Blackpool Corporation Leyland Titan PD3A/1 HFR 501E with MCW bodywork. New in June 1967, previously owned by David Hunt who purchased the bus for preservation in 1985. The vehicle had deteriorated badly in recent years and some parts had been robbed from the bus. The resoration is now complete and 501 visited it's home town of Blackpool on 21st June for an official launch with the Mayor of Blackpool "cutting the ribbon"!

New to Midland Scottish in 1985, Alexander-bodied MCW Metrobus B100 PKS was allocated to Kirkintilloch and numbered MRM100. It then became 1669 in the fleet of the new company, Kelvin Scottish (formed later in 1985) which absorbed Kirkintilloch depot. After a brief spell at Cumbernauld 1669 was sold back to Midland Scottish in 1990 and numbered 800. Operating initially out of Larbert then Bannockburn and Balfron. Finally renumbered 31578 in the First national fleetnumber system and was withdrawn in January 1996. 1669 has now been restored back into the colourful Kelvin Scottish livery, once a common sight in Glasgow. Two other metrobuses from this batch are also preserved, B97PKS - Strathtay 808 & B105PKS - Midland 805.

Kelvin Scottish Routemaster 1929 started life as London Transport RM910 registration WLT910. It was allocated to the following Garages 8/61-ALDu, Wu, 11/61-FY, 3/66-WN, 3/73-T, 10/73-Tu, 1/74-T, 1/78-SP, 3/82-wf, 4/82-WN, 2/85-NX, 5/86-NXu.

Bought by Kelvin Scottish in September 1986 and re-registered as EDS288A in March 1988 and was withdrawn in 10/92. It's first owner in preservation painted RM910 in an Edinburgh tram livery. It has recently been refurbished and returned to Kelvin livery at Busworks in Blackpool. Many thanks to Donald MacRae and Paul Redmond for photos of RM910 in service.

London MCW Metrobus KYV 781X. New in March 1982 and allocated to SF (Stamford Hill). Transferred to CT (Clapton) 5/84, ON (Alperton) 11/95, CT 12/95 and E (Enfield) 2/96. It was transferred from Arriva London to Arriva West Scotland in August 1999 and laterly ran for Orion, Wemyss Bay.

M781 was one of 300 Metrobuses ordered in 1981 (M506-805). This batch had updated mechanical gear which resulted in the buses being kept separate. Initially they almost all went to Leaside District in the north of London. The exceptions were the last six, which went to Sidcup for comparative trials against Titans and DMS Fleetlines.
A visual change from earlier Metrobuses was the provision of extra grilles at the sides of the engine compartment. Another change during production (from M706) was the abandonment of the horizontal slatted grille over the radiator, a mesh grille now covering the hole while a chrome beading maintained a semblance of style.

An Alexander-bodied Leyland Fleetline, LMS168W. Delivered new to Perth Depot, MRF168 was part of the last batch of Fleetlines to be delivered to Midland, and to the Scottish Bus Group. It marked a return to Alexander built double decker bodies which Midland had not specified in any great number since 1970 despite the company being based in Falkirk, home of the coachbuilder. In 1985 Midland was split up, Perth Depot was transferred to the new Strathtay Scottish company. MRF168 became SD16 in the new concerns fleet numbering system. After privatisation and a fierce bus war with Stagecoach on the streets of Perth in the early 1990’s Perth Depot was closed and SD16, renumbered again now being 716, was moved to Dundee Depot. 716 was then moved to Blairgowrie Depot where its last years would be spent primarily on school services. Recently withdrawn she was amongst the very last of the once common Fleetlines to be in service anywhere in Scotland.

We'd always thought it would be nice to preserve a bus and after seeing NLO16, an ECW bodied Leyland Olympian (TSO16X) advertised for sale we decided to go and view her at Tanat Valley Coaches in Llanrhaeadr - Ym - Mochnant. Despite her faded Stagecoach moquette seats and swarms of Tanat Valley flies we knew this was the one for us! Here begins the story of the preservation of NLO16, laterly Stagecoach 016 and Tanat 516. ECW-bodied Leyland Olympian Gardner 6LXB 10.45-litre diesel engine.

1982 New to Alexander (Northern) in Aberdeen NLO16. 1983 Transferred to Elgin Depot. 1990 Transferred within Stagecoach Group to Perth Panther 016. 2000 Purchased by Tanat Valley Coaches Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant 516.
2005 Acquired for preservation. Arrived at Bridgeton 22nd March 2005.

Photos of our buses on the road since in preservation!

The first London Transport vehicle in our collection was DMS 2333, MCW-bodied Leyland B20 - THX333S. The Iveco engine fitted to it was beyond economic repair and having fully assessed the cost of other work required on this vehicle, we've taken the difficult decision not to continue. The bus was sold to an "adventure farm" who are using it as a static exhibit, so DMS2333 survives!

Originally new in 1976 as London Transport DMS2185, this Leyland Fleetline (along with many others!) fell out of favour with LT and was sold on to Graham's of Paisley where it was initially D11, becoming D4. It has also operated for A1, Pride of the Clyde and Waddell, Lochwinnoch. Unfortunately recent removal of body panels have revealed nothing much behind them (and large piles of rust on the ground). The main frame is seriously corroded and far beyond economic repair.