During a decline in patronage in the early 1950s, the Department of Road Transport and Tramways (DRTT) designed a small single deck bus, to be driver-only operated, to be used on lightly trafficked routes, and to replace the last of the pre-war single deck half-cab buses, and war-time Austerity buses still in service.

 

These new buses carried 54 people, comprised of 23 standing and 31 seated, and so were dubbed the '31-seaters.' 

 

All were bodied by Commonwealth Engineering, Granville. Between 1951 and 1954, 120 31-seaters were built on Leyland OPS2/1, AEC Regal III and Daimler CVG6 chassis.

 

2599 is one of the batch of 50 31-seaters bodied on Leyland OPS2/1 chassis, while of the remaining 70 50 were AEC Regal IIIs and 20 were Daimler CVG6s. This Leyland order was particularly unusual, as the specifications required the chassis be delivered with pre-selector transmissions and air brakes which were not standard Leyland offerings on their front engined vehicles.

 

2599 entered service on September 19, 1952 and spent its working life out of Kingsgrove and Burwood depots in Sydney. It was retired in October, 1975 having covered 480,793 miles in service and was acquired for preservation soon after. It has been restored to 1950s condition, including 44" destination boxes at the front and rear.

 

Following a period of time out of service for repairs, the bus returned to operational service in mid-2015 however is currently undergoing major engine works as part of the THNSW Grants Program.

 

Specifications:

Engine: Six cylinder Leyland 0.600, bore 4.8", stroke 5.5", developing 125 brake horsepower.

 

Transmission: Four speed Wilson pre-selector gearbox to a worm drive differential.

 

Brakes: Air operated footbrake and a mechanical hand brake to the rear wheels.