Gallery - Leyland Society Gathering 2008

P30

1957 Tiger Cub PSUC1/2 Reg. PUJ 781 Chassis No. 577966 Engine: Leyland O.401 6.54 Ltr 140hp Diesel
Gearbox: Leyland 5 speed manual Body: 1957 Burlingham Seagull 41-seat S/D coach (Ash frame with aluminium panelling) The Leyland Tiger Cub was a popular lightweight coach and bus chassis and this example was delivered new to Whittle Coaches of Highley in 1957. It remained with that company until it was retired from service in 1980. The vehicle was purchased by the current owner in 1990 and returned to its original condition as seen today.
Entered by Mr. B. Rogers of Bewdley, Worcs

P25

1952 TD4 Rebuild Reg. OKP 980 Chassis No. JCB 209 Engine: Leyland E181 7.4 Ltr 100hp Diesel
Gearbox: Leyland 4 speed manual Body: Beadle 35 seat S/D Coach (Aluminium construction) During the years following the Second World War, bus operators were in urgent need to replace their war weary vehicles, whose lives had been extended through the war years and often maintained to minimum standards as spare parts were unavailable. The coachbuilders John C. Beadle of Dartford in Kent developed a scheme to manufacture new integral single deckers utilising recycled mechanical components from pre-war double deckers. The original chassis were cut into 3 sections around which the new coachwork was built to the newly permitted length of 30 feet. A total of 209 vehicles of this type are reported to have been built and almost all of them were supplied to subsidiary companies of the British Electric Traction (BET) Group, one of the major bus groups of the time. These vehicles had relatively short lives with the BET companies and withdrawals from these fleets began in the 1960s. They then passed to independent operators, with whom they would give reliable service for a number of years. This particular vehicle passed with two other ex-Maidstone & District Beadle rebuilds to J. H. Thornes of Bubwith. Its sister vehicles were scrapped in 1969 but OKP 980 continued in service until 1971 when it suffered a major engine failure within days of the expiry of its Certificate of Fitness. The bus was withdrawn from the fleet and left in open storage. In 2000, a major restoration was undertaken by Preston Bus on behalf of the current owners to return the vehicle to the condition that you see it in today, including the fitment of a brand new Leyland E181 engine which was discovered in a packing case where it had been stored since being refurbished by the MOD in 1947. OKP 980 is one of only 5 known surviving Beadle rebuilds and is the only Maidstone and District example.
Entered by Mr. P. Thornes of Selby, North Yorkshire.

P28

1955 Tiger Cub PSUC1/2 Reg. MMR 553 Chassis No. 553503 Engine: Leyland O.375 5.76 Ltr Diesel
Gearbox: Leyland 4 speed manual Body: 1955 Harrington 41-seat S/D Coach (Alloy frame with aluminium panelling) New to Silver Star of Salisbury in July 1955, No.26, this vehicle was used extensively on troop carrying duties until it was withdrawn in June 1963. On take-over of Silver Star it was then sold to Wilts and Dorset, but not used, and was immediately re-sold to Western National and then to Deebles of Upton Cross from whom it was purchased by the current owner in 1980. It is now preserved in its original Silver Star livery of silver and red.
Entered by Mr. D. Dawes of Dewsbury, W. Yorks.

P18

1948 Tiger PS1 Reg. EAS 956 Chassis No. 473263 Engine: Leyland E181 7.4 Ltr 100hp Diesel
Gearbox: Leyland 4 speed manual Body: 1948 Crossley 32-seat S/D bus (All-metal construction) Blackburn Corporation Transport was the original customer for this Leyland Tiger PS1 which was registered BCB 340 when new and given the fleet number 7. It was purchased by Jones International Coaches in 2004 and has been returned to full P.S.V. roadworthiness and is used for special occasions.
Entered by Mr. M. Jones of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire.