Life after Plymouth

"The maintenance staff were less enthusiastic...” Renown on Flickr

The last couple of postings have been unusually devoid of any photographs so to put this right we have this wonderful photo of a Plymouth Citybus Leyland National, one of many that found a new life outside of Plymouth... I will leave the commentary to Renown as like most of this photos it is a well detailed piece of history. ©Renown Under Berresford control, bus purchasing for the Stonier business generally was attended to from Cheddleton. The first single decker to arrive was a not particularly brilliant ex East Midland Leopard 405 RRR. Thereafter things diversified somewhat with the arrival of the Ex London Country RPs, and this, the first of two Leyland Nationals. Technically, the National wasn't purchased at this stage, but lent to us on demo by a dealer. Immediately, it was a hit with the crews who'd been used to manual saloons and half cab deckers. The maintenance staff were less enthusiastic... their first sighting of air suspension, and in the office eyebrows were raised about it's appetite for fuel. The latter two groups need not have worried too much, as after a short time someone forgot to attend to it's thirst for engine oil which saw it seize up one evening whilst working between Hanley and Kidsgrove. Thereafter, the remainder of it's stay was spent parked at Parsonage Street garage never turning a wheel again. I'm afraid I'm unaware as to what explaining had to be done to it's 'owner'! SCO 427L had been new to Plymouth City Transport, and is seen here crew operated with a healthy load having just backed off stand on Hanley Bus Station. Dont forget to visit Renowns Flickr stream for lots more photos like this...