West Midland Travel Leyland Nationals

[j789]

I was reading an article on another site which listed the withdrawal dates of Midland Red West buses and it gave histories etc. It seems quite a few MRW Leyland Nationals were acquired by WMT in 1994/5. Anyone know why they were purchased then as they weren't exactly young vehicles? Was it to combat competition from Yourbus etc?

[Gareth]

I think a handful entered service, but not many.

They were purchased by WMT so rival operators couldn't buy them and compete. Not that there was a shortage of Nationals in mid 90s UK! By that time Yourbus was WMT owned anyway.

[j789]

Seems an odd tactic as like you say there were plenty of other buses about. Quite ironic the way the Early L reg Nationals went to WMPTE and 20 years later Midland Red Nationals were bought again!

[busfan2847]

West Midlands Travel acquired 57 ex Midland Red West Leyland Nationals. Only 1 entered service with West Midlands Travel (1620), four were used by Travel Your Bus (1633/4, 1761/73 as TYB 113/4/20/19) and 10 went to North East Bus (The Westcourt group (consisting of Tees & District, Teesside Motor Services and United) were acquired by WMT on 24th November 1994 and disposed of on 30th June 1996 to Cowie (Arriva)). The other 42 were not used.

[Bob]

West midlands travel were still running an L reg National in 1997!!! Was it PTF 745 L

[Westy]

I remember that the PTE originally accquired MR 102 to 154.

Presumbly Midland Red had notice about the PTE takeover in 1973.

What stopped MR moving their decent buses elsewhere & replacing with other vehiclrs?

Didnt WMT eventually get their hands on MR 101 later in its life?

[Gareth]

West midlands travel were still running an L reg National in 1997!!! Was it PTF 745 L

Yes it was. Nice bus, good condition for its age.

[Ashley 4569]

Before my time but I know TWM sold some Nationals on, cant remember the name of the Yorkshire company that took a wadge

[winston]

Before my time but I know TWM sold some Nationals on, cant remember the name of the Yorkshire company that took a wadge

Headlight, Royston?

[winston]

West midlands travel were still running an L reg National in 1997!!! Was it PTF 745 L

Yes it was. Nice bus, good condition for its age.

Didn't that one see out its last service at PB on route 52 and was also re-engined with a Volvo unit.

[Gareth]

It was a regular on the 52, but withdrawn from Perry Barr and transferred alon with a couple of others to Lea Hall. Was good to have nationals on the 14 again after their absence of a few years. On the 1st November 1997, it operated a mega rare working from Washwood Heath on the 27 for last Fleetline day. I believe it was transferred to Park Lane after that for a short time before National operation at TWM ended.

[wilmotm (Matt Wilmot)]

Shame it came to a sad end... http://www.flickr.com/photos/46868364@N04/7590037132/in/photostream/

[busfan2847]

I remember that the PTE originally accquired MR 102 to 154.

Presumbly Midland Red had notice about the PTE takeover in 1973.

What stopped MR moving their decent buses elsewhere & replacing with other vehiclrs?

Didnt WMT eventually get their hands on MR 101 later in its life?

Midland Red had a lot of notice! They moved most of their dual purpose buses from West Midland depots and transferred in old vehicles to replace them. The Nationals were part of the deal struck with WMPTE.

Midland Red West had 101 which became a driver trainer in Apr-89 (2051) and then with First Midland Red (90270) at Worcester. Withdrawn in 2007 it is now preserved. WMPTE also did not have 120-130, 133, 134, 136, 142-147, 155-158 of Midland Red's first batch of Leyland Nationals.

[busfan2847]

West Midlands Travel gained Leyland Nationals in their purchase of Tame Valley (22), Metrowest (22) and a single one from Smiths. There were also a smaller number of Nationals purchased from elsewhere (1709 (LWN709L) ex Yorkshire Rider and six from Ribble for Your Bus (not sure if Your Bus bought these before the takeover, they did not enter service until afterwards).

PTF745L was one acquired from Tame Valley, operated for Black Country Buses (Metrowest) and was then rebuilt with a Volvo engine in 1995.

[the trainbasher]

Didn't Travel Merry Hill have some too eventually?