(1946, documentary narrated by John Arlott)

A classic in its field, this is a survey of an area centred around the market town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, analysing the assets and needs of the area and its likely future. I don't believe these two views are of the same Short-bodied Midland Red BMMO SOS SON, but the bus arriving at the bus stop is definitely AHA526:

There are also views of buses arriving at a factory; the only one clearly seen is this. I suggested this as Thornycroft A1/Hall Lewis, TX598, but Bob Telfer (who knows much more about Stratford Blue than I do!) notes “I think this is a case of mistaken identity - TX598 had been sold by Stratford Blue in 1933. It is unlikely to have lasted as a bus through the war, and probably became a lorry immediately upon sale. I would suggest the bus in question is actually VT580, a TSM Express which Stratford Blue acquired in 1936 and kept in service until 1950. That would fit with the dates and the presence of the Stratford Blue fleetname and relevant adverts suggests the bus was still in use with Stratford Blue at the time of the film.”


The film is available on DVD; however Pete Annells, who has viewed the original film, advises that another sequence of buses in Banbury has been omitted from the DVD, possibly because it's damaged.