Buses, coaches, & lorries

This Leyland PD2 is seen leaving Liverpool on the 3 hour round trip, Wigan to Liverpool & return
in early 1968. This bus is only 3 weeks old in this picture, despite its half cab and exposed radiator
appearance, the Liverpool Corporation AEC Regent Mk5 looks more modern, dating from approx 1955.

From about 1960, most bus operators began to purchase rear engined buses like Leyland Atlantean
and Daimler Fleetline, and at that time, Leyland Motors had many half cab complete chassis unsold,
and I was told many years ago that Wigan Corporation Transport bought about 12 of them at a good
price, and stored them in a barn near the A6 at Blackrod.

Toward the end of 1966, 2 of them appeared with bodywork by Massey Bros of Enfield St.,Pemberton,
Wigan as DEK 2D, 139, and DEK 3D, 140, with front entrance and 64 seats. 139 is seen here when it had
been totally rebuilt by Doug Smith in memory of his father who was a Corporation bus driver for many
years. Doug, in the white shirt, drives a Mobile Crane for Ainscough Cranes. The Trucknet system
wouldn’t let me print the reg number of the 1st picture, so I will spell it out separately…F E K 9 F
Ray.