Tayside Regional Council 46 (HSR 46X)

History

This bus comes from the first batch of Mk III Ailsas to be delivered to Tayside Regional Council, in 1981. This was the last batch of Alexander-bodied Ailsas to be delivered to Tayside, and unlike all the previous batches the X-registered buses had Alexander’s recently-introduced R-type body. The interior specification differed from earlier batches too, with different laminates and brown vinyl seats. The chassis used the same Voith gearbox that had been fitted previously to Mk II Ailsa 276, and which was fitted in all subsequent Tayside Ailsas. The buses were used initially on Whitfield services 15/17.

In common with the majority of other Mk III Ailsas in the fleet, 46 received a single-door conversion during the late 1980s/early 1990s. In 1991 it was chosen to receive Dundee Corporation green livery to commemorate the octocentenary of the City of Dundee in that year. It kept the colours for several years.

In Travel Dundee days the X-registered Ailsas outlasted the newer East Lancs and Northern Counties-bodied buses. The last survivors were withdrawn in 1999, replaced initially by hired-in Leyland Lynxes from Travel West Midlands (one of the more bizarre episodes in the history of Dundee’s buses!). 46 was sold to an independent operator in Merseyside.

Restoration

The bus was bought from a Barnsley dealer in November 2007 and is currently in store in England, with the intention of bringing it back to Scotland early in 2008.

© 2007–2008 Taybus Vintage Vehicle Society. Scottish Registered Charity no. 032525