Dundee Museum of Transport gallery: Exhibits and collections

If you have more photographs of Tayside's Transport heritage or know of a potential exhibit please get in touch through our contact page.

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Angus Council 1930 Fowler DNA Road Roller: restored

Dundee Museum of Transport became joint custodian of this Angus "Fowler" steam powered road roller in 2011. "King o' the Road", registration SR7512, works number 18295, is one of just four surviving examples and for years had been maintained by former roadman Arthur Joss and his son Andrew. The roller has had limited outings at events such as the Angus Show and Seafront Spectacular at Arbroath and recently underwent a once-every-10-years major stripdown and £2000 rebuild. Dundee Museum of Transport, Andrew Joss and S&D Taylor Haulage will combine their resources and prepare, deliver and exhibit the roller at agreed events annually subject to weather conditions.

SR7512 gleaming in the sunshine. Here you can clearly see it's name "King o' the Road" sign-written on the side.

A close-up view of the other side of the road roller. How many of you could boast about having one of those in your driveway?

All steamed up and seen in action at the show ground. What better way to see the road roller but like this, the way they were meant to be seen?

On Saturday 4 May 2013 the steam roller was moved to our temporary premises at Market Mews. Arriving on a low-loader it had to be carefully offloaded and then manoeuvred into our second exhibition hall where work would commence to getting it ready for the rally season.

The steam roller arrived at Market Mews on a low-loader along with a tractor for pushing the engine into our temporary premises.

Just off the low-loader, the steam roller starts to be pushed towards the Museum premises.

The steam roller passes the Museum's mobile exhibition unit on its way into our temporary premises.

Seen from further back you can just see the front of the tractor pushing the steam engine into our exhibition hall.

A closer view of the steam roller's cab with silver steering wheel clearly visible.

Safely in place inside our second exhibition hall at Market Mews.

Once inside the lights could be connected up to the mains and work started polishing all the brasswork.

A closer view of the side and canopy revealing more of the brasswork and the woodwork.

Seen front-on you can just imagine how it would look and sound when in steam.

Dundee's Horse-drawn Ambulance and Ashford Litter: restored

In June 2010 an old horse-drawn ambulance dating from the 1880s was returned to Dundee from Aberdeen along with an Ashford Litter which was last used in the 1920s. These items have been restored for display in the Dundee Museum of Transport with assistance from Claverhouse Training Group .

An old photograph of the horse-drawn ambulance in use.

The ambulance with Ashford Litter inside is placed on a trailer ready for its journey from Aberdeen to Dundee. Before being given back to the ambulance service it was used as a hen house!

Safely back in Dundee with Jimmy McDonell (left) and Terry Small from DMofT. The Ambulance was designed by Dr B Howard of New York and built by John Burt of London.

Just like modern ambulances there is a side door for access to the inside in addition to the doors at the rear.

A view of the inside of the ambulance with two stretchers in place. Notice the small windows around the front and the two seats (one folded down).

It may date from the 1880s but the ambulance driver has the luxury of full air-conditioning!

A view of the side and back of the ambulance which is in excellent condition.

The Ashford Litter which was last used in the 1920s to take a patient suffering from epilepsy to hospital.

A closer view of the stretcher on the Ashford Litter minus its cover.

The Ashford Litter included a cover for the patient to preserve what little dignity they could muster.

Fully restored and back on display, the horse-drawn ambulance (with horse!) at Overgate, Dundee.

Fully restored and back on display, the horse-drawn ambulance (with Ashton Litter) at Overgate, Dundee.

George Bett's photograph archive

Local photographer George Bett has been recording many unique .transport-themed images for many decades. He has graciously allowed us to copy his collection and many photographs were included in our 2010 exhibition in Dundee Central Library and on the artwork for our exhibition trailer.

Dundee's experimental fixed-fare bus CYJ315.

Steam engine 57653 at Lochee West on 18 April 1955.

Bluebird CWG343 at Shore Terrace, Dundee.

On loan to Tayside Regional Council from Cardiff was SWO326S 326. May 1978.

Dundee's first all-over advert worn by Daimler GYJ490G in April 1973.

A snowy scene as a Dundee Corporation bus makes its way towards The Albert Institute.

The end is nigh for Dundee's Eastern Station.

Greyhound bus LHA327 photographed outside Dundee's Shore Terrace bus station.

Midland National NLS988W photographed in Perth in May 1985.

A line-up of Strathtay buses at Seagate Bus Station in December 1986.

The scrapping of Tram 41 at Maryfield Tram Depot.

Old Dundee transport pictures used on our banner

Unveiled on Sunday 4 April 2010 the Dundee Museum of Transport banner featured seven images from Dundee's transport heritage. Following requests for more details here are the seven original images used for the banner.

Dundee Corporation bus YJ2792, originally fleet number 65, renumbered 113 and then 159. It was withdrawn from service in 1953 and became a combined Training Bus and Tree-Lopper. Was finally withdrawn and sold in 1966.

Horse-drawn trams helped replace irregular horse buses from 1877. The route given on this tram is from the Post Office to West Park Road. By the late 1890s there were 10 such horse trams.

For many years a bus was decorated for Christmas and this time it's the turn of 180 (ETS 960, new 1955, withdrawn 1976). It is believed the large crest above the destination was manufactured at Dundee's Robb Caledon shipyard.

Until the Tay Road Bridge opened, a ferry service operated across the River Tay, known in Dundee as "the Fifie". Three vessels latterly operated the service - the PS B. L. Nairn (a Paddle Steamer) and ferries MV Abercraig (pictured) and MV Scotscraig.

Dundee Corporation were renowned for keeping their bus fleet in good condition. Here bus TS 9861, fleet number 59 (new 1932, withdrawn 1947) is being cleaned at the Central Garage and Depot in Lochee Road (now demolished).

Trolley bus number 67 is pictured at the western terminus of the short route between Fairmuir and Maryfield along Clepington Road. Note its use of solid wheels.

Paddle steamer PS B. L. Nairn was the oldest of the three passenger and vehicle ferries linking Dundee and Tayport in Fife until services ended following the opening of the Tay Road Bridge on 18 August 1966.