Photo: Copyright Bill Ashcroft.

This bus, a Leyland Titan TD5 with teak-framed 52 seat lowbridge body by Eastern Coach Works, was delivered to Crosville Motor Services, Chester, in February 1938, and entered service at West Kirby depot on the Wirral Peninsular. After spending most of the 1940's at Chester Depot, it returned to the Wirral for the last years of its service with the firm. It was sold in March 1958 to Contract Bus Services, a company specialising in the provision of buses for construction site use. It was employed on contracts for the Llanwern Steelworks until September 1962, after which it was sold to a Cardiff dealer for scrap.

During the 1960's, the bus was progressively dismantled and cannibalised, but gained a reprieve when it was acquired by myself in January 1972 for preservation. Since then considerable mechanical and body restoration has taken place, a project that is now entering it's final stages.

Until May 1946 the bus carried the LMS inherited crimson lake and cream livery, but then received the standard Tilling green and cream livery which the Company had begun to adopt. Substantial body rebuilding by Crosville took place in 1947/8, including the fitment of large Tilling indicators at the front for a period in the mid 1950's. The bus ran in service in an experimental all green livery, the only vehicle believed to have been treated in this way. (see photo)

The restoration has attempted to incorporate all body features, including indicators, which it carried when new. It also displays the original livery, fleet name and number styles of 1938.