  Thanks to David Shepard & Paul Harrison
I will never forget the day I told my parents I had bought a double-decker bus. I chose to
tell my father first, while we were driving somewhere together. I enlisted his support to tell my mother because I didn't
have the nerve, and when asked what sort of bus it was, I remember saying "Its identical to the one Reg Varney used to drive
in ON THE BUSES.
For me ON THE BUSES was about buses, and I was intensely
disappointed if an episode went by without any shots of one of Luxton and District handsome green double-deckers. The
reason I was transfixed every week was simple- I travelled on those same buses to school almost every day. For most young
boys, the dream of becoming an airline pilot or train driver was the norm. But I was weir- I wanted to drive a bus, just like
Stan, and despite the fact I chose a career in Public Relations, I did fulfill my dream, one day in 1968.
Eastern and National.
It is a well known fact
that On The Buses was filmed at London Wood Green, depot of the Eastern National Omnibus Company. From this depot, every day,
the 251 service to Southend would operate, via the town of Rayleigh and right past my door.
These buses were Bristol FLF-type Lodekkas fitted
with 70-seat bodies built by Eastern Coachworks of Lowestoft. Those used in OTB were delivered to ENOC in 1967/68 and fitted
with semi-automatic transmission and Gardner 6LX 10,225cc diesel engine. The Lodekka revolutionized bus design in the late
1950's by offering center aisles upstairs and down, but with an overall height of just 13ft 6ins, hence the name Lodekka.
Many automatics were produced between 1954 and 1968, the ultimate being the semi-auto FLF, or flat floor, long wheel base
Front entrance version.
I remember travelling on vehicles used in the series
during the run. For example, AEV 811F (fleet number 2917) was a real favorite, and frequent runner on the 251. One
week AEV was missing for two days, it was being used for filming "ON THE BUSES".
The other regular was AVF 399F (fleet number
2930) AVW is the bus that features in the infamous "Radio Control" episode.
In Inspectors Pet we see WWC 743
(fleet number 2913)
In Vacancy for Inspector WWC 741F (fleet number 2911) can be seen
In Lost Proprty the bus
is AEV 811F and AVW 399F.
All ENOC buses also carried home identification plates
above the fleet number plate on the front raditor cowl. Look carefully at the episodes and you will see BD (Brentwood depot)
WG (Wood Green) BN (Basildon) or SD for (Southend)
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The real Wood Green
The depot used in the series was Eastern National's Wood Green depot, which fronted on to Lordship Lane - in many of
the scenes showing buses entering the depot from the front, other landmarks can be seen, including the entrance to Wood Green
underground station (just about visible in "FirstAid"), as well as the Eastern National enquiry office, which used
to be sited
alongside the depot (seen clearly in "The Kids' Outing").
In early episodes, buses
are sometimes shown entering the depot from what appear to be smaller roads at the rear (notably the scene with Arthur'shandlebars
trailing behind the bus!).
Having closed when its main route, the 251 to Southend, was cut back to Walthamstow,
the depot and all adjoining houses have been demolished without trace, and the whole site is now occupied by "Do it All"
and a car hire firm. The church alongside it, with its distinctive arch patterned wall, was still to be seen on my last visit
there some years ago.
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The Elstree Studios set, used in the Buses
Films
In the first two films, I gather from a friend of my father's who lives near to Elstree, that many of the
'on-road' shots were filmed in Radley
In the first film, the famous London Transport 'skidpan' in Chiswick
was used for the filming of Stan's test by the insurance company following the telephone box incident - and all the buildings
there have since been demolished.
Much of "Holiday on the Buses" was filmed on location in Prestatyn,
Rhuddlan and surrounding area.
Many thanks to David Sheppard for this information
David has 2 vintage buses
why not visit his web site to find out more
Click on bus below
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Click this external link to see more info on buses from the show
More buses from the show click HERE
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