FW 5698 - 1935 Leyland Tiger TS7

Burlingham B35F body

Lincolnshire Road Car No. 1411

Leyland single deck buses were the mainstay of the pre-war Lincolnshire Road Car fleet, with 88 'Tiger' TS7 and TS8 models being purchased in the mid 1930s.

This TS7 example originally carried fleet number LT370 and was one of the first buses in the County to be powered by an oil (diesel) rather than a petrol engine.

A new Burlingham body replaced the original Brush body in 1949; it was renumbered 1411 in 1953 and remained in service with the Road Car until 1959. Upon withdrawal it was acquired by the Society’s founder member, the late Vincent LeTall, for preservation, and passed along with the rest of his vehicles to the Society.

Burlingham Makers Plate, fitted inside the cab.	Speedometer - the numbers below the scale presumably are to do with calibration - 9.00 x 20 G is a tyre size - can anyone decipher the rest?	No 1411 making its first public appearance with direction 'flashers', March 2008

October 2000 - Thanks to the Lincolnshire County Council Heritage Fund, we have now received £600 for the refurbishment of the front road springs and injector pump. Anyone want to help remove and fit the springs, please! Battery failure has also been noted.

January 2001 - The front road springs are being removed for overhaul.

April 2001 - The offside front spring has now been professionally rebuilt and is back in place. The nearside front will be attended to after the Open Day.

July 2001 - The near side front spring is now in the process of being removed, but the first round of dismantling has found several problems.

January 2002 - Both front springs are now reinstated and the fuel pump will be coming off shortly for inspection and overhaul ready for the Spring rally season.

April 2002 - · New front springs have been fitted which were supplied by Brigg Springs and the vehicle has been prepared for MOT.

May 2002 - New tyres, inner tubes and flaps have been fitted and the wheels painted. An MOT has been obtained, but the brakes require an overhaul.

July 2002 - This has passed its MOT and was in use at the Easter Open Day 2002.

July 2004 - An engine inspection is in full swing with the cylinder head currently being stripped ready for removal to identify the poor compression problem.

January 2005 - This is now on the pit with the cylinder head off for reconditioning and the pistons have been removed for inspection - four could do with replacing and all need reringing. The injectors and fuel pump have been sent away for servicing. Two new water jacket plates have been manufactured for the engine block as the originals were found to be heavily corroded due to silt build up in the water passage.

April 2005 - The cylinder head has now been reconditioned, as have the injectors and fuel pump. All the pistons have been sent away for remachining and fitting with new piston rings. The diesel filters have also been changed.

July 2005 - The pistons have now been re-engineered and fitted with new rings. The fuel pump and injectors are now back fro the overhaul and the engine is 'on the way up'.

October 2005 - The cylinder head has been refitted with a new head gasket and the fuel pump fitted - shouldn't be too long now before the engine can be coaxed into life! The gearbox casing has been receiving a good clean revealing the usual LRCC tag showing dates of overhaul and initials of the person carrying out the work.

January 2006 - Although the Tiger has been running, it needs more than a little prayer to start it from cold. Whilst this is being investigated, the thermostat housing is away for a new unit to be made as the original had become very weak and cracked.

April 2006 - The new thermostat housing has been fitted together with all the heater pipes etc. An inspection will follow shortly to check the timing again due to its poor starting.

April 2007 - The newly overhauled fuel pump is now being fitted.

July 2007 - A continuing saga this one! Poor old 1411 is still not running correctly but our team is determined to get to the bottom of things here and have dismantled the engine again to ensure it is correctly timed. Thanks to two of our friends for sending through a copy of the engine manual.

Oct 2007 - At the time of writing the bus is now ready for a road test which should be carried out shortly. Things look promising!

November 2007 - No. 1411 returned to the road following completion of work and an MOT shortly before the Open Day, and has now returned to display in the Museum.

April 2008 - Thanks to the 'two Kens' and John this has now been fitted 'sympathetically' with 'flashing' direction indicators.

July 2008 - New batteries have been fitted but the voltage regulator has failed so this has been removed for repair.

October 2008 - New dynamo couplings have been sourced and will be fitted shortly.