One of Stubbs's Fords.
At the very end of the 1970s, Berresfords, through Stonier's, acquired the small neighbouring Tunstall based coach business of F.T Stubbs (Coaches) Ltd. With that business came three Ford coaches, a Duple Dominant ONY 4M, a Plaxton Panorama Elite (above) LWP 670K and a more elderly 570E Duple Trooper who's reg escapes me. Stubbs Coaches one full time driver, Ken Capper, also joined Stoniers on the coaching and contract side. Although at the time we thought LWP 670K to be quite old, by modern standards it was very youthful being only about 7 years of age here. There's many an operator nowadays wishes their fleet was made up of vehicles so 'new'! Before too long the short comings of LWP's engine became noticable and it received a brand new one which, after a hiccouch or two, transformed it's performance into something rocket like. A new paint job followed in the wake, done by a firm called Simpsons from Adderley Green who'd not previously done anything for Stoniers. Their take on Stonier's colours was a bit of a shock to the system as the lilac then in vogue looked like some child had become travel sick after downing a pint of Ribena!
I can't recall what end befel the coach, though I think it may have been parked up for some time at the top of Parsonage street yard after the move.
The above picture shows it in the quagmire of the annexed ground above the garage in Goldenhill still wearing Stubbs colours. The Duple bodied VAL on the far side was a dance troupe's casualty which had been recovered to us after a rear axle mishap. I can't recall the detail, but I remember Jim Berresford welding something everyone said wasn't possible... and it worked of course.
Just for interests sake, I've started a new flickr group to bring together all things Berresfords ... including all the businesses which became associated etc. Please feel free to look in, post, join, comment etc. 'Berresford Group'
One of Stubbs's Fords.
At the very end of the 1970s, Berresfords, through Stonier's, acquired the small neighbouring Tunstall based coach business of F.T Stubbs (Coaches) Ltd. With that business came three Ford coaches, a Duple Dominant ONY 4M, a Plaxton Panorama Elite (above) LWP 670K and a more elderly 570E Duple Trooper who's reg escapes me. Stubbs Coaches one full time driver, Ken Capper, also joined Stoniers on the coaching and contract side. Although at the time we thought LWP 670K to be quite old, by modern standards it was very youthful being only about 7 years of age here. There's many an operator nowadays wishes their fleet was made up of vehicles so 'new'! Before too long the short comings of LWP's engine became noticable and it received a brand new one which, after a hiccouch or two, transformed it's performance into something rocket like. A new paint job followed in the wake, done by a firm called Simpsons from Adderley Green who'd not previously done anything for Stoniers. Their take on Stonier's colours was a bit of a shock to the system as the lilac then in vogue looked like some child had become travel sick after downing a pint of Ribena!
I can't recall what end befel the coach, though I think it may have been parked up for some time at the top of Parsonage street yard after the move.
The above picture shows it in the quagmire of the annexed ground above the garage in Goldenhill still wearing Stubbs colours. The Duple bodied VAL on the far side was a dance troupe's casualty which had been recovered to us after a rear axle mishap. I can't recall the detail, but I remember Jim Berresford welding something everyone said wasn't possible... and it worked of course.
Just for interests sake, I've started a new flickr group to bring together all things Berresfords ... including all the businesses which became associated etc. Please feel free to look in, post, join, comment etc. 'Berresford Group'