Malta Bus Archive Biography of the Portelli family (tan-Nazett) from Rabat. Drove (& owned?) buses in the 1920s before switching to building buses in the 1930s.

"5th generation of bus 117 . Chassis - AEC Mercury (reassembled in Malta). Original Chassis number - not known. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP199. Body builder - Emanuel Gauci of Rabat . Route first used on - Rabat. First Owner - Joseph Camilleri, Rabat. Later Registrations - A-0117, Y-1009, Y-0308, DBY 308, '117', MHY 017"

"5th generation of bus 117 . Chassis - AEC Mercury (reassembled in Malta). Original Chassis number - not known. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP199. Body builder - Emanuel Gauci of Rabat . Route first used on - Rabat. First Owner - Joseph Camilleri, Rabat. Later Registrations - A-0117, Y-1009, Y-0308, DBY 308, '117', MHY 017"

"3rd generation of bus 1181 (post rebuild). Chassis - Bedford QLD. Original Chassis number - QLD.39571. Malta Police Chassis Number - n/a . Body builder - Carmel Sammut of Mosta (front rebuilt in 1968 by 'unknown' builder). Route first used on - Sliema. Owner at time of rebuild - Joseph Zahra, Mosta . Later Registrations - A-1181, Y-1062, Y-0361, DBY 361, MHY 004"

"3rd generation of bus 1403 (post rebuild). Chassis - Fordson Thames ET7 (rebuilt to forward control). Original Chassis number - unknown. Malta Police Chassis Number - n/a . Body builder - BMC Garage of Gzira (rebuilt in 1970 to forward control by 'unknown' builder). Route first used on - St. Julian's - Birkirkara. Owner at time of rebuild - Victor Scerri, Mosta . Later Registrations - A-1403, Y-1073, Y-0372, DBY 372"

"4th generation of bus 140. Chassis - Maltese Assembled. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP209. Body builder - Michael Barbara of Luqa . Route first used on - Gudja-Ghaxaq. First Owner - Nazzareno Dimech, Ghaxaq. Later Registrations - A-0140, Y-1010, Y-0309, DBY 309"

"4th generation of bus 1643. Chassis - assembled by Paul Camilleri of Mosta using steel frames from Rheinstahl Huttenwerke, West Germany. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP228 . Body builder - Michael Barbara of Luqa. Route first used on - Sliema. First Owner - Caterina Camilleri, St. Paul’s Bay . Later Registrations - A-1643, Y-1085, Y-0384, DBY 384, MHY 016"

"4th generation of bus 1643. Chassis - assembled by Paul Camilleri of Mosta using steel frames from Rheinstahl Huttenwerke, West Germany. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP228 . Body builder - Michael Barbara of Luqa. Route first used on - Sliema. First Owner - Caterina Camilleri, St. Paul’s Bay . Later Registrations - A-1643, Y-1085, Y-0384, DBY 384, MHY 016"

"4th generation of bus 1721. Chassis - Bedford S-type (reassembled by Lawrence Zammit of Zebbug). Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP249. Body builder - Michael Barbara of Luqa. Route first used on - Sliema. First Owner - not listed . Later Registrations - A-1721, Y-1088, Y-0387, DBY 387"

"4th generation of bus 1784. Chassis - Bailey - assembled in Malta by unknown builder. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP142 . Body builder - Lawrence Casha of Hamrun. Route first used on - Sliema. First Owner - John Borg, St Julian’s. Later Registrations - A-1784, Y-1096, Y-0395, DBY 395"

"4th generation of bus 1784. Chassis - Bailey - assembled in Malta by unknown builder. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP142 . Body builder - Lawrence Casha of Hamrun. Route first used on - Sliema. First Owner - John Borg, St Julian’s. Later Registrations - A-1784, Y-1096, Y-0395, DBY 395"

"4th generation of bus 17. Chassis - Bedford SLD. Chassis number - SLD.1654. Body builder - George Schembri of Tarxien. Route first used on - Gudja-Ghaxaq. First Owner - Paul Atanasio, Ghaxaq. Later Registrations - A-0017, Y-1002, Y-0301, DBY 301"

"5th generation of bus 2018. Chassis - AEC Mercury (reassembled in Malta). Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - unknown. Body builder - John Mary Farrugia of Zejtun. Route first used on - Cospicua. First Owner - Frances Grech, Mqabba. Later Registrations - A-2018, Y-1139, Y-0438, DBY 438"

"5th generation of bus 2022. Chassis - Bedford QL. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP124. Body builder - Frank Aquilina of Paola. Route first used on - Cospicua. First Owner - Philip Bonnici, Qormi. Later Registrations - A-2022, Y-1140, Y-0439, DBY 439"

"4th generation of bus 2103. Chassis - Bedford SB. Original Chassis number - 33959. Malta Police Chassis Number - unknown. Body builder - Emanuel Gauci of Rabat. Route first used on - Zejtun. First Owner - Carmel Micallef, Mosta. Later Registrations - A-2103, Y-1152, Y-0451, DBY 451, DBN 971. UK Military Registration - 30AC44"

"4th generation of bus 2128. Chassis - Dodge KT1050. Original Chassis number - 38118. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP280. Body builder - Daina Garage of Sliema. Route first used on - Private Hire. First Owner - Daina Garage of Sliema. Later Registrations - A-2128, Y-1586, Y-0886, Y-0348, DBY 348. UK Registration - SDD 206G (as lorry)"

"5th generation of bus 218. Chassis - Leyland Comet. Original Chassis number - 493659. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP70. Body builder - Carmel Sammut of Mosta. Route first used on - Birkirkara. First Owner - Mrs Magdalen Camilleri, Birkirkara . Later Registrations - A-0218, Y-1016, Y-0315, DBY 315. UK Registration - DTY 594 (as a lorry)"

"4th generation of bus 2217. Chassis - assembled in Malta. Original Chassis number - n/a. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP230. Body builder - Frank Aquilina of Paola. Route first used on - Cospicua. First Owner - Carmelo Farrugia, Tarxien. Later Registrations - A-2217, Y-1172, Y-0471, EBY 471"

"2nd generation of bus 2217 (post rebuild). Chassis - Reo (rebuilt to forward control). Original Chassis number - 3042. Malta Police Chassis Number - n/a. Body builder - Joseph Zammit of Hamrun. Route first used on - Birkirkara. Owner at time of rebuild - Joseph Darmanin, Zurrieq . Later Registrations - A-2296, Y-1517 (Gozo), Y-0816 (Gozo), FBY 042 (Gozo)"

"6th generation of bus 230. Chassis - Bedford QL. Original Chassis number - not known. Malta Police Chassis Number - MP102. Body builder - Emanuel Gauci of Rabat. Route first used on - Private Hire. First Owner - Anthony Azzopardi, Rabat. Used By - Paul Vassallo, Rabat. Later Registrations - A-0230, Y-1620, Y-0920"