London Bus's in Salisbury

Early 1950's my father imported some 20 Red London Double Decker Buses. They were shipped to Durban then driven up to operate in Salisbury. The name of his company was Transrhodes.

When he took them to Mbare for the locals approval they were described as ''Just like the houses in Avondale (suburb of Salisbury), upstairs and downstairs''.

Big crisis to see whether they fitted under the railway bridge on the Hatfield Road.

Salisbury Municipality also operated buses and there was fierce competition for passengers. It was called the Bus War.

Council and Dad ended up in the Supreme Court in Bloemfontein, claiming Council were restricting his trade. Free enterprise carried the day and Dad won his case. 

The buses were not a great success as the body frame work was made of wood which rotted in the hot climate, with the buses basically falling apart. Me thinks it was not a good idea to travel upstairs in those days.

I went to Alfred Beit Junior School and I was very proud being able to get my pals to ride for free in ''My Dad's bus''.

In 1953 Dad sold out to United Transport, who were a TransAfrica multinational transport operator.

Just wonder if anyone remembers those days.

Yours aye,
Ian Johnston.

End

Thanks to Ian for sharing his photographs and photographs with ORAFs, if you have memories of these buses then please share with us all, send them orafs11@gmail.com

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