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STD Leyland National`s


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`M `reg Leyland National`s 1,2,3 &4. Does anyone remember at least one of these buses entering service in STD livery when new?

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Guest transit

`M `reg Leyland National`s 1,2,3 &4. Does anyone remember at least one of these buses entering service in STD livery when new?

....already answered for you in "Last new STD buses" further down this topic . ;-)

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`M `reg Leyland National`s 1,2,3 &4. Does anyone remember at least one of these buses entering service in STD livery when new?

The above leyland nationals didn't enter service in STD livery while ordered by STD they arrived in early PTE days and entered service in the very pale brown just like transit said in the other thread

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`M `reg Leyland National`s 1,2,3 &4. Does anyone remember at least one of these buses entering service in STD livery when new?

....heres a colour pic of no 4 , showing the pale sy shade with green fleetname - would have liked to have seen a Sheff liveried National though !

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....already answered for you in "Last new STD buses" further down this topic . ;-)

Yes I know you did , and thanks for your reply. Time play funny tricks we all know that, but the fact is I still think there was one. I remember sitting reserve in Cental Bus Station and being given a couple of trips to do on Service 31, the bus was a brand new National ,which fair enough it looks as though I am wrong but I can see it now in STD colours. It was like driving something out of this world, it even had car-like column mounted controls for the horn, headlamp flasher, and self cancelling direction indicators. I had one- manned on the 31 Route before but that was with one of the old Leyland Leopards fitted with the manual gearbox, boy what a difference. P S Up until then the only buses I knew of in the Sheffield fleet fitted with self cancelling flashers were the early Atlantean`s, but the switch had a clockwork mechanism and had to be reset after 20 seconds.[ made in Cincinnati USA]

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Yes I know you did , and thanks for your reply. Time play funny tricks we all know that, but the fact is I still think there was one. I remember sitting reserve in Cental Bus Station and being given a couple of trips to do on Service 31, the bus was a brand new National ,which fair enough it looks as though I am wrong but I can see it now in STD colours. It was like driving something out of this world, it even had column mounted controls for the horn, headlamp flasher, and self cancelling direction indcators. I had driven on the 31 Route before but that was with one of the old Leyland Leopards fitted with the manual gearbox, boy what a difference.

....now you've got me thinking !! Could it have been a "demonstrater" being given a trial? I can catagorically state - and so would Busman(who WOULD know!) - that a National has never been painted in Sheffield Transport livery . The closest they could have been are when this batch were delivered new in all-over cream ,pic 1 - with the fleetnames and brown eventually added over several weeks (this one still awaiting roof paint).....(pic 2)although these were around 1980/81 - the only other single decker painted in Sheff colours was the Volvo Renown ,shown like this souvinir model....(pic3)but this was in 1999 to commemorate 25 years since SYPTE takeover.

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....now you've got me thinking !! Could it have been a "demonstrater" being given a trial? I can catagorically state - and so would Busman(who WOULD know!) - that a National has never been painted in Sheffield Transport livery . The closest they could have been are when this batch were delivered new in all-over cream ,pic 1 - with the fleetnames and brown eventually added over several weeks (this one still awaiting roof paint).....(pic 2)although these were around 1980/81 - the only other single decker painted in Sheff colours was the Volvo Renown ,shown like this souvinir model....(pic3)but this was in 1999 to commemorate 25 years since SYPTE takeover.

It was a `M` reg Mk 1 with centre exit. The `W` reg Mk 2 National,s only had a front entrance/exit and were fitted with a more powerfull engine , not sure if it was`nt a modified version of the 680. Lovely exhaust roar though.

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It was a `M` reg Mk 1 with centre exit. The `W` reg Mk 2 National,s only had a front entrance/exit and were fitted with a more powerfull engine , not sure if it was`nt a modified version of the 680. Lovely exhaust roar though.

......Busman , i ,and others are on the case !!!!!!!!! ;-)

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......Busman , i ,and others are on the case !!!!!!!!! ;-)

.....buses 2,3,and 4 all entered service on 18/4/74 - for some reason (repaint???) no.1 entered service a full eight days later , on the 26th ... the plot thickens!!!! :unsure:

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....heres a colour pic of no 4 , showing the pale sy shade with green fleetname - would have liked to have seen a Sheff liveried National though !

I had a full run of I A Buses magazines from 1965 to 1989, in 1996 I had a mad moment and donated the lot to the Tinsley Bus Museum. You will find the Sheffield liveried Leyland National in one of those.

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I had a full run of I A Buses magazines from 1965 to 1989, in 1996 I had a mad moment and donated the lot to the Tinsley Bus Museum. You will find the Sheffield liveried Leyland National in one of those.

...i still cannot believe there was a Sheff liveried National - as much as i would have loved to have seen one ! - and until i see a pic ,i will not be convinced! Busman is/was one of the "main men" down there, so i will check with him. Believe me , if he never saw it ,then no one else would have.!!!! ;-)

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...i still cannot believe there was a Sheff liveried National - as much as i would have loved to have seen one ! - and until i see a pic ,i will not be convinced! Busman is/was one of the "main men" down there, so i will check with him. Believe me , if he never saw it ,then no one else would have.!!!! ;-)

While i still do some work for the musuem i am no longer as invloved as i was I will try and get the 1974 buses mags checked however , I do not beieve thaat one was done in STD livery no one , I have spoke to including people who would know have all said no .

Any way i will check the 1974 buses mag as that is the sourse of the info

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I had a full run of I A Buses magazines from 1965 to 1989, in 1996 I had a mad moment and donated the lot to the Tinsley Bus Museum. You will find the Sheffield liveried Leyland National in one of those.

....i am positive IF this picture ever existed ,then Busman or myself would have definately known!!!!!....and if this picture was published in a"national" (pardon the pun") magazine ,like you are stating - then surely someone else would have replied on here ? Till i see a picture , i, and i am sure, Busman ,will totally deny its existence - until YOU prove otherwise!

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....i am positive IF this picture ever existed ,then Busman or myself would have definately known!!!!!....and if this picture was published in a"national" (pardon the pun") magazine ,like you are stating - then surely someone else would have replied on here ? Till i see a picture , i, and i am sure, Busman ,will totally deny its existence - until YOU prove otherwise!
You are on! [Categorically speaking!]
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THE LEYLAND NATIONAL SAGA

Following research in various forms I wish to state that I belive that NO NATIONAL entered service in STD livery, the nationals were delivered to central works in cream - as was the standard for leyland I belive that they were painted in to early pte livery at central works.

The national demonstrator that I believe was used in service was a selnec one possibly EX31 but not 100% sure of its id or livery.

However, you state that the bus you drove was on the 31 therefore there are other posibilites: the leopards were getting long in the tooth and were not really suitable for the 31 , the swifts were in short supply as they were needed for 51's clippers and stand by for white rose - remember at this time double deckers were not used on the motorway.

Various buses were tried on the 31 route includeing at one stage a single deck halifax fleetline, at this moment in time I am trying to find out if there is anything you may have driven that was modern and blue, I am awaiting replys from various sources both within the industry at the time and observers of the local bus scene .

In the mean if you are able to give any more information ie dates or the copy of buses mag with the photograph in it I would be very pleased to hear from you.

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Hi bus man, Hi transit. After searching high and low and talking to the few contacts I have left, I have to say I have just about drawn a blank. My last contact a retired inspector who started driving at Eastbank in 1973, thought that it was No 4 that was in Sheffield livery, and remembers No 1 being involved in a bad accident early in its life on Langset Road. As for the Buses mags, if the photo is not in there I have seen it somewhere? Anyway whether I am right or wrong, I am, and I am sure you are both enjoying this detective work. Nothing I have said is malicious and I mean no disrespect but I still say there was a STD National. [Could it have been on the road for just an hour or so?] Regards, W/E.

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Hi bus man, Hi transit. After searching high and low and talking to the few contacts I have left, I have to say I have just about drawn a blank. My last contact a retired inspector who started driving at Eastbank in 1973, thought that it was No 4 that was in Sheffield livery, and remembers No 1 being involved in a bad accident early in its life on Langset Road. As for the Buses mags, if the photo is not in there I have seen it somewhere? Anyway whether I am right or wrong, I am, and I am sure you are both enjoying this detective work. Nothing I have said is malicious and I mean no disrespect but I still say there was a STD National. [Could it have been on the road for just an hour or so?] Regards, W/E.

malicious or not time been spent ( A lot of other peoples as well ) chasing some thing up which it I firmly beleive didnt happen, and if these things are left unchallnged then they get treated as true .

As for one been out for a few hours there isnt any evidance of one even been painted in STD livery , I think you have come across a demonstrator

NOTE if one had been out for an hour and then repainted the conservative group on sycc would have a field day highlighting the waste of money

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Hi bus man, Hi transit. After searching high and low and talking to the few contacts I have left, I have to say I have just about drawn a blank. My last contact a retired inspector who started driving at Eastbank in 1973, thought that it was No 4 that was in Sheffield livery, and remembers No 1 being involved in a bad accident early in its life on Langset Road. As for the Buses mags, if the photo is not in there I have seen it somewhere? Anyway whether I am right or wrong, I am, and I am sure you are both enjoying this detective work. Nothing I have said is malicious and I mean no disrespect but I still say there was a STD National. [Could it have been on the road for just an hour or so?] Regards, W/E.

......again W/E - I think you may be mistaken !!!!!!! National no 88 - JDT 438N (6 months newer than 1,2,3,4)- WAS in a very serious frontal accident when only a few months old , and it is whilst repairing this bus ,and repairing/investigating the hydraulic front suspension , that the "kneeling National" was concieved. This bus was featured on BBC 1 on a Thursday - Blue Peter first , followed by Tommorows World later. It started the whole lowered step type system -along with the split entranced vehicles - leading eventually to the standard expected low-floor vehicles of today. .....and YES ,i have pics to prove!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

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......again W/E - I think you may be mistaken !!!!!!! National no 88 - JDT 438N (6 months newer than 1,2,3,4)- WAS in a very serious frontal accident when only a few months old , and it is whilst repairing this bus ,and repairing/investigating the hydraulic front suspension , that the "kneeling National" was concieved. This bus was featured on BBC 1 on a Thursday - Blue Peter first , followed by Tommorows World later. It started the whole lowered step type system -along with the split entranced vehicles - leading eventually to the standard expected low-floor vehicles of today. .....and YES ,i have pics to prove!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

When 88 appeared on the bbc (above) the body strip below the windows was painted brown but was repainted afterwards the standard cream it was lettered the kneeling national

TRANSIT wasnt the rta with 88 on queens road near central works i may be wrong - ill try and get someone to check the accident file

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When 88 appeared on the bbc (above) the body strip below the windows was painted brown but was repainted afterwards the standard cream it was lettered the kneeling national

TRANSIT wasnt the rta with 88 on queens road near central works i may be wrong - ill try and get someone to check the accident file

...i am sure the bead line was painted red to match the red bumpers (the subsequently "lowered" Nationals all recieved the red bumpers to indicate "kneeling" entrance) Cant quite remember where 88 crashed as i first saw it in the Star on the front page - driver injured ,but recovered- and remember watching its rebuild over several weeks ,from Central Works entrance at 8am ,before my bus came around 8.25 (43 Jordanthorpe) on the bridge round the corner. I was that interested , the bodyshop lads gave me bits of twisted metal from the damaged bus , and my interest(obsession) eventually led to a private tour of Central Works on invitation of the main man himself - Mr Charles Hall ,who - those who know , is a Sheffield Transport LEGEND - , and still around today , at the grand age of 94.

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When 88 appeared on the bbc (above) the body strip below the windows was painted brown but was repainted afterwards the standard cream it was lettered the kneeling national

TRANSIT wasnt the rta with 88 on queens road near central works i may be wrong - ill try and get someone to check the accident file

....heres a pic ,after a few weeks back in service - note the roof lettering , and larger D/D size "flying duck" sy logo ....

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....heres a pic ,after a few weeks back in service - note the roof lettering , and larger D/D size "flying duck" sy logo ....

Gave the picture a little tweak. Not much better, but a little I think. Hope you don't mind, Transit.

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Gave the picture a little tweak. Not much better, but a little I think. Hope you don't mind, Transit.

No problem .. .thanks for that ......you may be required again sometime as these old topics get answered!!!!!!!!! lol

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