VAU 397J

. The vehicles were built to Nottingham Standard design but only measured 13 feet 8 inches in height. The need for these special vehicles soon passed with the removal of the bridge shortly after they entered service. 397 received only one repaint prior to withdrawl in January 1981. It passed to the Paul Sykes Organisation (at that time a bus dealer) in Barnsley for £2100 VAT, being collected on 26th January 1981. In April 1981 it was hired to Turners Foods at Tunbridge Wells for use on staff transport duties. Although on paper it was sold to Cascade Taurus Service (Hong Kong) Ltd, Kowloon (187) in May 1981 owing to it breaking down whilst on hire to Turners Foods it missed the boat!!!

The vehicle was later aquired by Turners Foods, passing back to the Paul Sykes Organisation, Barnsley in October 1984.

VAU 397J Leyland Atlantean PDR1/3 with Northern Counties H47/28D Bodywork

new role as a playbus !

397 then passed to A.O.G of Dinnington near Sheffield in the same month for conversion to a playbus for the Dinnington area. On the 30th of October 1985 it passed to the London Borough of Enfield gaining their fleet number C10184. Here it was allocated to 'estate activities' later being rebranded 'Playbusters of Enfield'. As the image here shows one of its earlier liveries was somewhat unique !

Chassis No.7000087 Body No. 7015.

397 was new in December 1970, being delivered over christmas and entered service on 13th January 1971. This is the last surviving example from a batch of six vehicles built for the Clifton Estates routes operating via Wilford Lane and its low railway bridge

Previous Vehicle

Being withdrawn in September 1997 the bus passed to Docklands 2000 Auctions Ltd at Deptford in September 1998, passing for scrap to Alan Hardwick (dealer), Barnsley in July 1999. After being advised of its presence in Hardwicks yard by fellow preservationist Les Simpson, Andy Greenwood from Gedling purchased the bus for £1000 vat in August 1999. By this time the vehicle was no longer a runner owing to fuel starvation and was towed by Hardwick to its new home, on a farm near Calverton, Nottingham.

Rescued from the scrapyard

Although much work was undertaken on the interior of the bus, removing a ladder through the upper deck floor, removing calor gas stoves, kids playpens, sand pits etc etc the vehicle still requires a major overhaul. It was acquired by ourselves in March 2005 and has now had all its lower saloon panels and all the glass removed prior to commencement of re framing and completely repanelling.

The bus now sits awaiting completion of its mechanical refurbishment. To date we have replaced the starter motor, alternator, fly wheel and injector pump. The gearbox and air system are to be tackled soon. As work is also being done on the upper deck structure a canopy has been manufactured to preserve work completed.