Hello From 5185 HA

[DickyOB]

Oh why did it spin them?

[MattW]

Via a curry house??

Trust you

[AdamH]

The keen eye'd may notice a small thing I found on ebay and added.

The steering wheel not says “Leopard” in the centre... what do I win?

[AdamH]

Now I'm home form work I've had a closer look at those photos...

I love the "Position of Equipment" notice. They must be really rare so look after that one.

The repaint dates are also great. Midland Red used to issue their own bodywork numbers, known as "BB" numbers. I have looked it up and 5185 did indeed have bodywork number "BB.5177"

Masons is a brand of paint so I'm guessing that is what was used, and I would imagine it had it's last repaint (by Midland Red) in September 1976. By hand!

I'm wondering if it lost the black roof in February 1970? It's a shame that small patch has flaked off and we can't see the rest.

Where on the bus is that panel?

Great details though. Glad they have survived.

[DickyOB]

The dates are above and behind the driver near top of window and partion.
Well spotted, I saw the steering wheel center on ebay for £10 before id bought the bus. It says layland not sure if its the right type but it fits nicely.

[943KHA]

An interesting set of cab photos! In 9/76 the bus was unallocated so I suspect the repaint was done in a Midland Red garage. It was around this time that the Ministry were known for 'complaining' to Midland Red about the shades of 'poppy pink' that certain of the fleet had at the time and many a Leicester D9 were subjected to garage (brush) repaints (virtually all Carlyle Rd repaints were sprayed). Masons is the correct paint for the era. It would be nice to know whether on the panel above the driver's head if the notice 'CAUTION AIR BRAKES' is still there. Many a wag would change this to 'CAUTION HAIRY BRAKES'...... Also to observed is the Smiths / CAV/ AEI electric speedo rather than the Leyland spec cable driven version. BMMO were never keen on cable driven speedos because of their poor reliability. The fact that there is no odometer to record the mileage managed to keep an army of clerks in a job by calculating the total vehicle mileage entirely from daily route allocations.........

[AdamH]

...It would be nice to know whether on the panel above the driver's head if the notice 'CAUTION AIR BRAKES' is still there. Many a wag would change this to 'CAUTION HAIRY BRAKES'...

Reminds me of the "COLD START" button on the Leyland Nationals. In the early 1990s, the entire allocation at Worcester depot read either "OLD TART" or "OLD FART"

I hope the Museum's National 544 correctly represents this popular modification

[943KHA]

Hmmm, just given me an idea! Not that the 'old fart' facility is presently connected, I disconnected it many years ago on the basis they were not exactly safe and I just love the sound of a 500 engine starting (or attempting to) in sub zero temperatures and the resultant smoke filling the building (much more acrid than a Gardner 6LX...............). Happy days, Cummins are rather boring by comparison?

[Bernard6624]

Just come across this thread and am both staggered and delighted that 5185 has survived. The photograph (referred to earlier) was taken by me on the day she was delivered new to Digbeth Depot, 31st May 1963. At that time I was a nineteen year old working in the Long Distance Services section at Digbeth so was able to see and photograph things of interest. Believe me the arrival of the LS18/LS18As was fairly shocking to those of us who were used to the home grown product! Having said that they were a nice vehicle to work on.

Apart from my day job I was also a part-time conductor and a worked a few turns for Digbeth on LS18s. My delight at their fine qualities was dented somewhat on the first one I worked on, 5200, because when we stopped for a break at the terminus in Coleshill the engine wouldn't restart and I had to get out and push with a few of our intending passengers to help!

Happy Days!

[TimBrown]

The keen eye'd may notice a small thing I found on ebay and added.

The steering wheel not says “Leopard” in the centre... what do I win?

Those round Leyland steering wheel boss embellishments rarely seemed to last long in service on Dual purpose vehicles, I don't know whether they were removed by a mechanic when making rectifying steering problems and not refitted, or more likely removed by drivers wanting a memento of the vehicle they were driving!

It was always a pleasure to drive one in service with that round disc in place it gave the bus/coach a more upmarket feel. I seem to remember that Leyland Leopard PSU3E/4R fleet number 732 (WOC 732T) with Plaxton Elite C49F bodywork still carried one in the mid 1980s, or was it the motor with a lower set steering wheel and column; can BMMOBOY put me right please?

Those coaches that came second hand usually came fitted with the disc, and I remember fleet number 442 (NEL 112P) which was new to Hants & Dorset, Bournemouth (3057) in 03/76 arriving in 11/84 then entering service at Worcester 12/84 after conversion to one person operation, it had that typical tautness of this type which had been used exclusively on coach work. It was a nice smooth coach which was a favourite mount of mine on the long stage carriage 372/3 run down to Gloucester and back. However, after 12 months of bus work and a multitude of passengers climbing up and down the entrance steps, the front end became as loose as our existing Plaxton bodied Leopard coaches - rattling doors as well! Can't remember if the Leyland steering wheel disc lasted very long either; happy days?