This page is designed for photographic contributions to the Manx
Electric Railway Society website. If you have any views of transport
to or on the Isle of Man, particularly pre 1980, and would like to
see them added to the website please e-mail first with details to
busbus@mcb.net All contributions
welcomed.
Geoffrey Meek has kindly sent in these views of Manx buses in the
United Kingdom, for which the Manx Electric Railway Society is very
grateful, and which make a welcome addition to the website. Copyright
remains with the photographer.
The sad story of former Douglas Corporation AEC Regent
III 68 (KMN 839) has been well documented through the
pages of Manx Transport Review and other organs. Despite attempts to
ensure the survival and restoration of this once fine vehicle, these
were to be thwarted and the bus was moved from its safe storage to
Jurby Airfield, where the body deteriorated very quickly. Finally the
bus was taken to a local scrapyard, the body now needing a
considerable amount of work to make it good again.
Built in 1949, the bus carried Northern Counties
H30/25R bodywork and formed part of a batch of similar vehicles
delivered that year, which became 64-71 (KMN 835-842) in
the DCT bus fleet. After withdrawal the bus was sold off the
Island eventually finding its way into preservation, and was rallied
in the late 1970's/early 1980's. By the mid 1980's it was returned to
the Island for continued preservation, which has since proved not to
have been effective.
Finally in 2003 the body was removed for scrap by the Island
scrapyard, but the chassis survives to provide spares for former
Morecambe & Heysham AEC Regent 72. The photo was taken
in July 2003, upon its arrival at the Freckleton base of the Ribble
Vehicle Preservation Trust where M&H 72 is undergoing
restoration. Regent 68 is presently stored in the open, (covered with
a tarpaulin), but is virtually the same as shown in the
photograph.
One time Ribble Marshall bodied Leyland Leopard 668
(DRN 668D) new in 1966, along with nine other members of the
batch, passed to Isle of Man National Transport in 1979/1980, where
it was numbered 2 and reregistered F807 MAN. Following withdrawal by
IOMNT the bus passed to an Island based ATC squadron (440),
who were to use this and similar 7 (F457 MAN - ex Ribble 665
[DRN 665D]) for a number of years. When the 440 Squadron
disposed of their buses F807 MAN was ultimately scrapped, whilst
F457 MAN later survived into preservation (see part one of the
restoration story in Manx Transport Review issue 84).
F807 MAN is seen at the M6 Charnock Richard southbound service
station in May 1986 whilst taking the 440 squadron to the UK.