Save these 70's buses coaches from the scrapman

[In The Pit]

Believe it or not here in West Wales there are operators that are still using 70's and 80's buses/coaches mainly on schools contracts, however one operator has recently lost alot of school contracts (possibly new age restrictions rules?) and are offering some of their immaculate fleet (70's/80's buses/coaches) for sale, now I know nothing about buses I just stumbled upon the link but thought the good people on here may be interested, they had a stunning 1975 Bedford YRT just withdrawn that they wanted £850 for that couldn't find a home so it was cut up for scrap, lets hope homes can be found for the ones currently for sale, so tell all your bus mates post links in bus related forums and lets do some bus saving Autoshite style.

 

Heres what the ad says:

A group of preservation worthy coaches are being sold by Lewis, Rhydlewis, West

Wales.

 

1979 Leyland Leopard / Duple Dominant 53-seater

1978 Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Supreme (Supreme IV front) 53-seater

1986 Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Paramount, manual gearbox

1979 Bedford PJK-VAS / Plaxton 29-seater

1976 Bedford YMT / Plaxton Supreme

1986 Bedford YNV / Plaxton Paramount

 

At a guess the regs are DPB777T, DTU48S, D65MWO, EGS159T, NJF864P (however I

have this as a YRT) and C510HSE or C904HYD however I dont have any actual

details.

 

All just out of service due to loss of school contracts. Serious enquiries only and sensible offers invited. Please contact: Maidwyn Lewis, Lewis Coaches, Rhydlewis, West Wales. Tel. 01239-851386 or 07760-778514

 

http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/help.html

 

Heres pictures of some of the above reg numbers mentioned (some wearing private reg numbers):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is the one that they couldnt sell that got scrapped last year a shame as they had owned it from nearly new and it looks nice in those colours must have had that paint for years (possibly arrived there in that livery) as telephone number isn't 01 and the county of Dyfed was scrapped in 1994:

 

 

 

 

More pictures on Flickr just type Lewis Rhydlewis

 

The company have said that if the others don't sell they will also be scrapped.

[Albert Ross]

They're even in Autoshite livery....... no painting required!

[Father Ted]

I would love one of those painted in Sherarings Coaches colours, then park up at Crannage Coach Exchange.

Relive the 70's childhood Horrordays to the East coast.

[messerschmitt owner]

I've forwarded this link onto a traveller person I know.

 

Those buses are cool.

 

 

Campbell

[quicksilver]

I assume they've been advertised in the enthusiast press? Lewis's have a smart and well kept fleet so I'm sure these wouldn't need much work and I hope they find good homes. Shame the blue Bedford got the chop but sadly in my experience there don't seem to be a lot of people interested in 70s coaches so things like these often get passed over in favour of yet another Routemaster.

 

(Don't get me started on Routemasters - there's nothing wrong with them as a bus but far too many are preserved at the expense of other types and their owners are so unimaginative so you get lines and lines of identical LT red ones. I'd much rather see more coaches like these on the rally fields.)

[Cavcraft]

The 'NIA' reg'd one especially is ace, hope they can get saved.

[dollywobbler]

Good grief. Talk about on my doorstep! Do want. No funds or space though. Gah!

[cms206]

Those two Leopards are calling for me, and I have no coin. I'd end up agonising for some time before probably bringing home the Duple, despite actually preferring Plaxtons.

 

Split-rim wheels too... yikes.

 

Not fussed on the Bedfords, if they were Fords I might've had a nosy...

[Cavcraft]

/\

 

Yeah, was surprised to see them still running on 10,00/20 (D20) wheels. They'd be the first things I binned and replaced with 11/22.5s instead. Nasty, dangerous wheels those tubes affairs.

[vulgalour]

What a sad fate many of these fantastic coaches will meet I used to - and still do, if I'm honest - have dreams of buying a coach like any of the big ones above to live in, or if I was slightly better off, have converted into a proper dormobile.

[Split_Pin]

I have.fond.memories of going to swimming classes with my school in P6 in a noisy, shoogly Leopard Plaxton. One must have been a Bedford VAM or pre '77 Ford as I remember there being a quilted engine cover, Barbour-style, next to the driver.

[flat4alfa]

Crikey I can still smell the musty, furry fabric, seats

[Cavcraft]

(pointless dreaming)

 

 

How much money do these sort of things fetch assuming MOT'd and useable?

[Lankytim]

Anybody wanna buy shares in one? Just an idea!

[eddyramrod]

How much money do these sort of things fetch assuming MOT'd and useable?

 

1975 Bedford YRT just withdrawn that they wanted £850 for that couldn't find a home

 

[worldofceri]

Anybody wanna buy shares in one? Just an idea!

 

I could be tempted.

 

Can they be driven on an HGV licence if not used for hire/reward?

[Tayne]

Or can they be driven on car license when not used for hire and reward?

 

Or can the back end be converted to a car carrier and used to push Metro-engining-bumming Minis off Italian alpine cliffs?

 

I'd be willing to put in a few pennies for that.

[dollywobbler]

My understanding is that any bus/coach over 30 years old can be driven by someone on a car licence as long as there are not more than 8 (IIRC) people aboard, all non-paying. I've been annoying the wife a lot by eyeing up my limbs and trying to decide if I could live without one or two. S'pose I'd have to get a semi-auto in that case...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Can't they be exported to Kenya, Pakistan or something?

[Lankytim]

I don't know about the 30yr old thing BUT if you have 10 or less seats fitted you can get a transit style MOT and drive on a car licence. I'll have to check on that though.

 

I have an HGV licence and i'm pretty sure I can drive one aslong as there are 8 or less non fare paying passengers on board. (just like wot Dolly said)

[Lankytim]

Mrs Lankytim has trotted out the old line "where are you going to put it?" She has a point.

[cort16]

I remember seeing a cracking Leyland Tiger motorhome a few years ago. It was better than my house!

Be a shame to see them get binned but they're not exactly easy to store. Imagine saying to a mate "er, can I store a vehicle I've bought on your drive for a couple of weeks" then turning up with one of these?

[gearoil]

What one is this...?

 

[warren t claim]

What sort of gearbox are these things fitted with?

[Cavcraft]

I reckon I could score storage for at least one of them but I don't know how much it'll be.

[Inspector Morose]

Gearoil - Bedford PJK (or NJM in modern Bedford parlance). Probably fitted with a four cylinder 330ci engine and five speed manual box. Economical, reasonably easy to store; a cracking starter preserved coach.

If anyone's seriously interested in going for one, send me a message and I'll see if I can get over to give you pointers/poke around it with you. I've had several preserved buses in the past and I'm quite used to the pitfalls of trying to preserve these things (including becoming a charity to negate a councils want to charge me commercial rates on my storage barns). I've done 25 years playing with the mucky bits on buses and I'm always willing to help anyone mad enough to buy one!

[Justin Case]

What one is this...?

 

 

It's the Bedford VAS (although it might have been called PJK by 1979) and I think has a Plaxton Mini Supreme 29 seat body. Being a bit shorter than the others and having a front engine it should be the easiest to store and maintain so you should be the best bet for preservation (or conversion into a traveller's home )

 

For some reason, buses are much more popular than coaches in preservation. Is it that more people can remember travelling on them, or is it just easier to restore a bus (look at all the brightwork on a coach )?

[Rebuilda]

My drive has been measured and found lacking in room. I could have gone with the transporter conversion for carrying all my duttons around in.

[warren t claim]

I reckon I could score storage for at least one of them but I don't know how much it'll be.

 

Likewise.

 

How hard is it to get a showmans licence?

[CreepingJesus]

It's becoming a long-range ambition to have a bus or two - the 70's to early 80's being my field of interest. When the time comes to look for a storage area, it'll have to be good for commercial vehicles...!

 

I've heard one or two things about the HGV license thing. When my dad was shifting cars for a living, he put me onto a company which shifted CV's. According to them, unregistered buses were ok on trade plates, 'cos they weren't 'comissioned'. Buses going to auction were ok too, because they weren't listed on anyone's operator's license, therefore couldn't be used for hire or reward. If they were correct (by no means certain), then if they're not listed on an O license, they can be reclassified as a PLG, and can't be used in active service.

Personally, I'd do my PCV test and invite y'all to re-enact the coach trip from 'Carry On At Your Convenience'... Or it could be 'Shiter Central at bigger shows. Microwave, kettle and warm dry seats to counteract the typical vagaries of English/Scottish summers! In my hands, it would be bought to be used, even occasionally.

 

What sort of gearbox are these things fitted with?

 

I'd guess the majority of these ones will be 5/6-speed manuals. The later Leylands may be the SCG 2-pedal setup with the dinky gated lever, or the Voith (or ZF?) pushbutton trans. Personally, I'd get a manual, 'cos I'm heart sick of being handed ZF ArseTronics at work.