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To further the development of one-man-operation of double deck buses, a batch of sixteen relatively modern secondhand Leyland Atlantean PDR2/1's were acquired from Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive in 1981. New in 1972 they carried Alexander panoramic bodywork and featured the once common dual-door layout, which was not used on these buses during their Island service. Eventually the centre doorway was paneled over in a variety of different fashions, with a similar variety of successes. The first of these buses to be delivered arrived already painted into the then recently introduced bland unrelieved all red livery, adding weight to the suggestion that it was intended to have the vehicles in service within hours of their disembarkation from the ferry. In reality the first was on the Island for three months before it carried any fare paying passengers, the last an amazing eighteen months, whilst one never even got that far, eventually being sent for scrap. The bus is seen at the now demolished Douglas Bus Station. (Photo Richard Dodge) |
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Under the direction of the then General Manager, the late William Lambden, and for the first time in its history, Isle of Man Road Services purchased a series of secondhand double deck buses. These replaced 25 year old Leyland Titan PD1's and PD2's. The first to be acquired came in late 1971 and early 1972, consisting of numerous front-entrance Leyland Titan PD3's from Midland Red, although they were new to the erstwhile Stratford Blue undertaking. Most were constructed by Willowbrook, but four had pleasing Northern Counties exposed radiator bodywork. In 1979 these four were earmarked for conversion into open-top format, to the same design as the PD2's of Merseyside PTE (Southport division). In the event only three were completed and, despite the most competent conversion, were arguably not the operational success that had been hoped. For the final year of operation, 1982, the three (57-59: MN 57-59) were nominally renumbered 93-95, but in practice only MN 59 was used, later becoming a tree-lopper. Douglas railway station is the setting for this view of MN 59, behind can be seen the Isle of Man Railway Douglas Carriage shed, now nothing more than a memory. Also visible are the only two half-cab buses to receive the red and white Isle of Man Passenger Transport livery, LMN 78/79. (Photo Richard Dodge) |
For some time Isle of Man Road Services adopted a policy
of buying a small number of new vehicles most years, rather
than a bulk acquisition 'once every blue moon'. The 1964
order consisted of three rear-entrance Metro-Cammell Orion
bodied Leyland PD3's. After reregistrations the three buses
settled down to a fairly uneventful career and surprisingly
only carried two different liveries (IOM Road Services
and IOM National Transport). After twenty-years service
69 UMN was to be the penultimate Titan to be withdrawn,
on March 27, 1984 only outlived by sister 68 UMN, which was
retained for a few months as a 'special events' vehicle. 74
is captured at Port Erin depot amongst other Orion bodied
Titan PD3's, the two in IOMNT livery were acquired from
Bournemouth Corporation in 1974, whilst on the left still in
IOM Road Services livery is 'Midland Red' grille
XMN 347. (Photo Richard Dodge)
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The introduction of one-man-operation of double deck services commenced in ernest in 1979 with the acquisition of fourteen Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 specials from Merseyside PTE. Dating from 1965/1966 they were part of a batch of 380 delivered to Liverpool Corporation between 1962 and 1967 carrying bodywork to LCT design, and when new, were considered to be ground-breaking and trend-setting. Their Island lives were to be cut drastically short, not due to any real vehicle failings, but more to do with management policies of the period. Most were sadly scrapped, including 84, which at the time of withdrawal was in exceptional condition. Seen at a scrap yard on Douglas Head, the bus made one final journey, on tow, to another scrapyard at the very North of the Island. (Photo Richard Dodge) |