The Leyland National is an integrally-constructed British step-floor single-decker bus manufactured in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries – the National Bus Company and British Leyland. [2]

Leyland National, 1975, GLJ 681N.....Start up and walk round.....

Apr 29, 2023 · The yard was given a reshuffle to make space for visiting buses that were arriving Friday afternoon. The result of this work, resulted in almost the entire fleet fired up and moved to make space....

London Transport was not an early convert to the Leyland National. It had just made an enormous commitment to single-decker operation in the shape of hundreds of Merlins and Swifts. These were not proving trouble-free! It was having problems too with its new fleet of Daimler Fleetlines.

London Country, a loyal National Bus Company subsidiary by now, was early in the queue for Leyland Nationals. The first were standard, off-the-peg dual-door 11.3m (37ft) buses. What was perhaps unusual was the livery of the first few: bright yellow and blue for …

One of the biggest events in this year’s half century celebrations of the Leyland National will be in the historic county of Cumberland — part of Cumbria today — where more than 7,700 were built over a 14-year period.

The Leyland National — the vehicle that defined the 1970s — holds a unique place in British bus history. A joint venture by Leyland and the stateowned National Bus Company, it was a technically advanced, highly standardised single-decker that was mass-produced using car manufacturing techniques in a new factory dedicated to its construction.

In 1989, renumbered as ‘202’, 353 joined 11 other Nationals in Perth for what was to he a ‘BUS WAR’ with 12 ‘Perth Panther’ branded Leyland Nationals were put up against a fleet of ‘City Transport’ Strathtay Routemasters, the Nationals coming out on top.

Leyland designated all non-standard Nationals as ‘Super Nationals’. Some of these made it into prototype production, but little more. The intention was for Leyland to construct the standard body shell and running units and the interior fittings would then be completed by external contractors.

December 1973 saw the arrival of shorter Leyland Nationals, only 10.3m (34ft 4in) long, and with a single doorway at the front. They were still fitted with bus seats, but London Country had the pvc seats recovered in moquette to reduce the tendency to slide hither and yon.