EASTERN COUNTIES COACHES THE 1970'S PART 2

Photograph by Philip Back courtesy of the ETCS.

So we reach the 1970's with a Coach that started it's life in the 1960's but is pictured here in the dreaded National White livery, CB 845 PPW 845F a Bedford VAM with Duple bodywork, note the short lived Mascot National fleet name, this existed when the Norwich business was bought in March 1974 and lasted just 11 months to February 1975.

Seen in an image that reeks the 1980's note the Y reg Bedford van in the background the altogether more handsome Venetian blinds National Express livery is seen on a Bristol RE coach RE 850 SAH 850M with Plaxton Panorama body reaching London on the 799.

The end was nigh for the Bristol RE type by 1974, with the advent of the Leyland National, the last being the RLH type which was a bus shell with coach seating to B49F.

1976/77 saw a change in the buying stance of the National Bus Company with the Leyland Leopard this time with Alexander and Plaxton bodies, above is LL 749 MCL 931P with Alexander body and 49 coach seats again with a bus shell at Felixstowe Bus Station long since closed and redeveloped as a Lidl Supermarket, below at Victoria Coach Station in London is LL 755 SPW 101R one of four with Duple bodies from 1977, the other two from 1976/77 were LC 838/39 RVF 838R and SPW 105R with Plaxton bodies.

Two years later in 1977 saw the first of the Willowbrook bodies Leyland Leopards which were renowned for being rather lightweight the first batch from 1979 was LL 807-13 JVF 807-13V and a second batch in 1980 was LL 792-800 OEX 792-800W , also delivered in 1979 were Plaxton bodied LP 814-20 JVF 814-20V.