ATLANTEAN - A TALE OF TWO OF CITY’S
During a few idle moments at the museum, two Trustees pondered on the chances of the Trust ever acquiring it’s own Atlantean. Several weeks later…
Paul Gray gives a background into a recent arrival, or two.
Leicester City Transport’s latter day front-engined, rear-loader fleet of buses was predominantly Leyland Titans, bodied by MCW, East Lancs or Park Royal. Variety was provided by lesser numbers of similar AEC and Daimler double-deckers and, to add even more interest were a trio of front-entrance AECs and a trio of rear-engined Leyland Atlanteans. The single-decker fleet of AECs and Leylands was not without its attractions too.
The MCW-bodied Atlanteans were purchased for evaluation purposes in 1963. Nos 185-7 (185-7 DRY) presumably did not impress greatly for LCT continued to buy front-engined buses for another five years, the last comprising a batch of twenty Titans which, in 1967/8, were perhaps to be considered a less than usual choice.
These were followed, in 1968/9, by twenty Atlanteans bodied in equal numbers by ECW (nos 96-105) and Park Royal (nos 106-115). All received matching PBC---G registrations. No more of the type were to follow, as the LCT purchasing policy then took a completely different course, seeing the gradual arrival of Bristol and Metro-Scania single-deckers and Scania-MCW and Dennis double-deckers. Different the fleet might be, but there was no denying that it’s interest remained high !
The Atlanteans seem to have been taken out of service in 1982/3 and most probably found further work with other operators. By the year 2000, two of them were still around, albeit out of use, in the ownership of Classic Coaches at High Wycombe. Nos 98 and 113 had arrived with this operator after service with Peak Bus at Chesterfield and D Coaches at Swansea respectively. Both buses were subsequently bought by Nick Larkin, editor of ‘Bus and Coach Preservation’ magazine, on behalf of another party. However, these arrangements fell through and the Trust was asked if the pair could be accommodated for a time at the museum. Nick then offered to donate one of the pair to the museum.
At the time of writing, no 113 is on site and the delivery of no 98 is expected soon. Once the pair are together, both will be examined and a decision made on our future course of action. In the meantime, no 113 has been made to run again - for the first time in around five years - and has had a good wash.
Perhaps one of our Leicester-based membership could provide definitive history details of the two buses for future publication in ‘Omnibus.
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
