New to Bolton Corporation Tramways (fleet no. 54), withdrawn by them in 1936, this bus operated with Hicks of Braintree, Essex (fleet no. 53) until 1947 and Honeywoods of Stanstead, Suffolk until 1956. No. 54 was restored to open staircase condition by LVVS members in the 1960s.
Roberts were an unusual choice of bus body builder - they were more commonly associated with railway vehicles and occasional trams. Withdrawn in 1968, this bus passed through the hands of number of preservationists prior to restoration at the LVVS in 1998-9.
Sold by Doncaster Corporation after only 4 years service, this bus passed to local independent Blue Ensign. After withdrawal in 1967, this bus was later used for driver training. Extensively restored by the late Tony Peart, this bus was bequeathed to the LVVS in 2007.
Loaned from new to London Transport, this bus ran with Eastern Counties from 1950 to 1969, moving only as far as Market Deeping, to Brookside Coaches for further service until 1973. Restoration followed, and the bus was rallied between 1980 and 1997. After a platform rebuild, re-panelling and a repaint, this bus returned to the road in 2004.
Withdrawn by East Kent in 1965, a spell in preservation in Lincolnshire was followed by a return to service with Rexquote, Somerset prior to a move to Nottinghamshire and continued active preservation - this bus has full PSV status and is available for private hires. Owned by Mr K Thompson, Retford.
Exibited at the 1972 Commercial Motor Show, this bus ran in service until 1985, then was converted for use as an information bus. Preservation and restoration followed from 1996, and this is believed to be the oldest surviving Scania bus built for UK service. Owned by Mr Webster, Leicester.
Believed to be the only surviving bus with bodywork by Lincoln based Applewhites', this bus was first withdrawn from service in 1938, to be reinstated the following year because of the war-time shortage of buses, and kept in service until 1949. After 6 years' use as a snow-plough, No. 5 was rescued from a scrap-yard to become the LVVS's first vehicle - it was extensively restored by Lincoln City Council in 1984-6.
One of a batch of three Bristol built Olympians, 45 was fitted with an electronic dot matrix destination display when new and was subsequently painted into a special livery for the 'Birchwood Flyer' service. It was renumbered 645 when LCT was acquired by RoadCar in 1993 and was the sole remaining ex LCT vehicle to remain in service when RoadCar was acquired by Stagecoach in December 2005. Subsequently renumbered 14695 in February 2006, it was finally withdrawn from service in October 2006 and acquired for preservation. It now carries the livery in which it first entered service in 1982 and is making its debut at this event. owned by Mr S Duckering, Lincoln.
A late example with vacuum brakes and built to 7'6" width, originally delivered in a non standard shade of green (believed to be Leeds City Transport light green), No. 89 survived to be Lincoln's last open platform bus in service in 1977, then entering preservation - initially restored to its original livery, it now carries the 1963 - 1975 livery style.
New with a Brush body, this bus received a new body, built by Burlingham, in 1949, and was withdrawn from service in 1959, entering preservation with a founder member of the LVVS.
Lincolnshire
1958 (PFE 542V) - 1980 Bristol VR, ECW double deck
New to Louth depot, No. 1958 survived to be the last Bristol VR in Road Car's
fleet, in yellow livery for school bus duties. On withdrawal in 2001, this bus
was presented to the Society by Road Car, it has since been returned to
'National Bus' green livery.
New as fleet number 661, one of Lincolnshire's first post war double deck buses, entering service at Holbeach depot. An AEC engine is fitted. The 1950's saw a body rebuild and the bus renumbered 2115.
An early example of the 'Lodekka' design that allowed adequate headroom in both decks, within a 13'6" height. This bus worked mainly from the Boston and Skegness depots until withdrawal in 1973.
The 'FS' model was a later version of the 'Lodekka' design. A 5 cylinder engine was specified for a number of double deck buses by Lincolnshire (and neighbouring company 'Eastern Counties') for the mainly flat operating territory. 2378 had a number of owners after withdrawal in the late 1970s, and is now owned by Mr M Rolley, Bucks.
The typical small coach of the 1950s, from the fleet of a small, family, operator. This coach retired from service in the late 1960s and entered preservation, until recently a resident at the Lincs Road Transport Museum. Owned by Mr P Ingall, Lincs.
New as fleet no. 1227, the Company's first post-war coach, for London - South Coast express services. In 1955, as newer coaches entered service, this vehicle was re-numbered, modified for bus work and allocated to Horsham. After withdrawal in 1960, 677 was used by a local charity for a few years, later being acquired by its present owners in 1973. Owned by J & P Jefford, Lincs
initially for longer distance services, this vehicle was based for most of its working life at Bishop Auckland depot, later moving to Ripon and Richmond, from where it was withdrawn in February 1988 – preserved since then, it has previously appeared at Lincoln in 'dual purpose' red / white livery. It has recently been re-painted in 'National coach white' livery. Owned by Mr R Waterhouse, Derbys.
No. 64 continued in service until 1971, after covering 840,000 miles in service, and twice having to be rebuilt after collisions with low bridges in the York area. Extensively restored by the late Tony Peart, this bus was bequeathed to the LVVS in 2007.