Jersey Motor Transport
1959
Leyland Titan PD2/31
Reading H31/28R

780 JGY is a Leyland Titan PD2/31 with H59R body by Readings of Portsmouth. She was new in 1959, as J 8588, for the Jersey Motor Transport fleet and carries the usual advert for Mary Ann.
Is my eyesight playing tricks again or does the bodywork look a bit "Park Royal"? She’s at Amberley on 21 September 1997.

Photograph and Copy contributed by Pete Davies

12/06/15 – 06:11

Did Readings use Park Royal frames hence the similarity?

Philip Halstead

12/06/15 – 07:54

I’m not aware that they ever did, Philip. They always seemed to plough their own furrow and were quite happy to do one-off orders to an individual design. Granted, this body shape is a bit Park Royal’ish, though. Was this one bus the total order for JMT, of its type? It certainly looks very smart, stylish and airy inside.

Chris Hebbron

16/06/15 – 06:51

The Ian Allan ABC British Bus Fleets ‘West of England’ (May 1964) included details of the JMT fleet and has a photograph of number 27 is included.
The fleet list shows a batch of 5 Reading bodied Leyland Titan PD2/31s. They were numbered 16 (J 1583); 22 (J 8587); 27 (J 8588); 47 (J 1588) and 52 (J 1528). The dates new are given as 1958 (16, 47 and 52) and 1959 (22 and 27). Whether they all looked similar I don’t know.

David Slater

18/06/15 – 06:11

Jersey Motor Transport (JMT) J 8587 (22) and J 8588 (27) were the second batch of Reading bodied PD2/31 Titans delivered to JMT, arriving in June 1959. These were of a 4 bay design, where as the first batch had 5 bays {please see picture of J 1588 (47)}.
No.27 was the last double decker bought new by JMT, ex London Transport RTLs being bought after that.

Also shown is a picture of sister vehicle J 8587 in service in Jersey at The Weighbridge Bus Station for many years the main departure point for JMT services.
The rear of J 1528 (52), one of the first batch is seen on the extreme right.

Stephen Howarth