Bristol Omnibus Co. Leyland PD1

Can anyone advise me on the condition/whereabouts of the above mentioned vehicle, reg. KHW 630, fleet no. C4019, one of the 50 Leyland PD 1s that Bristol Omnibus acquired in 1947/8. I have contacted the 2 main groups here in Bristol that care for ex Bristol buses but no luck. I was told a good while back that the bus was at Lathalmond for a complete restoration, to be returned in 2011/12, I contacted their website and sure enough it was listed in the fleet list and it was as I was told, restoration and return to Bristol. I was at the Warminster running day earlier this month and was told, hot off the press, that the bus would be back anytime soon, I made another visit to the Lathalmond site and was told that they had NEVER had any PD1 on site before? If anyone can help I would be obliged, the other sole remaining ex Bristol PD1 LAE 13 C4044, is in the early stages of a major rebuild, as an ex driver at Eastville Depot where the great majority of them were based, I have a nostalgic interest in their welfare?

Dave Knapp

04/11/12 - 15:13

Hello David, and may I say that you're a man after my own heart. I have so enjoyed reading your recollections, particularly about the three PD1s that you mention - stand by for some incredible coincidences !! I worked at the Otley depot of Samuel Ledgard where we had five of your vehicles, three ECW and two BBW bodied. Incidentally I love all PD1s and find that those bodied other than by Leyland have many very appealing features. At our depot we had KHW 631, KHY 395 and LAE 12. My first ever double decker duty after passing my test on one of Ledgard's own new PD1s (JUM 378) was a very busy late turn with LAE 12, and it behaved like a dream all evening. My knees had been knocking all day at the prospect of crashing gears and running late but no such crises arose and it was one of the happiest days of my life - a real ambition achieved. All five of the "south westerners" were wonderful vehicles to work on and I was especially fond of them. On October 14th 2007 - the fortieth anniversary of the end of our grand old Company - I conducted all day on ex London RLH32 (we had operated four other RLHs) which the present commercial owners, Time Line Travel of St. Alban's, had incredibly kindly had professionally repainted in full Ledgard livery. On that day I couldn't resist having my picture taken, in Otley Bus Station, in front of visiting LAE 13 - well you can't get any closer to LAE 12 than that can you ?? Also our KHW 631 couldn't be any closer to your elusive KHW 630 could it ?? Our two BBW bodied ones were KHW 243 and KHW 622 - identical LAE 2 spent its career at our Armley Leeds head depot. Thanks you for your memories, and somehow I have a feeling and hope that mine will have been of interest to you.

Chris Youhill

05/11/12 - 15:28

Hi Chris, thanks for your reply to the posting I made, re the above vehicle, I have read a lot of your musings on PD 1s and Samuel Ledgard and I 'sussed' you as a kindred spirit as regards Leyland PD1s immediately! I am hoping that some hard facts may surface as to the whereabouts of KHW 630, it seems to be a bit of a black hole at the moment? As regards Leylands in general, this may be a bit off centre but, many years ago I took a party of post graduate apprentices to the Motor Industry Research Association(MIRA)testing facility between Coventry and Nuneaton, this was of course when we still had a motor industry, approx. 19965/6! I used to do a bit of part-time work for a local coach firm Western Roadways, visitors could ride with the engineers on the vehicles being tested, anyway to my point, one ride that I sampled was with a smashing fella from Leyland Motors, and he was testing an 8 wheeled Leyland Octopus, just the cab and chassis, and on the rear secured to chassis were what looked like 3 huge squares of lead as ballast. The test area was a high banked oval circuit and after asking if I was ready off we went, it was an exciting trip alright, 90/95/100 mph, no governor on the engine (0.600?), when we finished the trip, 2 or 3 circuits, I will always remember his comment, "raaht good motors are Leylands chook". On the way back to Bristol the Bedford/Duple seemed positively pedestrian. Memories just memories, but aren't they sweet.
P.S. it may seem unusual but I always had a yen for the Leeds Atlanteans, not unusual at all, but the PTE livery, verona green/buttermilk! I liked it.

Dave Knapp

06/11/12 - 06:54

Thanks David for your reply and for the graphic account of the "white knuckle" test ride on the Octopus chassis. I wish you every success in hopefully tracing KHW 630 - I always found that the somewhat unusual combination of the "normally Bristol mounted" ECW bodies and the PD 1 chassis with their undeniably prewar TD/TS sounding gearbox melodies to be simply highly successful and very appealing indeed. I forgot to mention in the first message that the RLH which I conducted on the Ledgard 40th anniversary day can just be seen pulling into Otley behind LAE 13.

Chris Youhill

06/11/12 - 06:55

Dave...Yesterday I read your posting and request for help in tracing the current situation regarding KHW 630. I then did a simple Google search and found this picture www.flickr.com/photos/ which appears to confirm that it had survived at least until 2006 although in a poor state. The strange thing is tonight, the same search does not find the image so I traced it through my "history" schedule.
I didn't post before because I thought that you would be already aware of the above picture but maybe your searches didn't work either?
I hope the image I have traced is some help. I am also in Bristol and know the Lawrence Hill Depot (I'm not a driver or employee though). If KHW 630 really has been fully restored then it would be wonderful to see it maybe at the next Running Day. I expect you know Mike Walker who must I'm sure know what the exact story of the restoration or otherwise really is.

Richard Leaman

06/11/12 - 09:50

BOVC are not the quickest of updating their site but they do have a lot of vehicles to look after and restore. Their official site details all their vehicles and here is the link to the page for the vehicle you are interested in. http://www.bristolbuses.co.uk/

Ken Jones

06/11/12 - 13:20

Now that is an EPIC restoration! Just how much of the bodywork can be used with it in such a desperate state but men have wonderful skills so if the work ever gets completed, it really will be something to see and celebrate. Thank you for the link.

Richard Leaman

06/11/12 - 15:15

Thanks to you both, Richard and Ken, very interesting the photograph of KHW 630, I was not sure where I had seen it but these are the same ones I saw on the website of the Lathalmond workshops ages ago, I was unsure but yes they are the very ones! As I said in my original post, I contacted the Lathalmond website and was told that there never was an ex Bristol Leyland PD1 on the site, it gets curiouser and curiouser (I quote ) so what do you make of it, I am baffled I must say! Perhaps you can throw some light on the situation Chris Youhill, its a right poser, somebody must have the answer to this dilemma, thanks chaps.

Dave Knapp

07/11/12 - 10:21

At the top of the page on the link I gave you is Mike Walker's postal address - writing to him will give you a definitive answer - he'll know what status the vehicle is at and if it is still in Scotland.

Ken Jones

08/11/12 - 15:00

I wish I could help with your search for KHW 630 David but I'm afraid I haven't a clue on that - however, Ken's suggestion sounds very promising and so I hope it does the trick.

Chris Youhill

05/12/12 - 11:49

I wrote to Mike Walker as you suggested but as yet no reply, as you said he does have a lot of vehicles to look after, obviously a busy man, but I will keep hoping for an update on the above mentioned vehicle, watch this space !!!

Dave Knapp

15/05/13 - 09:31

I was at Bristol Harbourside Running Day just recently and talking to a friend on the Bristol Vintage Bus Group stand, and apparently the above vehicle is now at Winkleigh, in Devon. A case of watch this space, especially you, Chris Youhill, to quote a Shirley Bassey hit, (nearly), 'Leylands are Forever'.

Dave Knapp

16/05/13 - 06:52

All 3 members of The Bristol Omnibus Vehicle Collection were at Bristol Harbourside event. The vehicle is not shown on the Winkleigh Fleet list but BOVC have used Winkleigh for some recent restorations. You might be able to see for yourself later in the year as Winkleigh Open Day is Sunday, 6 October 2013

Ken Jones

16/08/13 - 15:05

KHW 630 was being restored, firstly at the Scottish Bus Museum, and then at a premises in Glasgow. By the time that mechanical units had been stripped and sent for rebuilding and the new body frame built and panelled, the restorer went out of business. The result was the loss of mechanical units (which were rare and have never been recovered) and a hurried removing of the remains to storage at Winkleigh. This was followed by the credit crunch and restoration was unable to be finished.
It may now be some time before the vehicle is running again.

Mike Walker

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