Body Builders

From: "Hugh McAulay" <hughmc@87gv.freeserve.co.uk>

I have been having a look at your very interesting Maidstone section.

One small point, though, the Sunbeam W's had bodies by Northern Coachbuilders of Newcastle upon Tyne, not Northern Counties. I rode on the similar bodies in Newcastle, and very solid they were, not prone to become loose in later life. Sadly there life in Newcastle was only about fifteen years, quite young for a trolleybus compared with much of Bradford.

From: "Ashley Bruce" <trakless@trolleybus.co.uk>

According to my records, the 3 batches of Ws were nos.125-36 with Park Royal bodies, [B19020-6, 23048-51], nos.139-42, likewise, [B291974-7] and nos.137-8 with Weymanns bodies [C8010,1]. The post war BUTs nos.554-78 and nos.529-53 and Sunbeam nos. 499-528 plus pre-war Guy BTX no.109 were the Newcastle trolleys with Northern Coachbuilders Ltd bodies. The only trolleys with Northern Counties Motor Co Ltd bodies were Cardiff nos 201-10.

Maidstone Ws nos 62-73 had [very relaxed utility standard] Northern Coachbuilders Ltd bodies. South Sheilds and Cleethorpes were the only other places using trolleys with NC bodies.