On Saturday I went along to the Annual transport Gala at the South Devon Rally. They were running extra trains that day though no buses turned up and only a few extra trucks. I expect they were all preparing for the WHOTT rally held today. They had one very unusual double header in the form of British Railways 5526 and 31108 a class 31. Pictured above.
Also pictured above is ex-Torpoint Bristol LH 1592 NFJ 592M. This was put into preservation in 1999 after working for Western National then being sold to Plymouth Citybus and after used as a school bus until the new seat belt regulations were inforced. This meant the bus was put into preservation but the owner didn't have enough money to be able to restore her. She was therefore bought by James Pratt as his first ever bus. He did some minor mechanical work to what was already a very well looked after and a reliable bus even at her age. But he found other buses to restore so he sold her to a policeman. He was going to paint her up and then rally her but no. She was left to rott in a field at the South Devon Railway. 6 years on she now needs upwards of £4000 to do her up again back into perfect working order like she WAS before the changeover. A brillient bus and a very unique bus gone to waste because he couldn't be bothered.
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Laurence Thanks for te photo of the Bristol LH NFJ 592M I can just remember her running with Western National but my more fond memories are of her with Citybus where she and the five others purchased VOD 110/111/14K and NFJ595/6M i believe, as numbers 16-21 they were labelled Countrybus and were the predecessors to the minimbus era as far as Citybus was concerned. They were the only Bristols ever operated in this strong Leyland fleet so were something of a surprise when they hit the streets in approx 1984? sadly they didnt last long all being out of service by 1986 though 19 did hang around at Milehouse for some considerable time afterwards. I actually mamaged to drive WN 1597 NFJ 597M when she was in the WN rainbow livery in the bus station car park in exeter- those were the days. I would love to be part of a team to preserve this bus -i dont have a spare £4,000 sadly but could stump up some cash and time to help restore her anyone celse up for a challenge?
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