part of thecity between Hoole Road and Liverpool Road, however, remained Crosville territory.As a result the Corporation services from the General Station to Sealand Road and toParkgate Road were handed over to Crosville, whilst the Corporation acquired theroutes from the Town Hall to the Greyhound Inn at Great Saughall; and from the TownHall to Eccleston Village. A new route from the General Station to Cliveden Road viaHandbridge had been inaugurated on 20th June.

Two unusual buses joined the fleet in 1934. Nos. 23-24 (FM8649-50), were BedfordWLB’s with Duple B20F bodywork and were notable as the last petrol-engined busespurchased by the Corporation. After trials involving Leyland, Foden, Crossley and AEC,a single Leyland TD3 (No.25; FM8936) was ordered for delivery in November 1934.Another three similar buses (Nos. 26-28; AFM517-19) were delivered in May 1936 andon 15th June new services from the General Station to Rake and Pikel and from theGeneral Station to Green Lane were introduced.

With the onset of World War II in 1939 economies had to be made and on 1st February1942 a number of service changes were to have a permanent effect on the routenetwork. Saltney services subsequently operated via Handbridge; Cliveden servicesoperated via Grosvenor Road and were curtailed to terminate in St. Werburgh Streetinstead of the General Station, and Vicars Cross services now turned at the Ring Road.


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On the 1st February 1943 the last service buses were scheduled to depart around 9.30,although they were progressively re-instated over the next few years.

The war years saw the inevitable utility buses joining the fleet and a number of Daimlerand Guy chassis were allocated, the association with continuing after the war hadended, with Daimler buses being preferred until 1948 and Guy buses re-entering thefleet in 1953.

At a meeting of the Council in March 1946 the change of livery by Crosville MotorServices from maroon and cream to Tilling green, which would result in the operators’having similar liveries, was discussed and it was resolved that, in future, Corporationvehicles would be liveried in maroon and cream. This might have been the result ofthe appearance at the meeting of a Foden demonstrator, which coincidentally was alsoin a maroon and cream livery.

Post-war service developments included the re-routing of the Town Hall to Rake & Pikelservice via Sandy Lane, which allowed for the operation of double-deckers at all times.

In 1947, the last of four AEC Regal single-deckers was delivered and this enabled thelast petrol-engined Regal dating from 1930 to be withdrawn from service.

The first Foden double-decker arrived in 1948. No. 72 (JFM745) was a PVD6G chassiswith Massey H30/26R bodywork and had been exhibited at the 1948 Commercial MotorShow. A further nine similar vehicles were subsequently purchased. In December 1948the General Station to Christleton route was extended to Littleton.


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On the 17th November 1949 a new service from the Town Hall to Blacon commenced.Over the next few years there was considerable building work in the Blacon area andservices were continually developed to meet the increasing needs of the new residents.A new single-deck service was introduced on 13th October 1952 between the TownHall and the Blacon Avenue junction of Ludlow Road, which operated under the lowbridge on Blacon Hall Road.

In 1953 there was a complete re-numbering of the route network as follows:

Route NumberPrevious | New Route

1,2,20 1 General Station – Blacon & Saughall - 2 Town Hall-Ludlow Road, Blacon23A 3 General Station – Christleton

via St. Anne St., Town Hall and Stocks Lane23 4 Curzon Park (Earlsway) – Christleton and Littleton6 5 Christleton (Trooper Inn) – Saltney (Ring Road)25,26 6 Vicars Cross – Saltney (Ring Road)7 7 Town Hall – Cliveden via Hough Green8 8 Town Hall – Cliveden via Lache Lane14 9 General Station – Eccleston Avenue via Handbridge9,10 10 General Station – Eccleston and Cadet School, Eaton Hall11 11 General Station – Grove Avenue via Hoole Lane


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12 12 General Station – Grove Avenue via Tarvin Road3,4, 13 Town Hall – Rake & Pikel

On 3rd June 1955 a new Blacon service from the Town Hall to Egerton Road viaSaughall Road commenced, and, on 12th December, the Ludlow Road service wasreplaced by a new service from the Town Hall via Blacon Hall Road to the junction ofHighfield Road and Oakfield Road. This was further revised on 17th December 1956 toserve Furne Road via Blacon Point Road.

During 1957, the undertaking’s name was changed from Chester CorporationTransport to Chester City Transport.

The number of services to the Blacon area steadily increased and by the late 1960’smany of the services were suffixed according to their destination. Routes 1A and 1Bcommenced in June 1965 with the completion of the Blacon Point Road/WesternAvenue network; service 2C from the Town Hall to Auckland Road commenced on 22ndJuly 1968, with the other Blacon services taking suffixes. 1D was the Saughall Heyservice; 1E was the Egerton Road service via Saughall Road and 2E the Egerton Roadservice via Parkgate Road; the Lichfield Road circulars became 1F and 2F, with 1G usedfor journeys to Lichfield Road operating via Saughall Road in both directions. Suffixessubsequently became a feature of the route numbering system and were used todistinguish route variations rather than use a separate route number.

Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, Chester had purchased the Guy Arab and by 1969the entire double-deck fleet was of this manufacture. However, Guy Motors were now


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part of the ailing British Leyland operation and in 1969 the last Guy chassis rolled outof the works. No. 47 (DFM347H) was delivered to Chester Corporation in October ofthat year and still survives today in preservation.

The rise in the use of the private car in peak periods and at holiday times had affectedthe movement of buses in Chester’s narrow streets and the situation had beenprogressively worsening. In March 1972 a new traffic scheme that established bus onlyareas saw a dramatic improvement and resulted in an increase in bus patronage. Themuch improved bus flow also helped to establish one-man operation.

With the demise of the Guy Arab, Chester turned back to Daimler and in 1970purchased three, (Nos. 48-50; JFM648-50J) CRG6LX ‘Fleetlines’ with NorthernCounties H43/31F bodywork.

Throughout the 1970’s there were service changes and revisions as, in common withmost other operators, Chester City Transport struggled with falling passengernumbers. In the summers of 1974 and 1975 a ‘City Shopper’ service was tried withlittle success, but was notable for the use of an experimental Battery Electric Busloaned by the Department of Trade and Industry.

To offset the loss of revenue the private hire work (in the main using double-deckers)was expanded considerably.

New front-entrance vehicles, suitable for one-man operation, continued to bepurchased and in 1981 the Dennis Dominator made an appearance, the first Dennis


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buses to enter the fleet, almost 75 years after Dennis had submitted the originaltender for motorbuses way back in 1906!

On the 26th October 1986, Chester City Transport became an 'arm's length' limitedcompany under the provisions of the 1985 Transport Act, and commenced trading asChester City Transport Limited, effectively ending over 80 years of municipalinvolvement in local transport, although the City Council continued to be the majorshareholder. The fleet was rebranded ChesterBus in 2005 and finally sold to FirstGroup in 2007.


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Tram Fleet List1903-1930

This listing is in the format - Fleet No; Type; Trucks; Body; Seating.

1903

1-12; Double-deck open-top 4-wheel; Brill 21E; Milnes; 23/20

Withdrawn 1930 (1-12).

1906

13; Single-deck demi-car 4-wheel; Brush; Brush; 20

Withdrawn 1930 (13).

1907

14-18; Double-deck open-top 4-wheel; Brill 21E; UEC; 23/20

Withdrawn 1930 (14-18).


Car 4 was one of the original delivery of trams for Chester Corporation in 1903. It was built by Milnes onBrill trucks and seated 43. It survived until the end of the system in 1930. (LTHL collection).


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Bus Fleet List1930-1986

This listing is in the format - Fleet No; Reg No; Chassis; Chassis No; Body; Seating.

1930

1; FM5763; AEC Regal; 662027; Short; B30D2; FM5767; AEC Regal; 662081; Short; B30D3; FM5771; AEC Regal; 662085; Short; B30D4; FM5765; AEC Regal; 662079; Short; B30D5-6; FM5769-70; AEC Regal; 662083-84; Short; B30D7; FM5766; AEC Regal; 662080; Short; B30D8; FM5768; AEC Regal; 662082; Short; B30D9; FM5764; AEC Regal; 662078; Short; B30D10; FM5772; AEC Regal; 662086; Short; B30D11; FM5773; AEC Regent; 661075; Short; H26/24R


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1930 (continued)

12; FM5777; AEC Regent; 661079; Short; H26/24R13; FM5774; AEC Regent; 661076; Short; H26/24R14; FM5778; AEC Regent; 661080; Short; H26/24R15-16; FM5775-76; AEC Regent; 661077-78; Short; H26/24R17-20; FM6137-40; AEC Regent; 661769/72/73/70; Short; H26/24R

Nos. 4, 10 re-seated to B28D at a later date (No. 10 in 1943).Withdrawn 1939 (16, 18), 1943 (11, 13-15, 17, 19), 1944 (3, 5, 7, 9,12, 20), 1945(8), 1946 (1, 2), 1947 (4, 10), 1949 (6).


Among Chester’s first intake of buses in 1930 were a batch of 10 AEC Regals with Short Brothers 30-seatdual entrance bodywork. This is one of them in a pre-delivery photo, although its exact identity is uncertain.(LTHL collection).


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1931

21-22; FM7045-46; AEC Regent; 6611710-11; Weymann; H26/24R

Withdrawn 1939 (21-22).

1934

23-24; FM8649-50; Bedford WLB; 109534/37; Duple; B20F25; FM8936; Leyland TD3; 5190; Massey; H28/24R

Withdrawn 1939 (23, 24), 1945 (25).

1936

26-28; AFM517-19; Leyland TD4c; 10226-28; Massey; H28/24R

Withdrawn 1945 (26-28).

1938

29-30; DFM390-91; AEC Regent; 06616297-98; East Lancs; H28/26R

Withdrawn 1953 (29-30).


No. 24 (FM8650) was one of two small Bedford WLB chassis with Duple 20-seat bus bodywork purchased in1934. In the event they did not stay long in the fleet and were withdrawn in 1939. They were notable forbeing the last petrol-engined buses purchased by the Corporation. (LTHL collection).


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1939

31-34; DFM946-49; AEC Regent; 06616520-23; Massey; H28/26R35-36; EFM377-78; Leyland TD5c; 302374-75; Leyland; H29/24R

Withdrawn 1950 (35-36), 1951 (31), 1952 (34), 1953 (32-33).

1940

37-39; EFM909-11; AEC Regent; 06616900/30/79; Massey; H28/26R

Withdrawn 1955 (37-39).

1941

40-42; FFM113-15; Leyland TD7c; 306833-35; Massey; H28/26R

Withdrawn 1950 (41-42), 1951 (40).

1942

43-44; FFM232-33; Guy Arab I; FD25512/16; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1954 (43-44).


No. 36 (EFM378) was a 1939 Leyland TD5c with Leyland 53-seat bodywork. It was withdrawn in 1950. (LTHLcollection).


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1943

45; FFM270; Daimler CWG5; 11371; Massey; H30/26R46; FFM278; Guy Arab II; FD26129; Duple; H30/26R47; FFM286; Daimler CWA6; 11468; Duple; H30/26R48; FFM285; Daimler CWA6; 11467; Duple; H30/26R49; FFM287; Daimler CWA6; 11466; Duple; H30/26R50; FFM291; Daimler CWA6; 11484; Duple; H30/26R

No. 46 was re-bodied by Massey to H30/26R in 3/53.Withdrawn 1954 (45), 1955 (48-49), 1957 (47, 50), 1969 (46).

1944

51-55; FFM295-99; Guy Arab II; FD26548/603/05/19/30; Massey; H30/26R56-58; FFM321-23; Daimler CWA6; 11859/60/66; Brush; H30/26R

Nos. 53-54 re-bodied by Davies to H30/26R in 3/52 (53) or 7/52 (54).No. 55 re-bodied by Massey to H30/26R in 5/52.Withdrawn 1954 (52), 1955 (51), 1957 (56-58), 1961 (53-54), 1968 (55).

1945

59; FFM324; Daimler CWA6; 11867; Brush; H30/26R



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1946

64-65; FFM660-61; AEC Regal; 06624690/838; Massey; B32F

Withdrawn 1962 (64), 1967 (65).

1947

60-61; HFM170-71; Daimler CVA6; 14340-41; Massey; H30/26R62-63; HFM172-73; Daimler CWD6; 12676-77; Massey; H30/26R66; HFM174; Daimler CWD6; 12679; Massey; H30/26R67; HFM175; Daimler CVA6; 14342; Massey; H30/26R68-69; HFM176-77; AEC Regal; 06625630-31; Massey; B32F

Withdrawn 1957 (66), 1962 (60-61), 1963 (62-63, 67-68), 1967 (69).

1948

70; HFM976; Daimler CVA6; 14343; Massey; H30/26R71; HFM977; Daimler CWD6; 12678; Massey; H30/26R72; JFM745; Foden PVD6G; 27292; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1963 (70), 1965 (72), 1966 (71).


No. 65 (FFM661) was a 1946 AEC Regal with Massey 32-seat bodywork that gave 21 years of service, notbeing withdrawn until 1967. (John Huddlestone)


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1949

73-76; JFM746-49; Foden PVD6G; 27714/16/58/8750; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1965 (74, 76), 1966 (73, 75).

1950

77-78; MFM556-57; Foden PVD6G; 30630/68; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1968 (77), 1970 (78).

1951

79-80; MFM634-35; Foden PVD6G; 30692/94; Davies; H30/26R81; OFM33; Foden PVD6G; 32252; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1958 (79-80), 1966 (81).

1953

1-3; RFM641-43; Guy Arab IV; FD71864/63/65; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1972 (2), 1973 (3), 1976 (1*).*No. 1 was originally withdrawn in 1976 and subsequently used as a driver-trainingvehicle. It was re-instated as a PSV for promotional work in 1981 and has sincebeen preserved.


Foden provided 10 chassis for Chester in the late 40’s/early 50’s. This is No. 77 (MFM556), a Foden PVD6Gwith Massey 56-seat bodywork delivered in 1950. (John Huddlestone)


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1954

4-6; RFM644-46; Guy Arab IV; FD71905/07/06; Guy/Park Royal; H30/26R7-10; UFM858-61; Guy Arab IV; FD72303-4/15-16; Massey; H30/26R

Withdrawn 1972 (5, 6), 1974 (7-10), 1975 (4).

1955

11-12; UFM862-63; Guy Arab IV; FD72318-19; Massey; H30/26R13-18; XFM521-26; Guy Arab IV; FD72584/604-06/12-13; Massey; H32/26R

Withdrawn 1970 (13-14, 16, 18), 1971 (15, 17), 1976 (11-12).

1957

19-23; 713-17CFM; Guy Arab IV; FD73590-91/94-95/97; Massey; H32/28R

Withdrawn 1973 (20), 1975 (19, 21-22), 1976 (23).

1959

56; DTR907; Guy Arab II; FD28285; Park Royal; H30/26R57; DTR911; Guy Arab II; FD28279; Park Royal; H30/26R

Nos. 56-57 ex-Southampton CT (Nos. 84, 88 respectively, new 1946).Withdrawn 1968 (57), 1969 (56).


No. 23 (717CFM) was a 1957 Guy Arab IV with Massey 60-seat bodywork. Chester favoured the Guy Arabuntil it was no longer available. (David Mitchell).


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1961

24-26; 324-26VFM; Guy Arab IV; FD74916; Massey; H41/32F

Withdrawn 1976 (24-26).

1962

27-30; 327-30YFM; Guy Arab IV; FD75125/27-29; Massey; H41/32F

Withdrawn 1975 (27), 1977 (30), 1978 (28-29).

1963

31-34; 4831-34FM; Guy Arab V; FD75382-83/97-98; Massey; H41/32F51; LTV700; AEC Regal III; 9621E791; East Lancs; B35R

No. 51 ex-Nottingham CT (No. 700, new 1951).Withdrawn 1970 (51), 1975 (34), 1978 (31), 1979 (32-33).

1965

35-38; FFM135-38C; Guy Arab V; FD76148/28/44/49; Massey; H41/32F

Withdrawn 1981 (36-37), 1982 (35, 38).


Looking immaculate is preserved Guy Arab IV No. 35 (FFM135C) with Massey 73-seat bodywork, new in1965. (LTHL collection).


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1966

39-41; LFM139-41D; Guy Arab V; FD76656/57/55; Massey; H41/32F52; LFM152D; Leyland PSUC1/11; L71362; Massey; B40D

Withdrawn 1978 (39, 52), 1979 (41), 1981 (40).

1967

53; RFM453F; Leyland PSUC1/11; 751014; Massey; B40D


1968

54; XFM54G; Leyland PSUC1/11; 852068; Massey; B40D


1969

42-44; XFM42-44G; Guy Arab V; FD77081-83; Northern Counties; H41/32F45-47; DFM345-47H; Guy Arab V; FD77106-08; Northern Counties; H41/32F

Withdrawn 1979 (43, 45), 1981 (44, 46, 47), 1982 (42).


No. 52 (LFM152D) was a Leyland PSUC1/11 ‘Tiger Cub’ with Massey 40-seat dual entrance bodywork. (DougNicholson)


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1970

48-50; JFM648-50J; Daimler CRG6LX; 64648-50; Northern Counties; H43/31F

Nos. 48-50 re-seated to H43/29F in 1977.Withdrawn 1983 (48-50).

1972

55-57; OFM955-57K; Daimler CRG6LX; 64651-53; Northern Counties; H43/31F58-60; WFM158-60K; Daimler CRG6LX; 66769-71; Northern Counties; H43/29F

Nos. 55-57 re-seated to H43/29F in 1977.Nos. 57 re-bodied by Northern Counties to H43/29F in 1984.Nos. 57, 59-60 to Chester City Transport Ltd. 10/86, retaining same fleet numbers.Withdrawn 1985 (55-56, 58).

1973

64; RDB859; AEC Reliance; 2MU3RA3250; Willowbrook; B43F65; RDB863; AEC Reliance; 2MU3RA3254; Willowbrook; B43F

Nos. 64-65 ex-SELNEC (Cheshire) (Nos. 859, 863 respectively, new 1961 to NorthWestern Road Car Co. Ltd.).Withdrawn 1976 (64-65).


Former North Western Road Car AEC Reliance RDB863 was new in 1961 and purchased by Chester in 1973and numbered 65. It carried a Willowbrook 43-seat body. (LTHL collection).


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1974

61-63; RFM61-63M; Daimler CRG6LX; 66772-74; Northern Counties; H43/29F

Nos. 61-63 to Chester City Transport Ltd. 10/86, retaining same fleet numbers.

1975

66-68; HEN866-68N; Leyland PSU4C/2R; 7501432-34; Northern Counties; B47F

Withdrawn 1982 (66-68).


No. 63 (RFM63M) was a Northern Counties 72-seat bodied Daimler CRG6LX ‘Fleetline’ that passed to ChesterCity Transport Ltd in October 1986. (LTHL collection).


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1976

69-71; NMB69-71P; Leyland PSU4C/2R; 7504795-97; Northern Counties; B43F72; 175FTJ; Leyland PSUC1/3; 585370; East Lancs; B43F73-74; 389-90JTD; Leyland PSUC1/3; 594501-02; East Lancs; B43F75-80; TMB875-80R; Leyland PSU4D/2R; 7603710/807/19/910/12/13; Duple; B47F

Nos. 72-74 ex-Lancaster CT (Nos. 175, 389-390 respectively, new 1958 (175) or1959).No. 80 re-seated to DP41F in 1981 for use on private hire duties.Nos. 70-77, 79-80 to Chester City Transport Ltd. 10/86, retaining same fleetnumbers.Withdrawn 1985 (69, 78).

1977

81-83; VCA181-83R; Leyland FE30AGR; 7602245-47; Northern Counties; H43/29F



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1978

84-88; CFM84-88S; Leyland FE30AGR; 7703259/40/63-64/96; Northern Counties; H43/29F


1979

89-93; KFM189-93T; Leyland FE30AGR; 7802907/3834/36/70/947; Northern Counties; H43/29F


1980

94-98; SDM94-98V; Leyland FE30AGR; 7900367-68/423-24/2195; Northern Counties; H43/29F


1981

99-103; YMA99-103W; Dennis Dominator; [DD121B/]255-59; Northern Counties; H43/29F



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1982

104-106; HMA104-06X; Dennis Dominator; [DDA150/]520-22; Northern Counties; H43/29F107-109; KLG107-09Y; Dennis Dominator; [DDA150/]432-34; Northern Counties; H43/29F


1983

110-112; A110-12UCA; Dennis Dominator; [DDA170/]672-74; Northern Counties; H43/29F



1982 Dennis Dominator No. 104 (HMA104X) carried a Northern Counties 72-seat body and passed to ChesterCity Transport Ltd in 1986. (LTHL collection).


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1985

1-2; B201-02EFM; Leyland ONLXB/1R; 1784-85; Northern Counties; CH43/30F3-4; B203-04EFM; Leyland ONLXB/1R; 1788-89; Northern Counties; H43/32F113-14; CKG215-16V; Dennis Dominator; [SD116/]185-86; Marshall; B50F115; CKG219V; Dennis Dominator; [SD116/]188; Marshall; B50F

Nos. 1 and 2 named ‘Chester Express’ and ‘Chester Mail’ respectively.Nos. 113-115 ex-Merthyr Tydfil CT (Nos. 215, 216, 219 respectively new 1979).Nos. 1-4, 113-115 to Chester City Transport Ltd. 10/86, retaining same fleetnumbers.

1986

21; SND83X; Leyland PSU3B/4R; XLCGMT2581; Duple; C51F22; SND87X; Leyland PSU3B/4R; XLCGMT6581; Duple; C51F

Nos. 21-22 ex-Greater Manchester Transport (Nos. 83, 87 respectively new1981(83) and 1982); to Chester City Transport Ltd. 10/86, retaining same fleetnumbers.


Former Greater Manchester Transport Leyland PSU3B/4R ‘Leopard’ No. 21 (SND83X) was only 4 years oldwhen purchased in 1986. (LTHL collection).

© Local Transport History Library 2018

Additional information, corrections and photographs are always welcome.Our general email address is: [email protected].

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