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If you had time machine the question would always be "what time would you return to?" In my case I think it would have to be 1970, and the place? Fort Wallington Car Breakers at Fareham (armed with a wad of cash) Why you may ask? This was the final resting-place for most of the Guy Arabs purchased by Provincial from 1949 to 1953. In my view it is a great shame that none of these were preserved. I have a great affection for Park Royal products and these were particularly handsome (although most were actually built by Guy). It could be argued that very similar examples from Southampton still exist but this does not make up for the fact that all the Provincial ones have long gone. I would say that these vehicles are probably my favourite Provincial buses, although all broadly similar in appearance they had different characteristics. I will share some of these with you, and also my reminiscences of them.

3- JOT 288 - All of these vehicles had hand painted rear number plates. After a repaint in the 1960's, I remember JOT 288 in service with JOT 289 painted on the rear for a period of time before anyone noticed.

6 -HCG 41, 7- HCG 42 - These two were always some of my favourites of the batch as they were always quite rare on the number 1 and 3 routes on which I lived. I don’t know why this was but they seemed to spend most of their time on the routes around Gosport.

20 - KOR 462 This vehicle had a particularly loud and distinctive exhaust note. During my childhood I used to lay in bed at night and try and guess which bus was passing outside by listening to the sound. It was never a problem identifying KOR 462. David Whitaker informs me at one time it had the Provincial fleetname above the destination blind in SCRIPT. It also, unusually, had TWO bells on the platform, one in the RT position.

22 - LHO 252 This was the last of these vehicles delivered. 22 entered service with chromium plated Guy hub caps on its front wheels, It also had a large T shaped heater fixed to the front bulkhead in the lower saloon, which the others did not have. 57 - EHO 869 had something similar I recall.

The bodies of these vehicles were also interesting, most were by Guy to a Park Royal design, and on one (22) the frames were built by Park Royal itself. You could not easily spot the difference.

 

Fleet No.

Reg number

Chassis Type

Entered Service

Bodied by

Withdrawn

3

JOT 288

Arab III

1951

Guy

1970

4

JHO 129

Arab III

1951

Guy

1970

5

HOR 792

Arab III

1950

Guy

1970

6

HCG 41

Arab III

1949

Guy

1970

7

HCG 42

Arab III

1949

Guy

1970

20

KOR 462

Arab III

1952

Guy

1970

21

KOR 463

Arab III

1952

Guy

1970

22

LHO 252

Arab III

1953

Park Royal

1970

No 3 JOT 288 seen here when relatively new, as the front route number box has not yet been added.  Photo: Stephen Didymus collection

No 4 JHO 129 seen at Gosport Ferry just about to depart for Fareham (West End)

No 5 (HOR 792) seen at Gosport Ferry in its early days.   Photo: N Hamshere

No 6 (HCG 41) seen when relatively new, as the white band over the top deck windows is still in existence. Photo: The Omnibus Society

No 7 (HCG 42) is emerging from Portland Street Fareham on Route 1 to West End.  Photo: Stephen Didymus collection

An early photo of No 20 KOR 462 at the original Gosport Ferry Terminus.  Photo supplied by Mark Gentry

Like some other Provincial double deckers, No 20 came to grief under Fareham Station railway arch circa 1968. Following this incident it was repaired by Strachans and returned to service for a few more years. Photo: Stephen Didymus Collection

A near side view of No 21 KOR 463 at Gosport ferry. Note the front route number aperture now added.

No 22 LHO 252. This was the last of the batch, purchased in 1953, and was the only one where the frames were built by Park Royal. I love the period advert, "If you want to get ahead, get a new hat"
 

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