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 Mercury Buses - Setting the history straight
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mrschoolbusdriver
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3 Posts

Posted - 10/23/2011 :  2:20:11 PM  Show Profile  Visit mrschoolbusdriver's Homepage  Reply with Quote
A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me the link to where the following picture was found and asked if I might try and find some information about this make and more importantly some pictures of their school buses.



That plaque sent me on a quest to gather up what I could find out about Mercury Buses, Penn Yan Buses Division of Hammondsport,New York. My thanks to Mercury Aircraft of Hammondsport for providing what are now the first pictures of Mercury Buses on the net. Also the Geneva Times for archiving their newspapers for researchers.

Mercury Buses were built from 1945 -48. They built school buses sold mostly in New York State.

In 1945, Mercury Aircraft decided to diversify their company and purchased Penn Yan Bus Bodies Inc. of Penn Yan, New York.



Penn Yan Bus Bodies Inc. was located on Liberty Street in Penn Yan and was formed when Whitfield and Sons Coach Builders Co. of Penn Yan went bankrupt in 1933.

Whitfield and Sons Coach builders had been building coach and bus bodies since 1885. During the mid 20's to the early 30's, they built school buses too.

Willet Wetmore of Penn Yan bought the bankrupt Whitfield and Sons Coach Builders Co. and leased property and buildings from the Penn Yan Boat Co. on Liberty Street in Penn Yan and formed Penn Yan Bus Bodies Inc. of which he was president.

In 1941, the Penn Yan Bus Bodies Inc. building was seriously damaged in a fire that also damaged equipment and inventory. This may have been what lead Mr. Wetmore to seek a buyer for his company.



Back to 1945, this is when Mercury Aircraft steps in according to the article from the Geneva Times, and purchases remaining equipment and inventory belonging to Penn Yan Bus Bodies Inc. They opened a new Facility in Hammondsport, New York -- Mercury Buses, Penn Yan Buses Division. Here they built 250 -300 school buses between 1945-48 utilizing techniques borrowed from their success in aircraft manufacture. Their school buses were built using aluminum frames and bodies that incorporated chassis by Brockway, Mack, Dodge, Ford, and International.

Here are examples of their construction sent to me by Mercury --





A model of a Mercury Bus resides in the Glen Curtiss museum in Hammondsport --









In 1948, Mercury decided to sell the Penn Yan Buses Division. Karl Kreutziger, who had been the sales manager of Mercury Buses, bought the division in 1948 to full fill Mercury's contract for 100 unfinised school buses. From this purchase he formed Coach and Equipment Mfg, in Penn Yan, New York. They are still in business and one of the big success stories in New York State.

More pictures of Mercury Buses --











RichBusman
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453 Posts

Posted - 10/23/2011 :  3:53:09 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Wow, awesome writeup! I have never heard of Mercury Bus, but certainly have heard of Coach & Equipment. I would love to see more photographs and information on Coach & Equipment's school bus days.

Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together.
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mrschoolbusdriver
New Member

3 Posts

Posted - 10/23/2011 :  5:23:14 PM  Show Profile  Visit mrschoolbusdriver's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by RichBusman

Wow, awesome writeup! I have never heard of Mercury Bus, but certainly have heard of Coach & Equipment. I would love to see more photographs and information on Coach & Equipment's school bus days.

Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together.




Thank you for the kind response --- here is a link with some history and photos of Coach and Equipment Mfg. NOTE that in this history, PENN YAN BUS BODIES INC. is erroneously referred to as Penn Yan Bodies.

http://www.shepardbrosinc.com/manuf.htm
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08 Thomas EF
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533 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2011 :  07:17:19 AM  Show Profile  Visit 08 Thomas EF's Homepage  Reply with Quote
x2 on the thanks for all the research you've shared with us! I always love to find out about how big companies got where they are today, and to see what kinds of products were out there back in the day.
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2011 :  10:59:32 AM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Yeah great research and interesting write up. I too have never of these buses.

"Hardybusman"
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SuperiorGMC1963
Top Member

USA
1079 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2011 :  8:34:29 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Wow!!!! I knew about Penn Yan buses from the 30's but had no idea they morphed into Mercury buses. Great looking buses too! Thanks for sharing!!

Ted

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Mechan1c
Top Member

USA
853 Posts

Posted - 10/31/2011 :  5:33:41 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
They're like the Airstream of buses!! Nice.
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Sam
Advanced Member

United States
390 Posts

Posted - 12/03/2013 :  5:36:20 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Whoa! I grew up around the corner from Coach & Equipment, and Penn Yan Boats, and never knew there was ever such a thing as Penn Yan Bus! The original company, Whitfield, made some beautiful sleighs and carriages. I was unaware the company moved to Hammondsport then back to Penn Yan. I want to drive one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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C2FAN
Senior Member

United States
114 Posts

Posted - 12/05/2013 :  07:52:22 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I love these kinds of posts, awesome job!
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 12/05/2013 :  10:34:30 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I agree! Great story!

Bryan
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Oldbus
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4 Posts

Posted - 12/06/2013 :  06:28:04 AM  Show Profile  Visit Oldbus's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Great artical about a bus company I did knew nothing about. However I did know Karl Kreutziger. While working at Superior Coach in the 70,s I met Karl and attended many N.Y Dept. of Motor Vehicles with him. At this time Karl had started Coach&Equipment and was converting vans into school buses and adult buses. I believe Karl should be credited with starting the Type A bus. After his death his son Richard continued to run C&E. This van school bus later copied by Superior and Ward Bus. Mid Bus bought the Van Bus when Superior closed. All of this lead to the curaway bus that you knew today. Karl Krieuitziger was a true true gentleman and a visionary. Just a little bus history. Old Bus
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08 Thomas EF
Top Member

533 Posts

Posted - 12/07/2013 :  4:30:41 PM  Show Profile  Visit 08 Thomas EF's Homepage  Reply with Quote
OldBus, thanks for that. I'd love to hear any other stories you're willing to share!

Edited by - 08 Thomas EF on 12/07/2013 4:30:57 PM
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Jake
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USA
3527 Posts

Posted - 12/12/2013 :  11:36:39 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jake's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Somehow I missed this post when it was originally made a few years back.

It was a nice read up on a bus company that I didn't know about until today. Thanks for sharing!

Yellow & Black
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matts4290
Advanced Member

224 Posts

Posted - 12/15/2013 :  06:05:53 AM  Show Profile  Visit matts4290's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Cool story. I missed it too. Are any of these buses surviving anywhere today?

We can't all be conventional!
http://www.youtube.com/user/matts4290
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