Dewsbury Bus Museum
The West Riding Omnibus Museum Trust
West Riding 73 (XUA 73X)
To make a donation for this bus, please click this button
XUA 73X was one of the first Leyland National 2 buses to be delivered to West Riding, in January 1982. (Chassis 07629 - seating B49F).
Originally carrying fleet number 73, the bus was re-numbered to 202, then 102 a few years later. It started life in NBC red, to which condition
it is being restored. It later carried an all-over advertisement, then wore the green and cream Caldaire livery. In later years it saw service for United, being repainted again, and ended up in a scrapyard from where it was rescued for preservation. Work came to a halt, due to illness of one of the volunteers working on it, and for eighteen months it lay at the back of the shed in Arriva-Yorkshire's Belle Isle depot gathering dust.
On 21 June 2010, we attached jump leads and the bus started at the first attempt! It was driven round the yard, and put through the bus wash. Then sanding of the bodywork continued..... The photographs at the bottom of this page were taken on that day.
LATEST NEWS (23rd November 2011) - the bus was towed from storage at Arriva's Belle Isle depot to the Museum building on 13th June, and work has now re-started with a view to having the bus running during 2012.
The power-steering and door mechanism are now repaired. New batteries are fitted, an electrical fault is being worked on, a fuel leak repaired and the interior is being deep-cleaned. Corrosion has been discovered behind the wheelarch panels, especially the front nearside, so progress has slowed while this is tackled.
The bus wore a total of five different liveries during its in-service days, and they are shown here, although the final picture was taken after it left the United fleet.
These photographs have been sent from different sources, and we are not quite sure of their origins. If you spot any on which you may hold the copyright, please let us know so that we can either give you credit, or remove the picture.
As fleet number 73, pictured when brand new in MetroBus NBC red.
In revised MetroBus livery, but with the logo painted out and "West Riding" transfers applied. It was renumbered to 202 at this point.
Now carrying an all-over advert for the Wilton Ballroom. Whilst wearing this livery it was renumbered again to 102.
Just withdrawn from United, and heading into preservation.
Left: XUA 73X heads down the "Mad Mile" from Arriva's Belle Isle depot to the Bus Museum in June 2011.
A new front bumper has been sourced and is seen across the seat tops in the interior shots further down the page.
Early 1990s, and the bus is in the Caldaire West Riding livery.
The interior is complete - a good dusting down is needed, followed by the removal of the spare seat cushions and other bits and pieces.
Below - Tony Salmon drives the bus through the wash at Belle Isle, then he and Richard Hall admire their handiwork in the sunshine before getting busy with the sandpaper!
URGENTLY WANTED! If anyone has photographs of this bus during her "in service" days with United - please contact us.
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