Came across a brilliant black-and-white photo and thought it was worth sharing. It features:
Vehicle: County Lepton Guy Arab 3, fleet number 82—very clearly marked.
Route: No. 20 bound for Huddersfield, seen at Cleckheaton Bus Station.
Era indicators: Likely early 1950s. Why? The station road is still cobbled, and there are no bus stands—just buses pulling up directly to the kerb or curb. A simpler time, clearly.
What struck me:
The Arab 3’s styling—rounded body, split windscreen perhaps, signs of early post-war design. The mode of construction feels solid, more utilitarian compared to later artsier designs.
The station itself: cobblestone street, minimal infrastructure—no covered stands or barriered lanes. The design reflects a date before modernization and expansion of bus amenities.
Passengers might be visible—boarding or waiting—but the biggest impression is the environment: unrefined roads
Thinking out loud here—some questions and reflections:
Does anyone know the history of County Lepton’s Guy Arab 3s like No. 82? When were they in service, when withdrawn, who built the bodies, etc?
Route 20 to Huddersfield—what stops would that have included in the early ’50s, and when might that routing have changed or lost prominence?
About the cobbled street: when was Cleckheaton Bus Station modernized or upgraded? What year were bus stands introduced?
If you’ve seen comparable photos from this era in Cleckheaton, especially featuring the Arab 3, it’d be great to compare angles, signage, livery—might help date this one more precisely.
Really enjoy how much a single image can unpack—social fabric, design, transportation evolution. Looking forward to your insights or corrections—still figuring out this period bit by bit.
Cheers,
Martin
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