Bradford 355 - Daimler Fleetline ( XAK 355L )

XAK 355L: Daimler Fleetline CRL6

Alexander H43/31F 1972

The Daimler Fleetline was introduced in 1960 as Britain's second production model rear-engined doubledecker. However, unlike the Leyland Atlantean in its earliest form, the Fleetline was designed from the outset with a drop rear axle, enabling a low floor throughout the length of both saloons and avoiding the need for the traditional lowbridge layout in the low height version.

Although the prototype was built with a Daimler engine, all but a handful of production models were fitted with Gardner engines up to 1971. From that year the Leyland 0.680 unit was offered as an option, reflecting Daimler's incorporation into the Leyland empire. Production of the Fleetline moved from Coventry to Leyland in 1973, and Leyland badges replaced those of Daimler from 1974. Production of the Fleetline ceased in 1980.

Bradford bought its first rear-engined buses in 1967- with batches of both Atlanteans and Fleetlines. In 1970/71, dual door 33ft versions of both models were added to stock. For 1972 delivery, a batch of 20 Fleetlines was ordered, reverting to single door and 30ft length but specifying the Leyland engine.

Thus barely 4 months after the demise of the trolleybus system, 355 entered service on 1 August 1972, numerically the last not only of its batch but also the last bus new to Bradford City Transport before its absorption into the West Yorkshire PTE. Renumbered into the PTE series as 2355, it was withdrawn immediately prior to deregulation in October 1986. It was however transferred to Yorkshire Rider and held in storage at Bramley garage with several others of the same batch as part of a reserve fleet. In the event it saw no further service, and was secured for preservation in September 1987.

Upon purchase, 355 was taken to the former PTE garage at Middleton for storage. It has subsequently spent periods in the open at Baildon and Tockwith before arriving at Keighley Bus Museum in November 1994.

Morley`s  DMS  -  Daimler Fleetline  (OJD 192R )

OJD 192R is otherwise the erstwhile DMS 2192, The bus belongs to Daniel Shaw of Sheffield, and by comparison with our RM, led a very sheltered life with LT.

It was delivered new to Aldenham in January 1977, by which time London Transport  had already fallen out of love with the Daimler Fleetline, mainly because they famously could not, or would not, adapt to the new maintenance systems required by modern rear-engined vehicles. It entered service at Merton in February, briefly appeared at Croydon, and was back in store at Aldenham by July. In September of that year it was allocated to Walthamstow where it ran until withdrawal in January 1982. Stored again, it was sold in August to Ensign, who converted it to single door layout and sold it to Morley’s of Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire.

Having managed less than five years in London service, DMS 2192 went on to give no less than twenty-three years of service with it’s new owners, coming off the road only when the Morley’s business ceased trading in late 2005. Like many another operator, Morley’s obviously got an absolute bargain due to the obstinacy of LT! LT Fleetlines are very different from their provincial sisters, this one being fully automatic and having a unique cab layout, but it has lost some of it’s London features in it’s many years in Cambridgeshire.

The Gardner-engined bus is basically in good order, though it needs a fair bit of tidying-up. It did however manage to drive from Hereford to Keighley in one day, so there cannot be too much wrong there. We understand that Daniel plans to restore the bus in Morley’s grey and red livery, which it wore for most of it’s career.

OJD 192R - Daimler Fleetline