Tayside Regional Council 306 (GSL 306W)
Chassis Leyland Leopard PSU3F/4R chassis no. 8030697 ♦ Body Plaxton Supreme V Express C53F body no. 8011LX548
History
In common with many other bus operators in the late 1970s, Tayside Regional Council moved into coaching. Traditionally, most municipal operators had avoided running coaches—something that works in a completely different way to operating local buses—and after a headlong rush during the 1970s and 1980s most retreated pretty quickly. One of the longer-lasting of these was Travel Greyhound, the coaching arm of Tayside’s successor company (Tayside bought out Greyhound Luxury Coaches in 1989), which survives in a limited form today.
Initially, Tayside used several secondhand Bedfords, but in 1980 bought two new Leyland Leopards with Plaxton bodies—typical public sector coaches of the time—and 306 is the first of these. Four similar vehicles arrived the following year.
For much of its life with Tayside it was used on private hires and similar work (this photograph shows it in the centre of Dundee on a shoppers’ service) though all six Leopards were fitted with destination displays and ticket equipment and occasionally ventured onto local bus work. In common with the rest of the coach fleet, 306 received a cherished registration (6689 DP), and a name (Glen Garry).
306 was withdrawn in the late 1990s and re-registered FSL 62W, the mark it carries today. Along with the other five Leopards, it was sold to Oban & District, with whom it remained for a while. It was later sold to Hartlepool Transport, before ending up in the ownership of Rapson’s, who coincidentally had run an ex-Tayside Fleetline in the 1980s.
Restoration
306 was bought for preservation during 2004. The bodywork is complete apart from the seats, some of which require replacement.