Little-known make(s).
 

From:- http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_tr...is/gilford.htm

At the 1931 Olympia show, Gilford unveiled, for the first time, the double-deck version of the front-wheel drive bus that they had spent literally thousands of pounds developing. It resulted in an extremely low height vehicle, which stood just 12ft 11ins high, with the normal centre-gangway. The chassis frame was dispensed with altogether and the strength of the bus was contained in the structure of the body. The body was constructed by Wycombe Motor Bodies and this, and a front-wheel drive single-deck vehicle exhibited at the same show, were the only two metal-framed bodies built. Despite the advanced design and the amount spent developing them, there were no prospective purchasers, and this in part was responsible for the downturn in the Company's financial position towards the end of the year, with a loss of over £28 000 being registered.
The prototype front-wheel drive double-decker was converted into a trolleybus for experimental purposes, with electrical gear being substituted for the engine, but otherwise basically unaltered. Although no customers were forthcoming for the trolleybus, at least it did operate in service for a short while, on loan to Wolverhampton Corporation in November and December of that year.
Sales did no better in 1934, when two orders from Western SMT for 40 vehicles represented 40% of the total annual output, and by 1935 output was little over 1 vehicle per week. On the 29th November 1935 the company went into receivership, with liabilities of over £21 000 against assets of just under £6 000, which when the issued share capital of £100 000 was taken into account made the total deficit over £116 000. On the 31st December 1935 the Company was wound up and the Gilford Motor Company passed into history.
Gilford chassis were often sold on deferred-payment terms and in the cut-throat coach business of the thirties smaller operators who purchased these vehicles were unable to pay, which resulted in many of the chassis being re-possessed, and, the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board, took away many of Gilford's best customers, and indeed, the fleet of over 200 Gilfords inherited by the LPTB made them the largest ever operators of Gilford vehicles.

It seems the Gilford Motor Company is still used in legal training under Veil of Incorporation.

google - Gilford Motor Company Ltd v Horne

Thanks for that - so the name 'lives on' . . .

Here is a name for you two to sort out ''Tilling-Stevens'' I'll bet not many of the younger members have heard of them!!

Ian

Done

http://www.fleetdata.co.uk/tilling-stevens.html

Early hybrid trucks . . .

I knew it would not be long with you two on the case :D

In that article another old name thrown up 'Vulcan' but we now know what happened to that company

Some other bus chassis/body builders (old and/or rare) from the past (and these are from the deepest recesses of my mind!)...
Gurney-Nutting,
Sentinel (Ricardo?)
Atkinson
Crossley

Incidently, the first post said that the heoght of the Gilford was 12' 11". Wasn't their a bus made for Barton's that was only 12' 6"? A Northern Counties bodied Dennis Loline IF my memory serves me right.

Yes, you are absolutely right. Photo here taken Oct 2008 at Barton centenary.

http://davidsphotos.digimig.co.uk/p54012974.html

My Grandfather had a Vulcan charabanc:-
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...erdriving-.jpg
That's him standing by the steering wheel (with the flat cap and wing collar).
I still have the bonnet emblem from that vehicle:-
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ain/Vulcan.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_...or_vehicles%29