Rebodied by the BusWorks!

Two extensive coach restorations have been completed this month - a Duple Dominant and a Plaxton Supreme. Both vehicles have been long term restorations partly because of the extensive rebuilding required and the need to slot work around other "quick-win" projects but also a requirement to program work around our client's budget. Both vehicles have been completely reframed by the BusWorks - so they are half original builder and half BusWorks now!

The AEC Reliance was new to Derek Randall European Enterprises of North Acton in 1979 and was used extensively on work involving taking holiday makers to the South of France Spain and Italy. JIW is now in as-new condition once more with the original livery faithfully recreated and work including a complete interior refurbishment . But far from settling into retirement, JIW will soon be earning its keep once more with "Knights Out" on private hire work from its Hemel Hempstead base. See http://www.knights-out.co.uk/

TSL94S was originally built only a stones throw away from the BusWorks at the Vicarage Lane plant of Duple. Now looking as good as new once more, TSL just awaits application of Tayside graphics before it is handed back to its owner Jim Crowe of the Tayside Transport collection. Like the Plaxton Supreme, work on TSL has included a complete lower half re-frame, a new saloon floor and a complete repanel. The BusWorks had to overcome the problem of restoring the polished moulding with the original plastic backing plates having deteriorated with age. Although originally operated by McLaughlins, TSL has been restored to Tayside livery and will soon be returning to Perth.

Ribble VRT 1997 emerges

Looking superb in cherry red, Ribble 1997 emerged from the BusWorks' paint shop today gleaming in the spring sunshine. There is still quite a bit of finishing work to do, but we are looking forward to 1997 returning to the road for the first time since 2002.

Bristol J-type BHW432 for body overhaul

BHW432 is a remarkable survivor. Built in 1935 for Bristol Tramways and delivered in the tramway blue livery, the bus was rebodied by ECW in 1947 and the more typically Bristol Omnibus "Tilling Green" livery applied.

After retirement from passenger use in 1958, BHW432 became a showman's bus but after being laid up for several years (and already 59 years old), the bus was acquired by Simon Harris & Kevin Scrivens in 1994, operators of vintage fairgrounds. Fitted with a generator to power rides and a large storage area to the rear, BHW432 took on a new life with the travelling fairground which includes an unusual set of chair rides.

By 2009, BHW was getting rather delicate both mechanically and structure. The BusWorks has been commissioned to fully overhaul the bus and this has involved sourcing many rare mechanical parts and not inconsiderable time and expense. The next major phase is stripping down the ECW body - a 63 year old body on a 75-year old chassis.

See http://www.vintagefunfairs.com/galleries/bristol-bus-bhw-432/#viewgallery for more details.

ECOC Bristol RE progresses

Eastern Counties Bristol RE RLE864 is progressing well at the BusWorks. Some external panels have been selected for replacement whilst all the window rubbers are being replaced by new silicon cream rubber. More significantly, the cab area has been stripped down to its basic aluminium frame to allow renewal of the timbers that were rotten.

Lincolnshire 1431 departs

Lincolnshire 1431 departed from the BusWorks yesterday after a reasonably lengthy convalescence in Blackpool. It had arrived at the BusWorks after many years of outside storage had taken its toll on the bus and with many mechanical parts seized.

We were commissioned to partly repanel, re-rubber and repaint the vehicle back into Tilling green and cream livery whilst on the inside the side panels were relined in green rexine and the interior ceilings repainted. Unfortunately, our client's budget could not stretch to reupholstered seating - the coach seats being in very poor condition.

As other Bristol RELH owners will testify, the air suspension on these vehicles is very expensive to replace (the air bags of the correct dimensions are no longer available requiring substantial modification to the vehicles) but this issue aside, the BusWorks prepared the bus for MoT Class V including substantial rewiring.

Leicester Dominator arrives

This East Lancs bodied Dennis Dominator spent more years in Warrington than its native city of Leicester. The East Lancs bodywork styling superseded the traditional box shape applied to Leicester's previous batches of Dominators but the thin body sides and square gasket glazed windows meant that body movement soon resulted in excessive water ingress.

C100UBC is part of the Leicester Transport Heritage Trust collection (see http://www.ltht.org.uk/). The Trust owns four ex Leicester City Transport buses, but the Trust's current membership can muster a further 15 vehicles ranging from 1950 to 1982, and all of these have connection with Leicester and the County. Indeed, this Dominator is privately owned by Andrew Harris but considered as part of the LTHT collection.

The bus is to be partly repanelled and all glazing rubbers replaced prior to a complete repaint back into mid-1980s Leicester livery of red, light grey and white.

Merseyside Leyland National commissioned

Merseyside PTE was a late convert to the Leyland National and apart from a batch ordered by Southport (but delivered to the PTE) in 1974, it was not until 1977/78 that significant numbers were ordered.

1000 was the PTE's first dual-purpose seated example and entered service in May 1978 at Southport garage with NBC-style moquette for 45 passengers. Later renumbered 7000 and latterly garaged at St.Helens, the bus later found its way to Aintree Coachlines. Now preserved, the BusWorks has been commissioned to start restoration on the vehicle back to its original Merseyside livery. The photo above shows it when new on a private hire in Southport.