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To further the development of one-man-operation of double deck
buses, a batch of sixteen relatively modern secondhand Leyland
Atlantean PDR2/1's were acquired from Tyne & Wear Passenger
Transport Executive in 1981. New in 1972 they carried Alexander
panoramic bodywork and featured the once common dual-door layout,
which was not used on these buses during their Island service.
Eventually the centre doorway was paneled over in a variety of
different fashions, with a similar variety of successes. The first of
these buses to be delivered arrived already painted into the then
recently introduced bland unrelieved all red livery, adding weight to
the suggestion that it was intended to have the vehicles in service
within hours of their disembarkation from the ferry. In reality the
first was on the Island for three months before it carried any fare
paying passengers, the last an amazing eighteen months, whilst one
never even got that far, eventually being sent for scrap. The bus is
seen at the now demolished Douglas Bus Station. (Photo Richard
Dodge)
Under the direction of the then General Manager, the late William
Lambden, and for the first time in its history, Isle of Man Road
Services purchased a series of secondhand double deck buses. These
replaced 25 year old Leyland Titan PD1's and PD2's. The first to be
acquired came in late 1971 and early 1972, consisting of numerous
front-entrance Leyland Titan PD3's from Midland Red, although they
were new to the erstwhile Stratford Blue undertaking. Most were
constructed by Willowbrook, but four had pleasing Northern Counties
exposed radiator bodywork. In 1979 these four were earmarked for
conversion into open-top format, to the same design as the PD2's of
Merseyside PTE (Southport division). In the event only three
were completed and, despite the most competent conversion, were
arguably not the operational success that had been hoped. For the
final year of operation, 1982, the three (57-59: MN 57-59) were
nominally renumbered 93-95, but in practice only MN 59 was used,
later becoming a tree-lopper. Douglas railway station is the setting
for this view of MN 59, behind can be seen the Isle of Man Railway
Douglas Carriage shed, now nothing more than a memory. Also visible
are the only two half-cab buses to receive the red and white Isle of
Man Passenger Transport livery, LMN 78/79. (Photo Richard
Dodge)
For some time Isle of Man Road Services adopted a policy of buying
a small number of new vehicles most years, rather than a bulk
acquisition 'once every blue moon'. The 1964 order consisted of three
rear-entrance Metro-Cammell Orion bodied Leyland PD3's. After
reregistrations the three buses settled down to a fairly uneventful
career and surprisingly only carried two different liveries
(IOM Road Services and IOM National Transport). After
twenty-years service 69 UMN was to be the penultimate Titan to
be withdrawn, on March 27, 1984 only outlived by sister 68 UMN, which
was retained for a few months as a 'special events' vehicle. 74 is
captured at Port Erin depot amongst other Orion bodied Titan PD3's,
the two in IOMNT livery were acquired from Bournemouth
Corporation in 1974, whilst on the left still in IOM Road
Services livery is 'Midland Red' grille XMN 347. (Photo
Richard Dodge)
The introduction of one-man-operation of double deck services
commenced in ernest in 1979 with the acquisition of fourteen
Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 specials from
Merseyside PTE. Dating from 1965/1966 they were part of a batch of
380 delivered to Liverpool Corporation between 1962 and 1967 carrying
bodywork to LCT design, and when new, were considered to be
ground-breaking and trend-setting. Their Island lives were to be cut
drastically short, not due to any real vehicle failings, but more to
do with management policies of the period. Most were sadly scrapped,
including 84, which at the time of withdrawal was in exceptional
condition. Seen at a scrap yard on Douglas Head, the bus made one
final journey, on tow, to another scrapyard at the very North of the
Island. (Photo Richard Dodge)
