Edinburgh Corporation

 Buses

1960s

Question

Where and When?

I believe that this photograph may have been taken around the 1960s - but where was this Parcels Office?

The bus in this photo is a Leyland PSUC1/3 (Duple bodybuilder).  It is one of a batch of 100 similar vehicles bought in 1959-60.  This one was bought in 1960.  The last of these vehicles was withdrawn from service in 1978.

If you can tell me more about where or when this photo might have been taken, please e-mail me.

Thank you.

- Peter Stubbs:  August 22, 2007

Answer 1

Thank you to Douglas Beath who replied:

Shrubhill

"From roof shape and fenestration, this photo was obviously taken outside the museum seen in the photograph of Edinburgh tram No 35

©

probably in James Street, Shrubhill.

The ECT Parcel Service would only have occupied a small part (if at all) of the big building.  They did have a shop front in Leith Walk beside the tram depot gate."

Douglas Beath, Burnie, Tasmania,  August 23, 2007

Answer 2

Thank you to Donald Grant who replied:

The Location

"There's no doubt that the location is Shrubhill, and judging from the driver's white topped cap and dust coat it is summertime.

The lack of destination on the front blind, allied to the drivers uniform, suggests that the bus was being used for private hire at the time the photo was taken."

The Bus

"The bus is a Leyland Tiger Cub and, as you caption it, PSUC1/3. However the body is not by Duple but is in fact by Weymann as were all the ECT Tiger Cubs with this type of body.

It can be a little confusing as this particular style of body (or at
least very similar types) were built by several different coachbuilders.

Source:  'Edinburgh's Transport, The Corporation Years'  (D.L.G. Hunter).   This is pretty much the "bible" for Edinburgh Corporation Transport information

After withdrawal in Edinburgh in 1966 some of these vehicles were sold to Ulster Transport Authority and served there for a number of years.  That was the entire 1959 batch SWS 1 - 50 save for numbers 9 and 22 which were withdrawn in 1963.

Donald Grant, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland:  February 19, 2008