Crosville DFG81 repainted

Former Crosville DFG81 is now fully glossed in Bristol Omnibus style cream and black livery, as applied to their Weston Super Mare based open top buses in years gone by. New black glazing rubber is awaited and perspex upper windscreens but the vehicle is certainly nearing completion for our client.

MD60 progress

No time has been lost in re-starting work on London Metropolitan MD60 for Ensignbus. Sections of the upper deck window rails have already been replaced in steel box section, preparing the between deck in advance of repanelling. On the upper deck, the floor covering is being prepared for new brown Treadmaster. The next steps include working down the vehicle to complete steel framework renewal and welding of zintec stress panelling.

Crosville FSF gets painted

The Crosville FSF is now being repainted following the completion of repanelling work and interior refurbishment and tidying up. It will be great to see DFG81 carrying fare paying passengers once again after a lengthy spell in storage.

MD60 returns to the workshop

London Metropolitan MD60 returned to the main BusWorks workshop yesterday for work to resume on this vehicle's major structural rebuild and restoration. Already, all the framework from the lower deck window level has been completely replaced on both sides of the bus with new steel framing, after it was discovered that the lower deck structure was completely corroded. Some upper deck sections and the rear were also replaced but there remain some upper deck and front end sections to rebuild before stress panelling can be completed and a complete repanel can commence.
Ensignbus is now funding the completion of this project and I'm sure many enthusiasts will eagerly await the opportunity to ride upon one of these vehicles again.

You wait ages then two come at once!

After waiting ages for the opportunity to undertake work on a Crosville Lodekka - we now have two genuine Crosville examples now going through the works! DLG881 is privately owned and has arrived for internal refurbishment only. The bus has had a very interesting history. It was Crosville's last surviving closed top 'LD' series Lodekka to operate in passenger service, surviving until 1979 and even then it's life was extended on driver training duties.
It was still being used as a trainer when it passed upon deregulation to North Western Road Car Company and was not withdrawn until 1993. But even then, DLG881 found another new lease of life - it was restored to passenger use and painted red and cream for a heritage tour of Northwich. Final withdrawal came in 1998, later operating with Rexquote (in Southdown style green & Cream) before finally passing into preservation in 2004.
Work at the BusWorks will include a full seat retrim and interior tidying up. The exterior was repainted in NBC Crosville livery some years ago.

"Crosville" Lodekka SRU981 progress

Ex-Hants & Dorset Lodekka SRU981, but now in the ownership of Crosville Motor Services of Weston Super Mare, is making good progress in the main workshop. As this view shows, the bus has been extensively repanelled whilst the rear platform has been rebuilt & repanelled as well. After dismantling the rotten platform floorboards, the perimeter frame almost fell apart and has had to be completely rebuilt. Our latest discovery in removing the original half-round horizontal moulding around the rear end (to match that which will be applied to the sides) is more rotten timber around the destination display - which is now being rebuilt. Note the original rear lights and registration plate design is being restored.

RTW335 Update

After several weeks of plenty of activity but no 'visible' achievement on RTW335, the jigsaw puzzle of parts being worked on are now ready for assembly on the vehicle. Following further rewiring work, the ceiling and interior roof cove panels are being refitted on both decks. Working down the bus, this has allowed the refitting of the rexine covered green & cream window cappings to be refitted - allowing the interior to start to come alive once more with the character of the London RT class.
Meanwhile, on the exterior only specialist panels await fitting before the lengthy process of refitting new panel mouldings commences. The original rear flasher unit and registration plate unit has been restored, lamp holders replaced and refitted - another feature that is helping to bring the jigsaw of RTW335 back to life. Meanwhile, a prototype for new window pans will soon be ready for inspection off-site. See RTW335's own blog for more pictures...