1958 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1

This is a photograph that I took in Heaton Park, Manchester at the Greater Manchester Transport Society’s Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in September 1988.

It’s not listed in the programme of the event,  but it’s a 1958 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 provided new to Wallasey Corporation Transport in 1958 and has a Metropolitan Cammell H77F body.

1959 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1

This is a photograph that I took at the Greater Manchester Transport Society’s Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally at Heaton Park, Manchester in September 1993.

It’s a 1959 Leyland Atlantean and the programme of the event had this note about it:

 

‘Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1, MCW H78F, 1959

Manchester City Transport 3629

Entered by T. Greer, Bury

One of the first batch of rear engined buses to enter service in the Greater Manchester Area, 3269 was exported to Australia in 1972. The present owner completed the relatively simple task of returning it to the UK in 1990 for preservation.’

1972 Leyland Atlantean

This is one of the vehicles that took part in the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in Heaton Park, Manchester in September 1990.

It's a 1972 Leyland Atlantean and the programme of the event had this note about it:

'Leyland Atlantean, Northern Counties, 1972                                                                           NEK 9K

Wigan Corporation

Entered by S Owen, Wigan, Lancashire

One of the last buses to enter service with Wigan Corporation before it was absorbed by Greater Manchester Transport in 1974.'

Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally 1995

This is a photograph that I took in Heaton Park, Manchester, at the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in September 1995.

I didn't make a note of the vehicles at the time, but the Green bus on the right is a 1961 Bristol Lodekka FS6G originally a Crosville Motor Services bus, registration AFM402A: 'Originally Reg 319PFM and worked out of Liverpool depot for much of its life until conversion to training bus. Transferred to Chester during late 1970s and secured for preservation in 1990'. Next to that is a 1959 AEC Regent V, LJX198, originally owned by Hebble Motor Services: 'The white front to this otherwise red vehicle was applied to remind drivers that it was a highbridge vehicle which would not fit into a certain part of the company's depot.' The green bus next to that is a 1958 Leyland PD3/6, GEN201: 'Acquired for preservation in 1975 following withdrawal by GMPTE. Recently repainted into original 1958 style livery at St Helens Transport Museum.' The blue bus next to that doesn't seem to be noted in the programme of the event, but appears to have the livery of Birkenhead Corporation Transport. The Red bus next to that is a 1959 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1, UNB629, originally Manchester City Transport 3629: 'One of the first batch of rear engined buses to enter service in the Greater Manchester Area, 3629 was exported to Australia in 1972. The present owner completed the relatively simple task of returning it to the UK in 1990 for preservation. A repaint has been completed.'

Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1

This was one of the vehicles entered in the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally at Heaton Park, Manchester in September 1998.

It's a 1967 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 and this was what programme of the event said about it:

Leyland Atlantean/Roe  1967                                                                    OBU 163F

Entered by     Oldham 163 Preservation Group, Oldham

New to Oldham Corporation in 1967, where it was used for 14 years, until it was withdrawn in 1981. It was then purchased by Darrenets dance troupe where it travelled for many miles, including the Isle of Man until it was bought for preservation and restored.

On 24 January 2016 I showed a photograph of the first production Leyland Atlantean built, which was delivered to Wallasey Corporation in 1958.

Buses

I took this photograph at the Heaton Park, Manchester at the Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in September 1995.

From the left there's a 1964 AEC Routemaster in the livery of Clydeside Scottish Omnibuses Ltd, a 1963 Manchester Corporation Daimler CVG6K, a 1958 Manchester Corporation Leyland Titan PD2/34, a 1957 Lancashire United Transport Guy Arab IV and the corner of a 1968 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 in SELNEC livery.

Here's a view I took later looking down on the five vehicles, The Leyland Atlantean (HVM901F) isn't listed in the programme of the event, which has this to say about the other four:

M20          AEC Routemaster, Park Royal H64R, 1964                    ALD913B

                    London Transport RM1913

                    Entered by     Messrs Bentley, Cannon & Worsnop, Halifax

                    This vehicle is presented in the livery of Clydesdale Scottish, with whom it saw

                    service for three years following withdrawal by London Transport in 1986.

                    Purchased for preservation in 1991.

L15            Daimler CVG6K, Netro-Cammell H65R, 1963               4632VM

                    Manchester 4632

                    Entered by     D.J.Talbot, Eccles

                    This vehicle was one of the last Daimler buses purchased by Manchester

                    Corporation and was withdrawn in 1978 and was secured for preservation

                    after an extended life,

L13            Leyland PD2/34, Burlingham H64R, 1958                     TNA520

                    Entered by     J.Crankshaw, Meltham, Huddersfield

                    This vehicle is unusual in that it originally entered service with a fully

                    automatic gearbox. It was later converted to semi-automatic, which is

                    itself unusual.

L14            Guy Arab IV, Northern Counties, 1957                            116JTD

                    Lancashire United Transport 21

                    Entered by     J.Crankshaw, Meltham, Huddersfield

                    A representative of the many similar vehicles which performed yeoman

                    service for the company.

This is another view of the five buses that I've cropped from another photograph.

Leyland Atlantean

This is one of the vehicles taking part in the Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally at Heaton Park, Manchester, in September 1998.

It's a 1958 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1, with a Metropolitan Cammell Weymann body, and is the first production Atlantean built. The programme of the event said this about it:

Leyland Atlantean/MCW 1958                                                                                   FHF 451

Entered by   J Nolan for the 201 Bus Group, New Brighton

First production Atlantean built, delivered to Wallasey Corporation in 1958. Withdrawn by the Merseyside

PTE in May 1977, stored until 1979, it then passed to the 201 Bus Group who have restored the bus to

Wallasey Corporation livery.

The 201 Bus Group member is telling my dear friend George Brown about the history of the bus, and George's son Ian is standing in front of the vehicle. I worked with George for several years but sadly he passed away last September and I shall miss him and the stories he used to tell me.