The LONDON TRANSPORT D classThis page created 13th December 1999, by Ian Smith
More Duple highbridge Daimlers: D74-D92
Another nineteen Daimlers were doled out to London Transport
by the Ministry for bodying by Duple and supply in spring 1945.
This time they came complete with a full complement of opening windows
and upholstered seats, signs that the supply situation was starting to improve.
(The Battle of the Atlantic was going badly for the U-boats with the development of better radars,
longer-range aircraft and many more American convoy escorts)
But reverting to the Daimlers: they still had the war-time front ventilators
and lobsterback roofs.
Duple had no red paint, so painted them in the nearest equivalent: brown, with cream relief. Even the mudguards appear to have been painted brown. They went into service between March and June 1945, from Merton, displacing more STLs for use elsewhere. They received red and white standard livery around the turn of the year 1947-8, and the 1950 livery (red with cream band) during 1951. Their withdrawals during 1953 tended to coincide with a period between boats to Ceylon, and although quite a few went to Ceylon and Belfast, many went to independent operators around the country, notably Trimdon Motor Services in County Durham.
|
bus histories
Ian's Bus Stop
Daimler index
early Brush