A FEW PICTURES FROM OUR EXTENSIVE ARCHIVE COLLECTION :

 

For seventy-seven years the pale ivory vehicles from the Smiths Imperial coach fleet were a familiar sight on Birmingham roads and at resorts around the British coast. Having a substantial garage and workshops and at one time its own coach-building subsidiary, Smiths were always respected in the world of buses and coaches. Here are just a few of the pictures from the extensive photo archives.

 

 

 

Women's Pleasant Hour outing 1925 - OM6718 One of the first vehicles operated by William Smith, It had a Daimler 'Y' chassis and bodywork by Dennis seating 32. William can be seen at the wheel.

 

 

JOK 48 - The second of seven bodies built by Smiths between 1948 & 1950 when bodies were scarce after the Second World War. This vehicle was built on a Leyland PS1/1 chassis.

 

JOK 616 - W.S.L. Smith driving this 1898 Star, one of a number of veteran cars owned. This car was donated to the Birmingham Science Museum and can now be seen at the new 'Millennium Point'

 

 

During the 1950's and 1960's Bedford chassis were the normal choice with first Duple bodies and later Plaxton Bodies. The left picture shows some of the fleet at The Regency Club in Shirley - 1961. The picture on the right from 1966 shows three Bedford VAL's with Leyland 400 engines, later examples had Bedford '466' engines. These three coaches were the first to be fitted with 'Telma' electric brakes.

 

 

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MORE RECENT COACHES INCLUDE :

 

 

CIL 700 - An ex-Leyland demonstration Vehicle, was run by Smiths for 16 seasons & Still had the original engine, including pistons and liners when sold in 2001 - it must be a record for Leyland or were Smiths drivers just better than any others !!!

 

BAZ 6528 - The only Volvo operated by Smiths and was the last coach purchased. Previously operated by Shearings it had a Van-Hool 53 seater body with reclining seats, double glazing and sun blinds. It was also fitted, like most of the fleet, with a Telma electric brake.

 

 

UDL 222 - Another ex-Leyland demonstration vehicle and the first Smiths vehicle fitted with Toilet, Coffee Machine, Video, Double Glazing and Drivers Bunk. 49 seater bodywork on this vehicle by Jonckheere of Belgium.

 

YAU 400 - Leyland Tiger with Plaxton Paramount 53 seater bodywork, unusual for a Leyland this vehicle was fitted with a 'splitter' gearbox.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FJW 400V (also known as WOL 565)

- All of SMITHS vehicles had private number plates.

 

These pictures were taken on the day that 'Wolly' left the Stratford Road premises for the last time in December 2001.

 

 

A 1980 Leyland Leopard with Plaxton bodywork this vehicle served SMITHS for over 20 years only to be reluctantly sold to 'Trailways' in December 2001 for preservation, on condition that it remained in its original livery - Sadly this 'Gentleman's' agreement was not kept and when last spotted in 2006 was looking a little sad and in need of some care & attention. During the winter of 1999/2000 it was extensively refurbished inside and out (and under the bonnet) at a cost of many thousands of pounds, it then was only used during 2000 on 'selected' work. It was not used for passenger journeys during 2001 as we did not want to get it dirty !!!

 

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All of these pictures and many more can be found in OUR BOOK :

It's a Pleasure - It's SMITHS - A pictorial history of Smiths Imperial Coaches.

 

 

 

 

OUR LOGO - DESIGNED BY W.G. SMITH IN THE EARLY 40's. IT WAS USED ON ALL OUR VEHICLES AND PUBLICITY MATERIAL UNTIL 31st DECEMBER 2001.

 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST - OUR WELL KNOWN 'FLUNKIE' WHO STOOD ON OUR FORECOURT FOR OVER 40 YEARS PROCLAIMING

"YOUR COACH IS HERE MADAM"

 

 

'IT WAS A PLEASURE - IT WAS SMITHS'

 

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August 2020 ( c) Roger Smith