Preserved former Ribble buses at the RVPT Rally in Morecambe - 26 May 2019 (P1020430)

Sunday 26 May 2019 – Preserved former Ribble Motor Services vehicles on display at the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust 'Morecambe Vintage Bus Day' which celebrated 100 years of Ribble. Left to right:

1686 (NRN 586), an MCW bodied Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 new in October 1960.

1729 (PCK 370), an MCW bodied Leyland PD3/5 new in June 1961.

665 (MAN 665D), a Marshall bodied Leyland Leopard new in December 1966 registered DRN 665D. It was later sold to Isle of Man National Transport. (With registrations D440 MAN or F 357 MAN).

An interesting note regarding the double deckers. The rear engine Atlantean was perhaps been one of the most revolutionary designs but the early models were unreliable so much so that after acquiring 100 of the type in 1960/1 (fleet numbers 1606-1705) the company reverted to buying front engined Leyland PD3 models in 1961 (1706-1755), 1962 (1756-1800) and 1963 (1815-1850). The next Atlanteans (of the PDR1/2 type) did not appear until 1967.

All these buses were new when I was a schoolboy so it was great to see them at this gathering.