HSD73V – Leyland Fleetline FE30AGR

Leyland Fleetline HSD 73V was delivered new to Western SMT as DR73 in red and cream livery and allocated to Dumfries depot.  In May1982 it moved to Thornliebank depot in exchange for a Leyland Leopard.  In June 1985 Western’s northern depots were transferred to Clydeside Scottish and the bus was repainted red and yellow now numbered M73.  In May1989 the bus returned to Western ownership and was numbered R973 but remained at Thornliebank. In October 1991 it passed to the new Clydeside 2000 company and in November was transferred to Inchinnan depot.  It then moved back to Thornliebank and on to Johnstone and in June 1994 was given Routemaster registration 705 DYE.  Back again to Thornliebank, it was soon given local registration WDS 112V and in September 1995 moved yet again to Johnstone.  In May1996 it was withdrawn and was operated by Watts (TM Travel), Derbyshire and Tim Draper Travel, Tibshelf until purchase for preservation in May 2005.   The bus was then reunited with its original registration mark.

Changing hands in November 2007, a three month push to complete the restoration started in February 2008, involving extensive body repairs, re-panel work and finally a repaint into the original Clydeside Scottish livery of red and yellow.