In the picture, both of the buses are Daimler CVG6's with Massey bodies at Woodside. The ACM registered one in front is from a batch of 15 that entered service in 1949. The ABG behind it is also from a batch of 15, from 1950. The 1950 batch were the first to use Gill Sans lettering in the waistband, which had previously been a heavy blocked and shaded type.
All 30 were withdrawn by the middle of 1965, having given about 16 years of service, which was normal. This ties in nicely with arrival of the next batch of Daimlers - the Fleetline.
Fifteen of the 1944 batch of Guy Arab 5LW's had their utility bodies replaced by Massey in 1953 and given 6LW engines. As the new engine was longer, the radiator was moved forward and a distinctive cowel fitted between it and the rest of the bodywork. Most of these gave 25 years of service by the end of 1969. 242 (BG8557) was purchased for preservation and is now in the Birkenhead Transport Museum. It is displayed and takes part in running days.
Both Daimlers and Guys had a Gardner engine, which produced an acrid smell of exhaust fumes, especially when the weather was cold, more so than the Leylands did. Inside, the smell was a mix of cigarettes and matches, leather upolstery and a hint of oil.
Was it these buses that had a distinctive 'wheeze' between gear changes, before going back to the tunes from the gearbox?
Yes Norton, it was these buses that made the wheeze/whine noises whilst the operating (LH) pedal was depressed. No clutch of course. This engaged the next gear, which you'd selected in advance on the quadrant.
I think it was just the peculiarity of the epicyclic gearboxes. Around that time I had an Armstrong-Siddeley with a Wilson pre-selector box that made the same noise. Just the sheer mass of sun wheels, planet wheels and brake bands thrashing around doing their thing.
The inside of an ENV or Wilson pre-selec. box would make any modern day mechanic run home crying for mummy! They don't make 'em like that any more. Maybe a good thing ?
Bandy might chime in on this and tell you what happened to that operating pedal if you got stuck between gears !
