1. Maidstone & District coach.
This cracking old photograph shows what I believe is Maidstone & District coach, registration KJ 5434, fleet number 689. If this is the case, then the vehicle is a Leyland Tiger TS4 of 1932, fitted with "Pullman Saloon" coachwork by Harrington (reference B31C). Three young lads are in evidence; one is playing cricket, the second with the fine set of braces is admiring Harrington's handiwork, while the third is clambering up the side of the coach, to grab a better look at the smartly upholstered seating within. In those days, lads of that age usually wore shorts, regardless of the temperature, and wearing caps pointing the correct way, and ties neatly centred, was very much the norm.
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The destination blind in the coach suggests that this Leyland Tiger was taking a private group of people for a trip out. This was at a time when coach trips were often a family's only option for a ride to the seaside, motor-car ownership still being the preserve of the reasonably well-off. Sadly I've no details of where this shot was taken. Although not very clear in this photo, the usual Leyland script that would feature on a Tiger's radiator, is replaced with that of Maidstone & District themselves.
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Leyland Tiger TS4, registration KJ 5434 and chassis number 799, was built in 1932 and served the Maidstone area until July 1940,
when it and its sisters were requisitioned for the war effort, specifically the Army. Whether it survived the war, or met its end thanks to
Adolf and one of his Luftwaffe pilots, isn't known.
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2. A Maidstone & District coach trip.
Next, this old photograph which seems appropriate to place on this page. It shows a cheerful bunch of passengers, mainly ladies of smart attire, ready to board their Maidstone & District coaches for a day out somewhere. I'm hoping that someone will be able to identify the vehicles, and with that information, perhaps date the photograph. My guess is 1940s - either very early in the war, or shortly afterwards. Behind the second coach is a Morris saloon, followed by a Morris-Commercial lorry, both from the 1930s. The lorry doesn't have any black-out covers fitted to its lamps, which suggests to me that this could be just post-war. A sign behind the coaches is advertising Defence Bonds, these were available throughout and after the war, from Post Offices and Trustee Savings Banks.
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Return to Old Car Photos Page No. 9.
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