D Stazicker Photography
National Bolivar
Caracas the capital of Venezuela and recently voted the 3rd most dangerous city in the world purchased 450 Leyland nationals in the late 1970s for the state owned capital operation. Not too far away Trinidad also took a large number including the later mk2. In September 1998 without too much information about them, long before the internet became a useful source of research I set off to try and find a few. The buses had been dogged by political issues before many turned a wheel, some never did.
This was basically a private operator who had managed to acquire one from the clutches of the Government and was operating on a city route within the capital photographed on 01st September 1998. There were others including, the suburban metro train system, which had some re-engined with DAF units and used on feeder routes to the outer stations from densely populated housing areas. This example pictured retained its Leyland engine though. I recall after taking this photograph, running over and jumping on board. After waving a couple of Bolivars at the driver, off we set through the city, then onto a fast dual carriage way before touring the outer suburbs of the city. No idea where I was actually going around 3 hours later I ended up back at the same spot I had boarded. Mission accomplished !! On leaving the vehicle I shouted " Gracias " to the driver.....the reply came back " Ese tío está loco " which to be fair...is probably right.
National Bolivar
Caracas the capital of Venezuela and recently voted the 3rd most dangerous city in the world purchased 450 Leyland nationals in the late 1970s for the state owned capital operation. Not too far away Trinidad also took a large number including the later mk2. In September 1998 without too much information about them, long before the internet became a useful source of research I set off to try and find a few. The buses had been dogged by political issues before many turned a wheel, some never did.
This was basically a private operator who had managed to acquire one from the clutches of the Government and was operating on a city route within the capital photographed on 01st September 1998. There were others including, the suburban metro train system, which had some re-engined with DAF units and used on feeder routes to the outer stations from densely populated housing areas. This example pictured retained its Leyland engine though. I recall after taking this photograph, running over and jumping on board. After waving a couple of Bolivars at the driver, off we set through the city, then onto a fast dual carriage way before touring the outer suburbs of the city. No idea where I was actually going around 3 hours later I ended up back at the same spot I had boarded. Mission accomplished !! On leaving the vehicle I shouted " Gracias " to the driver.....the reply came back " Ese tío está loco " which to be fair...is probably right.