In the much maligned days when the Association of Public Transport ruled the roost, and before the misfiring Arriva and later Autobuses de Leon appeared on local roads, one of the biggest bus owners in Malta was the Galea family with a fleet of 23 buses.
Hailing from Mellieħa and known as ‘Tal-Honey’, founder Joseph started out modestly in the 1950s with a blue Bedford bus – the then official Mellieħa route colour. The bus’s registration number was 3081. Under Joseph’s astute leadership and guidance, the business expanded with the help of his son Frans and grandson Norbert.
Joseph passed away in 2007 and Frans and Norbert took over the reins of the company, right up until the launch of Arriva’s public bus service in Malta in July 2010.
Bowing out of the bus trade, they bought a service station in Fgura. Long years spent working with buses of all ages instilled in father and son an ingrained love for old motors, so when they had to let go of their fleet due to the transport reform, they decided to retain three vintage Maltese-built buses dating back to the 1940s and 1950s, and one AEC London bus from the 1970s.
Frans and Norbert have also managed to save four more buses from the scrap heap, an AEC, an Opel, a Bedford which used to be the Gozo Mail Carrier between Castille and Marfa, and another Bedford which Frans is presently restoring.
“This 1950s Bedford OB number 141 bus used to cover the Mosta to Valletta route. We found it abandoned in a field in Magħtab”, explains Frans. “It was in a truly terrible state. Most mechanical parts were missing, including the entire engine and axle. The frame and body were rotting away at a very fast rate. Notwithstanding its pitiful state, this bus happened to have a very unique Impala rear-end, making it the only Bedford in Malta to have such a feature. I needed very little convincing… there and then, I decided that this was one bus I just had to restore”.
The project has so far involved procuring a Leyland engine and other mechanical parts from a myriad of different sources. Having owned such a large fleet of buses, Frans has an ample variety of parts in stock, and when the need arises, he also scouts the local market for parts. Up to now, the need to venture overseas for replacement parts hasn’t arisen.
While both Frans and Norbert are well versed in mechanical maintenance and repairs, the refurbishing of the Bedford’s handmade Maltese body has been placed in the very able hands of a relative of theirs, John Galea. Hailing from Xemxija, John is one of the few remaining craftsmen capable of handling the elaborate and time-consuming job of building buses manually.
Besides their eight buses, father and son also possess three vintage trucks, a blue 1939 Bedford K-Type, a red/green 1962 Bedford J-Type, and a similarly coloured 1941 single-wheel Dutch truck, which is their pride and joy, and their first purchase.
“This Dutch truck was the beginning of our old motors collection, around 12 years ago”, continues Norbert. “We never had a Dutch bus in our company, and it was something we always wanted. Through the grapevine, we heard of an abandoned truck that was lying in a shed in a field in Żebbiegħ, limits of Mġarr. It was the closest thing we could get to a bus”.
Having seen military action during the Second World War, and tough field service later, the truck was in a serious and sorrowful state. But father and son rolled up their sleeves, and with their technical knowhow and bottomless motivation, embarked on its full restoration. The work involved a new side-valve Dutch engine, chrome fittings, lights, tyres and a new driver compartment. The job – a true labour of love – was completed in six years.
Frans and Norbert also own two old vans, a maroon/cream 1949 Bedford with a split windscreen, and a red/green 1956 Ford Thames. Both have also been steadily building up a collection of classic cars, including a green two-tone 1953 Chevrolet Belair, a green/white 1956 Zephyr 6 and a blue 1961 Consul with a white roof.
At just 10 years of age, Frans was often seen driving around in his father’s Vauxhall Wyvern. His love for Wyverns translated into the purchase of no less than three models of this classic car later on in life – one red model and another green one dating back to 1952, and a 1956 black version. A 1965 black Mercedes SL 200 completes the significant stable.
Owning 20 old motors, many of them of considerable size and most of them roadworthy, does present a number of problems. Both Frans and Norbert agree that storage space is a constant headache, notwithstanding the four large garages which they currently own.
Regular maintenance is also something that is high on their agenda, and replacement parts constantly need to be sourced. Over the past years, Norbert has regularly attended the Beaulieu Auto Jumble in England in search of any parts that might be required. Time management, both in terms of maintenance and restoration, is also of essence and both Frans and Norbert make it a point to take out their cars on a regular basis in order to avoid falling into the “if you do not use it, you lose it” trap.
“Nothing surpasses the thrill of being behind the wheel of an old motor, especially those which have their gear stick next to the steering wheel, or those with an old fashioned three gear system”, concludes Norbert.
And with a smile of satisfaction, Frans recalls, “I can actually remember the time when our old motors were still on the road, often used for everyday tasks. When I see them now, my mind goes meandering down memory lane”.
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