STD Leyland National`s

[Guest bus man]

I have finaly managed to get the time to go to the central library and go through the arhives to look for the delivery details of the Leyland Nationals :

NATIONALS

First delivered (all delivered to central works ) was bus number 2 at 1034 hours on Wednesday 10th April 1974

. # 4 on morning of 11th April

1 & 3 arrived over Easter weekend

2 entered service at 1515 hours on service 31 on 18th April

4 in service that evening 18th April on routes 8/9

1 & 3 entered service the following day (19th Apil)

ALL were delivered in coffee and cream

Restricted to 8/9. & 31 journeys only

The above is from M&T NEWS issue 113 APRIL 74

From 13th May 74 full day on 101 was been allowed to the new roe lane estate was this route was scheduled mixed route with 11-14 the leopards – rather ironic as the nationals were due to replace this batch of buses (some of the leopards ended up with Hulleys of Baslow)

[Waterside Echo]

I have finaly managed to get the time to go to the central library and go through the arhives to look for the delivery details of the Leyland Nationals :

NATIONALS

First delivered (all delivered to central works ) was bus number 2 at 1034 hours on Wednesday 10th April 1974

. # 4 on morning of 11th April

1 & 3 arrived over Easter weekend

2 entered service at 1515 hours on service 31 on 18th April

4 in service that evening 18th April on routes 8/9

1 & 3 entered service the following day (19th Apil)

ALL were delivered in coffee and cream

Restricted to 8/9. & 31 journeys only

The above is from M&T NEWS issue 113 APRIL 74

From 13th May 74 full day on 101 was been allowed to the new roe lane estate was this route was scheduled mixed route with 11-14 the leopards – rather ironic as the nationals were due to replace this batch of buses (some of the leopards ended up with Hulleys of Baslow)

Excuse me a minute bus man while I wash this egg off my face. W/A

[Guest transit]

Excuse me a minute bus man while I wash this egg off my face. W/A

.......does this mean you FINALLY admit defeat on supplying the photographic proof or existence of a Sheffield Transport liveried National ???? as much as i would have liked to have seen one!!!!!

[Waterside Echo]

.......does this mean you FINALLY admit defeat on supplying the photographic proof or existence of a Sheffield Transport liveried National ???? as much as i would have liked to have seen one!!!!!

Hi transit/bus man, I am proved wrong. But why, when I have lived, slept and dreamt buses nearly all my working life can I still see this Sheffield Transport liveried National in my mind. All I can say is sorry to all of you that have spent time and effort on this project, and I only hope that you or someone has stumbled across something worthwhile. W/E.

[Guest bus man]

...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.

I was talking to Charles Hall on wedenesday night i was showing him the where is this photo from this forum as I had taken it to a STSG meeting to try and solve it he didnt knwo where it was but as hoggs had been mentioned he told me that they were the firm that moved STD from division st to exchange st

[Guest littlemalc]

This topic has really had me thinking, I can well remember the National demonstrator, and I am pretty sure it would have been used on the 31 route, this route, in the old days was always referred to as "the mountain goat" because of it's hilly nature, it would have been the ideal testing route for a new single decker, just as the 51 route was always used for new double deckers.

I also have a clear recollection of treating the Leyland rep to tea and biscuits in the inspectors office on C platform, mainly because I had bought the biscuits!! I seem to think the demonstrator was in a two tone colour scheme, and one of the colours was blue.

A long time has gone under the bridge since then though, and I could not be one hundred percent about this.

I do know, that when the decision was made to buy them, they appeared in the dreadful pale brown and cream, which was universaly disliked by us all, they were certainly first in service under the new PTE, and STD had become just memory, however, just to muddy the waters, I do recall a National model being painted in STD colours, the job was done by one of the managers at SYT office at Meadowhall, blowed if I can remember his name, but it was a hobby of his, and some of his models were produced for sale up London Rd at the Transport shop.

It may have just been artistic licence on his part, but I can definately remember this, the characteristic hump on the roof being very clear in my mind.

[Guest bus man]

As mentioned above there were various demonastrators used on the 31 in the 1972 - 74 period before the nationals were ordered by STD

These were ordered by STD and were delivered to the PTE in cream livery they were then painted in early pte livery this was the very "Milky Coffee" livery the exact dates are above

As for models various have been done in pseduo livery there have also been some paitings done in dream liveries I commisioned a painting of one of the Leyland Nationals sold to the Isle of man coverted to a tram !

[Guest transit]

As mentioned above there were various demonastrators used on the 31 in the 1972 - 74 period before the nationals were ordered by STD

These were ordered by STD and were delivered to the PTE in cream livery they were then painted in early pte livery this was the very "Milky Coffee" livery the exact dates are above

As for models various have been done in pseduo livery there have also been some paitings done in dream liveries I commisioned a painting of one of the Leyland Nationals sold to the Isle of man coverted to a tram !

......was'nt the Demo's and other Nationals used on the 99 Chesterfield route - incorporating the infamous incline on Gleadless Rd up to Ridgeway Rd ??????? :o

[madannie77]

......was'nt the Demo's and other Nationals used on the 99 Chesterfield route - incorporating the infamous incline on Gleadless Rd up to Ridgeway Rd ???????

Not sure about Nationals on the 99. I recall reading somewhere that the early Nationals couldn't fit under the low bridges at Barrow Hill because of the pod. The later Nationals, without the pod on the roof were OK. I wish I could remember where I read it, though - hopefully someone can tell me, or alternatively can point out that I am wrong. I am now desperately looking through all possible books to find this information.

I don't recall seeing Nationals on the 99 when I was young and living in Gleadless - not even on the unadvertised extras to Gleadless Townend which ran just ahead of the Chesterfield bus in the afternoon peaks.

Regards,

Mad Annie

[oldrowley]

Not a National but while we are on the subject of 'dream' liveries, here's my rather crude interpretation of the rather handsome Van Hool Ailsa. With apologies to any photoshop experts.

[Guest transit]

Not a National but while we are on the subject of 'dream' liveries, here's my rather crude interpretation of the rather handsome Van Hool Ailsa. With apologies to any photoshop experts.

....now ,now, before long we'll see a National in Sheff Trans Livery !!!!!!!!!! (goes to get tin hat !)

....oh well ,i suppose i'll show these mock "Ailsa's" with Alexander bodywork in SY livery ....... he he

[phil]

Not sure about Nationals on the 99. I recall reading somewhere that the early Nationals couldn't fit under the low bridges at Barrow Hill because of the pod. The later Nationals, without the pod on the roof were OK. I wish I could remember where I read it, though - hopefully someone can tell me, or alternatively can point out that I am wrong. I am now desperately looking through all possible books to find this information.

I don't recall seeing Nationals on the 99 when I was young and living in Gleadless - not even on the unadvertised extras to Gleadless Townend which ran just ahead of the Chesterfield bus in the afternoon peaks.

Regards,

Mad Annie

I can remember one of the National's getting stuck under the bridge's at Barrow Hill.They had to let the tyres down to get it out .I worked at East Bank at the time

Regards

Phil

[oldrowley]

....now ,now, before long we'll see a National in Sheff Trans Livery !!!!!!!!!! (goes to get tin hat !)

....oh well ,i suppose i'll show these mock "Ailsa's" with Alexander bodywork in SY livery .......

Cool Transit, I'll see your SYT Alexanders and raise you a Black Prince in maroon!

[Guest transit]

Cool Transit, I'll see your SYT Alexanders and raise you a Black Prince in maroon!

....but have you seen a tri- axle one ???????? he he

[madannie77]

Cool Transit, I'll see your SYT Alexanders and raise you a Black Prince in maroon!

And I'll raise you a pair of Eastern Scottish!

[Guest transit]

And I'll raise you a pair of Eastern Scottish!

....Hampshire Bus ........

[oldrowley]

....but have you seen a tri- axle one ????????

Very impressive Transit, I shall crawl away and practise. I'm sure you will be aware of Owen Hodgson's offerings but for those who aren't, try this link.

http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/

[Guest transit]

Very impressive Transit, I shall crawl away and practise. I'm sure you will be aware of Owen Hodgson's offerings but for those who aren't, try this link.

http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/

.....Must admit your Ailsa looks superb in the old "blue and cream" - fancy doing a National in Sheff Transport livery just to put a smile on Waterside Echo's face - who started this whole discussion / debate / mass interrogation , off ???? (although unfortunately , like your Ailsa, only in FICTION !!!!!!!)

[Guest bus man]

I want to be sick - fancy abusing the sheffield livery by putting it on a national I am off to bed so I can hide

Just looked at the railway site above its amasing the tram in regional railway livery very funny