DNW 840T

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New:

Original Operator and Fleet Number:

Current Owner:

Further Information:

DNW 840T was new to the West Yorkshire Road Car Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Bus Company (NBC), in October 1978, receiving the fleet number 1002. The bus entered service at Harrogate depot painted in NBC poppy red livery with West Yorkshire fleet names. In December 1982 it was transferred to Keighley depot, where it would remain for the rest of its public service career with the brief exception of a short period between 1st September and 18th September 1983 when it was loaned to Ilkley depot. The bus was repainted into West Yorkshire PTE (Metro) green and cream livery in July 1985. In June 1986 it was repainted again, this time into West Yorkshire Road Car Tilling red and cream livery.

During 1989 and the de-regulation of the Bus Industry, West Yorkshire Road Car was dissolved. The Keighley depot became Keighley & District (K&D), and the bus transferred to their ownership, receiving the fleet number 252. In July 1990 it was repainted into Keighley & District grey and red livery. It was repainted into the new Keighley & District ‘toothpaste’ livery of white with grey, blue and red stripes in July 1993. In a revenue generating exercise, Keighley & District repainted a number of their vehicles in advertising liveries and DNW 840T received an all-over advert for Keighley Markets in February 1994. In October 1995 the bus was repainted into K&D livery, which it carried until withdrawal. During its latter years the bus spent virtually all its time working on service 76 between Skipton and Grassington. In fact, it was for this reason that it was retained in service by K&D for so long. The bus was withdrawn from service by K&D in October 1997 and sold to dealer North, Sherburn.

In February 1998 it was acquired by The Greater Reading Omnibus Co Ltd (Reading Mainline) for use as a driver training vehicle. This company was unusual in that all its services were operated by AEC Routemaster buses. The bus was withdrawn by Reading Mainline in April 1999 and purchased for preservation by LNG member Dave King of Reading in May 1999. Dave restored the bus and repainted it back into West Yorkshire NBC poppy red livery, the livery that it carries today. In September 2004 the bus was purchased for continued preservation by Keighley enthusiasts Charles Hall and Tim Moody, the current owners, and returned to its former Yorkshire home of Keighley as part of the Keighley Bus Museum. The bus is now in service, and regularly used for day trips and excursions privately and appears on special occasions operating free bus services.

The bus is now also owned by C Boocock of Keighley.

The Webmaster would like to thank Charles Hall and Tim Moody for providing the vehicle history and photos.

5Preserved DNW 840T

Pictured at the Showbus Rally on the 22nd September 2002 is DNW 840T when it was preserved by Dave King. It is painted in West Yorkshire NBC poppy red livery.

© Photograph by Paul Barrett.

5Preserved DNW 840T

A view of the well kept interior of preserved DNW 840T taken on the 20th March 2005. This is how the interior would have looked when the bus was new.

© Photograph by Tim Moody.

5Preserved DNW 840T

This picture and the following picture were taken on a damp Easter Sunday 27th March 2005 when the owners were re-tracing the last route the bus operated, service 76 from Skipton to Grassington, which no longer exists. Preserved DNW 840T is pictured on the old service 76 stand in Skipton Bus Station waiting to depart for Grassington on the 27th March 2005.

© Photograph by Tim Moody.

5Preserved DNW 840T

Preserved DNW 840T is pictured on the old service 76 route in Appletreewick village on the 27th March 2005.

© Photograph by Tim Moody.

5Preserved DNW 840T

Preserved DNW 840T is pictured in Haworth on the 18th June 2005. It is painted in West Yorkshire NBC poppy red livery.

© Photograph by Tim Moss.