| Stand | 45 |
| Scale/Gauge | 12″ to the Foot |
| Region/Era | Stockport / 1965 |
| Owner | Carl Jarman |
FDB 334C is a Leyland PD2/40 double decker half cab bus with an open rear platform at the back for the passengers to embark and disembark the saloons for seating. This type of bus is often referred to as a ‘back loader’, for obvious reasons. This vehicle was new to Stockport Corporation transport as one of the 15 buses in their 1965 intake, and was given the fleet number 34 in line with its registration. The whole batch were FDB 326C – 40C fleet numbered 26-40, all were identical. Stockport actually operated 60 of these buses. The bodywork on all but 15 was made by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, Blackburn, the 15 were bodied by Neepsend an associate company of East Lancs and the buses were built to their other design, so basically you couldn’t tell the difference, all 60 looked the same.
Power for them all was from Leyland’s own 0.600 naturally aspirated 6 cylinder diesel engine a very simple and reliable engine favoured by many operators. The engine produced a massive 130 BHP!, this drove through Leyland’s own 4 speed gearbox which was non synchromesh on 1st and 2nd gears, double ‘de’ clutching is required to get these gears, 3rd and 4th were synchromesh, a good rugged and easy to use gearbox favoured by the drivers.
The transport act of 1969 was introduced to ‘improve’ passenger transport, this meant that all the local council run bus companies around Manchester were compulsory purchased to form one big company, named SELNEC (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire) and all the buses were painted orange and white, of course losing the identity of all the local operators. Stockport’s smart red and white went. 34was passed to SELNEC and was painted orange and white; fortunately it continued to be based at Stockport for the rest of its service life (some Stockport buses were transferred to other depots around Manchester).
After its service life 34 went on to serve as a driver training vehicle with Greater Manchester Transport which SELNEC had become. 34 was painted in the training fleet colours of white with yellow band, this was mid 70’s, it then went on to a private training school in Manchester, The Manchester Training Group.
After its time as a training vehicle (probably one reason why it wasn’t scrapped) it was sold for preservation where it went to Carl Ireland in Hull. It later went south to the London area where it was treated to further restoration. At the end of May 2006 34 came north from Essex to Crewe to its new owner Ray Steele. Ray looked after 34 for the next 9 ½ years keeping it in top condition and re-covering the seats making the interior look very smart. Ray took 34 just about everywhere and fully enjoyed his time with it.
I bought 34 off Ray in November 2015, I fancied owning an old bus, and Ray wanted to sell it to someone who would keep it original, the bonus being that I was from Stockport. My friend Dave Burrows helps to look after 34 and acts as guard/conductor when we use 34. The only job that was needed initially was to paint it back in Stockport red, it appears that Ray must have had it repainted the wrong shade of red! Both Dave and I drive, guard and maintain buses at the Manchester Museum of Transport where we are both volunteers.
We take 34 to various museum events as well as some shows like show bus. We have done a couple of weddings just for friends. Our claim to fame was ‘doing’ the wedding of Tom Ogden the lead singer of Stockport rock band ‘Blossoms’. Tom wanted a bus for his wedding and to get a Stockport one was beyond his wildest dreams, he travelled from the wedding service to the venue with his wife on the bus.
We must admit though that our favourite rally is the Llandudno Transport Festival and Victorian Weekend where we join a number of other preserved buses in providing a bus service form the vehicle showground to the Victorian Extravaganza in Llandudno town centre. We carry hundreds of people over the weekend. 34 doing what it was made for, carrying passengers.
We also provide some transport carrying visitors from local railway stations to model railway exhibitions!
34 is currently part of the exhibition at the St Helens Transport Museum.