Peter Horrex

The Eastern Counties Omnibus Company came about by the amalgamation of four companies – the Peterborough Electric Traction Company, Ortona Motor Company Limited, the eastern operating area of United Automobile Services and the Eastern Counties Road Car Company of Ipswich. Registered on 14 July 1931, Eastern Counties was part of the Tilling Group until the Transport Act of 1968, which announced the formation of the National Bus Company. This was to take effect from 1 January 1969. Eastern Counties was a strong supporter of the Bristol chassis and ECW bodywork, given the strong links between the company and Eastern Coach Works of Lowestoft. In 1984, in preparation for deregulation, Eastern Counties was split in to two separate companies, with Cambus being formed to take over operations in the Cambridge and Peterborough areas while, at the same time, the coaching operations were transferred to Ambassador Travel. In this book, Peter Horrex and Tim Moore take a look at the years when Eastern Counties was part of the National Bus Company through a wonderful selection of photographs depicting the various types of vehicles used.

The Leyland National was conceived as a joint venture between British Leyland and the National Bus Company to replace all the rear-engined single-deckers in the British Leyland Group – the AEC Swift, Leyland Panther, Daimler Roadliner, single-deck Daimler Fleetline, and Bristol RE. The Leyland National was built at a new factory at Lillyhall in Cumbria and had several novel features, including integral construction, a sophisticated heating and ventilation system that meant a rear pod on the roof, and a turbocharged 8.3-litre horizontal Leyland engine. Most Leyland Nationals were 10.3 or 11.3 metres long and the first was delivered to Cumberland Motor Services in March 1972, registered ERM 35K. Over 7,000 Leyland Nationals were built, but it never achieved its full production targets due to the advent of one-person-operated double-deckers. The last Leyland National was registered C49 OCM and delivered to Halton Transport in November 1985. Utilising their fantastic collections of previously unpublished images, Peter Horrex and Robert Appleton pay tribute to this popular and iconic chariot of the people.

With photos taken in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, the West Country, London and beyond, Peter Horrex takes the reader on an illuminating tour around England’s modern bus scene, covering a period of almost thirty years. During this time there has not only been a fascinating selection of vehicles but also a dizzying variety of operators and liveries that have come and gone in the wake of deregulation. With a selection of previously unpublished images, this is an interesting and valuable snapshot of recent transport history and the present bus scene.