LGOC B-type facts for kids
Quick facts for kids LGOC B-type |
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B340, owned by the London Transport Museum; London to Brighton Run, 2006
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | London General Omnibus Company |
| Body and chassis | |
| Doors | 1 door |
| Floor type | Step entrance |
The LGOC B-type was a special kind of double-decker bus. It first appeared in London in 1910. The London General Omnibus Company (LGOC) made and ran these buses.
Contents
Designing the B-type Bus
B-type buses were built in Walthamstow, a part of London. They took the place of an older bus model called the X-type bus. These new buses could carry 34 people. Many people think the B-type was the first bus to be made in large numbers.
The very first B-type bus started carrying passengers in 1911. By 1913, more than 2,500 of these buses had been built.
Key Features of the B-type
A man named Frank Searle designed the B-type. He was the main engineer for the LGOC. The bus had a frame made of wood and wheels made of steel. It used a special gear system called a worm drive and a chain gearbox.
The top speed of the B-type was about 16 miles per hour (26 km/h). This was actually faster than the legal speed limit at the time, which was 12 miles per hour (19 km/h). However, the bus could sometimes go as fast as 30 to 35 miles per hour (48–56 km/h) in good conditions.
Passenger Comfort and Lighting
The B-type buses could carry 16 passengers inside. Another 18 passengers could sit on the top deck, which had no roof. These outside seats had canvas covers to protect people from rain.
Electric lights were added inside the buses starting in 1912. Headlights for the front of the bus were added in 1913. Before that, people thought the inside lights made the bus bright enough to be seen at night.
B-type Buses in World War I
About 900 B-type buses were used during World War I. They helped move soldiers behind the battle lines. At first, they were used as they were, with their normal red and white paint. But soon, they were painted khaki, a dull brownish-green color, to blend in.
Soldiers' rifles and bags often broke the glass windows on the lower deck. So, the glass was taken out and replaced with wooden planks. Some buses were even changed into trucks or vans. Their bus bodies were stored away.
A B-type bus could carry 24 fully equipped soldiers and all their gear. Some buses were turned into mobile pigeon lofts. These housed pigeons that were used to send messages along the front lines. The buses served until the war ended. Then, they helped bring the soldiers back home.
The Famous "Ole Bill" Bus
The Imperial War Museum keeps a special B-type bus named B43. This bus was built in 1911 and worked on London bus routes. In 1914, the War Office bought it for the war.
B43 served in France and Belgium until 1919. After the war, the LGOC bought it back. On February 14, 1920, King George V inspected B43 at Buckingham Palace. It was the first bus a British king had ever been on!
In the early 1920s, the bus stopped being used for regular service. It was saved by a group called the Auxiliary Omnibus Companies Association. They renamed it "Ole Bill" after a famous cartoon soldier. "Ole Bill" continued to appear in special parades. In April 1970, it was given to the Imperial War Museum.
Images for kids
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British troops boarding "B types" following the Battle of Arras (May 1917)
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As mobile pigeon loft in WWI
See also
