One hundred Leylands with Brush Bodies were purchased, compliant with the Corporation's specification, and were delivered in 1948-9.
Perhaps almost compliant would be a better description. The Leyland radiator is somewhat larger and more imposing than other vehicles in the fleet, the rear upper emergency door has two windows, interior wooden trim is possibly not as well executed as it should be and the moquette was applied the wrong way up.
1685 is the sole survivor of this batch. All were allocated exclusively to the Yardley Wood and Perry Barr garages.
1685 entered service in November 1948 at Yardley Wood and spent its entire career running from the garage on service routes such as the 13 /13A, 18, 24, 29, 29A, 90/91 plus from 1962, the 37 to Hall Green.
Upon retirment in July 1968 the vehicle was purchased for preservation by the group. By 1977 the group had fully restored 1685, all panels having being removed, structure repaired and finally bare metal repaint and varnish. One of the first events 1685 attended, after restoration, was the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club- London-Brighton run where 1685 won concours-de-elegance. Although much pleasure has been derived from restoring and exhibiting the vehicle, it has not been without it's traumas, eviction fom accommadation, radiator stolen, wrecked engine whist in the middle of body rebuild due to oil pump failure, all part of the ups and downs of preservation.
Recently it has been necessary to replace the nearside upper window pans and it is planned to replace the moquette with new to the original specification. This will be applied the wrong way up, returning the trim to the condition that 1685 left Brush's "Falcon" Works, Loughborough in 1948. The vehicle has lost its high lustre from its original restoration days, but now appears more as it would have done whilst in service. |
