The forgotten old school buses

While the old Austin school buses might have been left forgotten in history to most people, they haven’t vanished altogether…

On the 9th of September, 2023. Ex EDSA #460, Austin 2-45F, bodied by Freighter in June 1968, was acquired for preservation.

The Education Department of South Australia predominately ordered buses that were easy to repair in local workshops, with as little special equipment as possible. When it came to country school runs where there weren’t many students to shuttle, smaller more efficient school buses were desired.

The Austin FG Truck chassis was quite versatile, and is not too dissimilar to other trucks of the time.

Producing a total of 90hp at 3000rpm, and 203ft/lb at 1000rpm, the Austins certainly had sufficient power for their size, and were more than capable at climbing hills, and even speeding down country roads at a top theoretical speed of 60mph, or in practice just under.

Nowadays, the only ex EDSA Austin earmarked for preservation as a bus is #460, however a couple have still been sighted out and about. Spook Hill wines mechanically restored an ex EDSA Austin, however visually it is no longer representing a school bus.