South-West Preservation Group

The group itself doesn't own any vehicles directly as they are all owned individually by members. This page gives information on the various vehicles in our group such as chassis/body details, vehicle history and current owners.

Click on the photo gallery drop down on this page to see more pictures of each vehicle.

MCW Metrobus

Type: MCW DR102/23

Chassis Number: MB6257

Bodywork: MCW H43/30F

Current Owner: Mark Amis

This bus was one of 190 mk 1 Metrobuses new to Greater Manchester Transport. It was delivered in October 1981 as fleet number 5120 and was the last bus of a batch of 90. It was also the last bus delivered in the original GMT metrobus livery of all over orange with white between the decks. It was also one of a few metrobuses with an orange door instead of the usual white one.

It was allocated to Tameside depot (Ashton under Lyne) from new and stayed there until the depot closed under GM Buses ownership in 1991. It was then allocated to Glossop depot which was worked as a sub depot of Hyde Road in Manchester.

When GM Buses was forced to split into two companies by the government, 5120 became part of the GMS Buses fleet on 31/12/93.

GMS undertook to refurbish several of their metrobuses due to their infamous corrosion problems at the rear. The panelling was removed and corroded framework was removed and replaced.New panelling was fitted and the lower rear window was pannelled over to increase the strength. of the rear end. Following the refurbishment, 5120 was reallocated to Hyde Rd depot.

Stagecoach took over GMS Buses in 1995 and 5120 recieved its sixth and final livery variation of its time in Manchester, Stagecoach stripes.

It finally left the Manchester area in April 2001 when Stagecoach sold of its Lancashire area business to Blazefield. Several metrobuses were transferred to Burnley prior to the sale and 5120 was one of them.

Blazefield sold the bus to Billy Davies Coaches of Plean, Stirlingshire for use on schools contracts on 2002. Its next movement was its sale to Bowker Coaches in 2007 for use on its school bus contract. In 2009, the company ceased trading and 5120 was acquired for preservation in February by Mark Amis.

It has now been repainted back into 1990's GM Buses livery, although it is inaccurate because there is no rear window, it was the last unified GM Buses livery and the favourite version of Marks.

Leyland Fleetline

Type: Leyland FE30AGR

Chassis number: 7902234

Bodywork: Alexander AL H43/31F 

Body number: 84/2978/2

Current Owner: Bournemouth Aviation Museum

This bus was new to Bournemouth Transport in April 1980 as fleet number 162 at their Mallard Rd depot. In June 2000 it was withdrawn from service by Yellow Buses and sold to Thamesdown for use as a dedicated School Bus in their "Student Bus" livery as fleet number 262.

Thamesdown withdrew the bus in August 2007 replacing it with a Lothian Olympian. GRU then entered its new life as a preserved bus. Dave and Leanne Hurley aquired this bus directly from Thamesdown whose livery it still carries. Due to the large number of Bournemouth Fleetlines being restored to various Bournemouth liveries, it is intended to continue to preserve this vehicle in Thamesdown livery to show how these vehicles looked following their disposal from the South Coast.

In February 2009, this bus was sold by Dave & Leanne to the Bournemouth Aviation Museum. It will be used as a static disply and viewing platform at Bournemouth Airport. It will still be available to attend rallies.

Leyland Tiger

Type: TRCTL11/2R

Chassis Number: 8201635

Bodywork: Plaxton Paramount 3200 C53F 

Body number: 8311LTP1C006

Current Owner: Ian Berry

This bus was new to Southern Vectis in March 1983 as WDL310Y, fleet number 310, and used as a coach in the "National Holidays" fleet ferrying holidaymakers to and from the  Isle of Wight from the "mainland". It was reregistered to WDL142 for use as a general coach in the Southern Vectis fleet and again to its current mark of TJI8780 prior to disposal.

Following service with Southern Vectis it was used with Pulhams of Bourton on the Water, Fowlers of Holbeach Drove and then Edward Thomes & Son, West Ewell, Surrey. It passed into preservation with Ian in February 2008 who has recently (June 2010) restored it into its original NATIONAL HOLIDAYS livery. 

AEC Routemaster RML

Type: AEC Rm R2RH/1

Chassis Number: 2630

Bodywork: Park Royal H40/32R

Body number: L5862

Current Owner: Barry Field

This bus was new to London Transport in September 1966. A brief history of its service with LT is as follows:

11/66 AF new to service on 14
1967-9 AF
2/70 AF to Aldenham for repaint, and return
8/71 AF into store
11/71 AF ..and out
1972 AF
10/73 AF to Aldenham for overhaul
10/73 U (Upton Park) from overhaul
1974-5 U
 

In May 1976 it entered Aldenham works for a repaint and received its final bodyswap with RML 2568.

In 1991 it recieved a cummins engine under the re-engining scheme and was refurbished throughout in 1994. In October 1994 it was part of the New Cross allocation and became a member of the Go Ahead London Central fleet. Afterwards it was tranferred twice, to Putney in March 2003 and then to Camberwell in November 2003.

A year later it was withdrawn and sold to Ensignbus. It was one of the lots at the Ensignbus "Routemaster raffle" and was acquired by its current owner, Barry Field in December 2004.

Scania N113 

Type: Scania N113DRB

Chassis Number: 1818094

Bodywork: Northern Counties H47/28F

Body number: NC1476

Current Owner: Dave Birchall

In June of 1991, GM Buses placed an order for 25 new double deck buses, all with Northern Counties bodywork. The order was made up of 5 Scania N113DRB Northern Counties Palatines (Fleet No 1463-7), 10 Dennis Dominators (2031-40) and 10 Volvo Citybuses (7001-7010) all with the NC Palatine body which was a development of the GM Standard body seen on hundreds of GMPTE vehicles. 1466 with its registration H466GVM spent its life with GM Buses, GM Buses South and then Stagecoach Manchester, always allocated to Hyde Road depot (and its Sub-depot Glossop). When the nationalisation of the fleet numbers came in, 1466 then became 15316.
 
Early in 2009, 15316, was withdrawn from Stagecoach in Manchester, and it was sold first to Ensignbus dealers (although we enquired late in 2008 about purchasing it direct from Stagecoach), then on to Decker Bus of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. Whilst at Deckerbus, H466GVM was then registered as 7195 BY and painted into the standard Deckerbus School Bus livery.
 
After negotiations with Deckerbus, The sale had been agreed for us to buy this vehicle and it to be re-registered back to its original plate. So nearly a year after first trying we finally managed to obtain the vehicle.

Restoration of this vehicle back to its GM Buses condition has commenced, with the refitting of front destination display and the rear high level lights.

Leyland Leopard

Type: PSU5C/4R

Chassis Number: 8030044

Bodywork: Plaxton Supreme IV C57F 

Body number: 8112LC075

Current Owner: Gareth Hughes

This bus was new Mayne of Manchester in June 1982 as fleet number 65 and was the last new build Leopard for the Maynes fleet (SND 366X was a rebuilt ex Midland Red 1970 chassis)

It was reregistered MJI 5765 in February 1990. For many years it was allocated to the Barry Cooper fleet in Warrington

Following withdrawal, Gareth Hughes acquired the coach for onward preservation.

 

 

Leyland National 2

 

Type: LN116AL11/1R

 

Chassis Number: 07343

 

Body: Leyland National B49F

 

Current Owner:

 

 

 

 

  

This bus was new to Leyland based independent John Fishwick & Son in January 1981 and given fleet number 7. It was the first of three National 2’s purchased at the time, registered GCK428 – 430W, the third one being hired back to Leyland Vehicles for use as a demonstrator.

 

Fishwicks used the bus on their main services linking Leyland with Preston and Chorley as well as local routes in the Leyland area. It is fitting to note that this was one of several Fishwicks National 2’s that outlasted their intended replacements – the Leyland Lynx. On withdrawal from service, this bus had clocked up 27 years and 5 months service with its original owner running for almost 700,000Km. Not a bad level of service!

 

After withdrawal by Fishwicks in June 2008, it was acquired for preservation on 1st July 2008 by Mark Amis founder of the South West Preservation Group. Following engine repairs in Stoke on Trent it was brought down to it’s new home in the Bristol area in mid July. Fishwicks ran 8 Leyland National 2's, 4 of them are now actively preserved - 2 of them are in the South West of England!

 

Despite being the first vehicle in the group it was decided that when we had seven buses in the group it would be renumbered to match its original fleet number within the Fishwicks fleet.