Continuing onwards on the double bill of luscious London Leylands, we now move to a type that is either loved or hated, but one I really, really like, that being a Leyland National.
Introduced in 1972, the Leyland National was devised to be British Leyland's standard product, intending to replace a smattering of early first generation OPO single deckers; namely the AEC Swift, Bristol RE, Daimler Roadliner & Leyland Panther. Whilst most recipients were NBC subsidiaries. London bought a total of 506 between between 1973 & 1981. 437 Mk 1s & 69 Mk 2s.
LS174 comprises one Mark 1 example dating from 1978, and was new to London Transport where it operating from Holloway garage on route 210. 1982 saw it pass south west to Norbiton and then in 1983 to Merton, before finally settling down in Croydon between 1986 & 1989. LS174 was withdrawn in 1990 and sold to Blue Triangle, where it was repainted into the red/cream livery it now adorns and operated mostly on routes 265 & 500. LS174 was then withdrawn in 1996, whereupon it never really showed up again until a pre-restoration return in April 2019 at the LBMs event which showed vehicles in varying states of preservation. LS174 made its public appearance at the Epping Ongar Railway's RF event in September 2021, where it operated on Route 500 from North Weald to Passingford Bridge via Epping, Theydon Bois & Abridge.
LS174 is powered by a Leyland 510 engine coupled to a 5 speed Leyland Pneumocyclic semi-automatic gearbox, driven superbly by a good friend, the good Lord, Steve Fennell, who drove this exact bus back in LT days at Norbiton. Rasping, whiny, loud and smoky, the quintessential Mark 1 National experience. I hope you enjoy!
Clip 1: Passingford Bridge to Abridge
Clip 2: Epping, Station Approach to North Weald Station
17 дек 2021
