Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects

The Preservation of 1937 Leyland TS7 [Waddington built ex Sydney 1389]

2021

Body January

Norman Julian 2nd Jan
The first stage of the new door is done.
Took a little time to work out the size.
If there is a problem then I will adjust the new frame it goes into that has to be rebuilt.




David Wilson
beautiful
Terry Davis
You sure are dedicated, ��% , great job.
What colour scheme are going to us ������
Norman Julian
Terry Davis
I have been thinking about that from time to time and probably the Bankstown colours that it is painted now.
There are already 2 buses from this era already painted green/cream.
There is no point in another.
Terry Davis
Norman Julian l thing that's a great idea, it's a pitty the original owner's ( just can't remember their name) aren't still around because I'm sure they would have been happy the help you with you restoration.
When l was about 18 Allan Redman, Hammondville Bus said l could have an old ex Govt.
Transport 1/2 for zilts but l had nowhere to put l sure do wish l did, do hope you do paint it in WB colours l think l have a photo of the 1/2 cab l was offered
Terry Davis
This was the bus ��

Norman Julian 3rd Jan
The second stage is done.
I had to shorten the 2 lengths of rod to fit this door properly.
The whole door is a little narrower than the deckers etc.
The door has to be turned over and capping added but before that the door has to be shaped to the frame of the bus which means several kerf cuts to each side and shaped inwards till the ideal shape is found.
This bus has a peculiar shape to it.
It angles inwards from the bottom upwards then slowly curves inwards about halfway up the door.
Not sure why this was done.
Lots of work making a straight piece of glass look right in the frame.
This door though doesn't look as curved as what the decker was.

Norman Julian
You can see in this picture the panel straight but heading inwards from the bottom than curving about halfway through the window frame.
Norman Julian 3rd Jan
This is the deckers door.
Norman Julian 3rd Jan
The main frame surround is now done.
The second part was to look through the box of goodies to see what I had to make up the locking mechanism.
Thanks to Scott Wilson and the guys from the Bus Museum for carrying such parts I have enough to do the job.
Nothing fancy and free here just parts that have their own story to tell if they could.
The other photos are of the back door of the prewar at the museum. 1492.






Terry Davis
Job well done Norm just think how your W/B bus when finished will look parked inbetween the GTD ones l know which 1 will stand out !!!!!!!!!!����✌
Norman Julian 5th Jan
Here we have a couple of drawings I did today that are to scale.
They are of the nearside half of the door.
The second is from the TD5.
The first is one which I extrapolated from a photo of 1275 which is the older sister of this bus.
Because I don't have access to 1275 I basically have to go off photos.
The top curve of the TD5 and the 2 single deck prewars look near enough the same.
The curve on the Leyland 1275 looks to have the same curve top and bottom.
This will probably be the design I will use.
Back to the frame, I welded steel plates inside the box section for the locking mechanism.
The front top cover also had a plate added for the outside handle.









Terry Davis
You are to be congratulated 100% for the work that you are putting into it.
I sincerely hope that I'm still around to see it running, especially if you paint i in WBS colours.
Keep up the good work.
��������✌
Norm Julian
Terry Davis Gee thanks buddy!
Norman Julian
The intention was to do a little bit of work this afternoon but the tawny has other ideas!
David Wilson
the the tawny is giving you its blessing.
Although not an owl, it is just as wise !
Norman Julian 10th Jan
It's taking shape.
Looks close to the original!



Terry Davis
Well done Norm, you sure doing a great job, like l said before l hope it back on the road as West Banko.������
Norman Julian
Terry Davis these old buses have very ordinary brakes by today's standards.
Parts are probably hard to come by.
Terry Davis
Norman Julian you are so decadent im sure you'll find a along with help from the bus museum.����
Fred Holland
That looks great Norm.


Norman Julian
Why there are so many self tappers along here is anyones guess!
John Clarke
Norman Julian You don't want anything to fall off!

Norman Julian
At some stage the internal destination mechanism was done away with.
This sliding system maybe took its place.
Scott Wilson
Norman Julian
No.
It was to hold a lower supplementary sign.
David Wilson
would have been done away with when it was sold to West Bankstown Bus Service.
The slide in bracket was for a supplementary sign in Government days - so original
Norman Julian
I had a closer look at it and I can see the staircase still there and I can see clearly that a waist rail put in and then cut out.
With what Scott and David Wilson said the door was in originally but when decommissioned by the government and went into private service the door was probably panelled over.
Then maybe when finally retired from service the new owner may have wanted the doorway back in.

Urs Mueller
You doing a good Job.
Norman Julian
Urs Mueller thanks buddy.
Terry Davis
Keep up the good work, you've got to have a lot passion in what you have set out to do.
Can you tell me where you gotbthe bus from?.����
Norman Julian
The Central Coast Terry Davis
Norman Julian 14th Jan
No need to say much I think!





Norman Julian
This is the drivers side pillar and its near side pillar are the only ones holding the rear of the bus in position





Norman Julian
This pillar is nearly gone just above the bearer.









Terry Davis
There is no doubting your dedication to restoring this magnificent piece transport history !!!!!!!!!!
I sure whish that l was in a position to assist you.
I Iook forward to yor photos each day.
����������
.more fantastic photos thanks for sharing them with us. ��������
Norman Julian
At some stage the internal destination mechanism was done away with.
This sliding system maybe took its place.
Scott Wilson
Norman Julian No.
It was to hold a lower supplementary sign.
David Wilson
would have been done away with when it was sold to West Bankstown Bus Service.
The slide in bracket was for a supplementary sign in Government days - so original
Norman Julian
I had a closer look at it and I can see the staircase still there and I can see clearly that a waist rail put in and then cut out.
With what Scott and David Wilson said the door was in originally but when decommissioned by the government and went into private service the door was probably panelled over.
Then maybe when finally retired from service the new owner may have wanted the doorway back in.
Norman Julian 14th Jan
No need to say much I think!
Norman Julian 14th Jan
Norman Julian
This picture tells a story.
It has or had a skirt rail that has been cut off or even added and cut off again at some stage in its long life.
It has a doorway now but when it was new is not known for sure.
Scott Wilson
It had 2 doors.
The upper step is still in place.
Admin
Scott Wilson
yes I know but that doesn't mean it had one when new.
Scott Wilson
Norman Julian It was new with 2 doors, as 1275 has.
Norman Julian
It also has the remnants of a waist rail which indicates a wall was once there.
David Wilson
The rear door was probably panelled over by West Bankstown Bus Service - always had 2 doors as a Government bus
Norman Julian
David Wilson there are only 2.
There is already one in Government colours so 2 isn't really warranted or desired.
A Bankstown livery bus sounds like a good idea.
Panneling up the back door at this stage would save time and money.
Your thoughts?
David Wilson
When 1389 was new in 1937, it was in a spectacular black and white livery (as per the sketch below) and this lasted until its first overhaul in 1940 when it was painted green and cream.
Would then be quite different to the other two.
Anyway, it's your decision as you're doing the work
Norman Julian
David Wilson yeah that is a great look!
David Wilson
If was to painted in West Bankstown colours, you wouldn't have the benefit of that great 1930s era 'streamlined' paint layout.
Norman Julian 14th Jan
I have decided to go a step further and strip off everything at the rear.
Corrosion is quite substantial so I'm biting the bullet.
It really is a shame.
So much of the essence of the original vehicle will be replaced but alas what are you suppose to do!
Norman Julian 14th Jan
Now that all the obstacles are out of the way I can measure up all the framing material needed to do this back section. I have stopped finishing the door so as to get this new rear frame made up first.
It has so many patches and has so many hits and collapsed in so many areas that I can't trust what I see.
Measuring up the width and depth of the old frame is impossible to get consistency.
The new door is thicker than the frame of the bus so a few changes is needed in the frame size.



David Wilson
very nice
Terry Davis
As usual you doing a great job, just love getting your beautiful progress photos��������
Terry Davis
Norm, please NO NO NO .
Please paint it the West Banko bus co like you told that you were thinking of doing, they all ready have 2 GTD 1/2 cabs & yours in W.B.B
S colours woukd realy TURN HEADS.
������☺������
Norman Julian
Terry Davis you are passionate about West Bankstown Bus Service aren't you!
Norman Julian 14th Jan
Looks like even a series of buses that were made in the same batch are not identical.
The first photo is this bus the second is 1275.
Both are Leylands.



Norman Julian 16th Jan
Today I'm going to take these mangled pieces of metal off.
Not really sure what they are for.
I thought at one look that they were bolted on to the end of each fork of the chassis but I had a closer look and they are welded.
Looking at the others of this time they only had round tube as a bumper, a bit like the deckers.
Not even sure that was original.
Maybe someone here would know.
Anyway, I'm going to cut them off the chassis.
I was told welding on a chassis was a no no.
Apparently the more modern chassis you can weld onto them.
These old things . . . who knows!





Norman Julian 16th Jan
Back to the way they should be.
This is the dodgiest job I think I have ever seen.
Not sure what it was used for but I don't think it was used for a bumper bar.



I will make up a system of brackets utilising these bolts to carry a rear nudge bar that resembles this one in the picture below.







Norman Julian 19th Jan
The first of this massive job can now commence.
Once again my supplier fabricated this up quite quickly.
When I started the AEC many years ago I used black steel.
Then when the job was nearly finished doing the inside back bulkhead wall I decided to use galvanised because of the amount of rust that was there.
I found it easy to work with so I changed over to it full time.
These days because of the amount of gal used over black steel the prices are fairly similar.
One thing with these projects is the different sizes in the dimensions of the top hat shaped pillars and braces.
They vary quite a bit.
I just wished they had a few standard sizes that they work from the word go and stuck with it.
I have 17 different sizes in my collection, and counting.
Adrian Spencer
Hi Norm may I ask how you organise the quantity and dimensions of your steel.
Do you send in an example items and diagrams?
Norman Julian 20th Jan
Because I will be going inside quite a bit the walk to the front door will be innoying so I opened up the rear door again.
You can see what's left of the old step.


Ben Summers
Eek!
Norman Julian
This isn't factory.
This is sloppy work.
Probably a repair after an accident or even a rust replacement at an overhaul.
This technique is called "Kerfing".
Done with saw cuts.
Ben Summers
Repairs which aren't carried out properly are the worst.
Norman Julian 20th Jan
I have taken off as much as I'm going to at this stage.
The poor thing has had a few repairs done it its long life.
A conservative guess is about 80% of this I'm going to replace.
I dare say that will change the more surprises I find.






Ben Summers
Eek!
Norman Julian
This isn't factory.
This is sloppy work.
Probably a repair after an accident or even a rust replacement at an overhaul.
This technique is called "Kerfing".
Done with saw cuts.
Ben Summers
Repairs which aren't carried out properly are the worst.





Charles Shipway
Norman what a challenge?
Looking forward to seeing some photos of the end product
Norman Julian 21st Jan
It was hard to know where to start here.
The near side won so the cutting began there.
I was hoping to save the section of the floor bearer but it is too badly corroded.
Fortunately for me I had a section of floor bearer left over from the AEC and even better it is the same dimensions.
I took the cutting of this section of bearer right back to the intersection of bearer going side to side of the vehicle.
Doing that it isn't noticeable as much and more strength.
This section carries the weight on one side of the back wall and back section of the entire vehicle so it needs to be done properly.
Just like the TD5 someone thought it was a good idea to fill the bearer with timber.
Last updated
January, 2021
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