SCT'61 Articles
Southend Corporation Bus Fleet

374-385
Daimler Fleetline CRL6/33 with Northern Counties H49/31D bodies, new in 1972

The second batch of Fleetlines, 12 vehicles were delivered in late 1972 and differed from the previous batch only in minor details. The most noticeable difference was addition of a large ventilator in the front dome, and the spacing of headlights, spotlights and indicator lights was slightly different. Livery and blind box details were as for the previous batch, although no blue roofs this time! "Pay as you enter" and "NO CHANGE GIVEN" signs were as before. None of this batch ever received advertising liveries.

Three shots of 377 after it was hit by a runaway Leopard (the driverless four wheeled variety) in 1974

Corrosion problems with the bodies led to five (380-2/4/5) being rehabilitated by ST. (378 also appears to have been done, although this is not mentioned in Richard Delahoy's book.) The most noticeable external changes were in the layout of the lights on the front panel, the original round spotlights being replaced by smaller oblong ones. The illuminated "Pay as you enter" signs were removed and there was a minor change to the livery, the upper deck window surrounds being painted black. At least one (381) also acquired a rather larger Corporation crest on the front panel and a crest on a square white background on both sides. A seventh vehicle (383) appears not to have been rehabilitated, although it did receive the revised livery with black window surrounds.

The remaining five vehicles, 374-7 and 379, were rebodied as 306-10 in 1984/5 and given new registration numbers.

The unrebodied vehicles were withdrawn in 1985, so they were not affected by the 1988 fleet renumbering and none received the blue and white livery. At least five of the seven unrebodied vehicles saw further PSV service, including 378 and 380 with City of Oxford and 382 and 384 with Jubilee Coaches of Stevenage.