Looking up at Lodge’s

30/08/2022 WebSupport Features, Industry Heritage
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Proving popular on a local tour during the bus, car and coach rally was heritage fleet member LTA 752, an ex-Western National Bedford OB which was ten years old when it was bought by Lincolnshire Road Car and converted to ‘toast rack’ specification by Duple of Hendon for use in Skegness. NICK LARKIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lodge Coaches preserved fleet is back and hard at work post-pandemic, with several new additions. NICK LARKIN catches up at the firm’s car and bus rally

We need all the good news we can get nowadays, so it’s great to report that the much admired vintage fleet of High Easter, Essex-based Lodge Coaches is once again in great demand post pandemic.

There are currently 10 fully active vehicles, which range from a Ford Model T, commissioned as a replica of Lodge’s first vehicle to mark the firm’s centenary in 2020, to YMJ 555S, a fine Duple C53F Duple-bodied Bedford YMT new to Lodge Coaches in 1978.
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The heritage fleet’s story begins in 1989 when director Andrew Lodge, who had always wanted to restore a coach, bought a 1956 Bedford SBG/Duple Super Vega, MJB 481, from Abbeyways of Halifax. Various Bedford OBs and other vehicles followed.

Lodge’s opened its own museum, titled the Toybox, in 2019. Vehicles are employed on a wide range of private hire duties and film work.

The chance to view the preserved fleet could be savoured at Lodge’s highly successful bus, car and coach rally on 21 August, which featured many vehicles from other operators and private owners. Said Andrew: “It’s all going well. We’ve been busy all this year. Things are more or less back to normal as far as private hires, including weddings, and organised visits to the Toybox are concerned.”

lodgecoaches.co.uk

A definite highlight of the show was the return to Essex in for the first time in 17 years of BAR 103X, the only Plaxton Bustler body built on a Leyland Leopard chassis, and now superbly restored by Mark Judd of MR Judd Commercials, Guyhirn. NICK LARKIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A brace of Bedford OBs: TMY 700 was new to Essex County Coaches of Stratford, and CFV 851 began its career with Wood of Blackpool in 1948. NICK LARKIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now a heritage fleet member, this Bedford YMT with Duple C45F bodywork, was new to Lodge Coaches in 1978. NICK LARKIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 1966 Duple-bodied Bedford VAM was new to Loates of Bassingbourn, Cambs, but is now preserved by Myalls Coaches, based in the same village. NICK LARKIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’s duo

Two contrasting preserved vehicles once operated by Don’s of Dunmow in Essex: TXI 8756 was new to Young’s of Rampton as B135 AAV in 1985, being the only Dennis Lancet bodied by Jonckheere, and a present by Don’s founder Don Hill to current Lodge Managing Director Steve Harvey on his 21st birthday in 1990.

“We had a lot of use from the coach, which drives well and has air suspension. It’s a unique vehicle and definitely had to be preserved,” said Steve.

The second vehicle, Alexander-bodied Leyland Olympian F602 MSL, was new to Hampshire Bus, by then owned by Stagecoach, in 1988 before passing to Don’s where it became a depot favourite. The bus is now owned by driver for the firm Shaun Kinsella-Ilott. NICK LARKIN


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