THE SHOWBUS MIDLANDS BUS IMAGES GALLERY
West Midlands PTE | Volvo Ailsas
 |
 |
 Seen at the 1976 National Showbus Rally at Hillingdon when new was WMPTE 4787 (JOV787P), one of 100 Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsa doubledeckers purchased. Alongside, another Anglo-Swedish product, Scania/MCW Metropolitan MD30 (KJD230P) of London Transport. The somewhat controversial foreign purchases occured when Leyland Bus was experiencing difficulty with decker production and limiting customers to a restricted chassis range. |
 A colour photo of the pair. |
 Ailsa 4780 (JOV780P) is seen in service days, though resting at the depot, with a Leyland National 2, 1027 (DOC27V) and a pair of earlier Nationals, with 7015 (AOL15T) on the right of the picture. |
 In 2007 the West Midlands contingent produced a formidable line up in the Land Warfare Hall field at Duxford for SHOWBUS. The first four start with Fleetline 3913 (SOE913H), Bristol VRTSL6g 4413 (NOB413M), Ailsa 4738 (JOV738P) and a Metrobus. |
 An excellent view of Ailsa 4527 (TOE527N) arriving at the Imperial War Museum for SHOWBUS 2010. |
 Ailsa 4738 arriving for SHOWBUS 2012 where it represented the year 1976 in the Diamond Jubilee display. |
 In 2008 three Ailsas lined up together, a repeat of the 2005 line up, but expected Derby's lowheight Ailsa had been replaced by former Alexander Fife FRA72 (A972YSX) with Sunray Travel at the time in a blue livery. The other two are of course WMPTE 4738 and Maidstone & District 5385 (LKP385P).
|
 In 2009 the West Midlands put on a good display as always. Here we see Ailsa 4738 with Fleetline/Park Royal 4613 (JOV613P) and Travel Coventry Metrobus 2618 (ROX618Y). |
 In 2013 it was the Ailsas 40th birthday, two WMPTE preserved examples joined a special line up with specimens from Maidstone & District and Derby. Here is 4738 (JOV738P). Picture ref 13-5664 |
 Arriving ahead of 4738 was 4527 (TOE527N). Picture ref 13-5460 |
Seen at Millennium Showbus is the beautifully restored Ailsa 4738 (JOV738P) from WMPTE's once 100 strong fleet of such buses.
|
The same bus, same place, 12 months later and looking just as good.
|
 The same bus in 2002 with Yardley Wood's Leyland Lynx 1294 (G294EOG) and folk crowded around the Yardley Wood Group's trade stall.
|
 Whilst 4738 continued to make regular appearances at SHOWBUS in the intervening years our next picture is of it arriving at the 2005 event followed by Kenzies' unusual Van Hool bodied Volvo B10M bus. |
 In 2005 4738 was posed with Maidstone & District's NBC trial Ailsa, 5385, another SHOWBUS regular and with newcomer, Derby Borough's 71 (TRR814R), the only Ailsa built to lowheight as the picture clearly shows. |
 The first Donington Park SHOWBUS saw a stunning collection of Ailsas. In addition to WMPTE's 4527 and 4738, SHOWBUS regular Maidstone & District 5385 and Derby 71 - in the unfamiliar red and yellow livery of Black Prince of Leeds - we had Tayside's 273 (WTS273T) all the way from Dundee and former London Buses experimental Ailsa V1 (A101SUU).
Picture ref 16-6006 |
 A second shot of the historic line up.
Picture ref 16-6009 |
|
|