Peter Tulloch's
Bus & Coach Review

Peter's second webpage features a Foden demonstrator from 1946


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This second offering comes straight off the cover of the first post WW2 edition of 'Foden News'. Dated January 1946 Fodens chose the cover to illustrate their brand new entry into the passenger market.

The double decker (chassis number 23000) initially carried a Willowbrook lowbridge body seating 53 passengers and was used quite extensively as a demonstrator, registered HMB 395.

It secured orders from, amongst others, Warrington Corporation, who were very anxious for a quick delivery. To speed this up the Willowbrook body was removed from the chassis, which was then delivered to Warrington who fitted a refurbished pre war Metropolitan Cammell body from a Crossley chassis.

This combination went on to serve Warrington until 1963. The Willowbrook body, meanwhile, was mounted on another new chassis (27222), this one fitted with Foden's new two-stroke engine. Once again it was used as a demonstrator, as KMA 570, but no orders were forthcoming and the bus was sold to a Yorkshire independent operator - Cawthorne of Barugh. Just a year later Cawthorne sold out to the Yorkshire Traction Company, who operated KMA 570 until 1959, when the bus was sold to Frank Cowley, the Salford based dealer, but failed to attract any further users.