This page created 1997, updated 4th March 2007.

The "leaning - back" STLs

STL 203-552, 559-608 (Total 400)

Standard stern (STL 469):

Construction

The display was still the same mess of three non-matching openings but somehow didn't look so bad on this raked front. As the design progressed through different batches the display was modified, first by judicious use of black paint to make the apertures appear the same size, and later still with more glassto create a unified approach.

Although this group of 400 buses were produced in just about a year, covering the changeover from LGOC to the new London Transport Board, there were several sub-varieties reflecting the serious advances in mechanical engineering occurring at the time. The buses did not LOOK much different, but there were differences under the skin that merited the award of several different class types.

Most obvious were the two body-types:
The STL2 was the first of the body designs. This introduced the raked back front, with the consequent loss of a seating bay compared with the General STL1, making it a 56 seater (H30/26R). The front windows at the front were raked back in a V-plan, which didn't match the roof or the panel below, so was not totally satisfactory.
After the first fifty the design was altered slightly at the front, with upper windows that fitted the plan. This was the STL3 body that with minor alterations to suit the various chassis was to make up the other 350 of the type.

STL 441, with a STL3 type body, beautifully preserved at Cobham.

Photo, used with permission, by BusSpotter

Inside an STL. This one (STL441) shows the design of seats with aluminium handrails and integral poles, and the brown up to window-top level with cream ceilings. The moquette here is postwar RT. (Photos taken, with permission, by Ian Smith during Cobham Open Day, April 1999.)

Gearboxes were also the subject of experimentation: the first fifty had Daimler crash gearboxes without fluid flywheels, 3STL. A few of them had fluid flywheels fitted, and these proved so much superior to those without, in terms of ride quality and reduced gearbox wear, that fluid flywheels were retro-fitted to the remainder in the autumn of 1934.
The next thirty-nine, 4STL, had Daimler preselector gearboxes, again with fluid flywheels added later.
These were followed by another fifty 6STLwith crash gearboxes.
The eleven diesels 5STL had Daimler gearboxes and fluid flywheels from new.

The London Transport orders started with another 50 6STLs, and 50 7STLs (with Wilson gearboxes), then they settled on the 7STL for the last 150.

Summary

STL 469 in post-war red, at Covent Garden December 1998, as part of the London Transport Museum Reserve Collection. Photo by Ian Smith. Click for larger version.

Into service

Most of the second batch went to Tottenham (AR) for the 73 and 76 routes, with both crash and preselector gearboxes. When, after the fluid flywheel trials, more preselector buses were built, these replaced the crash box buses at Tottenham, which then went elsewhere.
They replaced LTs at Athol St (C) on the 106, and at Sutton (A) on route 70. Sutton also used STLs to replace NSs on routes 157 and 165C.
Chalk Farm (CF) received a large consignment, between April and August 1934, which were used on routes 3, 63, 68, 68A, 169, 77, 77A and 177.

STL 469 at the Redhill Steam Rally in 1994, wearing
blinds and garage plates for the 8 from Willesden.
Photo by Paul Watson. Click for larger version.

In 1938 three petrol buses were experimentally fitted with syncromesh gearboxes: STL253, STL263 and STL 290. They reverted to standard AEC crash gearboxes during the war.

Just before the war there was a move to rebuild some of the type, with diesel engines plus new roofbox bodies (STL 16). But after a few had been done the programme made do with re-engining with diesel engines. All the buses fitted with fluid flywheels were converted, receiving A173 diesel engines, becoming 16STL18, 1/16STL18 or 2/16STL18/1, according to gearbox.
The suspension arrangements to accommodate the new engines raised the fronts slightly, increasing the leaning-back effect.

STL441 in prewar livery, in preservation at Cobham.

Re-engined leaning-back STL in early post-war condition.

Because these buses were upgraded/diesel engined in 1939 they tended to survive longer than their later-built siblings that retained petrol engines. Most of the petrol buses disappeared during 1949, apart from a few converted to service vehicles.
A swathe was cut into the diesel buses during 1950, but then the tram replacement programme mopped up all the new buses arriving, plus more. For the last phase, in south-east London, there were insufficient RTs, even including the pre-war variety, and STLs were drafted in, including some "leaning back" buses. Most of the tram replacement buses received full blind displays (the first time since the war), and a new coat of paint: the overall red with cream band livery. (However, STL 442 went to New cross still in red and white). The Festival of Britain in 1951 also required a fleet of extras, for the special services and for short journey reliefs on longer routes passing the South Bank and Battersea. Again the STLs were called for duty.

STL469 in postwar red. (At Covent Garden, December 1998)

After that some went to the Country Area, and were given the full green paint-job despite their poor long-term prospects. Some appeared at Grays for the takeover of the local Eastern National routes there in September 1951. Others continued in the Central Area, and received an overall red livery (with cream band), ready for the Coronation. These included STL 469, later selected for preservation at the London Transport Museum. After the Coronation the slaughter began again in earnest, and their numbers dropped very rapidly in the second half of 1953 and early 1954. STL 469 went to Dartford (Country Area) for a couple of months at the end of the year, and continued to work in red until withdrawn into preservation in January 1954.

Again some were converted to service vehicles, but two buses survived into preservation, STL 441 with the Netherlands Transport Museum, and STL469 with the London Transport Museum. One of the service vehicles (830J), previously STL390, also joined the LT Museum Collection.

830J, as a Breakdown Tender. Also part of the LT Museum Reserve Collection, it was at Covent Garden Piazza on 5th December 1998, en route from Ash Grove to the new Acton Depot. Photo by Ian Smith. Click for larger version.

leaning back bus histories photo refs

Bus Stop contents Tillings lean-backs Pickup STLs