Scatmancraig1974
Is it a bird...? Is it a Plane...? No, it's the Super National!!!
Here we see a very unusual version of a once common bus. JMY120N is at first glance a standard Mk1 Leyland National, and mechanically this is the case. But once you step aboard, you'll soon realise this is anything but a standard National.
New in 1974, JMY120N was built as a Leyland demonstrator as an executive commuter version of the National. As such, it had a reduced seating capacity of 27, and also had a toilet compartment, a cloakroom, a servery, a hi-fi system and tv! The bus soon passed to National Travel (South East) and was often found in Victoria Coach Station. At this stage, it is not certain how much use it actually got with NTSE, but I do know it was used by the BBC for their *Seaside Special" programme which was popular in the 70's. It later spent time as a hospitality bus for Pirelli Tyres, and was painted in a mainly yellow livery in this role. It was later sold into preservation, and spent several years at Wythall Transport Museum. Sold again to another preservationist owner, it was eventually restored in a version of the original livery. In 2017 it was sold to a church group in Staffordshire, who used it to store and distribute clothes for the homeless, a role that it was far too big for. In May this year it was for sale on Ebay again, and has now re-entered the world of bus preservation.
I spent a very pleasant morning driving this through the back lanes of North Lincolnshire. This photo was taken in Owston Ferry, and one of the resident operator (Isle Coaches) vehicles is also in shot. We were visiting the said operator to try and agree terms for use of their wash facilities and for it to be put on the pit for inspection.
It is hoped that following a thorough mechanical checkover, this very interesting and unique National will be repainted into its original livery. The interior will be left as is for the time being, and will be tidied up in due course,
Is it a bird...? Is it a Plane...? No, it's the Super National!!!
Here we see a very unusual version of a once common bus. JMY120N is at first glance a standard Mk1 Leyland National, and mechanically this is the case. But once you step aboard, you'll soon realise this is anything but a standard National.
New in 1974, JMY120N was built as a Leyland demonstrator as an executive commuter version of the National. As such, it had a reduced seating capacity of 27, and also had a toilet compartment, a cloakroom, a servery, a hi-fi system and tv! The bus soon passed to National Travel (South East) and was often found in Victoria Coach Station. At this stage, it is not certain how much use it actually got with NTSE, but I do know it was used by the BBC for their *Seaside Special" programme which was popular in the 70's. It later spent time as a hospitality bus for Pirelli Tyres, and was painted in a mainly yellow livery in this role. It was later sold into preservation, and spent several years at Wythall Transport Museum. Sold again to another preservationist owner, it was eventually restored in a version of the original livery. In 2017 it was sold to a church group in Staffordshire, who used it to store and distribute clothes for the homeless, a role that it was far too big for. In May this year it was for sale on Ebay again, and has now re-entered the world of bus preservation.
I spent a very pleasant morning driving this through the back lanes of North Lincolnshire. This photo was taken in Owston Ferry, and one of the resident operator (Isle Coaches) vehicles is also in shot. We were visiting the said operator to try and agree terms for use of their wash facilities and for it to be put on the pit for inspection.
It is hoped that following a thorough mechanical checkover, this very interesting and unique National will be repainted into its original livery. The interior will be left as is for the time being, and will be tidied up in due course,