Sample Case Study Redline

Redline Coaches Ansair KS5’s, Nos 4, 5 and 6, with White No 2 at rear, awaiting loading and departure from O’Reilly’s Guest House, to the right of the picture. The picture was taken on a Sunday afternoon, circa 1953.
An opportunity was to arise in late 1952, and Rex’s decision to act on it would lead to his little ‘David’ company eventually becoming of sufficient influence and prominence, plus of considerable nuisance to Reg’s ‘Goliath,’ that the latter was eventually obliged to take rather more than just scant notice of the upstart, upcoming, back-yard-bred Redline!
That fortuitous decision was the purchase of Millar’s ‘Overland Passenger Service,’ a Brisbane–Sydney–Brisbane passenger service operation, along with one Ansair International

Unfortunately, I have no records showing the date when this situation was reversed, however I have no doubt the air would have become rather thick around the place when all the cards were well and truly on the table and both men fully understood and confronted the reality of the situation.
I cannot therefore say who pulled the pin, but while documented history shows that Redline was still located there in November 1954, Rex would have vacated the ‘ANA’ premises very likely at the end of the initial lease tenancy period, which was probably at the end of 1955.
Consideration of that whole “Redline in Pioneer’s pocket’ situation takes on extra depth when one realises that it was not to be very long before Redline had begun to cramp Pioneer’s style to a marked extent.
By the time Redline had commenced scheduled interstate express operations in the early 1960’s, the Roma Street depot passenger traffic staff would become very familiar with the regular evening presence of the pipe-puffing Pioneer Qld state manager, Frank Ahrens, who would lurk shadily by the Windsor Hotel corner in order to tally up the Sydney express departure