caesarion 1
Cleveland Transit Re-bodied Leyland Leopard 372 (KXG372L) Stockton High Street 1989.
During the middle 1980's a batch of twelve Leyland Atlanteans had been refurbished and re-bodied with new Northern Counties bodywork.
In 1987, similar thought was given to re-bodying a batch of elderly Leyland Leopards.
The vehicle in the picture, was new in 1973 and was one of a trio of experimental coaches used for evaluating different body and chassis styles for private hire work.
This one, a Leyland Leopard, originally had a Willowbrook Expressway body. (see a picture of it with original bodywork in Sou'westers collection)
By the middle 80's it was very much an oddball, being the only Willowbrook in the fleet, and so was the obvious choice for the rebodying exercise.
The original structure was removed at Middlesbrough Depot, and the chassis was sent on a low loader to Northern Counties at Wigan, who built up the frame work. The partially completed ensemble was returned for completion at Middlesbrough depot, and it returned to service by the middle of 1987 complete with it's new de-regulation livery seen here. Unfortunately it was not the success it was hoped for, one of it's problems was that it was heavy to steer. The vehicle was withdrawn in 1989, and saw service with two operators, South Lancs Travel, and White Ribbon Coaches of East Kilbride. It was believed scrapped at Dunsmores of Larkhall around 2003/4.
Cleveland Transit Re-bodied Leyland Leopard 372 (KXG372L) Stockton High Street 1989.
During the middle 1980's a batch of twelve Leyland Atlanteans had been refurbished and re-bodied with new Northern Counties bodywork.
In 1987, similar thought was given to re-bodying a batch of elderly Leyland Leopards.
The vehicle in the picture, was new in 1973 and was one of a trio of experimental coaches used for evaluating different body and chassis styles for private hire work.
This one, a Leyland Leopard, originally had a Willowbrook Expressway body. (see a picture of it with original bodywork in Sou'westers collection)
By the middle 80's it was very much an oddball, being the only Willowbrook in the fleet, and so was the obvious choice for the rebodying exercise.
The original structure was removed at Middlesbrough Depot, and the chassis was sent on a low loader to Northern Counties at Wigan, who built up the frame work. The partially completed ensemble was returned for completion at Middlesbrough depot, and it returned to service by the middle of 1987 complete with it's new de-regulation livery seen here. Unfortunately it was not the success it was hoped for, one of it's problems was that it was heavy to steer. The vehicle was withdrawn in 1989, and saw service with two operators, South Lancs Travel, and White Ribbon Coaches of East Kilbride. It was believed scrapped at Dunsmores of Larkhall around 2003/4.