BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

Pictured below, and dated April 24th. 1961, is an offer for the sale of three late thirties Yellow Coach Double Decker buses by the Fifth Avenue Coach Lines (the successor to the Fifth Avenue Coach Company).

Note that coach number 2124 eventually became part of the MTA Bus Museum fleet and is shown below on display at 7th. Avenue and 33rd. Street in Manhattan on December 19th. 2007.

It's interesting that the company kept these buses until 1961 considering that the last double decker service ended in 1953.

The fate of the other two coaches is unknown to this writer.

Photo credit; Brian Weinberg

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

[shortlineMCI]

Is that the bus known as the Queen Mary, Mr. L. ?

[Mr. Linsky]

Ken,

Yes, that was what was known as the 'Queen Mary' and then some!

See a couple of interior shots below.

Models courtesy of Yellow Coach.

Mr. 'L'

[HwyHaulier]

Mr "L" -

Photo crew kinda' sly? Note in the Terrace Level view, the tall and rangy lady in the back? I don't spot her in the view on the Mezzanine Level...

I doubt if the creative artists were casting for "long, tall" types for roles in the upstairs view! It was, nevertheless, a good piece of work, and a
solid bus on display...

....................Vern................

[N4 Jamaica]

Thanks for posting those photos. I had forgotten about the turn at the top of the stairs! Dad was thrifty, so he would never choose to spend the dime fare on Fifth Avenue, but Mom and her mother (both, naturally, spending Dad's income) would bring us kids to the upper deck, where we could put the two dimes through the conductor's hand-size register. They always chose Route 5 because it toured Riverside Drive. It also cost another five cents to get to 225th Street. Weren't there four seats at the front windows? Joe

[yc720_06]

I can shed some light on the fate of Fifth Avenue Coach #s 2013 and 2097. A former owner of 2013 advised me that it is probably no longer in existence. 2097 however survives. It was first bought by Bornscheuer Bus Lines of Patchogue, LI who sold it on to a tour company, the Chicago Motor Bus Company (no relation to the original company of that name) and is presently owned and operated by London Limos Ltd of Wilmette IL. While it's good to know that it's still running there have been some major insensitive modifications carried out. It now has an ugly replacement rear dome, no central roof section or windows and is painted in an all white colour scheme emblazoned with the logo 'The Freedom Bus' of the McCormick Freedom Project. At least one other former Fifth Avenue 'Queen Mary' survives, #2015, a lower height Yellow Coach Model 720 at the Museum of Transportation, St Louis. Incidentally, the interior shots featured here are of Chicago Motor Coach Company #146, another 720. These buses had only 62 1/2" headroom on the upper deck compared with 68" on the Model 735.

[Mr. Linsky]

Y.C.,

Before we get going here let me welcome you to BusTalk and say that we very much look forward to your valued contributions.

Again, welcome aboard.

You are correct concerning the height differences between the Yellow 720 and 735 models.

The 720's were built slightly lower to enable them to pass under the many low overpasses in Chicago and also under the elevated lines on Fifth Avenue's # 15 Jackson Heights route to Manhattan.

I do have one question for you; for a number of years there was what was left of a Queen Mary (unsure of what size) languishing in a vacant lot up against a Long Island Railroad elevated bed on the east side of route 110 in Farmingdale - it was somewhat of a rust bucket but still had possibilities for restoration - do you remember the bus and, if so, what may have happened to it?

I think you'll enjoy the attachment which is a potpourri of Fifth Avenue Coach equipment taken on the avenue on an average day sometime in the early fifties (now you'll know why we used to call buses in Manhattan 'Bananas' - because they came in bunches!).

Regards,

Photo borrowed for educational purposes only.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

[yc720_06]

Mr Linsky
Many thanks for your welcome to BusTalk. I've enjoyed your insights for some time now and hope to learn more about the American double decker from yourself and other members now that I'm on board.
An educated guess is that the Queen Mary you saw at Farmingdale in poor shape was #2013. What I know for certain is that it was bought by a private collector from Bornscheuer Bus Lines and some time later sold back to them, probably for use as spares to keep #2124 running, which would account for its stripped condition. I doubt very much if it survived. I erred though in suggesting Bornscheuer was Patchogue based. It was Copiague, which I see from a map of LI is not far from Farmingdale.
Another QM that might still be extant is #2094 which was bought originally by H. A. Clark Jr's Long Island Automobile Museum. In the early 1970s the Harrah Collection of Reno, NV., acquired it before selling it on to a Fort Washington PA., private collector in 1985. I recently purchased some photos of #2094 at the time of the sale and it was in a very sorry state indeed. I only hope that it does still exist and the new owner has not let it deteriorate further. These buses were the first rear engine double deckers in the world and were the template for all UK rear engine double deckers by 22 years. They were retired five years before the first production Leyland Atlantean entered revenue service in 1958. It's a pity it's not possible to upload photos directly from my own collection as I have a number of QM and other double deckers that might possibly be of interest to BusTalk members.

[Mr. Linsky]

Y. C.,

I see that you're from Scotland - my grandmother on my mother's side was born in Glascow as her family was immigrating from Warsaw, Poland to the United States back in the 1890's so I always think of myself as being part Scotch! - I love the Scottish country side.

When the Southampton (NY) Automotive Museum was in full swing back in the sixties, I visited frequently and always admired the Queen Mary that they had on display.

They also had a 1930 Yellow Model 'Z' (pictured below at the museum) with the last of the Fifth Avenue built bodies.

These coaches were two man operations with access to both levels from the rear similar to the Leylands of London at the time.

As far as your photos go; this site will accept images but they must transfer through an on line service such as Photobucket which I use.

Regards,

Photo courtesy of Coach Built.

Mr. 'L'

[ripta42]

[ripta42]

[Mr RT]

Saw 2124 a couple of weeks ago at East NY shop.
She's being actively worked on.

BTW, #303's radiator came back from repair "accross the pond" so she may be running again too. Understand they need someone with a strong arm to crank her

[Mr. Linsky]

Mr, RT,

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe 2124 has had ongoing troubles with the 'Banker' transmission.

Could that be what's going on in the shop?

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[Catfish 44]

2013 is still in existence right off rt 110 in farmingdale. Check subchat for pics.

[Hart Bus]