John Galbraith

              Gas bus pioneer turns 80 

September 1, 2009

John Galbraith turns 80 today. John was Bus Manager of the Palmerston North borough bus service from 1970 to 1989.

Palmerston North was the first city in the  world  to have a fleet of buses all powered by natural gas. Though 22  buses is not exactly a big fleet, being the first in the world is a noteworthy achievement. In the words of then Bus Manager John Galbraith "We put our money where our mouth was. We said that it would work - and it did." And John did make it work, saving the Council several hundreds of thousand dollars in fuel bills.

 

Council took the decision to convert the bus fleet to CNG in 1979 during the second oil price shock of that decade. Natural gas sourced from the town supply was compressed before filling specially fabricated tanks that were fitted into the vehicles. A gas compressor and filling infrastructure was installed in the Albert street depot; tanks were filled overnight. The Hino bus company of Japan was quite impressed with the technical strategy for conversion and hosted John at their headquarters to learn more about the Palmerston North experience in converting the bus fleet.

Seen in the picture are John Galbraith (L) Mr Bill English, Minister Science and Technology, and  Sir Brian Elwood (C), Mayor of Palmerston North (1971-1985) who enthusiastically supported the gas bus conversion. Mr. Elwood had his Jaguar converted to CNG, and as Lady Dawn remarked wryly "we managed to cram the children and luggage into the Jag during the holidays. It just meant we had to take less luggage because the gas bottle took up some room in the boot".

John's vision resulted in a low tailpipe emission fleet decades before concepts like zero tailpipe emissions became fashionable.

As memories of the oil price crisis of 1973 faded and other changes overtook the Council. The Local Government reform of 1989 was implemented by the then City Chief Executive Officer Michael Wills (1989-2001). The Council bus service now known as "Palmerston North Passenger Services Limited" unsuccessfully tendered with the Manawatu-Wanganui District Council for the public service contract. The gas bus fleet was sold to Hamilton. Failure to secure the bus service contract marked the end of an era which began on 7 September 1921 when the Borough Council's first bus service was established.

Allergy to sawdust cut short his apprenticeship in a joinery. After a stint at the Austin factory in Wellington, the NZ Railways Road Services employed him  as a tour coach driver for several years. He moved to Palmerston North with his wife Pat and their two daughters to take the role of Bus Manager. John did put in long hours and was often on call during week-ends while he worked at the Council. He was keenly aware of his public service responsibility - he was not a clock-watcher by any means.  John keeps in touch. He often catches up on news through the Manawatu Standard website. He was a member of the Palmerston North Rotary Club. For his contribution to the transport industry he was made a life member of the Bus and Coach Association. 

A few years ago John and his wife Pat moved to Australia where their two daughters live. They continue to travel in their motor home for much of the year. Helping John celebrate his eightieth are friends and family who have flown across the Tasman for the party his children have put on.  Good on you John!  

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Pictures and research information courtesy Ian Matheson City Archives, Palmerston North.

"MG" Gopalan, Manawatu Tram Trust

mg@tramtrust.org.nz