Another great video, Paul. The Panther is in my top three favourite buses. I would have loved to have joined you but, as you were wandering around the botanical gardens in Southport I was exploring the botanical gardens in Brisbane. It was much warmer there.😉

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

Lucky you, it was cold and wet in Southport, as it has been most of the winter

The last Southport buses were 10 Leyland Atlanteans VWM81-90L and 8 Nationals, YFY1-8M identical to the PTF L and NTC M registered red Ribble ones that operated in town. Southport had 22 Leyland Panthers 59-80 new 1968-72 but this one FKF933G is a Liverpool one.

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info ,1054 was a stand in for the Southport panthers as a representative of the type that operated there

The national still looks a good vechicle.modern lines for the 1980s,

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

They could easily pass for a modern bus. The national was a classic bus for the 70s and 80s

@trainrover

4 ай бұрын

both its look and tech appear to match the current release of Nova LFS buses here

that's neat how that asphalt inside that dépôt still leans every which way as though anticipating having to accommodate leaky roofing

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

Lol not noticed that

@trainrover

4 ай бұрын

I wonder whether the flooring had initially been cobblestone... its levelling must've been patterned like this to drain away washings..? it's mystifying..this storybook garage is... 🍸

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

@@trainrover I quite possibly was. It would have housed trams back in the day & cobbled streets were more or less standard

Very sad to hear about it. 😢

@Merseywail

Ай бұрын

Not many left now

But we want to go to Crossens!! Trying to see if there are parts of Southport I recognise from holidays there! (Usual spent in Marshside).

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

We did Go there & near the old Crossens station site

One time Yorkshire Terrier bus I believe and possibly their only surviving National.

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

Cheers for the extra info. Many led interesting lives, 6045 being no exception

I have over 100 photos of Southport corporation buses going back from the very early days up to the take over by MPTE

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

That's great, I have a few in my collection. Non taken by me unfortunately. Wish I had taken some back in the day though I was quite young back then.

Wasn't 6045 originally restored by the late Steve Foster in NBC red as a National Welsh concept vehicle?

@Merseywail

2 ай бұрын

I think so, Mark the new owner will have the full history of it. I know it was in NBC red when it came to Burscough. Don't know who painted it, but it looked like it was painted with a trowel. It was one of the worst Paint jobs I've ever seen

@TimothyWorel-xj9he

2 ай бұрын

@@Merseywail having said that, we purchased 640 straight out of service, and the paint job left much to be desired.

@Merseywail

2 ай бұрын

@@TimothyWorel-xj9he it's had a good rub down since its arrival at Burscough, including the flooring which apparently had what looked like sand added to the paint mix. It looks a lot better now it's been repainted. He has no plans to return it to Southport livery, as it would require it to be returned to Duel door, to be authentic

Journey ended in Southport London Street. Chapel Street is pedestrianised!

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

I meant to say Southport Chapel st station. Am sure most would have known what I meant with the bus being at the same stop where we started.

Hi how do you find out about and attend these tours? Is there a club or organisation? Cheers

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

This tour was organised by members of the Merseyside Transport Trust, you can become a member by joining their site www.mttrust.org.uk/ . There's also the Merseyside bus club that organise tours as well as having regular talks & shows on buses of the past and present

@lovefive5733

4 ай бұрын

A very interesting video, Thank you for uploading this video 😊😊

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

@@lovefive5733 a shame the weather wasn't kinder. Would have filmed a lot more

What a shame, no buses in the Southport Colour. All merseyside shite!!!

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

I don't think the owners would go to the trouble & expense of repainting their buses just for a one off event.

@andicog

4 ай бұрын

Nice to see Bill Barlow, taught me to drive an Atlantean back in 1999 at MTL north. Great instructor. 👍

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

@@andicog top bloke bill

@Merseywail

4 ай бұрын

@@wxyz9035 No 4 belongs to a private owner but is also part of the MTTs collection. There is a open topper Atlantean in Southport livery but it wouldn't have been a good idea to bring it out in that rain. Wallasey No1 is a unique bus being the first Leyland Atlantean in service in England