If you ordered an Albion bus from the factory in 1946, about six months later, this would arrive by ship in Sydney. You could have long ones or short ones. Sydney bought 143 long ones, to carry 74 passengers. Then a bus body design had to be chosen, and a bus body builder contracted to build the complete bus. Two companies, Clyde Engineering and Commonwealth Engineering, both of Granville NSW, tendered prices for the job. Clyde got most of the work: Albert has a Clyde body, different in a few ways to the Commonwealth ones. (Easier to fix, too).
As they were completed, all the new Albions were sent to Manly Depot, which served all the routes running from the city northwards to the lovely beaches stretching from Manly to Palm Beach. The trip from Wynyard to Palm Beach took 1 1/2 hours, across the Harbour Bridge, through superb scenery to what was then a rural hamlet.
Albion no. 2036 at Palm Beach in 1954, about to leave for the City on route 190
Nearing the end of their lives as Sydney Buses, two Albions, (not Albert) seen descending The Spit Hill towards the northern suburbs of Palm Beach and Collaroy. The year is 1969: by 1970 they had all been taken out of service after 23 years' work.
Drivers were required by rule to descend this very steep hill in 2nd gear: the driver of no. 1899 (above) is clearly taking his chances in third gear. No. 1899 is also restored, owned by Robert Hood in Goulburn NSW. Click on any photo to enlarge it.
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| The run they were best remembered for: the 190.
The
engine side cover on all the Albions was purposely left off: in
Sydney's hot summer, climbing this hill with a full load of passengers
and a following north-easterly breeze made for one very hot engine.
Radiator boil-overs were common.
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Both photos by John Ward
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