WMPTE Metrobus WDA 835T

1970s WEST MIDLANDS DOUBLE-DECKER

By the late 1960s, the new British Leyland Motor Corporation had created a near monopoly of manufacturers of heavy-duty bus chassis and three of the larger body makers, which rang alarm bells for other coachbuilders, such as Metro-Cammell Weymann. This company initially sought collaboration with Ford, and then entered into an arrangement to build vehicles with Scania underframes. However, this was not enough, and in 1975 it began recruiting a mechanical design team to build its own chassis, while the existing body designers began work on new bodywork based on extruded aluminium frame sections. The result of this work was the Metrobus, the prototypes of which took to the road during 1977. Production began in earnest in 1978, and very soon, Metrobus was a serious challenger to Leyland's contemporary products.

WDA 835T is the fifth of five 'pre-production' vehicles for West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive, but more significantly, it was the true prototype of the production vehicles that would follow, including the interior trim that became standard for the next few years. (The first four had detail differences, notably a slightly lower roof, and same interior trim as the Fleetlines.) WDA 835T was displayed at the 1978 Motor Show, the first to be held at the NEC, and hence, it was built in Birmingham, exhibited in Birmingham, and operated in Birmingham. It entered service in October 1978, and was withdrawn in May 1998.

Preservation
WDA 835T soon passed to the West Midlands Bus Preservation Society. Subsequently, the first 'production' vehicle came to Wythall. However, in August 2005, Wythall took the opportunity to acquire WDA 835T, finding it to be in better condition, and historically more significant, than the one it originally owned; the latter was later sold for preservation elsewhere.

WDA 835T has now been restored to its original service condition.