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Leyland Era Draws to a Close 27 July 2009 The last of a long line of buses from the famous British manufacturer Leyland Motors will soon leave use on regular service journeys with the Island’s ‘Bus Vannin’ fleet, with the exception of a limited number of school services. This will also end the use of step-entry buses on the Island’s regular service journeys. Leyland has been a familiar name in the Island’s bus fleets since 1927 when a Leyland C7 was delivered new to Manxland Bus Services but now only a handful of more recent models remain in use. Commemorative services with the last survivors of the type, numbers 83 (BMN 83G) and 99 (DMN 16R), will operate as part of the Manx Transport Heritage Festival which is taking place between 30th July and 5th August. Both buses will then be placed on loan to the new Jurby Transport Museum where they will join the display of vintage buses and other vehicles. Number 83 is one of a batch of six Leyland bodied Olympians purchased new in 1988. These were the first new double deck buses to be used on the Island since A.E.C. Regent V numbers 409/410 LMN were delivered to Douglas Corporation 20 years before. 410 LMN was the last A.E.C. double deck chassis built and is still owned by ‘Bus Vannin’. Number 99 is a former Dublin Bus Alexander bodied Olympian and is the last of a considerable number of second hand Leylands (Titans, Leopards, Panthers, Atlanteans and Olympians) purchased between 1972 and 2003. Second hand buses have featured on the Island since 1927 with other notable purchases being Dennis Falcon single deck buses in 1967 and Dennis Dominator double deck buses in 1993. The schedule of services is as follows: Friday 31st July, 2009 ? 1715 Service 1 - Douglas to Port St Mary ? 1830 Service 1 - Port St Mary to Douglas ? Monday 3rd August, 2009 ? 0900 Service 25 ? 0955 Service 24 ? 1115 & 1135 Service 22 ? 1153 & 1213 Service 21 ? 1325 Service 23 ? 1425 Service 26 ? 1710 Service 6 - Douglas to Peel ? 1752 Service 5A - Peel to Douglas To maintain the provision for our disabled customers, a low-floor bus will shadow each journey. Hon Martyn Quayle MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, said: ‘This represents a great opportunity for passengers to take advantage of a final ride on one of these classic vintage vehicles during the Manx Heritage Transport Festival.’ Further details of the Manx Heritage Transport Festival can be obtained from the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal in Douglas or on www.iombusandrail.info. For information on Jurby Transport Museum, please visit the Manx Transport Trust website http://mtt.fpic.co.uk or contact museum director Richard Davis via email - richd54@manx.net. More stories >>>
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