RVPT Forum

04.04.09.

A shed shuffle on 04.04.09. required former Ribble 1036 to be moved outside for a while - (her first time outside for some time).
1036 is a Leyland Leopard L2T with Harrington Cavalier bodywork and was new to Ribble in 1961.
The opportunity was taken to hose her down and take a few photographs :

[attachment=516] [attachment=517]

1036 was withdrawn by Ribble after the 1971 Summer tour season. She was sold to Norths (dealer) of Sherburn-in-Elmet in February, 1972. In May, 1972 she was sold to Regent Coaches of Redditch and stayed with them until May, 1974 when she passed to Jackson's of Chorley. Withdrawn by Jackson's sometime in 1986, she passed to Maypole Coaches of Burscough in October, 1987 with a view to restoring her for use as a 'historic' vehicle. The restoration didn't take place and she was bought for preservation in February 1988 by her present owner, David Prescott.

David has spent the last 20 years carrying out a full restoration - this is nearing completion and it is hoped that 1036 will appear at one (or more) of this year's 'Ribble 90' themed events.

David Prescott has just reminded me that it was mid 2002 when 1036 was moved to Freckleton.

I picked him up at home and took him to the Preston Bus garage on Deepdale Road, Preston to collect 1036, which had been there for painting, and then to follow him to 1036s new home at Freckleton.
As I followed 1036 out of the garage, I thought that she was making quite a bit of smoke. We had gone less than a hundred yards when changing traffic lights provided a police car between 1036 and myself. I was certain that the nice policeman would pull 1036 for the 'excessive' smoke which was coming from the exhaust.
As 1036/police car/me arrived at the next set of traffic lights (which just happenned to be red) where 1036 was to turn left, I thought that this would be a good place for the nice policeman to do a Stop.
The lights changed to green - 1036 took off emitting a cloud of blue smoke and turned left - nice policeman turned right. I might have been wrong about the excessive smoke - but then again, I might have been right.
The rest of the journey to Freckleton was uneventful - but still smokey.

[attachment=518] 1036 seen posing in front of the Preston Bus garage having
just been re-painted.

[attachment=519] 1036 on arrival at Freckleton.

Seats.

Over the past few months, work on 1036 has concentrated mainly on the seats.
David has rebuilt and re-fitted all the seat bases. The seat backs and cushions have been
re-moquetted and David, Peter Walton and myself have been installing them.
With the exception of the driver's seat, all that is required now is for 1036 to be lifted off
the floor to enable final tightening of the nuts and bolts underneath which hold the seat
bases to the coach floor/chassis.

[attachment=524] [attachment=526] Views inside the coach.
[attachment=525] Nice clean seat back.

31.05.09.

Fitting of the seats in 1036 has now been completed.
Today saw the final seat fitting and pre MOT prep.
Peter Walton kindly allowed us use of his brake tester and after an initial test,
a quick run around 'the site roads', a re-check showed that the brakes were ok.

[attachment=619] 1036 returning from her road test with owner,
David Prescott, at the wheel.

[attachment=620] [attachment=621] 1036 posing in the yard on what
was described as the warmest day of the year, so far.

[attachment=622] An inside view of 1036 showing the fully fitted and newly
re-moquetted seats and the 'Ribble' antimacassars.

04.06.09.

Happy to be able to report that 1036 passed MOT test today at Martin's of Middlewich.

[attachment=624]

Whilst at the testing station, we were joined by two other buses.

The first was former GMT MCW Metrobus 5120 (SND120X) which is now preserved and
owned by Mr Mark Amis of somewhere in the Bristol area, (but carried the legal lettering
of Bowker Coaches of Rode Heath, Stoke-on-Trent, and the remains of the lettering for
'Davies Coaches' was just visible between decks).
I understand that 5120 has been having some work done by Reliance Bus and Coach
of Newcastle-Under-Lyme - presumably including an mot.

The second bus was preserved Albion Nimbus NSG869, in Beresford's livery.

[attachment=625] [attachment=626] [attachment=627]

There is still some minor work to be carried out on 1036 and it is hoped that this will
all be completed before she attends the 'Ribble 90' event on the Flag Market in
Preston city centre on 20.06.09.

11.09.09.

1036 had a run out to Cabus, near Garstang, today to be fitted with a set of new tyres.
We took the scenic return route to Freckleton - via Knott End.

[attachment=791] [attachment=792] [attachment=793]

(12-09-2009 09:10 AM)geoff@meek Wrote: [ -> ]11.09.09.

1036 had a run out to Cabus, near Garstang, today to be fitted with a set of new tyres.
We took the scenic return route to Freckleton - via Knott End.

I understand that the visit to Knott End was undertaken without the permission of the
Honorary Consul for that location and, even worse, you didn't invite him to participate. There will be repercussions.
Ray

27.09.09.

1036 attended the Showbus International Rally at Duxford on Sunday, 27.09.09.

[attachment=825] 1036 seen in the queue to leave the rally site at the end of the event.

01.03.10.

The final piece of external trim was fitted to 1036 today.

[attachment=902] The small piece of trim at the very bottom of the panel to the right of
the door. Unfortunately the piece of trim is only 'on loan'. It is part of the trim from Ribble 726 (TCK726).

..................... she still needs a clock !

13.03.10.

Following last year's article in 'Bus & Coach Preservation' about the restoration of 1036, a former Ribble
driver asked his son to contact RVPT to arrange a visit to see 1036. Contact was made through RVPTs
Chris Fenner who arranged for a visit today at 1330hrs.

The former driver was Mr Frank Brookfield. Mr Brookfield had been a driver at Liverpool on service buses,
then a Southern Tours driver (usually on Harrington bodied Leopard 1032) before becoming an Inspector
at Liverpool, Skelhorne Street.

At the appointed time, Mr Brookfield arrived at Freckleton accompanied by his wife, son and grandson.
On seeing 1036, Mr Brookfield was transported back a few years.

He sat on the front near side seat whilst David Prescott reversed her out of the shed. A quick inspection
of the inside/outside of 1036 was undertaken then a drive across the yard with Mr Brookfield at the wheel.
It made his day!

David then took Mr Brookfield and his family out for a run. I thought that they would only be about ten
minutes or so. They were away over half an hour so either David drove slowly or they went a long way!
(I think they went a long way!!).


[attachment=913] 1036 in the shed with Mr Brookfield in the driver's seat.

[attachment=917] Mr Brookfield driving 1036 across the yard.

[attachment=918] Mr Brookfield, David Prescott and 1036.