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Coburn/Wylde's Runanga bus run *PHOTO ALBUM*
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DescriptionCoburns started the Runanga run in 1927 from their home in Swift St Blaketown. Lows were also doing that run until 1923 when they lost their house and buses in a fire at Runanga. Wyldes bought Coburns run in 1973. The pic is of the white the body was built in Nelson 1938, Then in 1945 it was made wider and longer by Airey Bros Greymouth who also changed the windows. Some remembered driving for Coburns were Russell Glen, Lance Andrews, Owen Norton, Bill Caldwell, Jim and Roy Hazeldine, Gordon Dawson, Jim Sparrow, Roy Wylde, Bill Woods, John Colwill, Pat McGuire, Fred Key and Jack Saxon.Map[1] Contributor Lyn N Moe
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Location (city or town)RunangaEventCoburn/Wylde's Runanga bus run
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Category Tagtransport
From Facebook
Date Created1st January 2024CommentsErin Butler
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Florence Gunn
Grew up with great Coburns bus service from Runanga to Greymouth and return. Best memories.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Florence Gunn Do you remember the Steels on the bus.
Melanie Galbraith
Trish Hunt did Grandad drive a bus?
Mary Saxon Faulkner
Melanie Galbraith yes he did!
2h
Reply
Melanie Galbraith
Mary Saxon Faulkner that's why he knew how to drive in ice, I always wondered why
Yvonne Lawson
Remember Doug Coburn driving Runanga bus .
Rose Henham
Very interesting thanks Moe's
Dianne Johnson
My Dad was one of their drivers. He didnt own a car in those days and used to bike from Cobden to Blaketown to pick up his bus to start his runs for the day. He would drive the bus home for his mid-day meal and then back to town for more runs. He finished later after the last run to Runanga, took the bus back to Blaketown and biked home again back to Cobden.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Dianne Johnson Good story Dianne, McGlashans had a depot in Cobden, so they were ok. Did I name your Dad ?.
1m
Erin Butler
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Bob Jamieson
Lance Andrews was our neighbour in Ruunanga.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Bob Jamieson Was he a tyre man.
Erin Butler
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Bruce Hermann
Lyn N Moe I would like to buy a copy of the book. Could you PM me with details if it is still available?
Lyn N Moe
Author
Bruce Hermann Have done.
Dianne Johnson
My Dad was one of their drivers. He didnt own a car in those days and used to bike from Cobden to Blaketown to pick up his bus to start his runs for the day. He would drive the bus home for his mid-day meal and then back to town for more runs. He finished later after the last run to Runanga, took the bus back to Blaketown and biked home again back to Cobden.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Dianne Johnson Good story Dianne, McGlashans had a depot in Cobden, so they were ok. Did I name your Dad ?.
Dianne Johnson
Lyn N Moe yes, Roy Hazeldine.
Ron Johnson
This is Doug saying goodbye to the White just before it was going to Timaru to be turned into a pie cart. Note the rusty grille and shabby condition, not as Doug used to keep it. Also pictured as a pie cart. Sadly a few years later it was destroyed by fire.
May be an image of 1 person
Lyn N Moe
Author
Ron Johnson He got the chassis and drive gear from the nth Island in 1937 it went on the rd 1938. Green hills delivered it on a horse and long trailer. Dougs friend assembled it. Doug drove the chassis with front guards radiator and grill to Nelson to be built at Chapmans. He had a old house window for a windscreen. Doug went and got it when it was ready.
Ron Johnson
I remember Dad telling me he helped with the assembly of chassis and that Doug had driven it like that to Nelson. It went on the road the year I was born.!!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Ron Johnson Your doing well then Ron, Perhaps his mate that put it together would be your Father. Another story was of Doug taking the chain off his father flusher. When Sid Coburn asked why the wire was on his toilet flusher. Doug said I put it on the fuel cap of the bus so it cant fall off. Thats more important than the toilet.Gloria Pahl
Remember those special times
Lyn N Moe
Apparently Doug would say there is room for one more.
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Florence Gunn
Grew up with great Coburns bus service from Runanga to Greymouth and return. Best memories.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Florence Gunn Do you remember the Steels on the bus.
Melanie Galbraith
Trish Hunt did Grandad drive a bus?
Mary Saxon Faulkner
Melanie Galbraith yes he did!
2h
Reply
Melanie Galbraith
Mary Saxon Faulkner that's why he knew how to drive in ice, I always wondered why
Yvonne Lawson
Remember Doug Coburn driving Runanga bus .
Rose Henham
Very interesting thanks Moe's
Dianne Johnson
My Dad was one of their drivers. He didnt own a car in those days and used to bike from Cobden to Blaketown to pick up his bus to start his runs for the day. He would drive the bus home for his mid-day meal and then back to town for more runs. He finished later after the last run to Runanga, took the bus back to Blaketown and biked home again back to Cobden.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Dianne Johnson Good story Dianne, McGlashans had a depot in Cobden, so they were ok. Did I name your Dad ?.
1m
Erin Butler
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Bob Jamieson
Lance Andrews was our neighbour in Ruunanga.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Bob Jamieson Was he a tyre man.
Erin Butler
And of course Doug himself, only one eye (one glass eye) but did he go like the clappers!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Erin Butler In my book I have the story I was told if Dougs bus was leaving on the hour. He would start the motor at 2 mins to and when the clock at the PO across the road chimed he would close the door and be off.
Bruce Hermann
Lyn N Moe I would like to buy a copy of the book. Could you PM me with details if it is still available?
Lyn N Moe
Author
Bruce Hermann Have done.
Dianne Johnson
My Dad was one of their drivers. He didnt own a car in those days and used to bike from Cobden to Blaketown to pick up his bus to start his runs for the day. He would drive the bus home for his mid-day meal and then back to town for more runs. He finished later after the last run to Runanga, took the bus back to Blaketown and biked home again back to Cobden.
Lyn N Moe
Author
Dianne Johnson Good story Dianne, McGlashans had a depot in Cobden, so they were ok. Did I name your Dad ?.
Dianne Johnson
Lyn N Moe yes, Roy Hazeldine.
Ron Johnson
This is Doug saying goodbye to the White just before it was going to Timaru to be turned into a pie cart. Note the rusty grille and shabby condition, not as Doug used to keep it. Also pictured as a pie cart. Sadly a few years later it was destroyed by fire.
May be an image of 1 person
Lyn N Moe
Author
Ron Johnson He got the chassis and drive gear from the nth Island in 1937 it went on the rd 1938. Green hills delivered it on a horse and long trailer. Dougs friend assembled it. Doug drove the chassis with front guards radiator and grill to Nelson to be built at Chapmans. He had a old house window for a windscreen. Doug went and got it when it was ready.
Ron Johnson
I remember Dad telling me he helped with the assembly of chassis and that Doug had driven it like that to Nelson. It went on the road the year I was born.!!
Lyn N Moe
Author
Ron Johnson Your doing well then Ron, Perhaps his mate that put it together would be your Father. Another story was of Doug taking the chain off his father flusher. When Sid Coburn asked why the wire was on his toilet flusher. Doug said I put it on the fuel cap of the bus so it cant fall off. Thats more important than the toilet.Gloria Pahl
Remember those special times
Lyn N Moe
Apparently Doug would say there is room for one more.
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West Coast New Zealand History (3rd Jan 2024). Coburn/Wylde's Runanga bus run *PHOTO ALBUM*. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 29th Mar 2026 14:29, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/33090