SCT'61
Trevor Leach Memorial Collection

Photo © West Yorkshire Information Service Collection. Please do not re-post without permission.

In late April 1958, in connection with a BTC Conference held at Harrogate, a display was assembled in West Yorkshire's Grove Park depot. From the left, identifiable vehicles are 507FHN, an MW5G/ECW B45F that was United Auto BU507, entering service in June.
Next, hidden from view but visible in a view taken from a different angle and published in Martin Curtis' Bristol Lodekka book (pp. 40/41) was CP1, the York City Tour Bedford OB. Next is 13DRB, one of the six prototype LDL6Gs, which was Notts & Derby 464, new in 1957. After that is one of a pair of York-West Yorkshire LD6B/ECW H33/27RD, YDX72/3 (UWU976/7), which did not enter service until December 1958. Lined up against the rear wall are TWT115/8/9/21 (but not necessarily in that order), Bristol LS5Gs with ECW DP41F bodies. These were West Yorkshire EUG62/5/6/8 that had been delivered in December 1957 but did not enter service until May. Visible further to the right in the background, though not part of the display, are DX67/8 (TWY609/10), further LD6B/H33/27RDs still with their ECW posters, and which entered service the following month.
Returning to the display, still in a clockwise direction, the first Lodekka is RWY836, an LD6B/H33/27RD which was West Yorkshire DX 58, new in June 1957. After that is 1850F, an LD5G with H33/27R body which was Eastern National 1536, new the previous month (March 1958). After that is TWT122, a pre-production MW5G with ECW DP41F body that was West Yorkshire EUG 70, new in November 1957. Finally on the right hand side is ORX 634, fresh from its success in the 4th British Coach Rally held at Brighton on 19/20 April, where it was Concours d'elegance winner. This was South Midland 803, an MW6G with C32F body.
In the centre is the chassis of 285HFM, the prototype Bristol LDS6G that became Crosville DLG949 later in the year; note the lack of a conventional radiator grille, replaced with "ECW wings". In front of that is a Bristol BVW engine and, nearest the camera, a scale model of the two Bristol/ECW railbuses built for BR around this time.
As for the height and angle from which the photograph was taken, it is probably not too fanciful to imagine that the photographer was standing on a stepladder on the upper deck of the West Yorkshire tree lopper which at that time was still 1008, YG624, a 1932 Leyland TD2 with Eastern Counties body, and which was normally parked immediately to the right of where this photograph was taken. A complete contrast to the vehicles of the future that were the subject of the display.

Photo taken by West Yorkshire Road Car/WYIS Collection, April 1958, Grove Park Depot, Harrogate

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Photo ref: uabu507. Page and photo added January 2019
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