After a period of commissioning, cosmetic attention and a re-upholstering, former Weardale Motor Services Leyland Titan PD2/1 KPT 909 has now been signed off for service at Beamish.  Readers may recall that it came to the museum from the Science Museum Group, after a long period in their reserve collection at Wroughton. Here is a reminder of it’s story, up to now:

Another regional bus joins the collection

On July 15th, the opportunity was taken to pose it alongside a brand new Weardale Travel Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double decker and YUP 6, a 1958 Leyland Titan PD2/10C with Roe body (a reincarnation for the chassis, as it was originally fitted to a single-deck bus supplied in 1949).  It has been restored and is part of the Weardale Motor Services fleet based in Stanhope.

Work carried out has included repainting the top deck, roof, lower deck window frames and numerous other panels and details (including the wheels).  New tyres have been fitted, the bus has been serviced and inspected for passenger operation and the interior has been deep cleaned and, of course, the seats have been superbly re-upholstered.  Most of the lower deck paintwork has been retained – adding to the patina of the bus, that makes it rather appealing.

Below: The two Titans look very much at home in Front Street (a 1950s setting).

Weardale 909 will now be a very welcome addition to the museum’s fleet of working buses, and one which contrasts nicely with the Corporation vehicles (Darlington 4 and Rotherham 220) with their Daimler chassis and Gardner engines.  Visitors should be able to enjoy the contrasting Leyland ‘note’ from the 21st July onwards.