25 seen at victoria © Unknown -RVPT collection

Notes:

These revolutionary vehicles were the first double deck coaches designed by Ribble's engineers with motorways in mind.With only 50 reclining seats , passenger controlled reading lights, a public address system, on board toilet, and the provision of light refreshments these vehicles were far superior to other coaches of the same period.

The prototype MCK 812 first carried passengers on Wednesday 22nd July 1959 when it was used on a run from Preston to Southport to enable publicity shots to be taken of Passengers being served refreshments. It was launched to the press on the 5th of August, and officially went into service on the Blackpool-London service on Tuesday 25th August 1959. With the 0.600 engine it was found that its top speed was only 48 mph (though the speed limit for PSV's at the time was only 30 mph !!), so by December it had been fitted with a 0.680 engine and had its gearbox tweaked to give a top speed of 60 mph suitable for motorway journeys where there was no official top speed.

Just as a Ribble coach had been the first PSV on the M6 preston by-pass, it made sure it also got the honour on the M1 with the prototype Gay Hostess leaving preston at 9pm the previous evening to get to Luton at 5 am on Monday 2nd November 1959, even though the motorway was not going to be opened until 9.30 am. It was the first PSV vehicle to enter the motorway but was overtaken by two Midland Red CM5 coaches doing in excess of 70 mph. On the return journey from Victoria Coach Station the Gay Hostess was first to reach the M1 but was then overtaken by the Midland Red coach only to overtake it again when it had a flat tyre.

The prototype was also present at the opening of the Lancaster By-pass section of the M6 on April 11th 1960.

By June 1960 these coaches were being used on the following services: Blackpool-London; Colne-London; Keswick-London; Liverpool-Keswick; Preston-Carlisle; Manchester-Keswick; Manchester-Glasgow; and Blackpool-Bristol.

The vehicles were withdrawn when the Bristol VRL's entered service between 1970 and 1972.

Our Gay Hostess has suffered from several years of outside storage, and we reckon we will need £100,000 to restore this unique coach.