British Rail LEV 1 - probably Ruislip London Underground depot, July 1980
This photo was taken by an ex-colleague Roger Hall, who has allowed it to be reproduced here and a fascinating image it is. Unfortunately I've yet to ascertain precisely where it is and at what date as LEV 1, one of the prototype BR railbuses of the '70s and '80s, had an interesting and quite complex life as befits an experimental unit. I'm fairly certain it is on LU property as Roger worked for LU at the time and that's an LU car behind (a D78 DM I suspect) but I'm happy to be corrected on this! It appears to be set up for visits - a short section of guide rope to keep you away fromt he open inspection pits, a short ladder to gain access and a shadowy figure inside! Jonathan, blow, has jogged the memory cells and I suspect it was either the Ruislip Depot Open Day of 18 July 1980 (quite an event with a T&W Metro car there as well as the BR APT train) or a preceding Engineering event.
LEV 1, seen here with its RDB number of 975874, the initials standing for Leyland Experimental Vehicles clearly shows its Leyland National bus body origins. The unit was constructed in 1978 and gained a Leyland power unit the following year. It was tested in service in the UK and then spent some time in the US int he eraly 1980s before being returned to home shores and eventual withdrawal in 1987. Since then it has been preserved as part of the NRM Collection.
There were various other LEVs and they, and variations on them, formed the basis of the BR Pacer family of units.
British Rail LEV 1 - probably Ruislip London Underground depot, July 1980
This photo was taken by an ex-colleague Roger Hall, who has allowed it to be reproduced here and a fascinating image it is. Unfortunately I've yet to ascertain precisely where it is and at what date as LEV 1, one of the prototype BR railbuses of the '70s and '80s, had an interesting and quite complex life as befits an experimental unit. I'm fairly certain it is on LU property as Roger worked for LU at the time and that's an LU car behind (a D78 DM I suspect) but I'm happy to be corrected on this! It appears to be set up for visits - a short section of guide rope to keep you away fromt he open inspection pits, a short ladder to gain access and a shadowy figure inside! Jonathan, blow, has jogged the memory cells and I suspect it was either the Ruislip Depot Open Day of 18 July 1980 (quite an event with a T&W Metro car there as well as the BR APT train) or a preceding Engineering event.
LEV 1, seen here with its RDB number of 975874, the initials standing for Leyland Experimental Vehicles clearly shows its Leyland National bus body origins. The unit was constructed in 1978 and gained a Leyland power unit the following year. It was tested in service in the UK and then spent some time in the US int he eraly 1980s before being returned to home shores and eventual withdrawal in 1987. Since then it has been preserved as part of the NRM Collection.
There were various other LEVs and they, and variations on them, formed the basis of the BR Pacer family of units.