Photo © Alan R Hall. Please do not re-post without permission.

As well as the bus station in St Paul’s Street, Walsall services departed from a number of different streets around the town centre. One of these was opposite the War Memorial in Bradford Place, and 61, 761UDH, one of a batch of 15 Daimler CVG6s with Metro-Cammell H37/28F bodywork, is seen there awaiting departure time before setting out on a trip to West Bromwich.

The 14 (via Fullbrook) and the 54 (via Yew Tree Estate) were jointly operated by Walsall and West Bromwich Corporations and these buses were regular performers on the services.

This batch were Walsall’s final front-engined buses and, within a short while, the fleet was being flooded with the familiar ‘short’ Fleetlines, some of which were outlasted by these CVG6s! 61 was new in March 1963 and, on 1 October 1969, it was transferred to WMPTE as 61L; it was withdrawn in April 1976.

There is a transport connection with the War Memorial too. It was erected in memory of a Lady Mayoress (Mrs Slater) who was fatally injured on 31 January 1916 while travelling on balloon-topped tram 16 from Pleck into town. Bombs dropped from a German Zeppelin airship exploded in Bradford Place as the tram was passing, causing Mrs Slater’s death. Although the glass in most of the tram’s windows was blown out by the blast, the tram was repaired and returned to service; it wasn’t withdrawn until 1928.

Photo taken by Alan Hall, c.1969, Bradford Place, Walsall

©1969-2026 Alan R Hall All Rights Reserved.
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