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Latest Preservation News
1st November 2009
In August 2009 No.17 was purchased by a consortium of Provincial Society members for ongoing preservation. It was driven from its base in Gillingham Kent to First Hampshire and Dorset's depot at Portswood, Southampton on 3rd August. More details are on the Provincial Society Site.
No 17 at a previous rally. Photo: Malcolm Audsley
1st December 2007
On Friday 28 September 2007, this Leyland National was collected for preservation from First Hampshire & Dorset Ltd. at Portswood. It is intended to preserve the bus in the Provincial 125 anniversary livery.
Photo by Dave Woods
1st September 2006
John Sherwin and Darren Marshall's Leyland National 2 has been repainted into Peoples Provincial livery as No 1 (A301 KJT). It made its first public appearance at the Gosport rally at Stokes Bay on August Bank Holiday Monday.
1 (A301 KJT) seen here in Titchfield Square on the afternoon of the Stokes Bay Rally, August Bank Holiday 2006. Photo: Gary Tull
29th June 2006
David Whitaker has sent another update regarding 24 (CG 9607) :-
"Work is continuing on reconstruction of driver's door and offside front corner of the bus. Hope to have her on the road again by the end of the year."
21st November 2005
David Whitaker has sent the following
update regarding 24 (CG 9607) :-
"Work has commenced on certain essential repairs to the body work of 24 (CG 9607) The driver's door has been removed and is being rebuilt and then further work will be required immediately around the door frame, over the wheelarch and on the offside corner of the bus. After that, further cosmetic improvements will take place."
30th June 2005
The appeal to save Leyland National 432 was unsuccessful. The vehicle's future is now uncertain as there was insufficient interest, funding and support.
30th April 2005
Leyland National 402 left Hampshire for its new home
in Coventry on 30th April. It will be going via Stoke for repaint, repair etc.
The photos show it hitched onto a tow-truck and then underway along Peak Lane
Fareham at 8.50 in the morning.
(Photos :- Malcolm Audsley)
.jpg)
8th February 2005
David Whitaker has provided the latest news on
AEC Regent 35 (BOR 767) :-
"A great deal of mechanical work will
be required during 2005. This includes a rebuild of the gearbox, replacement of
a universal joint and investigation of water loss. A number of other matters may
need consideration but these are the pressing ones. So, please be patient if 35
is off the scene for a while. In the meantime I hope to meet old friends in the
other old lady, 24, possibly at North Weald."
4th March 2004
Gareth Crowther who owns 87
(WAE192T) & 89 (AFB593V)
has sent me an update. He says :-
"Small update on 87 WAE192T
& 89 AFB593V. 87 has gone missing, Arriva had a reshuffle at Stockton &
promptly lost 87 somewhere! Don't ask how, but it happened 2 days before I was
due to collect her! Good job the recovery company found out before they turned
up as I hadn't received any information at all! I'm still awaiting some sort of
confirmation about her fate. 89 proven to be a major pain, the starter fault
became any engine seizure, then a starter fault, there's something seriously
wrong with the electrics & more guy is tearing his hair out trying to find
it! The rear brakes will be stripped down once the engines once the electrics
are completed. Acquiring brake shoes has proven to be easy, the type & size
used are still common on Leyland DAF trucks now which is a god send. The
big problem now is that the fuel tank straps have snapped and I've got to get
them repaired before anything further can happen, if it rains it pours! If
anyone can locate 44 inch tank straps I'll be very pleased to hear from them."
Please let me know if
you can help and I will pass the details on to Gareth.
In May 1980 no 462 (AFB 593V), a Bristol LH6L entered service with Bristol Omnibus. It was transferred to Hants and Dorset (3587) in November of that year. In April 1983 after the MAPS projects findings were put into effect it was transferred to Provincial, where it became No 89. Its stay was short however, being sold to United Automobile in December 1983.
21st February 2004
Pictured at the Hard on route 24 on 30 March 2003. Photo: Darren Marshall
The unique ACE Cougar with B41F Wadham Stringer body has been saved for future
generations to enjoy in the proposed museum of heritage transport at Gosport.
First Hampshire and Dorset donated the bus to the Provincial Society. Originally
no 3 in the fleet when new to Provincial in 1990, the Cougar (H523 CTR) has had
no less than four fleet numbers in its short life – 3, 333, 600
and 800. A group of enthusiasts will be restoring it over the next few years.
11th November 2003
This picture shows A301 KJT leaving Hoeford Garage, Fareham, when collected by the current owners on 27 September 2003, five weeks after being withdrawn from service.
Photo by Richard Arthur
2nd October 2003
Following withdrawal by First in August 2003,
John Sherwin and Darren Marshall have purchased 401 (A301 KJT) a Leyland
National Mk2 for preservation. A301
KJT seen here in original NBC form. Photo: Malcolm Audsley
18th August 2003 23rd February 2003
Mark Gentry has provided the following
information about Guy Arab 77 EWO 467
"Some
of you may remember this bus attending rallies in the area during the Terry Lawson owner of ECG 112K has sent me the following
information
"Not shown in the list of preserved
vehicles is dual purpose RE XLJ726K. This is being rebuilt by the 'XLJ Group'
following vandalism whilst owned by the Gosport-based Royal Marine Light
Infantry Band. The 'XLJ Group' comprises of six individuals which includes the
writer, and is organised/administered by Terry Hussey of Basingstoke. XLJ726K
was delivered new to Hants & Dorset's Fareham depot, and was the last bus
delivered in tilling green & cream prior to the adoption of NBC red. later
repainted red & white (DP livery) it passed to Provincial in 1983, and
lasted long enough to be repainted green! It was withdrawn in the latter months
of 1983 in Prov'ys rush for total 'National'-isation!" I have now included this bus in the list on the
Preservation page.
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Originally Fleet No1, this
Turbo-Leyland National Mk 2 entered service with Provincial in May 1984 as one
of a pair of dual-purpose 47-seater single-deckers for urban and coach work
around Fareham. At one time, the bus was ‘dressed’ in X76 white and green
livery for motorway service on the M27. In 1996, it was re-numbered as 401 with
‘First Provincial’ and transferred to First Hampshire in April 1999. All of
its working life was spent at the same garage. The last day in service was 20
August 2003 when the nearside windscreen was cracked in an accident. As the
bodywork above the windscreen had rusted considerably, it was uneconomical to
repair for future public service. For a few years, Darren and John plan to
attend rallies with 401 in the same livery, using her on local trips around the
various rally sites.
News in the September 2003 edition of Buses magazine
is that 36 (HAA 771E) the Deutz engined Guy Arab is now registered SY63428. It
is currently in Atascadero California and is being refurbished by Double Deck
Wine Tasting.
1980's. Through David Whitaker I have managed to contact the owners of this
bus and I am sad to report that the news is not good. She is in Provincial
livery but her condition has deteriorated over the years and they tell me
the bodywork is suffering from extensive rot. The chassis is sound but the
condition of the bodywork makes it unavailable for this years rally. I spoke
briefly to the owner and it would appear that lack of funds are available to
put this right at present. It would be a shame if this bus rotted away to
nothing having survived for this long. They do have plans to rebuild the bus
back into its original condition. The owner I believe said that he drove the
bus when it was new, I hope I've got that right. For this reason the bus has
sentimental value, but I did detect that funds are not available to even fix
the bus as she is now, so she will deteriorate further. What can be done to
help them I have no idea, but she is out for this years rally. This is a
great pity as she is still in Provincial livery as I said earlier. I intend
to keep in touch with the owner from time to time to let him know how things
are going down here".
16th February 2003