Photograph by ‘unknown’ if you took this photo please go to the copyright page.

The Northern General Transport Company
1951
Leyland Titan PD2/3
Leyland H33/26R

This is a photo of a very typical all Leyland Titan of the period the only thing that would be different to a thousand other all Leyland Titans would be the layout of the destination blinds. They were good, solid, reliable and economical workhorses so why change a winning formula, I am not sure just how many all Leyland Titans were built it would be interesting to know, if you know please leave a comment.
This bus was not new to Northern General it was originally delivered to  Gateshead and District Omnibus Company a subsidiary of Northern General and was number 39 in there fleet.
I do like the van at the side of the bus, if memory serves me correct I think it was called a ‘Morris Commercial’ but nick named a ‘Morris Comical’ its predecessor which was not as long was narrower but just as tall with a rather strange radiator grill. Anyway that’s enough wandering off the point this is a website for buses not vans.

A full list of Titan codes can be seen here.

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Just thought I’d ask if anyone can clear up a mystery.

The final version of the Leyland body on PD2s was one of the best and most handsome around. It was derived from the earlier, more stark, version without radiused corners to windows.
The 1951 batch for Sheffield Corporation had rain guttering over the bays and half-drop windows. Making them different from any before or after. Most buses had gone to sliders rather than half-drop other than London Transport with the RT and RM family.
This Northern General Titan of similar vintage has similar detailing, as have all the other 1950/51 examples I have seen (or their photographs) recently.

Was it deliberate Leyland policy or just a coincidence?

David Oldfield

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I remember seeing these buses regularly in the early 1950s to 1967 approx, very smart indeed in their chocolate brown livery cream relief bands edged in black when in their original Gateshead Omnibus Company livery. Two at least CCN162 and CCN 171 ended their days operating with T D Alexanders "Greyhound" company at Arbroath. Note the unusual two aperture rear destination screens See this link.

Gerald Walker

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07/03/11 – 08:28

The van is a Morris LD (Light Delivery) the Morris Commercial you refer to was the PV (Parcel Van model)

Roger Broughton

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25/09/11 – 15:30

Northern General had a number of PD2’s with several different types of bodies, MCW Orion and Park Royal with rear doors were two I can remember, but for some strange reason Percy Main depot (Tynemouth & Wakefields)where I worked, we had five PD2’s with Willowbrook bodies, they were AFT 49 to 53 and the fleet numbers were 219/223

Ronnie Hoye

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18/01/12 – 06:37

P.S to my previous comments, if you go to Google and type in AFT 53, you will find a picture of one of Tynemouth’s Willowbrook bodied PD2’s fleet number 223 being used a a driver training vehicle. The next batch of buses at Percy Main were the first 30ft vehicles, they were Orion bodied PD3’s registration AFT 924/35 234/5 carried the Wakefields name as did the first Leyland Atlantean CFT 636 fleet no 236. Some of the PD3’s were later transferred to Gateshead but ATF 930 ‘230’ became the training vehicle replacing 223

Ronnie Hoye

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18/01/12 – 10:34

Not the most attractive of bodies, Ronnie, not helped by the heavy upstairs opening vents.

Chris Hebbron

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18/01/12 – 13:48

You’re not wrong Chris, but I don’t think they were best suited to this particular livery. the Northern group had several layout changes, when these buses first came they were all maroon with cream roof and centre band, but I always thought that they looked best in the all maroon with cream band, that was the style adopted for the ‘red fleet’ by the time the PD3’s came onto the scene, Sunderland and District remained in their dark blue and white, and Gateshead at first changed from chocolate and cream to the same green and cream livery as Tyneside but later went to all green with cream centre band

Ronnie Hoye

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Vehicle reminder shot for this posting

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19/01/12 – 05:24

It’s amazing that the fleet livery changes should be so many. And it’s amazing what a difference the right livery makes. Sometimes, a woman should be consulted, as long as there’s a veto on pink and princessy! Whatever, the principle is keep it simple!

Chris Hebbron

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19/01/12 – 12:28

Funny you should say that Chris, I don’t know where it came from or how long they had it ‘it may well have been a demonstrator’ but for a short while in the 70’s, Moor Dale Coaches had a Plaxton bodied Bedford in a Purple Lilac and White livery, it sounds hideous but in actual fact it did look quite attractive, but don’t tell anyone I said that, but you’re right about livery making all the difference, bright trim is also a factor. Moor Dale’s livery was Scarlet, Royal Blue and White, they seemed to favour Plaxton bodied Bedford’s, and they always seemed to stand out from the crowd, at the same time they had four ‘I think’ old double deckers of various types that were used on school runs, and whilst they carried the same colours they never seemed to look right.

Ronnie Hoye

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19/01/12 – 13:24

I know what you mean, Ronnie, about getting the colour-scheme right. Here are two local examples near me, worth mentioning.
Although I’m not a lover of swooping liveries, this Leyland Olympian, in Swanbrook livery of green, purple and white, works, IMHO, probably because of the expanse of white top. Unusually, for Swanbrook, this bus has a glossy finish! They operate a few stage services in Gloucestershire, but mainly do school runs. See: //www.flickr.com/photos/  
This Leyland Olympian with Gloucester operator, Bennett’s Coaches, has a pleasant, more or less, traditional livery. The somewhat disparate colours, with tricky orange, work together, aided by chrome hubcaps. Bennett’s (coach and NatEx operator) have no stage services, but operate Park and Ride and school services. This vehicle is on a layover from P&R duties, usually performed by swish coaches. See: //www.flickr.com/photos/  
Of course, I may have no taste for colour at all, being colour-blind! That’s why I got married, so that I could have a dress advisor! Of course, that’s between you and me!

Chris Hebbron

Photo by ‘unknown’ if you took this photo please go to the copyright page.

Oldham Corporation
1949
Leyland Titan PD2/4
Leyland H30/26R

The PD2/4 was a special model it was a PD2/3 which was 26’ 0” long 8’ 0” wide, had an exposed radiator, synchromesh gearbox and this is where they differ the PD2/3 had vacuum brakes and the PD2/4 had air brakes. These buses were originally owned by Bolton Corporation but see below for Keith’s excellent comment.

Bus tickets issued by this operator can be viewed here.

A full list of Titan codes can be seen here.

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This photo shows 2 of the batch of Bolton PD2/4’s after sale to Oldham Corporation in approx 1966. In the company of Oldham’s traditional fare of Roe bodied Titans, they are wearing the maroon and white livery
These purchases arose due to the Ministry of Transport putting prohibition notices on a substantial number of Oldham’s fleet due to maintenance problems. Further Leyland bodied PD2’s were also purchased from Halifax and Sheffield, to help out at the time.
Also seen to the extreme right of the photo, is one of the hired in Manchester PD2/3 ‘3200’ Leyland bodied ‘Salmon tins’, the original ‘Farringtons’.

Keith Jackson

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A batch of PD2/4s found their way to Dublin Carrying the CIE version of the traditional Leyland body they were known not surprisingly as "Boltons" they lasted until the end of the 1960s. For many years CIEs also owned large numbers of enclosed radiator PD3s with in house bodywork which gives a vague idea of what 30 foot Leyland coachwork might have looked like. CIE retained the pre-war practice of a triple upper deck front window on theses buses which also had 6 lower deck windows. The last CIE Titans were rebuilds using parts of withdrawn Leyland Tiger PS types the bodywork was supplied CKD by Park Royal. Leicester had a batch of PD3s to a similar design in 1966 sadly in part it was based on the early rear engined design and was brutally ugly to my mind although others may differ.

Chris Hough

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I lived in Oldham for many years and remember the problems the department had. Buses were sent to Halifax and other places to be repaired as well as by the Corporation. Some of them had to be withdrawn which necessitated the purchase if 16 vehicles, 8 from Sheffield, 4 from Bolton and 4 from Halifax. 427 PBU 927 was in fact a PD2/30. The ex Bolton vehicle pictured was numbered 472.

Eric Langley

North Western Road Car
1949
Leyland Titan PD2/1
Leyland L27/26R

The full name was North Western Road Car Company Ltd and they were based at Stockport near Manchester. Another bus with a painted radiator did absolutely nothing for appearances the top deck windows are fairly deep for a lowbridge body though, the photo taken at Dean Street bus station, no it wasn’t, see comment below it was Lower Mosley Street bus station Manchester in 1965.

A full list of Titan codes can be seen here.

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“The photo was taken at Lower Mosley Street Bus Station, not Dean St, which was predominantly used by long distance services and is now the site of the Bridgewater Hall concert hall. Of the few relatively local services which used this city centre terminus were the No 6 to Glossop via Ashton New Rd, The No 28 to Hayfield via Stockport and Marple and the No 27 to Buxton via Stockport and Disley. My guess is that the bus in the picture was on one of these routes.”

Stuart Kirkham

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Just to clarify, Stuart’s comments beginning "which was predominantly used by long distance services…" all refer to Lower Mosley Street Bus Station.  There was no bus station in Dean Street.

Peter Williamson

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Looks like this bus was on route 29, Manchester Lower Mosley Street to Macclesfield. Used to leave Lower Mosley Street at 10 past every hour and operated by either Manchester or Wilmslow depots. I used to drive this route many times in the 60s but usually with Dennis Lolines or Leyland Tiger Cubs (LDB 796 was a regular on this route from the Wilmslow depot).

Richard Higgs ex employee of NWRCC ltd 1960-1968

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16/12/12 – 17:28

It’s on the 29 to Macclesfield. Must be a summer Saturday for such an old vehicle to be on the premier service. Service was double decked in December 1961 with route variations in Macclesfield to avoid the Gas Road Railway bridge. Always amazing to see on "old" double decker rather than a new Loline or Fleetline on the service. I did see K5Gs once or twice in 1962-3.
796 was originally a Wilmlsow car and used on their one "turn" on the 29. Previously 699 or 700 had been the favourites. Happy days.

Bob Bracegirdle

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17/12/12 – 08:12

Not necessarily a Saturday. Could also have been a replacement for a failed vehicle from either Wilmslow or Macclesfield. By 1965 Fleetlines were the regular vehicles backed up by Lolines – which came back into their own on the route in Crosville colours – after the split of NWRCC

Phil Blinkhorn

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17/12/12 – 09:41

The #29 was the one bus route in Manchester that left after all the Corporation buses had departed town at 23:00 hrs and before the all-nighters began at double fares at 23:15. The 23:10 #29 operated on normal fares and ran through as far as Wilmslow. Very handy if one had been to the pics on Oxford Street and then gone for a drink, or two.

Orla Nutting