Glasgow Corporation Transport's first
motorbus service began on the 9th of December 1924, when the first
service was inaugurated between Monteith Row and Maryhill London
Midland Scottish Railway Station.
MUNICIPAL OMNIBUSES
IN GLASGOW. February 1925 (Tramway and Railway World)
Glasgow has been for so long with respect to public street transport
an exclusively tramway city that some surprise was expressed when
the Town Council decided to inaugurate a service of motor omnibuses.
In Glasgow, as elsewhere, however, tramway extensions in these
days are a costly undertaking, and the Corporation have certain
work to do that can as well be done by omnibuses; and therefore
the need for economy in capital expenditure has led to a new departure.
The existence of the service may possibly be looked on more as
an accident than a long preconceived design. Hitherto the Corporation
have provided tramways wherever required, and these occupy
all the main thoroughfares as well as a good many secondary streets. Some
time ago, however, the Corporation took over the tramway
undertaking in Coatbridge and Airdrie, which was run by a company.
The tracks required to be reconstructed, and to provide passenger
facilities while the work was going on the Town Council acquired
a number of motor omnibuses, which were run in the Coatbridge and
Airdrie district. When the reconstruction of the tramways was completed,
and they became a part of the Glasgow system, the omnibuses were
no longer required there. Instead
of disposing of them, it was decided to try them on a route where
there are no tramways. This is an cast and west course, some five
miles in length, along streets which for the most part are parallel
with the River Clyde on the north side, and also parallel with
the main thoroughfare of Argyll Street and its continuations
which lie a little farther north, and which carry a heavy tramway
traffic. Farther west, the route leaves the dockland streets and strikes northward to Maryhill. Twelve single-deck
omnibuses are used, and a six-minute service is provided. The
omnibuses are very similar in general external appearance, but
there is great variety with respect to their chassis. The latter
have been obtained from the following manufacturers Commercial
Cars, Limited, Luton; Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, Yoker,
Glasgow; Leyland
Motors, Limited, Leyland, Lancashire; Associated
Equipment Company, Walthamstow (by Peric Motor Company,
Edinburgh); Tilling-Stevens Motors, Limited, Maidstone; Bristol
Tramways and Carriage Company, Limited, Bristol; and J. I. Thornycroft
and Company, Limited, Glasgow. Only in the case of Commercial
Cars, Limited, are the bodies supplied by the builders of the
chassis. In the other cases the bodies were fitted to the chassis
in Glasgow by local body builders.
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Fleet No1 Commer 40 HP 1924
Glasgow Corporation Transports
First Bus
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Fleet No2 Commer 40
HP 1924
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Fleet No51 Leyland TD1 1928
Glasgow Corporation Transport's
First Double Decker
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Leyland Atlantean
The first Atlantean
LA 1 was delivered to Ibrox garage and began working
on the 15th December 1958 (LA 1 was in Newlands Garage
for a short time in 1967 and I did a shift on it). LA
4 was the first of the Atlanteans that were known as "Glasgow
Style Atlanteans" delivered in 1962 from then on
it was almost non-stop deliveries till 1984 a total of
1,448. A full account of the Atlanteams can be found
in Stuart Littles Book "British
Systems Bus, Tram & Trollybuses Number 10 Glasgow
Bues"
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Leyland Atlantean LA1 Reg FYS 998
Preserved Glasgow Transport Museum
picture by Jim Thomson
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LA1 Down and Almost Out
Preserved Glasgow Transport Museum
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Leyland Atlantean LA1 Reg FYS 998
Preserved Glasgow Transport Museum
picture by Jim Thomson
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The one that got away LA91 SGD 669 Went
back to Leyland in April 1963 to demonstrate the Glasgow
Style Bodywork
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LA91 SGD 669 on a promotional tour.
Was later exchanged for LA202
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Leyland Atlantean LA 422 Fitted
For One Man Operation
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