Several years ago, the Sagalés company began, parallel to its professional activity focused on passenger road transport, a private collection of classic vehicles, taking charge of their restoration and conservation. Since then, they have carried out several exhibitions and other events around this hobby. Among them, the International Rally of Classic Buses Barcelona-Caldes de Montbui, which reaches its tenth edition on June 8 and 9. We spoke with Francisco Sagalés, current president of the company, to ask him some questions about historic buses and their restoration.
Recovering the past thanks to Sagalés
To speak of Sagalés is to speak of our history. But not only in the past; also in the present and future. Sagalés has taken us from one place to another in all eras since 1641. The landscape, the roads, the cities change; technology advances; from carts, wagons, and stagecoaches, we moved to the first motor vehicles, and so on to the present day. The sound of Sagalés is the rattle of an infinite journey.
On such an immense journey (a journey of 378 years), few people would have cared about recovering and protecting the remnants of the past for the future. Not so the Sagalés family. From a young age, Francisco Sagalés had the desire to restore classic vehicles. Thanks to this family, today we can enjoy one of the most valuable collections on the history of automotive in Spain.
When did your passion for historic buses begin?
My passion began when I was very young. At 7 or 8 years old, my games consisted of operating the repair machines in the workshop where we repaired mechanical parts and bodywork.
At 13 years old, I asked my father to rebuild a Hispano from 1908, he liked that a lot and that’s how we started. It took us about 2 or 3 years to restore it because many parts were used in other buses, and then we continued working on the restoration of a Chevrolet. We always had a bus for when the mechanics had time.
When introducing a new vehicle into your collection, what aspects are most important to you?
Before, I looked for vehicles that we could rebuild with less work; then it was a matter of the vehicle’s age, or because of the affection for having provided good service on our routes or for its aesthetics.
Within your collection, what is the oldest bus you have? What are its characteristics?
The oldest vehicle in our collection is a replica I bought of the first Mercedes automobile from 1870, and among the buses restored by us, the Hispano from 1908 that I mentioned earlier stands out. We also have restored stagecoaches in our collection.
Which bus in the Sagalés collection is your favorite historic bus? Could you tell us something interesting about this vehicle?
All the historic vehicles in our collection have something special, as we have restored most of them in our workshops. Perhaps the most appreciated is this one because it was the first one we rebuilt.
We know that your collection includes some Castrosua buses, which model(s) and from what year(s)? What can you tell us about this or these vehicles, if there are several? How did they come to your collection?
We are one of Castrosua’s oldest customers. Around the 1970s, there was an attempt to merge several coachbuilder brands to save costs, one of them being the Catalan Obradors from Manresa, of which we were customers, and later we became your customers. After that, they bodied many Pegasos of 160HP and 240HP with central and rear horizontal engines.
Currently, we have several Castrosua models in our collection, specifically 1024DL and 5023DL from 1985. We should note that we have not yet restored the latter. We have rebuilt the 1024DL model, and for another year, it will participate in the tenth exhibition of classic vehicles held on June 8 and 9 on Avenida María Cristina in Barcelona. These buses came to our collection because they previously operated on our routes.
Could you briefly describe the process of restoring a bus?
Indeed, restoring a bus is very laborious work. It requires a large number of hours of work because the entire process is done by hand.
First, you have to assess its condition. To do this, the entire coach must be dismantled, and each part examined to see its condition. Once dismantled, each part must be treated, sometimes even replacing entire panels, in the case of the roof.
After dismantling, repairing, and reassembling all the parts of the bus, comes its heart, the engine. This part is very complex because it’s not just about changing oil, filters, belts, among other things, but depending on the engine’s condition, many more changes are needed. Generally, for safety, a new electrical installation is done.
Finally, the interior of the vehicle must be restored by re-upholstering the original seats in colors consistent with the bus’s original livery, restoring the net-backed luggage racks, and other interior accessories.
And finally, the corresponding procedures must be completed; once done, the coach becomes a historic vehicle.
Do you remember any bus whose restoration was particularly complex?
As we mentioned in the previous question, the restoration of all historic buses is very complex. To restore a vehicle, you have to rebuild or manufacture parts because it is very difficult to find materials. I particularly remember one of the vehicles, which turned out to be quite difficult. The chassis was bent, so it had to be straightened on a chassis bench. As for the sheet metal, it was quite damaged, especially on the roof, and rust had eaten away many pieces.
But, ultimately, the complexity of the process lies in the inevitable passage of time, the impact of atmospheric agents, and any possible vandalism on the bus.
Internationally, is there any historic bus that you find particularly interesting and would like to introduce into your collection? Why?
For example, I find a British double-decker bus and some Mercedes or Setra from the 1950s/60s particularly interesting and would like to introduce them into my collection because they set a trend or style for coaches.
Looking at the vehicles in your collection, how would you describe the evolution of the bus industry? What historical milestone(s) do you consider most significant in the development of this type of vehicle?
The evolution of the bus industry is a sector that has evolved over the years and, in fact, is still evolving now, and very rapidly. A very important historical milestone in mobility was the implementation of the internal combustion engine in the early 1900s. We have stagecoaches that are identical to the shafts, even in dimensions, to the first automobiles.
Another historical milestone that I consider more significant in its development was in the post-war period, when difficulties were great due to the lack of everything.
I remember traveling by wagon due to the poverty and lack of everything. There were no mechanics, resources, or raw materials; adding to all this were the consequences of World War II, and then the political isolation in which our country found itself. It was a period characterized by fuel scarcity and where service was provided using gas generators. I also remember that there were no batteries, and we made them ourselves, using several old tires to make a homemade one, rebuilt equipment in the company’s own workshops, and working at night so that our vehicles could meet the next day’s services. Furthermore, great ingenuity and tenacity were needed to overcome all adversities.
The change from gasoline engines to diesel engines was also a very important step. In those times, the roads were impassable, which forced vehicles to travel slower than even in the era of horse-drawn carriages; moreover, companies themselves, if they wanted a road in decent condition, had to take care of its maintenance.
Currently, we are on the verge of vehicle electrification, which will represent a great advance. And I also believe that in a few years, mobility will be automatic and centralized in command centers. I think we will see things we don’t even imagine now.
A couple of months ago, we published an article on our blog about the Historic Vehicle Regulations established in 1988, whose regulations aimed, among other things, to protect and promote this type of vehicle. Do you consider that there was a substantial change in the treatment of this type of vehicle in our country, before and after the entry into force of this regulation? Do you think that the necessary measures are being applied today to protect our automotive heritage?
I consider that the new regulation was an important step for historic vehicles, but I think that aid is still needed to protect this historical heritage for its value and for what it can contribute to appreciating the evolution that has occurred in this sector.
Could you comment on the role or influence of Castrosua in the history of buses in our country? Any memories related to our company?
I remember when in 1963, Castrosua’s success multiplied when the alliance between the two firms, Castrosua and Pegaso, was formed. I also remember in the 80s and 90s, when Castrosua was the main manufacturer of urban and interurban vehicles.
It was also a great attempt, as I said before, their attempt to unite several coachbuilders. It would have been a great advance.
Finally, what, in your opinion, is the future of the bus industry? What direction will the development of this type of vehicle take?
Work is being done in several directions, but it is clear that in addition to prioritizing safety, they are valued as low-emission vehicles. We are moving towards the electric bus, with batteries. They will be much simpler and require almost no maintenance. I think it will be simpler in general.
