Lay-by Is where CA ?takes a break from the Serious Issues
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and our correspondent The Hawk takes a sideways look at road haulage. If you have suitable tales, charitable works, or quirky vehicles, drop The Hawk a line at Lay-by, Commercial Motor, Rm H203, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, or fax him on 0181 652 8969.
THE MALTESE DETECTIVES
Recognise this bus? It seems plenty of you did. The Hawk had little inkling of what he was about to unleash when he posed the question: What sort of bus is it? (CM13-20 January).
The picture, taken by The Hawk's Maltese correspondent, elicited a huge response and the old hack was to be seen this week strutting around the office bragging about the size of his mailbag.
Thanks then to Peter Snelson of Rocester, Staffs; David Chambers of Lambley, Notts; B Lynch of Dublin; Robn Hannay of Goostrey, Cheshire; Bill Godwin of north London and Roger Pickering of Telford Shropshire, all of whom wrote to put the old bird in the picture.
No longer a mystery, bus no 44 is revealed to be a Bedford SB chassis with the bodywork locally made by Frans Brincat of Corradino. Peter Snelson was even able to tell us the vehicle's previous registration no-2958, and destination—Mellieha.
Roger Pickering tracked down the vehicle in a book called The Malta Buses by Joseph Bonnici and Michael Cassar. He writes that he has seen these buses powered by 400-420 Leyland engines as well as 505-506 AEC engines.
Robin Hannay could vouch for that, as he has spent three out of four Maltese holidays researching and travelling on these splendid buses.
He informs us that the 40seat Brincat body was built in the 1960s and he believes the engine to be a Leyland 410. Robin says that up until the seventies, the liveries were painted according to the groups of bus routes worked. He is very keen to hear from CM readers who
may have photographs shc these colours. A bit of a I think so. You can contact F on 01477 532498.
And so to the final del the badge on the radiator B Lynch has put us right oi one. It is not a Pegaso that we see before us, t Ford Mustang badge.
There, I think that just a covers it! A big thanks to eâ– one who took the troubl write in, proving CMreader again to be the fount c vehicular knowledge.