Buses on Screen - TV shows G-Gl

The Gaffer (Yorkshire TV sitcom)

Feeble vehicle for Bill Maynard; "As I used to remember there used to be an Atlantean at the very start of the program in white and green." (thanks Carl Turner) "The opening sequence of the Gaffer with Bill Maynard was actually shot in Leeds by Yorkshire Television. The green and white Atlantean mentioned was an ex Leeds MCW bodied example in West Yorkshire PTE livery" (thanks Chris Hough)

Gagging For It (LWT comedy series)

One edition of this show showcasing new comedy talent has alleged comic Jason Attar directing traffic outside London City Airport, including a purple low floor Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer.

Gangsters (BBC crime series)

Brutal but brilliant TV series set in multicultural Birmingham began as a 1975 Play For Today, and for convenience I've included that here. Season 1 aired in 1976, and was followed by an increasingly surreal second season in 1978.
Play For Today: Gangsters
Sadly we see no more than this of a West Midlands PTE Daimler Fleetline on route 14:

....a similar bus follows a newer Fleetline also on 14 during a car chase:

Seen in the same sequence this Fleetline however is more distinctive - it's one of a pair of Eastern Coachworks-bodied buses supplied in 1973 to Harper Brothers of Heath Hayes, so it's either 33 or 34 (TRE948L or TRE949L):

There is little chance of an id on this Plaxton-bodied coach:

Incident 1:
Opening credits of the series that followed included more WMPTE Fleetlines, this time followed by a Daimler CVG6:

In this episode, the central character, John Kline, played by the very watchable Maurice Colbourne, shakes off the policeman Khan by NOT going into a ladies lavatory (!), instead exitng the gents and catching a bus. The first Fleetline is unidentifiable, the second is WMPTE Park Royal-bodied 4251 (EOF251L):

Birmingham Corporation, whose fleet made up a large part of WMPTE when it was formed, had a small batch of 1965 single deck Fleetlines bodied by Marshall, and one is glimpsed in traffic at the Bull Ring:

Soon after this we see one of the Midland Red Alexander-bodied Daimler Fleetlines transferred into WMPTE ownership in 1973, followed by a halfcab which appears to be another Daimler CVG6. A rarer find is one of Midland Red's own-built BMMO D9s in WMPTE ownership:

Incident 4:
Has a glimpse of one of the red white and blue Leyland-Nationals used to transport visitors to Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre, also this Midland Red Daimler Fleetline/Alexander in an allover advertising livery for the Birmingham Midshires building society. Allan Haynes adds "Midland Red Leopard YHA 414J carried the same advert, on an all-over white base, and the Fleetline was presumably part of the same contract.":

Episode 2.1
Caught in heavy traffic, these WMPTE Fleetlines are not clearly seen:

Episode 2.2
Another ex-Midland Red Daimler Fleetline/Alexander with WMPTE is followed by a Midland Red Leyland Leopard:

Episode 2.6
For once this West Midland Daimler Fleetline/Park Royal, 4045 (XON45J) is almost seen clearly:

Allan Haynes comments on this scene:"The coach seen in the last screenshot belonged to Patterson's, Birmingham coach operators based in Selly Oak. It is a Van Hool on a Ford (turbo) chassis." He notes there were two of these, from which I believe this is SRB284K, a Ford R226/Van Hool new in 1972, the other being SRB285K. Allan continues, "The colour is actually dark green, as Frank Patterson was Irish! The BBC used to hire coaches from Patterson's regularly; this one is parked on a meter and the curtains are pulled, so it was evidently being used as the wardrobe/dressing room for the production. The police traffic boys in Birmingham were always very helpful with parking and closing streets for filming. Frank's bread and butter income was largely derived from taking the Birmingham Irish ex-pats to the ferry at Holyhead for their trips back to the Old Country. This writer took part in many of these trips, often a convoy of 4 or 5 coaches, all Fords, including this one. Five hours each way, up the A5 via Betws-y-Coed. Wouldn't like to do it now, driver's hours would be a problem as well."

Gardeners' World (BBC magazine show)

Steve Bunce notes footage of an open top Leyland Atlantean parked at the Gardeners' World Live exhibition at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre, June 2005.
Gardeners' World Roadshow (BBC magazine show)
Autumn 2006: Steve Bunce reports the team "travelling around Sheffield in AEC Regent III/Park Royal KTF591, visiting places of interest to gardeners. A good deal of filming takes place in or around this bus. The top deck is devoid of seating and when stationary is kitted out with garden table and chairs and various potted plants." - formerly Morecambe and Heysham 62.

Gasoleros (Argentine soap opera)

1998 drama series about bus and taxi drivers. (thanks Carlos Wallberg)

The Gathering Storm (BBC drama)

"A recent BBC drama about Churchill and his pre-war campaign against appeasement featured a number of AEC RTs disguised in pre-war London livery ." (thanks Chris Hough)
"Cobham's STL2377 was also present in this; it went for filming on a few different days, and each time had different adverts applied, which were stuck on with grease so as not to damage the paintwork." (thanks Nick Abbott)
Alan Sinclair notes "a prewar RT is seen crossing Westminster Bridge,I think".

Gavin and Stacey (BBC comedy series)

Steve Bunce reports "Episode 1 features plenty of footage (inside and out) of a Mercedes midicoach. Dressed up as Dave's Coaches of Barry Island, in red livery and registered AIG 78??, it takes our characters on a trip to London. There are also plenty of mood shots of various London buses including an open-topper."

GBH (Channel 4 drama serial)

Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay shared screen time with Frank Twist GIL2160, a Leyland Leopard/Plaxton Supreme VI coach. Twist was a fictional operator. GIL2160 was ex Maynes of Manchester 60, previously registered MRJ360W. (thanks Dave Farrier)
"A bus depot appeared briefly in one scene, in which several Routemasters were visible - possibly Greater Manchester Buses examples." (thanks Alan Sinclair)

The Gentleman Spies (BBC documentary)

Documentary in the Timewatch series charting the formation of MI5 in 1909 includes footage of London traffic from that era, including numerous horse buses and motor buses, including at least three LGOC B-types, and what looks like a Tilling Stevens double decker, registration LC7311. Also glimpses of German and London trams.

Geronimo (BBC game show)

BBC's attempt to match the Channel 4 'Scrapheap Challenge' makes use of former London Transport T343 (KYV343X), a Leyland Titan/Park Royal.

Get Me the Manager (BBC documentary)

Dealing with customer complaints - as handled particularly by Oxford Bus Company. any more information?

Get Some In! (BBC sitcom)

In one episode of this comedy about RAF recruits "there was a scene where the recruits boarded a single-decker ex-London Transport bus. I think it may have been one of the Green Line types used before RFs appeared - perhaps an AEC Regal?" (thanks Alan Sinclair)

Get Well Soon (BBC sitcom)

Allan Haynes worked on this show and provided the 'behind the scenes' photographs: "Set in a TB sanatorium (!) in 1948. Location was the redundant hospital at Mundesley in North Norfolk, now in use again as a privately run drugs rehabilitation unit. As a member of the Eastern Transport Collection Society based near Norwich I was able to supply their 1950 Bristol LL5G/ECW saloon KNG718 for two days' filming. The Eastern Counties fleetname was covered up with a brown vinyl label with gold lettering for Evans (fictitious of course). As the driver, they dressed me in a heavy blue serge uniform and a London Transport white-top cap. The bus was seen in two or three shots at the hospital."

Gideon's Way (ITC police series)

A little-remembered show based on the John Creasey novels about Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard, aired in 1965. 'Gideon's Way' was notable for being shot on film and for its extensive use of location filming.
These observations from Stuart Turner: Episode 4: The Big Fix
"The trainer at a stables is involved in doping and Gideon appears at a race meeting. A number of S type Bedford horseboxes are in evidence, however the one that stands out would appear to be a Bedford SB chassis complete with Duple Vega butterfly front. It is not possible to identify the registration number."
Episode 25: The Rhyme and the Reason
"A couple of teenagers have to catch the bus home from a day in the country after their scooter is wrecked by bikers. VOT568, an AEC Reliance/Duple miraculously appears on service to 'Blackdown' - filming could have been around Denham - I don't know where ITC filmed. There is no evidence of ownership but VOT was new to Bakers, Bordon in 1959 - one of a pair, the other being VOT678."

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