Walsall Corporation Leyland Royal Tiger PDH 808

EARLY UNDERFLOOR ENGINE SINGLE-DECK BUS

Underfloor-engine single-deckers were the major development at the 1950 Commercial Motor Show. This followed the lead given by Midland Red several years earlier. The engine no longer used any of the floor area, leaving more room for seats.

New to the Leyland range was the Royal Tiger, which used running units from the front-engine Tiger. Mr Ronald Edgley Cox was appointed General Manager at Walsall and changed an order for Tigers to include five of these Royal Tigers. They entered service in May 1953 as 42 seaters but this bus, no. 808, was given 40 coach seats in 1959 for evening tours to Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield.

The entire Walsall fleet passed to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive in 1969. No 808 retired in 1973. Its main duty in its last years was running Lichfield's Friday market services.

Preservation

808 was sold to Chase Terrace Comprehensive School, later passing to the Ribble Enthusiasts Bus Preservation Group. Originally intended for spares, the Ribble Group restored it instead. It was sold to this Museum in September 1983. A set of bus seats were refitted in 2007 and it has also been repainted.