WH 1553 - 1929 Leyland Titan TD1

Leyland L27/24RO body (open staircase)

Bolton Corporation No. 54

(later Hicks, Braintree No. 53;

and Honeywood, Stanstead)

Leyland Motors, based in Leyland, Lancashire, had been noted for their steam and petrol engined vehicles, and had entered the luxury car market. By 1922, they had suffered large financial losses, but their entry into the motor bus market started their recovery.

In 1926, Mr G J Rackham was appointed chief engineer to the Company, and his design of double deck bus, the 'Titan' TD1 was a major advance on any previous double deck buses, either Leyland's own 'Leviathan' of which only 98 were built, or from any other manufacturer.

The new model was unveiled at the 1927 Commercial Motor Show, and it created much excitement with its low frame height, allowing much easier boarding and alighting than earlier models, and the introduction of the "low bridge" style of body with an offset top deck gangway allowing double deck bus operation to be possible where there were bridges as low as 13 ft 6 inches. A much faster, smoother and quieter ride (partly due to the adoption of inflatable rather than solid rubber tyres) and a much improved level of reliability was offered by this new generation of buses.

Power was provided by a 6.8 litre, overhead camshaft petrol engine, with a 'heron' head combustion (the combustion chamber is in the piston rather than the cylinder head.) Drive is through a 4 speed sliding mesh gearbox to an offset rear axle.

Lower saloon - showing the space taken up by the upper saloon gangway	Upper saloon showing the side gangway and the 4 person seats with limited headroom	Rear view showing the open staircase
impression of WH 1553 as Hicks 53	Lincoln No. 24 (FE 9755) - apparently when new (LVVS Collection)	Lincoln No. 24 (FE 9755) - in later years (LVVS Collection)

Lincoln Corporation were one of the first transport operators to sample Leyland's TD1, "demonstrator" in 1927, and promptly placed an order - the first production 'Titan' becoming Lincoln Corporation No. 24 (FE 9755) in 1927 - 9 more Titans followed to replace Lincoln's trams in 1929, following the advice in a Leyland advert of the era to "bury your trams - mark the spot with a Titan." Lincolnshire Road Car also introduced double deck operation to their fleet with Titans in 1930. While most of Lincoln's TD1s survived until the 1950s, sadly none survived into preservation. Lincoln Corporation continued to buy later models of the Leyland 'Titan' until the 1960s.

No. 54 was one of a batch of Titans new to Bolton Corporation Tramways in 1929, the year that Bolton's growing motor bus fleet moved into a new garage. While retaining its urban tram network, Bolton Corporation was quite active in developing longer distance bus services, some in co-operation with Lancashire United Transport and Ribble Motor Services - Bolton's buses reached the west coast at Southport, and went inland to Manchester and Hyde.

7 years was then considered to be the service life of a bus, and in 1936, Bolton sold 4 of its Titans - WH 1551 to 1554 to Hicks Bros. of Braintree, Essex, and were numbered 51 to 54, matching the registration numbers more neatly! Hicks' fleet livery was dark blue with yellow bands. No. 53 (as it was now) was mainly allocated to the garage at Silver End, to operate the Braintree - Silver End - Witham route.

All the ex Bolton Titans were re-built during their time with Hicks', and had their platforms enclosed. All except (Hicks) No. 53 were fitted with Gardner diesel engines and stayed in the fleet long enough to pass to Eastern National, who acquired the Hicks' business in 1950 (WH 1551 and 1552 stayed in service until 1954).

However, in 1947, WH 1553, still with its petrol engine, was sold on to Messrs Honeywood of Stanstead, Suffolk and saw limited service (probably only on local school bus services) until 1956. In 1958, Messrs Goldsmith of Sicklemere acquired the business and fleet of Honeywood's, and WH 1553 escaped disposal for scrap following the intervention of a former Hicks' employee, Mr John Farmer, who persuaded Leyland Motors to acquire the bus for posterity.

After a few years with Leyland, which included an appearance in Wallasey, disguised as a Wallasey Corporation bus, the bus was donated by Leyland Motors to the LVVS in 1965, and a full restoration was planned - there was some support for the proposal to restore the bus to Lincoln Corporation colours as a replica of Lincoln's own TD1s, none of which survived.

By this time the bus was in relatively poor condition, necessitating the most ambitious and extensive restoration project undertaken in the early years of the Society. Much of the body frame was rotten and had to be replaced, in addition to which the staircase was rebuilt to the original open layout.

Newly restored, the bus made its rally debut on the 1970 London to Brighton Run. Initially, it was restored as 'Bolton 53', the (Hicks') fleet number 53 having been found on stripping paint. The correct Bolton fleet number (54) was later applied!

The bus has shown no inclination to retire, despite its advancing age - a limited number of rallies are attended, and a few passenger journeys are usually operated on the Society's Open Days.

2001 saw the centenary of Bolton Corporation Transport, and No. 54 was loaned to the Manchester Museum of Transport for part of the year, and took part in a number of special events, including a visit to Blackpool to be reunited with the only remaining Bolton tramcar. No. 54 was also the pattern for EFE's scale model of the type, the first livery available being Bolton Corporation.

Any more information about WH 1553's time with Hicks, Honeywood or Leyland Motors would be appreciated, as would photographs of these stages of its life. We are grateful to the Essex Bus Enthusiasts Group and MW Transport Publications of Essex recently for informing us about the Essex years.

January 2005 - Following the Open Day, attention has been directed at overhauling the rear brakes and the rear wheels have also been painted. New oil seals will have to be sourced. Attention has also been given to the drivers wing as this was a llittle tender in a couple of places.

April 2005 - The bus is now on the pit to have the rear brakes set up. The oils are being changed. The silencer has been removed for repair.

July 2005 - Work has now finished on the brake overhaul. The silencer has been repaired and put back on the vehicle.

October 2005 - After a trip to Waddington Air Show, it was felt the brakes needed some more adjustment so No 54 has been back on the pit for a few weeks.

January 2006 - Following a fracture of one of the originals, new "U" bolts for the front springs have been made by a local company and these should be fitted soon.

April 2006 - The 'final' job underneath has seen the overhaul of the front shock absorbers with new seals fitted, etc.

July 2006 - The bus has now been MOT tested after our 'local' testing station is back for business on class V testing. On the bodywork, the staircase grab rail has been sanded down and repainted, as has the cream band on the bonnet top which was badly chipped and scratched.