1. (XU 7498) The Mike Sutcliffe Collection is world renowned as a small number of beautifully restored vehicles. They date exclusively
from 1908 to 1934 and all the buses are of Leyland origin. Based in Buckinghamshire it is probably the most significant collection of early
motor buses. XU 7498 is a Leyland L85 with Dodson bodywork that dated from 1924 and consisted of a wooden ash frame with aluminium panels.
It originally rode on solid tyres but these were replaced by pneumatic versions in 1930. The bus was initially operated by the Chocolate
Express Omnibus Company one of the first of the so-called London ‘pirate’ companies of the 1920s and 30s, but was later merged into the
London Passenger Transport Board in 1933. Mike Sutcliffe was awarded the MBE in 2004 for his excellent work in restoration and Motor Heritage.
2. (TF77 – FJJ 774) Eighty-eight of these TF-Class vehicles were built by Leyland in collaboration with the London Passenger Transport
Board during the late 1930s. The traditional upright position of the engine was moved from the front to amidships and was placed on its side
beneath the floor. The radiator was adjusted to be alongside the driver’s cab rather than in front of it, and the driver gained access
through the vehicle rather than his own offside cab door. The first thirteen were used as Private Hire vehicles, whilst the remainder
were assigned to the Green Line network of long distance cross-London routes.
3. (SA1 – F113 OMJ) As time progresses so does development of buses and coaches. Over time single vehicles are temporarily acquired by
companies in order to access and evaluate new products. During the late 1980s a number of such vehicles were placed on loan to London Buses
for that very purpose and included this single-door Alexander bodied Scania N113 used by the South London subsidiary from their Thornton
Heath Garage.
4. (48 – WBR 248) Built in 1964 this Atkinson Alpha sported a 48-seater Marshall dual-door body and was powered by a Gardner engine. The
name Atkinson to my mind conjures up lorries rather than buses. Here it gleamed in the September 1989 autumnal sunshine.
5. (KCH 106) Supplied in 1957 to the Trent Motor Traction Company, this Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland PD2 originally featured a closed top.
However, sometime during its career this was removed, believed to have been 1976 when it passed to the Grey-Green company based in London for
private hire and promotional duties. Here it arrived at the event during September 1990 in the company of one of the company’s forty-four
Alexander bodied Volvo B10M double-deckers used on tendered services in the capital.
6. (85 – PIB 5145) Willowbrook Warrior bodywork disguises the origins of this Leyland Leopard built in 1978 with Duple Dominant body. It was
acquired by Brighton in 1988 from Southend Transport when registered UDT 204T and re-registered in 1991 to PIB 5145. It later became number T5 in
the driver training fleet and subsequently passed to Bournemouth Transport in August 1999.
7. (167 – HTJ 552B) This rather handsome Guy Arab is believed to still be in preserved hands with the Lancashire United Transport Society
based in Bury. Built in 1964 with a Northern Counties body LUT was at one time the largest independent operator in the country. Here it passed
by the lakeside on arrival at the 1992 in the last year that the event was held at Woburn.
8. (901 – C901 JOF) Buses and coaches of all shapes and sizes and a wide range of age and condition attend Showbus events. In 1992 this MCW
Metroliner was entered by Central Coachways, an arm of the then West Midlands Travel. Built and supplied during 1986 it was during the time that
deregulation of the bus and coach companies had recently begun and many were branching out into all sorts of new ventures. As shown on the side
panelling 901, one of three such vehicles, were used on a Birmingham-London Express service.
9. (803 - JHL 983) One of the last vehicles to turn up at the 1992 event was this AEC Reliance with Leeds based Roe Dalesman bodywork. New
in 1957 it was supplied to the West Riding company and used on Private Hire and coastal excursion services.