LEICESTER CORPORATION DOUBLE-DECKER BUS

Reg No: GRY 60D - new 1966
Chassis: Leyland Titan PD3A/1
Engine: Leyland 0600 9.8 litre diesel
Gearbox: Crash/Synchromesh (higher gears)
Body: Park Royal 74 seats

Residents of Leicester were well served by its Corporation buses for many years. The fleet always contained a variety of makes and types but until the 1970s Leyland Titans were a familiar sight. Nearly a 100 of the thirty feet long PD3 models were received between 1958 and 1967, bodied by a variety of builders but looking uniform in the Corporation’s distinctive livery.

Leicester’s Leyland PD3s all had concealed radiators and were bodied by Park Royal, Metro-Cammell, Willowbrook and East Lancashire, no doubt to keep those bidding for the contracts on their toes! All had manual gearboxes apart from the last batch of 20 in 1967 which had semi-automatic gearboxes. A further batch was on order for 1968 which would have introduced ECW bodies to PD3 chassis but, unfortunately, the order was changed to rear-engined Leyland Atlanteans so the combination was never seen.

No 60 was delivered in August 1966, one of ten that year with Park Royal bodywork of the ungainly style favoured by that builder at the time. It was purchased by the Museum in December 1980 after repainting by Leicester City Transport.

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