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GWR Publicity

GWR Publicity: gwrpublicity3874

Advert for one of the four Great Western Railway land cruises introducerd on 20th June 1927

In addition to the Day Tours described previously (see 'gwrpublicity3876'), the Great Western Railway introduced three land cruises on 20th June 1927, as depicted in the poster. They included:

Land Cruise 1 (black route) a six day Land Cruise from Stroud to Oxford, via Forest of Dean, Wye Valley, Malvern Hills and Shakespeare Country. Operated 1927 and 1928 seasons. This Land Cruise was subsequently handed over to and operated by ‘Midland Red’ Road Motor Coaches.

Land Cruise 2 (blue route) a six day land cruise transversing the Vale of the White Horse, the Mendips and the Cotswolds, from Didcot to Gloucester. Operated 1927 and 1928 seasons.

Land Cruise 3 & 4 (red route) a thirteen day Land Cruise in both directions between Fishguard and Chester along the Welsh coast. Only operated in 1927 season, being replaced in 1928 with a circular Land Cruise from Bath through; the Cheddar Valley, Exmoor, Torquay, Dartmoor, South Devon and the Avon Valley.

The photograph shows a Maudslay ML3 Charabanc (GWR Fleet No 1222) at Stroud station (start of Land Cruise 1 which traversed Shakespeare Country). In the first season (summer 1927) all these Land Cruises used Maudslay ML3 vehicles, but in subsequent summers the Thornycroft A6 charabanc was the preferred transport option (see 'gwrpublicity3875').

The Maudslay ML3 chassis was fitted with an all-weather charabanc body, providing seats for 32 passengers. A variety of bodywork manufacturers were used and the last six charabanc bodies (provided by John Buckingham) had two extra passenger seats. The Maudslay ML3 had a 60hp 4 cylinder overhead valve petrol engine and a four speed gear box with a cone clutch. Details of all these forty Maudslay ML3 charabancs are given in the following table:

GWR Fleet No Reg No Registration Date Chassis Bodywork Allocation in 1928 Bus Company sold to Date sold
1219 YH 3791 30th May 1927 4093 J Buckingham Abergavenny Western Welsh 1st July 1929
1220 YH 3792 30th May 1927 4094 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1221 YH 3793 30th May 1927 4095 J Buckingham Paignton Western National June 1929
1222 YH 3794 30th May 1927 4096 J Buckingham Wantage Rd Western National January 1929
1223 YH 3795 30th May 1927 4099 J Buckingham Wrexham Western Transport December 1929
1224 YH 3796 30th May 1927 4100 J Buckingham Paignton Western National July 1929
1225 YH 3797 30th May 1927 4101 J Buckingham Cardigan Thames Valley Traction 1st February 1931
1226 YH 3798 30th May 1927 4098 J Buckingham Pwlheli Western Transport December 1929
1227 YH 3799 30th May 1927 4097 J Buckingham Pwlheli Western Transport December 1929
1228 YH 3800 30th May 1927 4102 J Buckingham Aberdare Thames Valley Traction 1st February 1931
1229 YW 1721 17th May 1928 4177 J Buckingham Oxford Thames Valley 1st February 1931
1230 UC 7504 7th March 1928 4227 J Buckingham Weymouth Western National January 1929
1231 UC 4238 10th February 1928 4232 J Buckingham Panteg Western Welsh April 1929
1233 UC 4239 10th February 1928 4235 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1234 UC 4862 29th February 1928 4239 J Buckingham Haverfordwest Western Welsh April 1929
1235 UC 4863 29th February 1928 4240 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1236 UC 7505 7th March 1928 4243 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1237 UC 4864 29th February 1928 4244 J Buckingham Slough Bristol Tramways 20th July 1931
1238 UC 4865 29th February 1928 4242 J Buckingham Slough Thames Valley 1st February 1931
1239 UC 7506 7th March 1928 4250 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1240 UC 7507 7th March 1928 4251 J Buckingham Neath Western Welsh April 1929
1241 UC 7508 7th March 1928 4268 J Buckingham Oswestry Western Transport December 1929
1501 YV 1101 24th March 1928 4233 Strachan Reading London General Country Services February 1932
1502 YV 1102 24th March 1928 4264 Strachan Reading Western National January 1929
1503 YV 1103 24th March 1928 4267 Strachan Paignton Western National August 1929
1504 YV 1104 4th April 1928 4272 Strachan Paignton Western National January 1929
1505 YV 1105 4th April 1928 4274 Strachan Paignton Western National August 1929
1506 YV 1106 4th April 1928 4277 Strachan Neath Bristol Tramways & Carriage 23rd February 1931
1507 YV 8565 17th May 1928 4279 Strachan St Austell Western National January 1929
1508 YV 8566 17th May 1928 4380 Strachan Abergavenny London General Country Services 15th November 1931
1509 YV 8567 17th May 1928 4288 Strachan Cardiff Became GWR Lorry August 1930
1510 YV 8568 6th June 1928 4290 Strachan Neath Western Welsh April 1929
1511 TV 8569 6th June 1928 4300 Strachan Neath Western Welsh April 1929
1512 YV 8570 6th June 1928 4301 Strachan Neath Western Welch April 1929
1524 YV 8571 17th May 1928 4273 J Buckingham St Austell Western National January 1929
1525 YV 8572 17th May 1928 4378 J Buckingham Aberystwyth Western Transport December 1929
1526 YV 8573 17th May 1928 4283 J Buckingham Dolgellau Western Transport December 1929
1527 YV 8574 17th May 1928 4285 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1528 YV 8575 17th May 1928 4292 J Buckingham Penzance Western National January 1929
1529 YV 8576 17th May 1928 4293 J Buckingham Slough Bristol Tramways & Carriage 23rd February 1931

Robert Ferris

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