David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: 4643DK

Summer 1965 (I think) – The Yelloway ‘Devonian’ service which linked Rochdale with Torquay and later Paignton, was extremely popular at summer holiday periods with hundreds of passengers booked on just one service departure which required something like about forty coaches on one departure alone. Lots of coaches were hired from other, mainly north-west of England, coach operators but these hires also brought the coaches of Devon based operators up to Rochdale (working Friday night north returning either Saturday day south or Saturday night south). Two Harrington bodied AEC Reliances are seen here in the Yelloway garage/coach station at Weir Street, Rochdale. The Yelloway coach is a 1963 Harrington Cavalier and the Grey Cars coach is a Harrington Grenadier dating from 1966 I seem to recall (registration series EOD-D). Grey Cars was the coaching name of ‘Devon General’ (The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co Ltd).

Sept 1972 – Yelloway 4643 DK seen parked in the Weir Street coach station and garage in Rochdale. A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1963 which didn’t look at all bad for being 9 years old. In just 3 or so months time it would be sold. The original number plate was of the pressed metal type although by now a newer type had been fitted perhaps following an accident repair. Yelloway owned a set of moulds to create replacement glass fibre front panels for the Harrington Cavalier. One of the features of Yelloway coaches was the fitting of a full height screen behind the drivers seat - clear plastic in the upper half with a curtain to reduce reflections for night time driving.

January 1973 – Yelloway 4643 DK, new in 1963, seen leaving the Weir Street garage for the last time. The fleetname transfers on the side panels and the garter scroll on the boot doors had been sanded off and neatly repainted. Even when leaving the fleet the coaches looked tidy. It had been stripped of its destination blinds and the front and rear glass fleetname panels. The trade plate ‘046 DK’ was in position because the vehicle had not been taxed for the road hence the ‘DL’ on the windscreen to indicate ‘Delicenced’. Driver Geoff Shaw took the coach away – to the Alf Moseley dealership I believe and if so would he have travelled back on the day north service from Loughborough to Rochdale.

Circa 1964 - Yelloway 4643 DK. This rather hazy picture is merely self indulgence as it was one of the first pictures I took of a coach. When at the Rochdale Technical School I took it upon myself to organise a number of Saturday day outings. My friend John Lemonofides had started the idea but had gone on to specialise in trips for the school railway club members. This year we went to Windermere and in the afternoon called at Morecambe where this picture was taken. A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1963.

Sunday 16 July 1972 – Yelloway 4643 DK departing the Weir Street coach station and garage in Rochdale at just after 1930 when working the 1900 hours service X79 from Oldham to Blackpool and Fleetwood . A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1963 which was sold in January 1973.