Dundee Museum of Transport picture gallery: Restoration projects
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Leyland Titan bus PD3/3 KWG655
Delivered new to Walter Alexander at Dundee in 1958, it passed to the new Northern company on its formation in 1961. After withdrawal from passenger service it became a driver trainer. It was then sold to a farmer in Aberdeenshire where it remained, out of use, for 20 years. Northern relied on Titans as its standard double-decker for many years.
The current owner purchased the vehicle at the end of 2006 and the engine started first time. It was painted in this orange and cream livery, with a handpainted broadside advert for the company’s express coach services to London. In July 2010 it was moved to the premises of an operator in Dundee where restoration has now begun thanks to the support of Airport Travel Dundee and Claverhouse Group for their generous support of this restoration.
Leyland Titan KWG655 pictured whilst in service at Trades Lane Dundee before entering the Seagate Bus Station. |
Later KWG655 became a driver training bus and it is pictured here alongside fellow training bus RWC943D. |
This is how the Leyland Titan was found before being acquired for preservation in 2008. Apparently it had been outside for over 20 years. |
Under cover for the first time in a couple of decades and kept company by two former Tayside Region buses. |
In July 2010 the bus was moved to Dundee for full restoration work to be carried out with help from the Claverhouse Training Group. |
Museum Chairman Jimmy McDonell guides the bus into its new home. Even after all this time it starts and drives well. |
Sadly the time the bus spent outside has taken its toll on the seats as this view of the upper deck reveals. Most of the light fittings remain and suitable replacements found for the others. |
Downstairs some of the seats have been changed from those originally fitted. The lowered gangway on the offside brings back memories of bumped heads for the unwary! |
Unsurprisingly being outside for so long has affected the stairs. They have now been removed and will be rebuilt before being reinstated. |
A view of the driver's cab shows just how basic the instrumentation was when it was built in 1958. |
These buses had a buzzer rather than a bell and this is where the unit would have been. Below is the date when the bus was last painted - 29 April 1975! |
A suitable steering wheel has been acquired for the restored bus and this has been professionally refurbished. |
A nearside view of the handpainted advertisements that were on the bus when in use as a driver trainer. |
Work starts on the offside to remove the paint and replace damage panels. |
A later view of the offside as more of the paint is slowly removed. Only a couple of panels of the hand-painted side advertisement remain. |
A number of the lower panels have had to be removed to either be replaced or to allow work to be carried out on the bodywork. |
A view of the lower deck after the seats had been removed. The battery boxes and dual driving controls remain in place |
The rear platform had almost rotted away and would need to be rebuilt. |
Thanks to Claverhouse Training work progressed well and here more paint removal is taking place. |
New metalwork has now been fitted to support the newly rebuilt wooden platform. |
A close view of the radiator at the front of the bus with the surrounding metalwork removed. |
Horse-drawn ambulance
Dating from the 1880s this horse-drawn ambulance was brought back to Dundee in June 2010. It is currently with Claverhouse Training Group who are carrying out much-needed restoration work on it.
A picture of a Horse-drawn Ambulance as it would have been used in the late 19th and early 20th century. |
Jimmy McDonell (left) and Terry Small from DMofT bring the ambulance back from Aberdeen in June 2010. |
Dundee's Lord Provost John Letford climbs aboard the Horse-drawn Ambulance at the Baxter Park Gala Day in August 2010. |
