David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: KDK 61

Early 1954 – KDK 61 about to leave Weir Street on the first winter run of the Rochdale-Cheltenham service This photograph features the driver (Cliff Holt I think his name was), Hubert Allen (the Yelloway Chairman and General Manager), Jack Wilson (Yelloway Traffic Manager) and Vincent Reeves (Road Steward). The coach was standing in the open air on ground close to Slack Street which would later become covered when the garage and coach station were extended forwards.Prior to this time the Rochdale-Torquay ‘Devonian’ service was summer only and Yelloway had to fight to obtain a licence to run between Rochdale and Cheltenham during the winter months. In fact this first winter season didn’t commence immediately after the close of the previous summer timetable and there was a gap of some months before the new winter operation could commence. This resulted in only a short winter period before the already licenced summer service began again.

Early 1954 – KDK 61 about to leave Weir Street on the first winter run of the Rochdale-Cheltenham service. Prior to this time the Rochdale-Torquay ‘Devonian’ service was summer only and Yelloway had to fight to obtain a licence to run between Rochdale and Cheltenham during the winter months. In fact this first winter season didn’t commence immediately after the close of the previous summer timetable and there was a gap of some months before the new winter operation could commence. This resulted in only a short winter period before the already licenced summer service began again. Hubert Allen, the Yelloway Chairman and General Manager, had a tradition of ‘launching’ a new service by cracking a bottle of champagne over the front nearside wheel (there was always a shovel and brush on hand to sweep up the glass before the coach departed!). In these regulated days it was often cause for celebration to have obtained new road service licences which sometimes required a lot of preparation work to present a case in the Traffic Courts. Justifying the need for new services could often involve lengthy traffic court battles. One of the first passengers on the new service performs the task of ‘launching’ the service watched by Hubert Allen and Jack Wilson.

Mid 1950s - KDK 61, one of the three Burlingham Seagull bodied Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/15 coaches which Yelloway bought in 1953. These were to be the last Leylands acquired by Yelloway for many years – until the demise of the AEC marque in fact under British Leyland (1980). It was photographed alongside the wall of Falinge Park in Rochdale.

Early 1950s (1953?) - In 1952 the stylish Burlingham Seagull entered the fleet and continued to do so until Burlingham was acquired by Duple at the end of the 1950s. This impressive line up shows eight of the type parked on the ground owned by Rochdale Corporation Transport for town centre bus parking (Duncan Street is in the foreground and Baillie Street along the rear of the coaches). On the left is KDK 61 new in 1953 whereas all the others, in numerical order, are JDK 320 to JDK 326 bought in 1952. Close examination of the chassis manufacturer badges will reveal that the coaches at each end of the line-up are Leyland Royal Tigers whereas the six others are AEC Regals.