Historic buses

The last lot

I'm tipping that the one in Wolongong was once owned by Pell's Bus Serrvice and George Clements Prior to them. It was based in Nambucca Heads and the original prime mover was a AEC with, from memory a Hastings Deering cab. Pells replaced the AEC in the '70s.

Trackless Train in Alexandra, Victoria, August 1928

10 Aug 1928 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64697860
The Trackless Train. After having astonished the inhabitants of all the most important cities throughout the world, the famous trackless train of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film Corporation will make its appearance in Alexandra on Saturday afternoon, August 25, and will remain over the week-end, leaving on Monday morning.
This novel train, which is arousing exceptional interest throughout the world, consists of a completely equipped locomotive and luxuriously appointed Pullman car, containing dining and sleeping accomadation for five persons. It is capable of a speed of 40 miles an hour, and possesses every device necessary to save highway transportation.
The Shrine of Remembrance Committee has been granted the use of the "Train" for the purpose of augmenting the Appeal funds.

24 Aug 1928 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64697922
The Trackless Train. At Alexandra on Saturday Morning at 1 1.30. Having toured, in three years, over 160,000 miles through North America, Europe, Egypt, Northern Africa, South America, and in Australia, through Queensland and New South Wales, the world famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer "Trackless Train" is now making an extensive tour of Victoria.
The train will arrive at Alexandra on Saturday morning, at 11.30, and will be welcomed by the Shire President.
The tour has been dissociated from commercialism by the Directors of the train, who have promoted interest in the question of better roads in every country visited, and have given willing support and co-operation in national movements being conducted at the time of their visit.
The train, which is the first of its kind to be built, is a marvel of construction. Made by General Motors Corporation, it consists of an exact replica of a transcontinental engine with tender and Pullman car attached.
The Shrine of Remembrance Commitee has been granted the use of the Train for the purpose of augmenting the Appeal funds.

31 Aug 1928 https://tr ove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64697922
The Trackless Train. The Metro-Goldwyn Trackless Train, which is on a world tour, arrived in Alexandra on Saturday morning last shortly after 11 o'clock. The Shire President, Cr. Wylie, and other public men (including several councillors and Col. Hindhaugh, president of the Alexandra branch of R.S.S.L.A.) met the train at the town boundary, and were brought in "in State" by the train. Cr. Wylie cordially welcomed the "crew."
Mr. Carrier responded on behalf of the organisers, and Captain Goodman, who is travelling with the train in the interests of the Shrine of Remembrance, made an appeal for support.
The trackless train after making a tour of Australia will proceed from Perth to Ceylon and India, returning through the Suez Canal to New York.
A further interesting phase of the world tour, and a factor largely contributing to the unique achievement of this novel automobile, is the fact that in every country visited the guiding force has been supplied by the world-wide organization of General Motors in the form of pilot cars. On arrival near Alexandra the train was met and welcomed by a fleet of General Motors products, arranged by the local dealer, Mr. V. Coller, representing Chrysler, Buick, and Oldsmobile. During the evening the train was on view to the public at Mr. Coller's service station.
Mr. McNair kindly entertained the visitors at dinner at the Alexandra Hotel.
Mr. Edward Carrier is the director of this novel tour. He is the guiding brain which. has carried the trackless train all over the world, from the chilly snow covered wastes of Canada, the mountains of Mexico, and the Barren Sands of the Sahara. For three years this novel symbol has thrilled millions. Mr. Carrier has an album of the signatures of front page notables, including Benito Mussolini, President Hindenburg, the King and Queen of Belgium, President P'oincare, and many others in which figure nearly all the world's famous men of science and letters. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Trackless Train proved a great attraction to those world celebrities.

(This pic is of it when it was in Brisbane.)

wee-allis wrote: I'm tipping that the one in Wolongong was once owned by Pell's Bus Serrvice and George Clements Prior to them. It was based in Nambucca Heads and the original prime mover was a AEC with, from memory a Hastings Deering cab. Pells replaced the AEC in the '70s

.

sailorV posted this photo a while back of Pells Leyland Comet

The AEC Monarch 470 had that cab for a couple of years......Dodge used the same cab with a V8 petrol.....The 470 was a problem motor,and blew head gaskets all the time,supposedly due to the block flexing...the wet sleeve block wasnt rigid enough.

Same bus. I used to go to school in this. My late dad drove it in the late '50s, early sixties when it had the original prime-mover. It was an ex army 4x4 gun tractor converted to 4x2 and re-cabbed.

I have a thought in the back of my head :silly: that the truck was named "Thunderguts" and that no notice of withdrawal was given, as they didn't want it stripped for souvenirs by the local kids.

TDU

Your right about the name, but I don't know about the rest of it. My memory tells me it was eventually sold off and converted to a mobile dental clinic for the outback, but the picture of it in Wolongong sort of proves that I am getting senile.

George Clements did have another of these trailer buses, without a prime mover, so it is possible that this was the one to become a mobile horror unit. I'll try to contact my old mate Mark Pell and see if he remembers, not that it matters so much.

Not sure whether these 2 have been put up before or not but here they are anyway.

180930Su Melbourne 'Herald Sun' - APT early tour bus.
'Pykes Tours'. I can't guess the year or the bus. Pykes was a Sydney-based tour operator which lasted into the 1970s. [edited to take in information from HCVC facebook].

Roderick.