THE SCOTTISH VINTAGE BUS MUSEUM -
Alexanders Leyland Tiger TS8 ‘Special’ WG 8790 (P573)
- THE APPEAL
Right:
August 2004 (J Pettie?)
The sad remains of what is
believed to be the last Leyland Tiger TS8 ‘Special’, languishes at the back of
a shed at Lathalmond.
The TS8 'special' was a
Leyland variant specifically developed for the SMT Group. 150 were built, all
Alexander bodied, for Alexanders, SMT and Western SMT in 1939/40, and were a
common sight throughout Scotland until the early 1960s. They differed from
standard 35-seat TS8s in that the front bulkhead was moved some 6 in. forward,
allowing for an extra row of seats making them 39 seaters, the rear of the
engine being enclosed in a removable cowl which projected into the entrance
area. P573 is in fact the second TS8 ‘Special’ built (registered WG 8790) and
was latterly allocated to Bannockburn depot, being withdrawn in 1961. It was
rescued in a sorry state when we were still at Pathhead and, although having
deteriorated somewhat since, is not a hopeless case.
Over the years, people have
inquired about its future, and recently one or two museum members suggested
that they might be willing to put some funding towards its eventual restoration
if such a project were feasible.
Left:
When new outside Leyland's North Works (ATC
Collection)
The Management Committee has therefore resolved to launch an appeal for
funds to restore the bus. P573 is now the property of the museum, and I have
been appointed Project Manager and Official Fund-raiser. The experts have had a
look over it and despite its seemingly dire condition, they reckon it is a job
that can be tackled from in-house resources. A new body would have to be
constructed from scratch but the framing is identical in construction to
contemporary Alexander and Leyland bodies. The mechanics are all there and
would need complete refurbishing but replacement pre-war Leyland mechanical
spares are not difficult to source. Correct-pattern seats for instance, might
be a problem to source but this should not be insurmountable.
The project to restore P573
will only go ahead if enough financial support can be raised specifically for
the purpose. All sums pledged will be paid into a separate account,
specifically earmarked for P573 restoration, and can be in the form of one-off
or periodic payments subject to the usual tax advantages that benefit charities
under the Gift Aid scheme. For the record, I will personally be committing a
financial contribution to this project from my own resources. In the event of
the project stalling (through insufficient support or other unforeseen event)
any sums already pledged will he returned to their donors.
If sufficient support can be
counted on from interested parties, a
first step would be to make an initial assessment to establish the likely
overall cost involved (expected to be well into five figures). When sufficient
funds have been accumulated to make a start, this will hopefully, subject to
progress, attract continuing funding, possibly from Lottery or other public
bodies if necessary.
Once complete, P573 would
become a valuable asset in the museum's collection and available for passenger
service. Quite frankly, without this initiative the alternative is for the bus
to moulder on for the next twenty years at the back of a shed, being of no
benefit to anybody.
If you would like to be
associated with this project, or would like further details or information, or
can help in the form of mechanical or body spares, please contact me at:
Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, M90 Commerce Park, Lathalmond, Dunfermline, Fife KYl2 OSJ
Tel: 01383 737260; fax: 01383 731885; e-mail: lindapet64@hotmail.com
Jasper Pettie
Secretary/Treasurer
September 2003