The

RATTLER Issue number 373, September 2003

Monthly newsletter of the Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia

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This former Alpine parlour car was photographed outside the Fremantle Maritime Museum bulk store in East Fremantle, in February 1984. It was one of about 20 of these vehicles, mostly Reo's and is the only one still remaining. It is an International Model K5. The same photo appeared on the front of Rattler 140, March 1984. This Rattler stated that it was anticipated that the K5 would be restored in one year.

The idea of fast parlour cars stemmed from the fierce competition between 43 taxi / small bus operators and the Metro Bus Company on the Fremantle to Perth via Claremont route. Previously about 50 other former taxi operators had combined to form Metro. Several attempts by Metro to takeover the remaining taxis failed. Meanwhile Metro had formed another company called Perth Fremantle Omnibus Company (PFO) in an attempt to counter the taxis. PFO was only partly successful and eventually reverted to Metro fleet. All PFO buses were Leyland's the same as Metro.

Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia (inc) Postal Address for all general correspondence, including membership enquiries and other matters - Secre tary

34 H a n n a b y Street Dianelte, W A , 6059

The Rattler is published monthly and circulated to members of the Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia (Inc) as part of their subscription. It is not sold separately, through newsagents or booksellers, so does not have a cover price. Copyright © 2001 Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia (Inc) and individual authors. Material published in The Rattler may not be reproduced in any form unless prior written approval is sought and received from the editor, except in the case of information extracted from news items which may be used in kindred enthusiast publications provided that acknowledgement is made of the source. The opinions expressed in articles in The Rattler are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect or coincide the views of the Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia or of the editor. Editor: Mark Tattersall Distribution: Christopher Bell . Material for publication in The Rattler, Including news items, articles and photos, should be sent to -

PO Box 879 Mirrabooka, WA, 6941

Or by e-mail - brat@joinet.net.au Nuts and Bolts

- Dates for BPSWA general meeting for the rest of 2003 are -Friday September 26th at 7.30pm and November 28f . The gun had been jumped in reporting Ray Webster's departure from the society. He has renewed his membership but will take a break from the Tuesday workshops. Good to have you back. We now have a further stock of BPSWA caps at $15.00 each. Ring Max on 9349 4125.

Alpine Parlour Cars, continued from front cover: Max Hayles The name Alpine is curious since there are no mountains and

certainly no snow on the route. One operator, CF Mills ran a small and called his service The Alpine Motor Service, which was undoubtedly the forerunner of Alpine Parlour Cars.

The idea was to run a larger vehicle, but smaller than a bus, that could carry a reasonable load of passengers and provide a fast service. The idea worked and became very popular with the public even though the fares were significantly higher than Metro.

Page three

The original Alpine Bus

Two parlour cars in St Georges Terrace, then a Scarborough Thorneycroft and a PFO Leyland,

Page four The first parlour cars carried 14 passengers, but further new

vehicles were larger. The K5 International on the front cover carried 20 passengers. As the seats were transverse across the bus with no aisle the rear passengers passed their fare money head over head to the driver and the ticket was passed back the same way. Meanwhile the bus had probably reached top gear. The minute the door was closed the driver was off. Once the bus was full the driver proceeded non stop until some passengers alighted allowing further pickups. The service was frequent with buses leap frogging each other.

Ultimately Beam Transport took over the parlour cars but retained the name Alpine, since this name had become a household wr with the public.

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K5 International in our shed. During the almost 20 years that have passed since Rattler 140 it

appears that two attempts have been made to restore K5, but due to non existent records and changes in staff, no information is available of who did what or when.

Page five It was generally believed that no parlour cars still existed but

about 4 years ago by sheer chance we learnt of K5 and arranged to see it and take photographs. Since then we have been in regular touch with the Fremantle Museum, but could not reach an agreement for us to have it. Times have changed.

We are very pleased to say that we have now made arrangements for us to restore the K5 and indeed it is now in our recently completed building extension awaiting work to begin. Unfortunately a number of parts are missing but may be found later. An agreement in now in preparation and whilst it is unlikely that we will ever achieve ownership, w )ill have it in our possession indefinitely. After restoration it will be available for us to display and for occasional runs within the park.

This is another important step forward for us and we are delighted to at last have it in our keeping.

President's Monthly Report; Cameron Bell The big news items this month are (1) That after four years the

Alpine Parlour car is now in our new workshop. (2) That past president Max Hayles' appeal to Ansell Rubber (formally Pacific Dunlop) for six new tyres for SBS#15 has been granted. A phone call from Dunlop's head office in Melbourne has confirmed that six new tyres and tubes will be dispatched to Beaurepaire in Malaga where they will be mounted. Dunlop does not make the size required (7.50x20) so they have sourced the tyres from an associated rubber company. Our gratitude to Ansell Rubber and well done Max. This is a major breakthrough in fast tracking the restoration of SBS#15.

Our membership has been boosted with three high-profile bus operators joining our Society. In order of joining are Paul Gillam cf rnan and manager of the Mandurah Bus Service, Karratha Bus Service and Buswest in Perth. The group runs over fifty buses, mainly Hinos. Paul also made a generous donation to SBS#15 Fast Track Restoration Fund. Peter Smith owner/operator of the Kalamunda Bus Service operates mostly Leyland Panthers. Peter is no stranger to us as he has been a regular contributor to our dead batteries project since its inception. Ron Wiggins started out as a mechanic with the Scarborough Bus Service before branching out with a school bus contract and charter buses in Mt. Helena. Ron also made a significant contribution to the

Page six SBS#15 FTRF. A warm welcome to you all and our thanks for your generosity.

On the personal front - as Glen Boom arrived back in Perth from the eastern states he passed Darrell Richardson on his way to Sydney -so it's one up one down at the workshop.

This month's significant win was finding a replacement solenoid for the air ram on #988's front door. Peter Smith donated one out of his stock of Panther spares - thanks Peter, this will put #988 back on the road after several months lay up.

Several members have asked for a social outing this year. To this end we are planning (subject to enough interest) to run a bus on Sun 2nd November "Maurice Brockweli Memorial Run" from Fremantle to Whiteman. Starting 7.30am at Victoria Quay, Fremantle. We will need to be away from our depot by 6.30am. The rally starts at 9am with a morning tea break along the way. If that's too early for you - you can join the bus at Fremantle. We may also run a Teyland bus to the Leyland Day/Rotary Fair in Spearwood on the 26th of October - note: there maybe a charge to enter the fair. If you are interested in one or both, please contact Barry lies on 93987368 - ASAP - it's a family and friends day - it's a BYO everything day.

Kalamunda's A.E.C.'s: Pat Hallahan Kalamunda buses catered for crowds of weekenders going to the

hills many guest houses. The five Thorneycrofts and AEC's six and seven had external case racks on the roof. Access to the roof rack on six and seven was via a ladder over the rear of the bus. In the high season for holidaymakers, the buses would carry a good half tonne of luggage on the roof. Number seven's roof was strengthened with additional supports when its roof cracked under the weight.

Boiling radiators didn't trouble the AEC's. The hotter they became, the better they seemed to run. A quick top up at the terminus and away they would go. Bob Kostera, second of Charlies sons, was badly scalded from number six's boiling radiator.

Kostera was fortunate at the commencement of the Second World War, to take delivery of bus number seven in June 1939. The two AEC's carried the bulk of passengers for several years. Kostera had to wait until November of 1946. before he could secure further AEC's.

Page seven In the war years, along with other Perth bus companies, he added

American Lend Lease vehicles to the fleet. One of these, number nine, was ex Scarborough number eighteen, a Buda engined bus. Kostera's mechanics converted this bus with an AEC engine in 1944.

Kalamunda buses No 6 and 7 in St George's Terrace, a Kalaraunda Buick taxi is on the rank to supplement the service. A Beam and Metro are at their Perth ranks.

Kostera's workshop carried out conversions to AEC engined vehicles for Emu buses and major engine overhauls for the Midland Railway Service coach and truck fleet. Kostera's workshop foreman Jack Courboules, was a talented mechanic. Flower, Davies and Johnson sent new AEC trucks to Kostera's workshop for conversion to prime m )rs for semi trailers for the transport of wheat from the country areas. Courboules skill was widely respected.

Buses numbered one and ten resembled six and seven and joined the fleet in 1946 and 1947. Both were AEC Regal Mark I models with crash gear boxes and double deck springs. Built by Campbell and Mannix, number 10 had an eight foot (240cm) wide body. This was the last bus built for Kostera by Campbell and Mannix prior to that company being absorbed into Metro buses.

Page eight Externally, buses one and ten resembled six and seven with their

full fronted design. Kalamunda's full fronted buses were an asset to the company as the space over the engine was ideal for the carriage of mail bags, small parcels and holiday makers luggage. Post war demand for buses from all the companies, coupled with a shortage of materials, led to a more austere interior. Exposed roof arches, painted white, contrasted markedly with the impressive finish of the earlier and classier AEC's. Half drop windows had arrived and gone were the special saloon treatments.

Bigger and more powerful vehicles became available from 1948. In December of that year, the Kalamunda Bus service took deliven f its number eleven, an AEC Regal Mark 3, with 9.6 litre engine, fluid drive, pre-select gears, with the change lever on the steering column. Its sister bus, number twelve, was delivered just six months later in May of 1949. Buses eleven and twelve, like their older sisters before them, became the workhorses of the fleet. These buses were built by R.S. Greenwood, a body builder located in Adelaide Terrace in Perth. All buses to this point in the Kostera fleet were wooden bodied. Sadly for the Kalamunda Bus Service, the Greenwood bodies needed extensive repairs in the first three years of their service. Flexing in the longer wooden bodies caused structural damage. With a seating capacity of forty, the loss of both vehicles for several months in turn was a major blow.

2nd Ramble into Another System. David Seeker. The Federal Bus Service must have suffered from a lack of public exposure with its city terminus on the north side of the Barrack Street Bridge next to the Maylands tram terminus. In the thirties my mother several times visited a friend in Bassendean with myself and eldest sis in tow. 1 don't recall any bus bigger or more modern than the White shown on the cover of the Rattler 364 December 2002.

In the next issue of the Rattler will be the concluding part of Kalamunda's A.E.C.'s by Pat Hallahan, the final in the series of models by Max Hayles and hopefully we shall have room for the continuing History of the Metropolitan Omnibus Company also by Max Hayles