The Harrington Gathering Comes to the Transport Museum Wythall - 21/05/23

Thomas Harrington Ltd was a coachbuilder based in Hove, who built coach bodywork on a number of different bus chassis. Some of their designs featured the iconic dorsal fin. They also produced bodywork for a number of cars, notably Sunbeam Alpines, resulting in both the Sunbeam Harrington Alpine and the Sunbeam Harrington Le Mans. There was also the Triumph GTR4 Dove, based on the TR4 model.
The Harrington Gathering was an event to bring together surviving examples, generally meeting every five years or so at the Amberley Chalk Pits Museum. However, with the last such event taking place in 2012, it was decided to revive the Gathering with an event at the Transport Museum at Wythall on 21st May 2023. In attendance were a number of coaches displaying the various styles of bodywork including Wayfarer, Crusader, Cavalier, and Grenadiers, and also Sunbeam Harrington Alpines, Le Mans and a Triumph GTR4 Dove. A highlight was a chance to ride on Western Welsh 145 (ABO 145B), an AEC Reliance with Harrington Grenadier body, new in 1964.

[@PhilipGarner-gb4kd]

Travelled on gdm 494 in the 1960s when operated by Wests at Kelsall Cheshire. Lovely coach.

[@9teen48]

Thanks to everyone for the interesting coach recollections - keep them coming!

[@douglasvick9703]

The Museum is Superb.I go just to see The Midland Red M1 flier.....Wow..Good tea and cakes in the cafeteria..!!!!
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[@ianjeffery6744]

A wonderful collection of fine buses and coaches! I remember M & D and Southdown examples from my youth, O! so long ago!

[@johnkent-thanet-uk]

M & D one of the top coach operators in my opinion.

[@thomasarmstrong3804]

Late 50s early 60s i used to live on the A22 at Kenley watching Coaches passing by the Hundreds on their day trips to the South Coast

[@petersmith4455]

hi. great video, i remember the southdown coaches as a child living in sussex,used to have a lot of Harrington bodied Leylands, they were great, along with Beadle bodied coaches, Southdown ruled sussex. coaches nowadays are rubbish, thank goodness for preservation.worked for AEC for 10 years, did a lot of Reliance coach chassis.