Thomas Tilling first began running his horse-drawn omnibus service in 1850 and after years of reputable service, his company bought its first motor bus in 1904. Perhaps the greatest innovation of the firm came in 1911, when they adopted a hybrid petrol electric TTA1 bus into their fleet. An ingenious development that allowed for easy motoring, a four-cylinder petrol engine supplied power into a generator which then fed current to a motor driving the wheel. No longer needing to change gears, the operator of the bus benefitted from simple “two pedal” control.

This 1922 Tilling-Stevens TS3A Petrol-Electric Open Top Double Deck Bus was originally delivered to Thomas Tilling Garage in Catford, London in June 1922 with a 48-seat configuration featuring 22 inside and 26 outside. The vehicle was utilised for service until 1931 when it was sold to W H Cooper, a dealer of Bethnal Green London. In 1970, the bus was exhumed from a scrapyard in poor condition and delivered into the hands of Michael Banfield, a previous president of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. However, most of the lower deck panels, frame, and roof remained intact which led to a five-year-long process in which the body was completely restored. By 1979, the engine was additionally rebuilt and many of the original components were repaired and reused as needed. Unfortunately, work slowed after the owner moved from London to Kent and the bus remained incomplete, passing into the new millennium.

In 2007 the project resumed initially to repair some corrosion that had accumulated between the body and chassis. Fortunately, the intervening decades had allowed for a great deal of research to be conducted, allowing for a correct period colour scheme and advertisements to be applied across the body surfaces. Beautifully finished, this work was completed using traditional signwriting techniques representative of the early 20th Century.

Since being acquired by the current owner from the dispersion sale of Banfield’s collection in 2014, further mechanical refurbishing of the radiator, dynamo, magneto, and engine were carried out by Historic Vehicle Restoration Ltd. A participant in many events, the Tilling-Stevens was shown at the Regent Street “Bus Cavalcade” event showcasing two centuries of London public transportation and in 2018 it took part in the London to Brighton Historic Commercial Vehicle run. Upon completing the distance, the bus was awarded outright concours winner, First in Class, Best Vehicle in the 1919-1929 Category, and Best Double Deck Passenger Vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle was presented at a Beamish Museum open day. A history file documenting the century-long story of this fascinating Tilling-Stevens will accompany the vehicle upon purchase.