Save 1583

1583 - LCK746
1583 is a Burlingham bodied Leyland Titan PD3/4 which served Ribble for many years. After disposal, 1583 became an exhibition vehicle and spent some time on these duties in the UK before being refurbished and shipped to Canada for use by the British Olympic Team at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

It was converted to a mobile bar and demonstration unit for Tom Paxton True Brew Beer kits in July 1974. It is recorded as going via Ensign (dealer), Grays by April 1975 but whether it actually changed ownership or was there for further conversion is uncertain. The bus became FH30/10F with tables with Robinson' s Barley Water and during 1975 and part of 1976, the bus was garaged by Southend Corporation Transport. It was used by the British Athletics team for the European Games and the British Commonwealth Games. A competition was organised in 1976 by the TV Times magazine to find a new design for the bus for the 1976 Olympic Games which were held in Montreal. The contest winner was Nikolas Walmsley, 8, his sister Andrea, 9, and father, David, a prison official, who won a trip to the Montreal Olympics as a result. The new livery was red, white and blue with a Union Jack over the destination area and images of torch bearing athletes on both sides. The bus was repainted by Southend Corporation Transport with an appropriate acknowledgment on the rear of the bus. It was driven by SCT Driver Instructor Brian Moxham in Montreal. It was sold by auction following the completion of the Olympic Games. The bus became derelict in a field near Montreal by September 1980. It has been used as a store shed by the present owner for many years. All the windows, except the driver' s cab window, are boarded up with wood.

Present owner
Foreign Car, 6685 Route 132, Ville Sainte Catherine, Quebec J0L 1E0

Date last observed
17 October 2000

Previous Owners LCK 746:

1583 still survives in Canada and a feasibility study is under way to repatriate this historic bus to Lancashire.

1583 in Canada

1583 again - rear

 

If you are interested in being involved please e-mail putting 1583 in the subject line.

Many thanks for the photos taken by and (c) Paul A. Bateson, 17 October 2000 and Roger Hardy and
British Buses in North America for other information.