A selection of old TMS photographs from Thomas Spresser’s collection.
Details of these photos can be found further down the page

List of photos and descriptions:
530BPG – a Dennis Peilcan bus. After the 1954 Commercial Vehicle Show this bus was sold to Yellow Bus Services, Aldershot, who later sold it to TMS. Photographed in the TMS Trimdon Grange depot.
856JPT – Ford 570E with Duple 41 seat coach body, one of the batch with two piece windscreen. Photographed when sold,
860JPT – Ford Thames Trader 570E, Duple Yeoman 41 seat coach body. New in 1960, out in 1964. Another one of the Ford coaches with split windscreens being steam cleaned in front of yard workshops for C. of F. in 1954.  Photograph: T.W. Spresser in the TMS depot, 1964
1456PT – Ford 570E with Duple Midland 40 seat bodywork, photographed in West Hartlepool Bus Station on the TMS/Alton Bros. stand.
5086PT – Ford 570E with Duple 41 seat coach body, one of the second batch now with full width windscreens. Photographed in West Hartlepool Bus Station
PPT 213 – Another of the 35 seat Sentinel coaches
OUP580 – Sentinel STC4 Bus with Sentinel 40 seat bodywork
Alton Bros – This image is taken from a letter head of the other Bus Company that operated from the South End of Trimdon Grange from around the early 1940s till taken over by TMS in 1953, their garage was behind South View at top end, the front end of the garage looked onto St. Albans Terrace.
DR1047 – Vulcan, one of Paul and Seymour vehicles before becoming Trimdon Motor Services in around 1929. The driver is Fred Spresser. Photograph location unknown.
GUF125 –Guy Arab II, 5 cylinder engine, N.C.M.E. H28/26R seat body, new in 1958, out in 1958. These double deckers came from Southdown Motor Services to operate on the former ‘Alton Bros.’ West Hartlepool to Sedgefield run, all TMS routes before acquiring ‘Alton’s’ had a low bridge, on the Durham run at Kelloe and on the Houghton-le-Spring run at Station Town. Photograph: T.W.Spresser at Sedgefield in 1958.
HVO918 – AEC Regal II with Willowbrook 35 seat rear entrance body, these vehicles (11 in all) were ex-East Midland Motor Services and would be the last second hand vehicles bought. Photographed in Whinny Hill, Durham City. (Photo Copyright R.F. Mack, Leeds)
TUP497   –   Ford  R192,  Duple  C45F  Coach  Body.New in 1967 – Out  in  1971. One of the three Ford’s with Duple Coach work that where delivered in 1967, this one seen at the top end of the yard, on the right side of the vehicle can be seen the tunnel entrance to the enclosed  yard of the garage built around 1953. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in TMS yard, 1967
MPT557D  –  Bedford  SB5  Duple  C41F  Coach  Body.New in 1966 – In TMS 1967 – Out in 1969. This vehicle came with the purchase of the ‘Scurr’s Motor Services business in 1967, it remained in the Red and Cream livery while with TMS and was used mainly on the NCB works services, at the wheel is Fred Spresser who can be seen in the next photo standing in front of a ‘Vulcan’ a former Paul and Seymour vehicle some 38 years early. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in the TMS yard, 1967.
THE NEW FLEET – in 1960.The 14 new Ford 570E coaches with Duple ‘Yeoman’ 41 seat body work that where delivered in 1960, this photo was taken from the roof of the single story office early one Sunday morning. Photographer: T.W.Spresser on the office roof, 1960
NPT304D – Ford R192, Strachans 44 seat bodywork.New in 1966 – Out in 1970. One of the 44 seat ‘Strachans’ bodied Fords towards (it’s) end with TMS now on the NCB works services, photographed at the bottom of the yard in front of the closed workshop doors ready for the night shift driver. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in the TMS yard, 1969.
VUP146F  –  Ford R192, Plaxton 48 seat bodywork.New in 1967 – Out in 1971. By now in the late 1960s TMS had long standardized on ‘Fords’ and this one is seen on the former ‘Scarr’s’ Motor Services Bishop Auckland to Stockton service approaching the cross roads in  Fishburn. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in Fishburn, 1968.
5085PT – The  remains  of  5085PT New in 1961 – Out in 1966. The remains of 5085PT after a tragic fatal accident between Fishburn Coke Works and Sedgefield General Hospital, photographed in the TMS yard in 1966. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1966.
TMS 1961? – This photo was taken in the TMS inner yard around 1961, the conductress standing in front of one of 14 new coaches was I think called Margaret Atkinson from Trimdon Village standing with my eldest brother John
MUP297 – Dennis Dominant Bus. The first under-floor engined vehicle for TMS purchased in 1951. It was in the TMS fleet for seven years, then converted to a travelling shop. Photographed in the TMS Trimdon Grange depot.
No Reg 01 – One of the Dennis Lancets negotiating the level crossing, showing the old signal box on the right while on the left can be seen the Colliery Inn public house, Post Office with William Tulip’s shop on the corner which became known as ‘Tulips Corner’. Photograph: T.W.Spresser, 1958.
No Reg 02 – One of the ‘HVO’ AEC Regal III seen here in the scrap yard (grave yard) being stripped of all re-usable parts, as can be seen the wheels have all gone, as has the engine with all the interior  seats and at least one body panel. Photograph: T.W.Spresser, 1959
NPT230 – Dennis Lancet Coach. Another Dennis, this one, new in 1953, was fitted with bus seats in 1959. Photographed in Sedgefield.
OUP578 – Sentinel STC6, Sentinel 44 seat bus body, new in 1954, out in 1960. Another Sentinel, this one came new as JNT763 and was re-registered by TMS with its Durham registration inFebruary 1954, seen parked outside by an area known as the graveyard behind the village cinema. Photograph: T.W. Spresser, 1959
OUP581 – Sentinel STC4 with Sentinel 40 seat bodywork. Photographed in Salters Lane opposite the TMS garage entrance in 1954
PPT212 – Sentinel STC4 Coach with Beadle coachwork, this one with ‘Bluebird Coaches’ name and motif, and another two had the TMS name on, PPT213 and PPT214. Photographed when sold, probably in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
PPT690 – Sentinel STC6 Coach with ACB coachwork, known as ‘Space Ships’ when in the TMS fleet. (one of two coaches in the fleet). Photographed in TMS Trimdon Grange depot.
JPT 816C   –   Ford  570E,   Duple   Trooper   39  seat   Coach   BodyworkNew in 1965  –  Out in 1967. Two of these vehicles where purchase to run the ‘Transport Motor Services’ Bishop Auckland to Stockton (Middlesborough) route, the front pair of seats where taken out and replaced by a large tray for one man operation before entering service. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1966.
MPT 218 – Dennis Lancet III, Yeates 39 seat Coach Bodywork.New in 1951  –  Out in 1959. First view of MPT218, one of three vehicles delivered in 1951 as 39 seat coaches, re-seated to 41 bus seats in 1959. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in Sedgefield, 1959.
MPT 218 – Dennis Lancet III, Yeates 39 seat Coach Bodywork.New in 1951  –  Out in 1959. Second view of MPT218, one of three vehicles delivered in 1951 as 39 seat coaches, re-seated to 41 bus seats in 1959. Photographer: T.W.Spresser in Sedgefield, 1959.
873WTW – A view of one of three vehicles  that TMS tried on demonstration loan  in the 1960s, this one 873 WTW a Ford 570E with Duple 41 seat Coach Bodywork on loan from the Ford Motor Company, Essex. Seen here at the top end of the 1950s built garage. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1961.
HGF919 – Daimler CWA6, Park Royal H30/26R BodyworkNew in 1946 – In TMS 1953 – Out in 1954. Another of the double deckers bought from London Transport Executive to run the Peterlee Town Services and the ex ‘Alton’s’ Sedgefield to West Hartlepool route seen on a lay over in Rectory Row, Sedgefield. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1954.
HTG700 – AEC Regent III, Weymanns H30/26R Bodywork.New in 1948  –  In TMS 1959  –  Out in 1963. Another double decker seen in Rectory Row, Sedgefield, this one came to Trimdon from the  Rhondda Transport Company in South Wales, it had a pre selection gear box, and was re-seated in 1962 to 28 on the upper deck with the  26 on the lower deck. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1960.
Scrapyard – This photograph of a view over the scrap yard which shows the number of out of service or scrap vehicles parked their, in this view 5  can be seen. Photographer: T.W.Spresser around the early 1960s.
UG3764 – AEC Regal, Burlingham 33 seat Coach Bodywork.New in 1933 – In TMS in 1959 – Out in 1959. This coach came to TMS from a local PSV Owner-Driver and lasted in the fleet for only 4 months, it remained in the cream and red seen here in West Hartlepool Bus Station ready to  set  out for Durham. Photographer: T.W.Spresser, 1959.
HVO915 – AEC Regal III,  Willowbrook 35 seat rear entrance Bodywork.New in 1948  –  In TMS in 1959  –  Out in 1961. Another one of the 11 AEC Regals that came in 1959, this one HVO915 is seen heading for Durham through West Cornforth. Copyright Photograph, R.F.Mack, Leeds. From the Thomas W. Spresser Collection.
Scrapyard 2 – Another view of the scrap yard, two of the Dennis Lancet III’s, the rear end of a further single and two double deckers, the big building behind is the old village cinema, “The Picturedrome”. Photograph: T.W.Spresser about the late 1950s.
Scrapyard 3 – Same scrap yard showing the out-side ramp used mainly for steam cleaning; the roof of the building behind in this view is Harry Duddings coal yard. Photograph: T.W.Spresser around the late 1950’s.
SNO218 – Albion HD6IN, Allweather 37 seat Coach Bodeywork.New in 1951   –   In TMS 1957   –   Out in 1959. Two of these vehicles came to TMS in 1957, SNO219 the other, seen here at the Wingate Arms Public House corner making its way via Town Kellow to Durham. Photograph: T.W.Spresser, 1955.
CU3570 – Daimler COG5, Waymanns 32 seat Bus Bodywork.New in 1936  –  In TMS in 1952  –  Out in 1955. This photo shows a vehicle in the old wooding garages built around the late 1940s that had the entrance off Reading Room Row. Copyright Photograph. (Unknown) From the Thomas W. Spresser Collection.
VPA262 – Dennis Falcon, Duple 35 seat coach body, new in 1958, out in 1960. Another Dennis, so favoured with TMS in the late 1940’s and early 50’s, this one a ‘Falcon’ came with sister vehicle VPA261 from Yellow Bus Services, Guildford, seen here by the diesel tank with the tunnel entrance to the yard behind. Photograph: T.W. Spresser, 1959
YG4708 – Dennis Lancet with Eastern Coach Works 35 seat body, photographed in the old TMS garage about 1950

Many thanks to Thomas Spresser for all these photos and details

–