Type Original Photograph Era Vintage (1920s1930s) Subject Transportation / Buses / Local Essex History Technique Hand-Tinted Photo / Hand-Coloured Black & White Photo Dimensions 9.5 cm x 7 cm Country/Region of Manufacture United Kingdom Operator / Subject Milton Bus Service / Reg Gilbert Condition Vintage condition with central vertical crease/fold line; hand-tinting intact; handwritten name on reverse. Up for sale is a rare original 1920s hand-tinted real photograph depicting a charming early single-decker motor omnibus / charabanc lettered "Milton Bus Service" parked alongside a grassy field. The photograph features hand-painted color accents in vibrant yellow along the roof trim, light green script lettering, blue window drapes, and subtle tones on the seated figures and landscape.

Size: Approx. 9.5 cm x 7 cm Reverse: Features the handwritten name "REG GILBERT" in capital letters. Condition: Authentic vintage condition. Features a light central vertical crease/fold across the image and back, with minimal edge wear. Hand-tinted pigments remain vibrant. Please inspect photos for full visual condition. Historical Note This photograph depicts the Milton Bus Service, an independent rural bus operator in South-West Essex (covering routes between Fobbing, Pitsea, Vange, Stanford-le-Hope, and Wickford). The service was established and run as a single-vehicle operation by Reginald "Reg" Harold Gilbert (whose name is penned on the reverse of this photo). Reg Gilbert operated his Milton Bus Service during the late 1920s through the 1930s until his business was acquired by local operator J. W. Campbell & Sons in November 1937. A fascinating piece of local Essex transport history and a fantastic addition for collectors of early British bus photography, transport ephemera, or regional history.