West Midlands Travel, 8600 (6600), Perry Barr, 1992
In the late 1980s, West Midlands Travel utilised a number of spare Leyland Fleetline buses for use in their 'Trans-Skill' bus driver training fleet.
6600 (NOC600R) was one of the buses selected for this role, receiving this rather unflattering white and blue livery, and being renumbered 8600.
Based at Birmingham's Perry Barr bus garage, the bus served only for a relatively short time as a driver training vehicle (DTV). In c1992, 6600 was selected to return to public service duties, and as such, 6600 underwent a fairly extensive mechanical overhaul in readiness for its return to traffic. However, for reasons unknown this never occurred. The bus being placed into storage, thus avoiding the internal modifications needed to bring it up to the then current service standards.
Not having been internally modified for its proposed return to service, 6600 remained very original inside, retaining its WMPTE red Rexene seating. In addition to this it did not suffer the indignation of being 'hacked about' to fit dummy video cameras upstairs and downstairs, or any new ticketing equipment as the others did.
After a long period of storage, 6600 was sold straight into preservation in 1996. Today, 6600 remains active on the bus preservation scene, and wearing WMPTE livery, it is often to be seen at local bus events around the West Midlands.
The photograph shows 6600 as DTV 8600, parked on 'the hill' at the former bus driving training centre in murky weather. The training centre was situated directly behind Perry Barr bus garage, and was an excellent facility to get rookie drivers used to driving large vehicles on its internal roadway.
Buses allocated to the training centre were generally parked outside on site, either at the rear of the bus garage or on the internal roadway.
In what I thought was a poor decision by TWM, the training facility was sold off for redevelopment some years ago. In more recent times, Perry Barr bus garage itself was closed, replaced with a 'modern' outdoor facility located about a mile from the former garage.
Photo - 12th January 1992.
West Midlands Travel, 8600 (6600), Perry Barr, 1992
In the late 1980s, West Midlands Travel utilised a number of spare Leyland Fleetline buses for use in their 'Trans-Skill' bus driver training fleet.
6600 (NOC600R) was one of the buses selected for this role, receiving this rather unflattering white and blue livery, and being renumbered 8600.
Based at Birmingham's Perry Barr bus garage, the bus served only for a relatively short time as a driver training vehicle (DTV). In c1992, 6600 was selected to return to public service duties, and as such, 6600 underwent a fairly extensive mechanical overhaul in readiness for its return to traffic. However, for reasons unknown this never occurred. The bus being placed into storage, thus avoiding the internal modifications needed to bring it up to the then current service standards.
Not having been internally modified for its proposed return to service, 6600 remained very original inside, retaining its WMPTE red Rexene seating. In addition to this it did not suffer the indignation of being 'hacked about' to fit dummy video cameras upstairs and downstairs, or any new ticketing equipment as the others did.
After a long period of storage, 6600 was sold straight into preservation in 1996. Today, 6600 remains active on the bus preservation scene, and wearing WMPTE livery, it is often to be seen at local bus events around the West Midlands.
The photograph shows 6600 as DTV 8600, parked on 'the hill' at the former bus driving training centre in murky weather. The training centre was situated directly behind Perry Barr bus garage, and was an excellent facility to get rookie drivers used to driving large vehicles on its internal roadway.
Buses allocated to the training centre were generally parked outside on site, either at the rear of the bus garage or on the internal roadway.
In what I thought was a poor decision by TWM, the training facility was sold off for redevelopment some years ago. In more recent times, Perry Barr bus garage itself was closed, replaced with a 'modern' outdoor facility located about a mile from the former garage.
Photo - 12th January 1992.