GALLERY of 1985
The Leyland/DAB-ECW replacement for the LH was eagerly awaited after demonstration at the NEC, and it returned to Denmark for modifications. On January 19th it was being prepared at Central Works for traffic.
By March 26th it was working from Richmond depot, principally on service 24 to Darlington, and the 127 to Hawes. Shortly afterwards it moved to Loftus where it spent the rest of its days with the company. It was deemed too expensive to replace the LH - a lengthy reprieve!
Not so lucky was RESL 2844, withdrawn days after this photo of 25th January. The last J-registered bus in the fleet, it may still survive with the Footsbarn Theatre Company.
Internal NBC politics ensured the four new 3500 bodied Tigers 1107-10 lasted for less than two months with United, being replaced by new Bova Futuras. 1109 was yet to enter service when pictured on 21st January. It quickly passed to Ribble.
The UEC trip of 17th February visited depots in County Durham and Hartlepool. A one-off line up of 1624, 1722, 1455 and 1454 next to Feethams was arranged. The tour bus was 1722 of Berwick depot, 100 miles away from Darlington!
The influx of new Olympians continued, and 250 (B250 NVN) was brand new at Central Works in min May. It was allocated to Scarborough and still survives to this day with EYMS.
The last Bristol RELLs were withdrawn during the year. 4262 was latterly used as a Market Analysis office, and was parked at Bishop Auckland bus station on 30th June. This location is now the Aldi Supermarket car park.
They don't come much rarer than this photograph of Neoplan-Aurwarter/Plaxton 4000 171 (B171 REF) at Whitby on 10th July. It was on a Rapide demonstration trip, having reached the Yorkshire Coast after the failure of Bova Europa 1209. 170/1 were the only such coaches in the fleet, with Metroliners again being delivered in 1986.
On the same day, Leopard 6214 displayed its repaint into original style NBC express livery. A deliberate mistake by the paint shop!
A UEC tour of North Yorkshire depots on Saturday 13th July saw the rare appearance of Middlesbrough VR 744 at Northallerton and Richmond, complete with appropriate 'destination'. EYMS 4 completes the scene at Northallerton.
The last VR in the fleet, 829 of Ashington depot, never carried standard NBC livery, being an overall advert bus from 1981 until 1985 when it received the new UAS scheme. Fellow Olympian 232 of Whitley Bay was always in the TWPTE livery whilst in United ownership. Both were at Blyth on 24th October, the day of another UEC tour covering depots in Southern Northumberland and Newastle.
LH 1594 displays the scheme as applied to saloons. Most Jesmond repaints left the waistband red, presumably this was repainted at Central Works. Another photo taken on 24th October.