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Thanks for the link John
Martin
In The Pink
Martin ~
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Thanks for the link, John. I'm in Wigan, but typed in our address and found the plot of land our house was built on some 40 years after the map was made. There were only about 6 houses on our road when the map was published in 1849... and a corn mill and a coal pit at the bottom of the lane - neither of which are still around. Fascinating stuff!
Great link John, thank you. I've just found out my house was called Beacon Cottage in 1869!
Does it really matter where you were born?
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anyone know of any olp photso of the "bodyless? buses that used to ride around town on test drives? No one ever seems to believe me when I tell them about it.
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Leyland GB, I remember them well, and I'm sure a lot of the older members do as well. They were bus and truck chassis on test, they had concrete proof load weights bolted to them. I think they had to climb 'Sheep Hill' on Lancaster Lane at a given speed to pass the test. I'm sure some of our 'Motors' members can confirm this.
I seem to remember a test driver being killed when the proof load weights broke loose and crushed him.
John
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We called them... 'Testers'
and yes there was a fatality
on Centurian Way I think.
They used to test the tanks
around the streets in Leyland
too .. didn't do the blacktop
much good.
T. D.
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An apprentice was killed around 1957 ish on Centurion Way, just before it joins Stanifield Lane. The young lads hused to sit between the 2 loads, one broke loose and crushed him.
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I remember the tragedy on Centurian Way - very sad.
The "bodyless bus" could have been the first of the Metro/Cammel/Weighman series we made post war. This was based on a pressed steel integral body to which the engine and gearbox etc were connected. I recall that Experimental ran one of the first models in the South Works Dept on a 300 hour continuous test with built on vibrators to simulate road traffic conditions, complete with water sprays and "dirty" sprays to give operating conditions.
The test showed a weakness in the side panels which came loose, and a noise problem of echo from the road surface, using the pressed floor as a kind of drum. These faults were designed out for later models. I think Fishwicks had the first from the production run, and became familiar on the Leyland/Preston route.
Regarding accidents, I recall the demise of Joe Schultz who was taking one of the New Royal Tigers down to the Midlands in bare chassis form, and unfortunately he hit a bump and was catapulted under the front wheels of his own vehicle.
We had a very bad fatality when road testing tanks, at the junction near the Hob Inn at Cuerden. The co-driver was standing in the door opening on the nearside when the momentum of the turn caused the door to close like a guillotine, killing him instantly. Another incident in Farinton works yard, outside the B.X. Factory, an engineer was down a manhole with the swing covers open, when a vehicle ran over the cover killing the man. It all happened many years ago and lessons were learned, but memories never fade, so I won`t distress you with details of the accident in the Foundry.
