1947 Leyland Tiger PS1 Single Deck Half Cab Bus *Sold £12,500*

Description

• Ultra Rare Barnaby coachbuilt body
• One of only four examples produced with Barnaby coachwork
• Only two examples are believed to survive today
• Only five former keepers – two being the same business
• Various works carried out
• Latterly used for promotional tours on the South Coast

As The Boss says, “If this doesn’t catch your imagination, you must be made of wood”. She’s probably right. She often is.

What a vehicle! Before everyone could afford cars, or waste money on uber-taxis, these ubiquitous buses were, for many of us, the only option of getting about.

Very few have survived. The rare ones that do are often in museums and collections and often as not don’t turn a wheel. This charming PS1 has not only been a working bus on the south coast, but today is still in full working order and like anything that comes out of Yorkshire, keen to put in a day’s work.

Due to their rarity these are massively collectable now. This one has plenty of life left in it and deserves a bit more than to be parked up.

For minimal outlay, can you imagine what a wonderful business promotional tool this would be ferrying customers around! Never mind t’inter-net; this is where your marketing budget should be!

Note – This can be driven on a car licence, if your test was passed before 1997 and you’re carrying eight non-paying passengers but check out with DVLA to be sure!

History

We’re advised by our enthusiastic vendor, “This vehicle was commissioned in 1946 by J. Bullocks & Sons of Yorkshire with Barnaby who, I understand, built four buses/coaches. Two exist maybe?”.

It was registered in 1947 and went to work straight away. The winter of 1947 was terrifically bitter so this charming PS1 had a real baptism; of snow!

AHL 694 remained in service with J. Bullocks & Sons of for a considerable time. Indeed it out lasted Bullocks as the firm was bought out in the 1950’s by the West Riding Transport Company. The PS1 happily carried on its duty. It put in a great stint to be fair, lasting well into the 1970s. That must have been some sight back then!

Resto work began in the ‘90s and amazingly the little PS1 was back working again in the 2000’s, but more on that below.

Saving the PS1

The vendor assisted with the following.

“From what I have been told restoration of the interior and exterior started in the 1990’s”. He added;

“She was fully retrimmed, with structural work carried out too. Information is sketchy despite letters to the owner at that time, nothing has been received back”. 

We think we found at least a piece of that missing puzzle. We are obliged to ‘www.buses.com” for this wonderful feature, not only AHL 694, but also the dedicated restorer of her, Dereck Thomson. As our own mini tribute to Dereck, we have delight in reproducing the article it in its entirety.

Derek Thompson, a prominent figure in bus preservation and the organisation of classic vehicle events in north-east England, died on 31 October. 

He worked for many years for the Chronicle newspaper in Newcastle, organising events for readers and colleagues and became involved in the preservation movement after suffering life changing injuries in a serious road accident around 30 years ago. 

Together with Chris Lediard and Eric Gilmore, he rescued and organised the restoration of former Haslingden Corporation 2 (KTJ 502), a 1949 Burlingham-bodied Leyland Tiger PS1/1 that had ended up carrying berry pickers to a farm in Scotland. It has since had a succession of owners but remains active and is now resident in North Yorkshire.

His next project was another Tiger PS1/1, 1947 Barnaby-bodied AHL 694 which was new to Bullock’s of Featherstone and passed to West Riding when that company acquired Bullock’s business in 1950. In more recent years, it operated Agatha Christie-themed tours to Greenway House, the author’s former home in Devon.

‘It was typical of Derek to focus on finishing the job in time for an even grander project: to take a group of Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Society members and others to Holland for a bus rally and mini tour,’ says the society’s Peter Mitchell. 

‘Anyone near the action could see that it was going to be a race against time to finish the bus and have it tested, but Thompson determination and refusal to countenance obstacles saw the whole double project a resounding success.

‘There were others after that,’ he adds. ‘Even when he was no longer physically able to drive, he was tireless in recruiting others to share his enthusiasm and focus for his latest bus.

‘In the past few years he organised the annual free bus services for the Morpeth Fair and the Morpeth Gathering by recruiting vehicles and crews.

‘No Thompson project failed to deliver. That firm resolve would sometimes break out explosively in the presence of anyone who dared to question either the viability or the means to whatever was the current end. That could make him difficult to deal with even for those who wanted to collaborate with him. 

‘But no one could fail to respect his clear vision and the determination to succeed which invariably produced results. Without Derek nothing would have happened.’

Engine

Our vendor picks up the story of AHL 694 for us again.

“She was driven and cared for by an employee of this company who reported a loss of power in around 2013/14 which was put down to a faulty (cracked) Cylinder Head.

A new cylinder head was sourced (New Old Stock they thought) and once fitted the Leyland had more power, too much really as a big end failed”. Not unusual, to be honest, more power pushing the pistons up and down with greater force will knock the knackers out of the original end. Rookie error by someone there. AHL 694 was finished though.

According to our vendor it was time for a proper fix. “The engine came out. This time, new pistons, cylinder liners, piston rings, little and big ends were fitted. The crankshaft was reground.

New fuel Pump and water pump were fitted and all that was topped off with a full service. She was sent to a specialist Engineer in Bristol for this work”.

Plucky little AHL 694 was raring to go. Just one problem stood in her ways, as our vendor explains;

“Once back on the road, soon after the driver took ill and retired, leaving the Leyland to sit quietly, with the odd outing”.

PS1 had outlasted a Company and was now outlasting drivers too!

Our vendor’s adventures with AHL 694 (in his own words)

We purchased her and brought her into our care, where we fitted a New Clutch, restored and repaired the Rear Suspension Arms and Shock Absorbers, the vacuum brakes were Overhauled and new rear Oil Seals fitted. Two New Front Tyres and tubes of the correct size, slightly larger than the Rears, and new tubes were fitted to the Rears. 

The front Suspension was restored, and the Radiator removed with its surround restored and repaired, new hoses fitted and all flushed through, with antifreeze installed. A new clutch was fitted. 

Now, the Speedo head was restored, and a new Speedo Cable from Speedy Cables was sent, the wrong fitting, and the new one is in place but hasn’t been correctly fitted at the Gearbox drive end. The oil pressure gauge piping was repaired, but the Head dial, doesn’t register, we think it too needs a service. 

Some frame work was strengthened and/or replaced and a new windscreen surround draft excluder was installed. The front screen opens. 

Paintwork had been attended to and I am told it is in its original livery of duo tone Green, matt finish lower, cream and red body line. 

There was an ill fit on the pillar of the drivers door and emergency door. We removed the panelling to find some old damage and decay. This was all cut out and new seasoned Ash the size of a gatepost was hand finished to match the original and installed with proper Joints and fixings, and all re-assembled. 

The last job to be done would have been the nearside front wing, which has been restored and painted black. 

The electrics were all checked and some wiring replaced, lights all serviced inside and out with the Art-Deco interior lights all working. 

There is no “Destination” roller blind, but the fixings are present. 

This bus, which we call “Maude” Is driving wonderfully well, and was fully serviced during mid 2020 with fresh oils and filters. 

Fitted with a 7500cc 6 cylinder Leyland engine and constant mesh crash gearbox, it has both a service manual and spare parts books. 

The Passenger Compartment looks splendid, and we have a “ting ting” bell. 

Top speed is about 50mph and we are getting 12 to 14 mpg. A Real Head Turner.

The COIF expired in June 2021, but as we run it for S.D&P purposes we used the Test Exemption.

It has been all serviced and inspected, so likely to pass both COIF and Class 5 (6) MoT

Our View

Our view is best taken from either the drivers cab or just behind to be honest. What a Vehicle. What a story.

Restored body by a dedicated enthusiast. Engine overhauled. Unbelievable condition. Rarer than it gets. For once, we are lost for words.

The Boss also lurves a bus, so we leave the last word to her on this one..

Sarah says:  “This lovely old bus is right up my street and not just because she’s a Leyland and from Yorkshire. A proper piece of motoring history that makes you feel all warm inside, total nostalgia, she would make a handsome addition to any commercial fleet. I’m already daydreaming about who my first passengers would be!”

 

 

Vehicle Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire – it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

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