LA927 (JUS774N) entered service in 1975 from Ibrox Garage. It was delivered in GGPTE livery but was later repainted into 'PTE2' livery of Verona Green, white band and windscreen surround and Gold Cup Yellow upper deck with Trans-Clyde decals. It has the standard spec GGPTE Alexander body with panoramic slider vent windows and is fitted with a Leyland O.680 engine of 11.2 litres coupled to a semi-automatic 4 speed gearbox. The interior fitted is the lighter green stitched vinyl with green patterned laminate throughout. It was withdrawn from Strathclyde PTE service in June 1982 having been transferred to Newlands Garage that April, and operated for Don's of Dunmow in Essex from May 1983 until September 2005 at which point it was acquired for preservation and returned to Glasgow. It is now part of the collection at Bridgeton Bus Garage. The bus is being restored in it's circa 1980-82 livery and condition complete with Almex E ticket equipment, anti-assault screens and fare vault.
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On August 2nd 2005, Mark Budd and David Purcell flew to London Stansted Airport, a stone's throw from Dunmow to collect LA927.
The bus immediately impressed with it's 30 years easily masked by thorough maintenance - a credit to it's operator of the last 22 years. Our sincere thanks go to all of the staff at Don's Coaches for their help and enthusiasm.
The drive home was a breeze and took only one day arriving at Hillington by about 9:30pm.
The bus consumed a fair amount of diesel of course but happily cruised at over 50mph despite our best efforts to drive more slowly! A number of spare parts were also secured as Don's had operated a total of four Glasgow Atlanteans over the years, one of which LA907 (JGA189N), is now repainted in GGPTE livery.
Ex-Graham's of Paisley L1 (YDS650S) was also owned and is now preserved in Graham's original livery.
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The bus was initially stored at Bus World in Hillington where sadly it was the subject of some mindless vandalism.
Some idiot added a quantity of (hopefully) water to the diesel tanks which resulted in an inevitable and embarrasing breakdown in the middle of Renfrew.
Some hours later the bus was towed back to Hillington where it was unfortunately locked out of the garage. It lay outside for several very wet days until air could be
added to it's tanks to release the brakes in order for the bus to be pushed inside. Many hours of work then followed involving completely draining the fuel system and
replacing the filters. Eventually the 680 spluttered into life with the help of Ian Walker and although it does not seem to start as well now, appears to have come through without any damage.
The bus was subsequently granted a place in the collection at the GVVT's premises - Bridgeton Bus Garage.
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DECEMBER 2005It was decided to purchase another Glasgow Atlantean to break for spares so survivor LA843 (SGA726N) was secured from Smith's Coaches of Patna. The bus was hitched up to the GVVT towing wagon, a converted ex-Western SMT Leyland Leopard and latterly with Lothian Buses.
LA843 was in generally very poor condition with exposure to the elements being the main problem. However it has yielded a huge quantity of parts including much of the missing original interior for LA927.
Ironically, this was the bus which replaced L446 (SGD448) - essentially the trade-in vehicle, which entered preservation directly from Smith's, and now resides in Bridgeton Bus Garage.
It was decided to purchase another Glasgow Atlantean to break for spares so survivor LA843 (SGA726N) was secured from Smith's Coaches of Patna. The bus was hitched up to the GVVT towing wagon, a converted ex-Western SMT Leyland Leopard and latterly with Lothian Buses.
LA843 was in generally very poor condition with exposure to the elements being the main problem. However it has yielded a huge quantity of parts including much of the missing original interior for LA927.
Ironically, this was the bus which replaced L446 (SGD448) - essentially the trade-in vehicle, which entered preservation directly from Smith's, and now resides in Bridgeton Bus Garage.
We would like to thank all those involved with this project -
Hugh Cumming, John Kennedy, Lynn McIntyre and Peter Grant.
(John Kennedy, Andy McCormick, Mark Budd)
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MARCH 2006This bus is being actively restored this year hopefully in time for the Lathalmond Rally.
So far the interior has been more or less completed with a few seat cushion repairs still required. The inside will be properly restored in the future
but for now retains a certain in-service feel appropriate to a 7-8 year old Glasgow service bus. An anti-assault screen has been obtained and restored but together with a
Bell Punch fare vault and Almex E ticket machine is not yet fitted. Brand new yellow Lucas fog lamps have also been fitted. Destination gear had been removed but is now re-instated and I am looking for a selection of period blinds especially an Ibrox one.
If you have a blind tucked away in the loft somewhere, why not sell it to me and see it back on a Glasgow bus where it belongs! I am also looking for number blinds for both Atlanteans.
This bus is being actively restored this year hopefully in time for the Lathalmond Rally.
So far the interior has been more or less completed with a few seat cushion repairs still required. The inside will be properly restored in the future
but for now retains a certain in-service feel appropriate to a 7-8 year old Glasgow service bus. An anti-assault screen has been obtained and restored but together with a
Bell Punch fare vault and Almex E ticket machine is not yet fitted. Brand new yellow Lucas fog lamps have also been fitted. Destination gear had been removed but is now re-instated and I am looking for a selection of period blinds especially an Ibrox one.
If you have a blind tucked away in the loft somewhere, why not sell it to me and see it back on a Glasgow bus where it belongs! I am also looking for number blinds for both Atlanteans.
APRIL 2006LA843 has been progressively stripped of absolutely everything over the last few months and it's remains liberally hammered to pieces to vent the various frustrations such a rusty wreck can bring!
On Sunday the 9th, Dunsmore's wrecker took the carcass to Larkhall to meet it's final fate. There are a large number of parts available for sale from this bus so feel free to email me about anything you might need or want.
The photos show the dismantling process at its various stages. Thanks to everyone who helped and particular thanks to Peter Grant for the sheer amount of time he has spent on LA843's dismantling.
LA843 has been progressively stripped of absolutely everything over the last few months and it's remains liberally hammered to pieces to vent the various frustrations such a rusty wreck can bring!
On Sunday the 9th, Dunsmore's wrecker took the carcass to Larkhall to meet it's final fate. There are a large number of parts available for sale from this bus so feel free to email me about anything you might need or want.
The photos show the dismantling process at its various stages. Thanks to everyone who helped and particular thanks to Peter Grant for the sheer amount of time he has spent on LA843's dismantling.
(Mark Budd)
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This photo of LA843 when fairly new was recently found, although no details are known of the photographer.
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Meanwhile work has continued with the repairs to LA927's seat cushions with this nearing completion. The two over-wheel-arch cushions will need to be made up from a number of
individual panels rescued from other spares and one good battery-box type cushion is being split into two so that the visible ends will be the correct height. The entire interior will use genuine used vinyl so the seats look exactly as they should.
Replacing of the individual panels of the seat cushions was carried out in service and sometimes created a stripey look.
The roof dome is now receiving attention with consideration being given to its repair rather than replacement. The aluminium shield fitted by Don's has been removed and the fibreglass underneath inspected.
Interestingly, the roof is still faded Gold Cup yellow having never been painted since it's Glasgow days. The aerial on LA927 has always protruded from an off-centre hole and while this is authentic, it has been decided to re-fit the aerial cover in the centre so it sits straight.
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MAY 2006The roof dome's condition became worse the more the covering was peeled
back and in places there was nothing to work with. Worse, both corners had been injected with expanding foam
which had pushed the inner dome into the bus and burst the two skins apart. To make matters worse,
it became apparent that the bus had hit something very solid along the length of its coving and had been repaired
with long lengths of aluminium which would not fit neatly with a new dome.
The decision has therefore been taken to replace at least the first two outer roof skins using those from LA843.
The four vents were mashed anyway and needed to be replaced and it is hoped that some of the internal
headlining can be replaced as this has also suffered from impact damage.
The roof dome's condition became worse the more the covering was peeled
back and in places there was nothing to work with. Worse, both corners had been injected with expanding foam
which had pushed the inner dome into the bus and burst the two skins apart. To make matters worse,
it became apparent that the bus had hit something very solid along the length of its coving and had been repaired
with long lengths of aluminium which would not fit neatly with a new dome.
The decision has therefore been taken to replace at least the first two outer roof skins using those from LA843.
The four vents were mashed anyway and needed to be replaced and it is hoped that some of the internal
headlining can be replaced as this has also suffered from impact damage.
The upper windscreen and several side windows were removed, one of which had been replaced at some time with an unusual two-pane arrangement.
The roof dome was then peeled from the bus revealing a reasonably intact but dented inner dome.
(Sean Moriarty)
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JUNE 2006OK, so this has turned into a MUCH bigger job than anticipated! All but one of the roof skin panels have
been removed so that those from LA843 can be fitted as they are all in good condition. The framework was found to have taken quite a dunt
in the incident and bits of it had been replaced with copper piping! These will be removed and parts from LA843's roof used to put things right.
When you look down the bus, the frame is quite wobbly so an effort will be made to straighten things out. On the plus side, removing just about
everything has meant that any damaged parts can simply be replaced including all the nasty headlining coving panels and some of the aluminium beading.
OK, so this has turned into a MUCH bigger job than anticipated! All but one of the roof skin panels have
been removed so that those from LA843 can be fitted as they are all in good condition. The framework was found to have taken quite a dunt
in the incident and bits of it had been replaced with copper piping! These will be removed and parts from LA843's roof used to put things right.
When you look down the bus, the frame is quite wobbly so an effort will be made to straighten things out. On the plus side, removing just about
everything has meant that any damaged parts can simply be replaced including all the nasty headlining coving panels and some of the aluminium beading.
A quick thanks to Charles Billette for donating a stainless steel wiper blade to the cause - this coming from L1 (YDS650S) also acquired from Don's of Dunmow.
The arms can be stripped back revealing a full matching pair of silver wipers - another nice authentic touch. Meanwhile a pair of brand new rear light
clusters has been sourced courtesy of Ray Trigg Vintage Spares which will compliment the front clusters, side indicators and amber fog lamps already sourced brand new.
(Mark Budd)
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AUGUST 2006Three of the curved parts of the roof frame from LA843 have been cut to size and slotted in with aluminium beading strip being used to reinforce the join.
This has allowed the horizontal part of the frame to be pulled back into shape with only the first pillar still showing signs of a lean. It has been decided to leave this
as to cut another beam might compromise the structure's integrity too much and the lean is not very pronounced anyway. It would also necessitate the removal of much more of the headlining. The inner dome has been removed by
removing the front beam from the frame as the rivets are underneath the main headlining. The inner dome from LA843 will be restored and (unfortunately) painted with a satin finish as gloss is felt to be too shiny
and would highlight any undulations in the paint application (which will be done by mini roller).
Three of the curved parts of the roof frame from LA843 have been cut to size and slotted in with aluminium beading strip being used to reinforce the join.
This has allowed the horizontal part of the frame to be pulled back into shape with only the first pillar still showing signs of a lean. It has been decided to leave this
as to cut another beam might compromise the structure's integrity too much and the lean is not very pronounced anyway. It would also necessitate the removal of much more of the headlining. The inner dome has been removed by
removing the front beam from the frame as the rivets are underneath the main headlining. The inner dome from LA843 will be restored and (unfortunately) painted with a satin finish as gloss is felt to be too shiny
and would highlight any undulations in the paint application (which will be done by mini roller).
Meanwhile LA389 formerly in preservation has sadly been broken up but a number of spares have been retained including some split-rim wheels fitted with 10x20 tyres which are correct for LA927.
Of interest is that Don's of Dunmow liveried ex-Graham's of Paisley Atlantean L1 (YDS650S) has now been exported to the Czech Republic for continued preservation!
(Mark Budd)
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NOVEMBER 2006Fleet number plates have been made up for LA927, 1324 and 1443 using aluminium sheet with raised outer edging. This was then coated with 3M reflective plastic film and the raised edges painted satin black. The look of embossed letters was created using original plates from my collection.
The letters were cast into resin using rubber moulds and when painted black were bonded to the plates. The finished result is as near perfect as is necessary and I'd like to thank Gordon Tennant (co-owner of LA907) for the loan of L446's plate from which I took the 4.
Fleet number plates have been made up for LA927, 1324 and 1443 using aluminium sheet with raised outer edging. This was then coated with 3M reflective plastic film and the raised edges painted satin black. The look of embossed letters was created using original plates from my collection.
The letters were cast into resin using rubber moulds and when painted black were bonded to the plates. The finished result is as near perfect as is necessary and I'd like to thank Gordon Tennant (co-owner of LA907) for the loan of L446's plate from which I took the 4.
The outer roof panels from LA843 have been sanded back and some scoring removed by beating the panels from behind. A light coat of filler will smooth these out completely when fitted.
The inner roof coving panels which had been damaged in service have all been replaced and the inner dome re-fitted although work is still required with this to ensure a snug fit. The fitting of these parts has pulled the frame more or less back into line.
Meanwhile a large LEYLAND badge for the bonnet has been put together using letters rescued from a National 2 front some years ago and a heavily refurbished backplate found still fitted to a Manchester Atlantean in a local scrapyard recently.
(Mark Budd)
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JANUARY 2007The steering wheel saved from LA510 which was recently scrapped has been stripped back and awaits powder coating.
This wheel is of the type which had large "knobbles" around the edge to assist with grip - not really necessary on a bus with such light power steering, but this is a feature I remember from these earlier buses when I was small.
The last cushions over the rear wheels and the large rear seat back from upstairs have now been covered in orignal green vinyl giving the bus a full set at last. Technically I should have retained the awful solid fibreglass rear seat the bus would have had in PTE2 livery days,
but not all LAs were so modified and it will be much nicer to have a complete original interior. The last pieces of laminate have been secured to the roof and the whole lot could really do with a clean now. The original Chapmans driver's seat has been covered in used genuine leather as per original,
with the rear of the original back being retained. Although the leather is now a bit worn (and has yet to be deep cleaned), its authenticity is a nice touch. To finish the cab area, the anti-assault screens have now been fitted complete with hinged upper section and catch so that it can be maintained in the open position securely.
Sanding has also begun with the roof now stripped back. The Don's livery comes away fairly easily - possibly the bus was not prepared for it that thoroughly,
but the earlier colours applied by SPTE are more firmly adhered - this is not a problem as long as they can be sanded smooth.
All the aluminium extrusions and other mouldings are being stripped back to bare metal for a perfect finish.
The steering wheel saved from LA510 which was recently scrapped has been stripped back and awaits powder coating.
This wheel is of the type which had large "knobbles" around the edge to assist with grip - not really necessary on a bus with such light power steering, but this is a feature I remember from these earlier buses when I was small.
The last cushions over the rear wheels and the large rear seat back from upstairs have now been covered in orignal green vinyl giving the bus a full set at last. Technically I should have retained the awful solid fibreglass rear seat the bus would have had in PTE2 livery days,
but not all LAs were so modified and it will be much nicer to have a complete original interior. The last pieces of laminate have been secured to the roof and the whole lot could really do with a clean now. The original Chapmans driver's seat has been covered in used genuine leather as per original,
with the rear of the original back being retained. Although the leather is now a bit worn (and has yet to be deep cleaned), its authenticity is a nice touch. To finish the cab area, the anti-assault screens have now been fitted complete with hinged upper section and catch so that it can be maintained in the open position securely.
Sanding has also begun with the roof now stripped back. The Don's livery comes away fairly easily - possibly the bus was not prepared for it that thoroughly,
but the earlier colours applied by SPTE are more firmly adhered - this is not a problem as long as they can be sanded smooth.
All the aluminium extrusions and other mouldings are being stripped back to bare metal for a perfect finish.
A lucky ebay find was an original Trans-Clyde varnish-on transfer although it will at best serve as a template to have four new ones made up as it is from the Underground and is too small.
(Mark Budd)
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FEBRUARY 2007Work has continued removing all the old paint from the strapping and extrusions with the front of the bus being focussed on. Paint has fairly easily come away from the fibreglass
windscreen surround revealing several repairs which will need to be tidied up. The bus has knocked its fair share of high kerbs over the years and apart from fibreglass damage to the corner of the front panel, the pillar to which this is attached next to the door was bent and the aluminium panel
fitted to this was in very bad shape. This has been remanufactured and fitted, along with replacement draft exclusion brushes from a Western Leopard.
The large coach mirror has been removed (well actually it fell off!) and brand new correct pattern mounting brackets have been sourced together with new 1980 spec glass mirrors re-finished in silver-grey. These will be fitted in due course.
Meanwhile the vertical post which seperates the two halves of the windscreen was removed to fit the final part of the anti-assault screen and as some of it was found to be in poor condition, a new one was made from the best of the parts from LA843 and LA927.
The steering wheel from LA510 cannot it seems be powder coated because of the plastic knobbles melting in the oven. Instead it has been sprayed with Hammerite - the wheel would originally have been painted anyway.
Work has continued removing all the old paint from the strapping and extrusions with the front of the bus being focussed on. Paint has fairly easily come away from the fibreglass
windscreen surround revealing several repairs which will need to be tidied up. The bus has knocked its fair share of high kerbs over the years and apart from fibreglass damage to the corner of the front panel, the pillar to which this is attached next to the door was bent and the aluminium panel
fitted to this was in very bad shape. This has been remanufactured and fitted, along with replacement draft exclusion brushes from a Western Leopard.
The large coach mirror has been removed (well actually it fell off!) and brand new correct pattern mounting brackets have been sourced together with new 1980 spec glass mirrors re-finished in silver-grey. These will be fitted in due course.
Meanwhile the vertical post which seperates the two halves of the windscreen was removed to fit the final part of the anti-assault screen and as some of it was found to be in poor condition, a new one was made from the best of the parts from LA843 and LA927.
The steering wheel from LA510 cannot it seems be powder coated because of the plastic knobbles melting in the oven. Instead it has been sprayed with Hammerite - the wheel would originally have been painted anyway.
(Mark Budd, Sean Moriarty)
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MARCH 2007Most of the damaged panels have been removed and are being replaced using new material and good panels salvaged from LA843 including the rear upper panel which had never been modified -
many LAs had this panel split in half following damage to make repair easier. The panel under the rear canopy was found to have sacrificially corroded around the brass hinge on the access door for the rear number plate lamps necessitating its replacement.
This job became complicated as it was realised that to remove this involved removing most of the back end, such is the layered method of construction. This however has permitted other replacement parts in better condition to be fitted easily like the panel mentioned above.
At the same time the bustle pods have been removed for repair or replacement with the availability of suitable parts being the deciding factor. One hinge was found to have sheared and a new one was brutally removed from a
scrap Manchester Atlantean. Fears of how to remove and replace the old one proved unfounded as with a little WD40 the original countersunk bolts came out no problem and have been re-used.
Most of the damaged panels have been removed and are being replaced using new material and good panels salvaged from LA843 including the rear upper panel which had never been modified -
many LAs had this panel split in half following damage to make repair easier. The panel under the rear canopy was found to have sacrificially corroded around the brass hinge on the access door for the rear number plate lamps necessitating its replacement.
This job became complicated as it was realised that to remove this involved removing most of the back end, such is the layered method of construction. This however has permitted other replacement parts in better condition to be fitted easily like the panel mentioned above.
At the same time the bustle pods have been removed for repair or replacement with the availability of suitable parts being the deciding factor. One hinge was found to have sheared and a new one was brutally removed from a
scrap Manchester Atlantean. Fears of how to remove and replace the old one proved unfounded as with a little WD40 the original countersunk bolts came out no problem and have been re-used.
(Mark Budd)
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APRIL 2007
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JUNE 2007
Progress has been made rebuilding the back end with a new stainless steel hinge fitted to the bulb access flap under the canopy. The Radolarm button and light have been refurbished/replaced and is even sort of working again.
The off-side lower panels were removed to reveal the extent of the accident damage which was not too bad. Some of the internal laminate has been cracked but hopefully glue will sort this. The fuel tanks are in particularly good order and can't be more than a few years old.
The aluminium filler cap had been painted silver and this has been stripped back and the cap polished to bring out its former shine. 2 new panels were then fitted together with one from LA843 and the original skirt panels which have been straightened and sanded. The original fibreglass filler surround was repaired and sanded before fitting.
Meanwhile a new dome has been located and removed from Newcastle Atlantean EJR104W. This is in immaculate condition but on these buses extended right around the destination aperture to the driver's windscreen. The fibreglass was cut in situe before removing the top section I need.
This replacement part means I have eliminated the need for pillar joins and have attended to some other damage just below the beading strip. The dome took some fettling but has been fitted making the bus appear whole again.
The main roof panels are now all in situe, with replacement vent covers coming from LA843 and the Newcastle Atlantean, the originals having been all but obliterated by Essex trees.
3 between decks panels on the offside and 2 on the nearside have been replaced with straight panels salvaged from LA843 and fitted back to front to provide a new aluminium surface, with another having been removed and repaired before refitting back to front.
While the panels were off, the opportunity was taken to repaint the side number box and fit original spec canvas number blinds the same as those on the front. The mild steel support brackets these bodies have between the lower deck ceiling and upper deck floor are in an amazing rust-free condition and need no attention.
(Mark Budd, Colin Anderson)
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This photo of LA927 with Don's in the 1980s was recently found. The Glasgow colours in this unusual layout were applied before the bus was sold. No details are known of the photographer.
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Of note is that LA517 (XGA15J) has just been repatriated from Wales by a consortium of preservationists including myself. It will eventually be restored to original 2 door specification. Parts and information to do this are now sought so please let me know if you can help.
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AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2007
All of the aluminium panels have now been fitted with new rubber used on the rear panel vents and registration plate glass.
The plate has been cleaned up and mounted to a replacement plastic backing. The windscreen separater bar has been re-fitted with long machine screws to attach the front part of the anti-assault screen.
This part of the screen is not a perfect fit as they were all made slightly differently and I am fitting together parts from different buses. It certainly looks the part though.
The grab rails at the door have been restored and temporarily fixed which involved removing the brush bar again as it should have recesses for the hand rail when mounted in the correct place which I had to cut.
The inner dome is now completely secured and trimmed to match the new outer. It has been given 5 very thin coats of gloss cream using a mini roller, with the lower part finished in gloss black.
This has provided a very smooth finish and looks just like the coloured gelcoat layer of the original fibreglass moulding which I am very pleased about as I really do not like using paint on surfaces which were not originally painted - it never looks the same and is cheating.
The rear dome and emergency exit door have received cosmetic repairs and have also been painted in gloss cream.
All the fluorescent light shades have been removed and the reflectors painted with white Hammerite to both increase their light output and help prevent any further corrosion.
The light shades when new were fitted with plastic gaskets which formed a better dust and insect seal. These have been sourced and reinstated, although the covers will only be fitted as the surrounding panel is cleaned.
The battered steel rear bumper has been removed and replaced. The centre section has come from LA1443 as an example of the solid type fitted to Glasgow LAs as replacements, appropriate to LA927 in its 7-8 year old target condition.
LA1443 will receive an original Leyland bumper with the holes for towing eyes. These towing eyes were optional and although not fitted to LA927 were specified on LA1443.
A single non-standard eye has however been fitted to LA927 at a later time but will be covered by the new bumper. LA1443's bumper was not in great condition and had been badly dented. It had also been welded to the corner section and has had to be freed, hammered out and filled.
LA927 has at some time had a heavy dunt at the rear off side corner which has pushed the subframe in. Extended brackets and spacers have been used to ensure a flush fit of the bumper sections. Additionally, the pods have been adjusted and the bonnet bump stop altered so that everything sits reasonably in line.
The pods have both been replaced but both have the later BMAC light clusters which will be replaced.
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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2007
Work has continued around the back end of the bus, the corners being altered and further straightened, the large light holes repositioned and reduced to accept the smaller original spec light clusters. Repairs have also been carried out to the fibreglass to eliminate various bolts and rivets which were holding things together before.
Unpainted black plungers will be fitted at the last minute after the bus is painted. The bonnet bump stops have been lifted as much as possible although the bonnet still shuts slightly low. Original spec white rubber has been fitted at the top of the bustle corners. This was hard to find and was eventually taken from around the emergency exit doors of Y-types, T-types and early R-types and modified to suit.
Strathclyde and Lothian replaced this vulnerable part in service with much heavier black rubber although LA927 left Glasgow too early to ever be so treated.
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This photo of LA927 in service in the 1970s was recently uploaded to Paul Redmond's superb Fotopic site.
The bus is on it's second repaint in GGPTE livery and still retains all it's original features.
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DECEMBER 2007
Attention has turned to the front panel which it was decided to replace. A brand new one was recently discovered at former premises of The Glasgow Bus Museum
and although the original is heavier and was not in all that bad a condition, it was decided this would be kept as a spare and the bus treated to the brand new part.
This involved carefully measuring and cutting holes for the grill, fog and side lights and washer bottle flap together with drilling holes for the number plate, towing eye hole reinforceres which were fitted in Glasgow
to many LAs and the fleet plate. The fleet plates were normally fitted just below the number plate but the in-service photo I have (and the filled holes) show that LA927's had been mounted further down.
Although this would technically be correct, I would rather have it in the normal position for most of these buses. Only the lights will be fitted and wired up before the front is bolted on to ensure everything works OK.
Newly purchased brand new chrome headlight trims, foglamp surrounds, BMAC lenses and both plates will be fitted after the bus is painted for obvious reasons. The hole reinforcers will also be fitted after the front is painted because they overlap the number plate slightly.
These can be painted off the bus and the rivets touched in when complete. Of interest, these seem to have been cast from chrome side lamp surrounds as fitted to earlier Atlanteans and most buses of this previous era.
Work has also continued on the fibreglass around the rear of the bus. Although sanding had begun in places, it was found that this would cause problems on its own. First it is very messy and even using a machine is tiring.
Also, where you have any chips in the paint particularly if they are deep, it was impossible to achieve a smooth finish. In addition filler cannot be applied properly over old paint and some of the fibreglass needs repaired.
All things considered it is much more desirable to remove the thick old paint altogether.
Luckily this proved to be easier and possibly quicker (in places) than sanding using a neat plastic scraper which is designed to take a Stanley knife blade. This can be tricky when scraping aluminium as the blade digs into the metal easily
but with the fibreglass being smooth and much harder, the blade glides over the top easily flaking the old paint away. Small repairs are being carried out to achieve a smooth surface before primer is applied. At the same time, the bumper has been brushed back to bare steel and P40 used
to fill out small dents. This will shortly be painted with red oxide primer along with other steel components around the back to minimise the spread of rust.
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FEBRUARY 2008
The rear end of the bus is now almost finished with only some wiring to the lights and odd bits of filling still required.
Holes have been drilled for the various badges and fleet number plate which will be fitted to the nearside - GGPTE moved these from an off-side location for some unknown reason during the buses' lives.
The bonnet is not the original as no holes were present for either badge, and this would tie in with other evidence of prior accident damage found.
Attention now turns back to the nearside of the bus. As my knowledge, experience and competence have increased, it has become obvious that the easiest and best course of action is to use new metal where there is any sign of a problem
since to sand and fill takes more time than to re-panel and will never look quite as good. To this end, more aluminium was ordered together with some extrusions for the front wheelarch moulding and some edging around the entrance which was kinked.
With the panels in place and the last of Don's identity removed, this side of the bus is nearing completion with only surface preparation and the dreaded window re-fitting to be done. Incidentally, some of the original extrusions fitted to the window sliders
were missing and even using those salvaged from LA843 I still did not have enough, however it was discovered that his same extrusion was still in use on the cab windows of Alexander TS Tigers and RV Citybuses and is probably still widely available.
A length was saved from the scrapyard and gives the bus a full set of matching slider handles. A nice touch was the revealing of the Trans-Clyde branding on the front most nearside panel which has been buried for 25 years!
This is useful as a size and location guide for the new vinyls on both LA927 and LA1443. The panel on the offside also retains the logo and as this panel is being replaced, the original can be kept for this purpose.
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MARCH 2008
The near side rear roof has now been prepared which included repairing a fibreglass bodge
which dated back to the 1970s since it was over white paint and was then coated with white. There had been a hole in the dome which had been filled and
overlayed with fibreglass matting creating a heavy texture. This has all been removed and a smooth repair carried out.
Paint is also being removed from the front dome which has revealed some damage on the nearside pillar sustained in Newcastle days (remember which bus the dome is from!)
The door leaves were removed and stripped back to bare metal. Three of the plates at the door bases have been replaced with new metal folded and cut to shape and happily this revealed that the frame of the doors,
notorious for corrosion was in as-new condition with no evidence at all of white aluminium oxide powder. The rubbers however were in a worse state with both centre strips and the two thinner strips on one half of the door
being replaced with reclaimed rubber. After a lot of struggling with this difficult job it was noticed that there are slight differences between these rubber profiles from bus to bus so I eventually located the closest rubber I could which proved easier to fit.
Following a light sand to finish and key the surface, the nearside is now ready for etching primer.
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MARCH 2009
A new arrival in the family has restricted progress over the last year but hopefully
this has been temporary - up to a point! The bus has been turned around and attention given to the off side panels with a number
more being changed and others stripped back to bare metal using a Stanley blade scraper. The front end it seems has been entirely replaced
over the years - possibly as the result of a shunt at some time. One of the corners around the destination aperture panel
has been replaced with one recently salvaged from LA826 as it had been hitting Essex trees for 25 years and was badly cracked.
The scrapping of LA826 also supplied some useful little parts in addition to the wheels and engine removed for LA517. I was able to get a pair of excellent chrome hinges
fitted to the conductor's locker which are normally pitted and rusty but on LA826 had been painted with easy to remove emulsion which had protected them.
The lower deck window which was smashed in last year's accident has been re-fitted which was alarmingly easy considering the dread with
which I have been thinking about this job. Some tips were obtained from Martin Brand from Larkfield Depot who has fitted hundreds of these over the years
which gave us the confidence to fire ahead. The others on the upper deck have subsequently been re-fitted. The front dome has also been completely stripped back
to bare fibreglass revealing the extent of the damage to the pillars - a large chunk had been cut from the dome and filled with fibreglass matting
and a lot of filler. Much of this has been removed and a neater job performed although how I didn't notice this before I fitted the dome I do not know -
it would have been better to do it before fitting. The support pins for the front panel which were loose or missing have been welded to little plates, painted in red oxide primer
and fitted in preparation for the front panel. The chassis cross member and other steelwork around this area has also been wire-brushed and silvered. Meanwhile the steel around
the rear including the bumper, bonnet handle, access flap and LEYLAND badge backing have also all been painted with red oxide. Further filler repairs have been carried out around the bonnet
and the repairs on the front end continue.
A trip to Barnsley recently unearthed LA1024, the bus used as an open topper in York languishing in Wigley's yard. The bus retained a few green seats downstairs
and while I did not purchase more backs, I was able to obtain several cushions - all the long ones which is a big bonus as they can be used to make shorter ones, and all three battery box ones which means
I can make a better job of these than I was making do with until now. In addition a Manchester Atlantean provided the usually rotten rubber moulding fitted around the door opening lever -
still immaculate because these buses have this control behind a flap.
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This superb photo turned up at a recent rally showing LA927 before entering service
in the yard at Alexander's factory. Amazingly the Portsmouth bus it is parked beside is HOR306N, also now preserved!
It is interesting to note how many features the bus had when new which will not be restored
as the bus is being presented in its Trans-Clyde days. The radio aerial is exposed as the fibreglass covers were a later addition,
the wing mirrors are of a smaller style and in black with grey rubbers, the stainless steel wiper blades are much taller (and probably better),
the front fog lamps are clear glass and mounted further from centre - much like the Edinburgh ones. I wonder if this was unusual for a Glasgow bus
as most photos seem to show them closer together. I do know however that LA927 had yellow ones later in its life with Don's and assume
they were fitted in Glasgow. The rubber around the grill is not painted - a feature which would be preferable but painting it
green will look so much more authentic for a longer-in-service bus. I have yet to make a decision on this. Finally, the fleet number plate is in the original position unlike in the other photo above
which wears the same front as it arrived into preservation with. I intend to put the plate in the original position though
as it looks more standard. One small nuisance is that I used earlier LA600 series fleet plates to prepare my replicas and it seems the font of the 9
(I used an upside down 6) is slightly different! Too late! At least the 2 and 7 were taken from later correct plates.
Inside, you can make out the lack of security screen and the bus has no ticket equipment yet in this photo.
Also the flip down Please Pay Driver sign would have been removed by the early 1980s although I am trying to obtain one for LA517 if anyone can help.
(M. King collection)
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In a moment of considerable geekiness, I prepared these two images in Photoshop showing all the exterior parts of the bus which have been (or in some cases will be) replaced tinted in blue. It is quite surprising just how little of the original remains in places!
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APRIL 2009
The new front panel has finally been fitted. Being a brand new moulding, this has needed some setting up.
Lots of little dollops of filler were applied here and there and the edges needed quite a bit of material removed to ensure a correct fit.
It was a tricky job pressing the panel into place before committing to the bolt holes down the sides and some alterations to the windscreen surround and my
new support pins have been required. Finally new aluminium strapping was cut and folded to finish the offside edge - the nearside tucks under a folded part
I replaced a couple of years ago. The original grill has been etch primed and fitted with new rubber, and the headlamp bowls and adjusters have been refitted and painted for protection.
The flap for the screen wash bottle has been transferred from the old front, it's zeus fastener still working! All the holes for the number plate etc have been drilled.
The end result is superb and I am very pleased all round - many thanks to those who helped me attach it!
The front upper windscreen has finally been refitted after some more fiddling with the fibreglass aperture was found to be necessary. Once laced up it seems to be a pretty tight fit
although the height of the aperture is slightly more than it should be. This means the fibreglass aerial cover needed stretched which thankfully was possible using a new one I have and part of the one from LA843 (thus retaining the original un-altered).
The inside of the dome area is now finished with the stainless steel grab rail fitted and window centre strip from LA826 as this was found to be in perfect condition with even the steel
screws still free to turn in the aluminium strip thanks to a smear of silicone applied in earlier days.
Thanks to Kenneth, Peter and Sean for their help with fitting the screen - it is far from a one-man job! The last of the panoramic side windows has now been fitted so the bus is finally dust tight.
The unenviable job of internal cleaning can perhaps wait a little longer, although I have re-instated the upper deck seat cushions and further tidied the rest of the bus. Additional thanks are due to John for his help putting these windows back in.
The bracket at the back of the bus to which the engine side cover pod locates had been altered following the accident which distorted the rear subframe. This meant that the hole was in the wrong place for the lug to locate
and although I had widened the hole to make the pod fit, it was loose so I welded a large washer in place to ensure the pod sits in the right place and cannot vibrate. While the bus was outside, a photo opportunity beside LA1204
was not missed - this bus finally under external restoration to SBL livery. Owner Peter noticed straight away that the hinge on my front panel for the screenwash access flap was fitted inside out - this had always been the case and when
I fitted the new front, I blindly copied this rather than fixing it - this has now been fitted correctly so the hinge is behind the panel which will make the eventual fitting of the FastFare Exact Fare vinyl here much better.
Good fortune has again played its part with this vinyl as Alistair Stirling has kindly donated an original he has had for over 20 years! It is in perfect condition, although as one is required for each Atlantean,
it might be better to fit a replica - unless I can find another original of course!
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JUNE - NOVEMBER 2009
The various new light cluster backings have been fitted and wiring repairs carried out to ensure a full set of working lights.
The lenses of the BMAC clusters will be fitted after painting. The front fog lights have been fitted as well but the chrome
rings for these and the headlights will also be fitted after painting. Work has also been done to get the interior lighting working fully and
the strip light covers have all been cleaned and where necessary replaced, the backings having some time ago been painted white.
Originally these lights had plastic gaskets to help keep out dirt and bugs and these have been sourced and fitted as well. The periscope roof mirror has
been replaced with that from LA843 - the chrome being polished before re-fitting. I've also confirmed that the Radolarm system is fully functional with the water level having dropped sufficiently to activate it!
The blown dashboard bulb has been replaced too and now flashes in tandem with the rear warning lamp.
Around the front of the bus the stainless steel wiper blades and arms have been fitted along with the washer nozzles.
Although the original arms were stainless and later painted black, one arm of one pantograph was mild steel and had to be replaced with another from a scrap SELNEC PDR.
This involved a bit of straightening and riveting and I hope to get a better example eventually.
The rear between decks panel had been replaced with that from LA843 but this was felt to be in too poor a condition when the sun shone on it so a new one has been made up and fitted.
The bodywork is now completely finished with only the Trans-Clyde logo to be removed after final measurements are made. Inside, the luggage
rack Treadmaster had been painted and this has been sanded back. It has become clear that all the internal fibreglass which has been painted at some time
will have to be painted again as it is simply not possible to remove the paint and obtain a satisfactory finish to the bare coloured gelcoat. However,
as the upper deck dome has proved, this should look very nice and not too obvious - plus it affords the opportunity to repair lots of bits of damage,
particularly to the dashboard. The mild steel grab poles around the entrance have been removed and taken back to bare metal ready for a coat of gloss black.
A photo opportunity was not missed at the GVVT Open Day where LA697 and LA907 both in GGPTE colours were parked beside LA927 to make a superb line-up - LA927 even receiving it's first wash for the occasion!
Sadly, LA697 has been sold to a preservationist in Bristol - I can only hope he takes care of it and in due course the bus will return to Glasgow where it belongs.
When new, all Glasgow Atlanteans had a longer exhaust tailpipe which protruded from the right hand rear corner. I managed to get one of these brand new and it has been fitted.
This involved making a support bracket which attaches to the subframe and a steel shield which protects the gearbox from excessive heat,
or more likely protects the hot exhaust from dripping gearbox oil! It is not known why Glasgow had these removed, in some cases when the buses were nearly new. I suspect
the location of the gearbox could have been a factor, or perhaps fumes getting into the heater vents above (although this doesn't apply to the LA1300s and LA1400s).
Maybe it was because the exhaust in this position is vulnerable to grounding, a problem I will take care to avoid. What is for sure though is that LA927 would probably have lost this feature by
Trans-Clyde days, but some photos have turned up of older buses in this livery retaining the old exhaust arrangement so it is plausible at least.
Work has begun fitting the cash vault and repairing the dash in this area. Luckily the bus retains all the vault fittings and cuttings although an old stand is being repaired as the original was obviously removed.
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DECEMBER 2009 - FEBRUARY 2010
With the fare vault fitted temporarily to line up holes and fittings, the dash has been dismantled and repaired in preparation for painting as required. An interesting discovery was made when the original fire extinguisher location was uncovered,
the plate removed for restoration - underneath the original lettering has survived intact, covered since the 1970s. Much as I would love to reinstate this original feature complete with frosted glass panel, it is not correct for the later era.
A new speedometer glass replaces the scratched plastic one fitted at some time. The cab door has been removed, stripped and repainted satin black on the inside -
the green laminate thankfully cleaning up well. Brand new hinges have also been fitted and the door will return to the bus when the dash is finished. The metal plate fabricated by the PTE for the Almex-E Motor Drive has been fitted, thankfully being found still attached an old machine previously fitted to a
little Seddon and kindly donated (the plate was originally fitted to an LA cab door and modified for the Seddon). The cab seat has now been cleaned and following a happy accident, painted as well.
Leather is sort of painted from new anyway and the finish looks well. The steel pedestal has been removed for restoration and the frame has been stripped back awaiting a coat of grey.
The heater fitted to the cab in Essex remains and will stay in place even though not original as it is right out of the way, well plumbed in and useful. Surprisingly it isn't actually screwed down!
A new brake pedal rubber replaces the worn out original and although the cast aluminium accelerator is a bit worn too, replacement of this can be difficult and has been postponed.
The gear selector has been fitted with a blue printed legend which was missing, although a better one would be appreciated if you have one!
The embossed plastic legends fitted on the bank of switches in the cab had remained as original but were worn almost smooth. Just enough of the lettering survived that I was able to repaint (by hand!) each of the words.
The Treadmaster in the cab was well beyond salvation and this is being replaced. New Treadmaster has been purchased to restore the platform area and if there is enough will also do the cab, or I will re-use the old platform covering in the cab instead. Before this though the rearward door leaves need lifted slightly as they have been digging into
the floor - not easy as the adjuster nut has rusted solid. I have also restored the fire extinguisher holder from LA843. A new saloon rear view mirror has also been fitted to a restored bracket. The driver's sun visor has been removed, restored and re-tensioned -
the ripped lower section being cut off and the blind re-stitched - happily it was far too long when extended providing plenty of surplus length. Work is also underway stripping the leather and vinyl from spare seat backs, mostly from LA843 and LA902 once at Dunsmore's, which have good laminate on them and these will be
recovered using the good, well matching vinyl from the seats currently fitted but with broken or etched laminate backs. This is a painstaking process and seems like a long way for short cut but there isn't much choice if I want them all to be good.
Another excellent find has been a Larkfield destination blind in the same experimental typeface
from Trans-Clyde days as fitted to LA927 already. The previous blind was a cloth Maryhill Garage example but the Larkfield one is of wax paper some of which has disintegrated. However, with the damaged section removed, there was enough left to
justify attaching it to the other blind making one long hybrid and dramatically increasing the number of interesting destinations and routes which can now be displayed, although few will be authentic for an Ibrox based bus! At the same time a 1975 GGPTE Ibrox blind has surfaced - identical to the one which LA927 would have received when new.
In theory this could authentically be carried with PTE2 livery but it is for now needed for one of the half cab Corporation buses stored at Bridgeton Garage. I have my eye on it for the future though!
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MAY 2010
The platform Treadmaster has been carefully lifted and the previous floor repair removed. This consisted of a flat steel plate
visibly bolted right through the Treadmaster which on removal appeared to do absolutely nothing! I had feared the wooden floor might be rotten
but only the first few inches around the edge were a little soft and flakey. These have been cut away and new wood cut to size
and screwed in with a heavy steel plate bridging the gap. This time the repair will be covered by the new flooring. The bus has had a
frontal impact at some time which has broken the fibreglass dash which normally curves under the floor. A steel angle had been bolted in
as well as the plate (and half a ton of sealant) and this has now been refitted much more tidily. This meant the door height needed further
adjustment but now both leaves run well clear of the floor. An additional repair was found to be necessary with the roller bearing on the front-most door leaves
which had lost it's clip and kept falling off. A spare one replaces this. A recent purchase is a pair of brand new BMAC step lights in original silver finish rather than
later grey I already had - one for each bus. I have also purchased two pairs of new duo-tone trumpet horns and have fitted a pair to LA927 replacing the pathetic squeeky single tone horn it laterally had.
The area behind the cash vault has been finished off using the half of the moulded access door still fitted to LA843 and a sliver cut from a similar door from an Edinburgh Atlantean.
In reality this sliver was not used, instead a plate of aluminium covered the hole but this looked pretty rotten and I decided to make this small improvement. The fitting of the panel on the far side with a
lock affords good access to the electrics behind and permits the use of a nice new chrome cap - possibly an embellishment not used by then but nice all the same.
I do know that the original used ticket bin fitted at this location before the vault had a chrome cap over the lock hole however! I had to invent a means of fixing the larger panel in using only the lock and with no other evidence
I opted for a shaped aluminium strip into which the panel slides and is then locked. This ties in with the fact that the corners had been cut out of the panel.
Further work has been carried out on the seats with a full set of backs now identified and some pairing of good vinyl to good laminate backing now underway.
The backs have all been unscrewed and in doing so I finally found an old Glasgow ticket - an Ultimate with GGPTE branding, stuffed into the gap under the grab rail and left for more than 30 years! Other small jobs include
the fitting of a much better foot pedal door control with the surrounding casting re-painted black. The emergency door alarm switch has been re-wired and the missing cover rectified with the one from LA843 (after scraping all the red paint off!).
The driver's seat is now fully restored and awaits fitting to the cab.
Meanwhile a visit to the GVVT archive room found a couple of boxes containing all of the spec sheets filled out when a new bus was delivered to the PTE (or indeed the Corporation).
The contents stretch way back into the 1960s and well into the 1990s, probably exhausting with the FirstGroup wipe-out. I have attached a photocopy here of LA927's sheet which
makes a surprising point. It seems the JUS-N batch of buses was delivered on the then new 11x22.5 inch one piece rims normally associated with later buses.
This coincides of course with the arrival of the Metropolitans and Ailsas which were not fitted with 10x20 tyres on split rim wheels. While this fact is not absolutely certain - other discrepancies have been
found elsewhere with minor items, it is of interest and a look at some older photos of the batch does reveal a disproportionate number of the JUS-Ns having later wheels.
Anyway, LA927 has 10x20s in all the photos I have - sadly in the factory shot the wheels are hidden, so I will be keeping them for this reason and for the fact that the older design better suits an older LA.
I would also question the leather upholstery - although some buses at this time had genuine leather, I think LA927 was too late for this and would have had the vinyl from new - it is likely
nobody bothered to make this distinction. Interestingly, preserved LA907 which also came from Don's has an odd floor and while this was thought to have been a modification, bits of it at least might well be original
as it was apparently experimentally specified with a Ferodo floor covering when new. It now has a bit of a patchwork quilt - but was part of this for comparison of different flooring types in service? In addition, there is no mention of the CAV fully automatic
gearbox these early LA900s were thought to have been delivered with, LA907 is simply marked as having a semi-automatic Leyland box as usual.
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JULY 2010
The seat frames have now all been removed for refurbishment, although not before a number of incorrect straight later legs
were replaced with correctly curved earlier ones from LA843. One exception was a leg for the lower deck seat just ahead of the rear wheel arch whose leg
is bent to fit the ramped floor. LA843 had not provided a replacement as it had a PDR curved seat here on one side whose leg design is a little different
and the other side was very rusty and didn't fit properly. Luckily John Kennedy and I had previously secured a number of frames from the scrapyard from an L reg LA and luckily
the required leg was found to be available. Poor abandoned LA1443 now has it's top deck filled with green seats -
it is eerily frozen in time up there though with tools and things lying just where I left them in 2006 when I committed myself full time to LA927.
With the seats out it has become apparent that a significant amount of the wall laminate is wrong - plain green in stead of patterned.
In places this has been the result of yet more accident damage and as I have a supply from LA843 I am going to try and replace it all.
Most of it is falling off anyway. Other smaller jobs over the last weeks have included the refurbishment and painting of the radio hood,
destination sight glass flap, fire extinguisher hood, footwell vent cover in the cab and one or two other small items. The alarm
buttons in the saloon were originally fitted with a red cover with ALARM embossed on it and I have managed to assemble a set of these
which have also been fitted. The steering wheel has been removed and the colomn sanded and sprayed satin black, and finally the window
vent fitted earlier and found to be incorrect has been replaced with a correct one with all the vents now having correct shaped slider handles.
I have also almost finished re-stitching the last of the better seat cushions located in Barnsley last year.
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