KHH 378W

Chassis Number:

Registration:

Type:

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New:

Original Operator and Fleet Number:

Current Owner:

Workington Transport Heritage Trust

(Alistair Grey, Workington)

Further Information:

KHH 378W was new to Cumberland Motor Services (CMS), a subsidiary of the National Bus Company (NBC), in October 1980, receiving fleet number 378 and painted in NBC poppy red livery. It spent part of its early life in service in Workington, the town where it was built. Following the takeover of Cumberland by Stagecoach, the bus did the rounds of Stagecoach depots in north west England and south west Scotland. During 1993 it was transferred to Stagecoach Ribble, receiving fleet number 378, before returning to Stagecoach Cumberland, again as fleet number 378, in February 1997. In November 1997 it was transferred to Stagecoach Western Buses in Scotland and received the fleet number 759. It was subsequently acquired by a driver training school in Glasgow.

The bus was purchased for preservation by the Workington Transport Heritage Trust in February 2002 from the driver training school in Glasgow. It had been out of use for over 6 months after one of the school's contracts ended. With the assistance of a set of batteries to replace the original stolen set, the bus drove 140 miles back to Workington, the town of its birth, with no problems. Following purchase it had some bodywork repairs carried out, including some new panels, before being restored to cms Cumberland post NBC livery of red and ivory. It is now used at various community events in the area including our annual free Boxing Day town service.

For more information about the Workington Transport Heritage Trust visit their website at www.wtht.co.uk.

The group also own Leyland National Mk.1 GRM 353L, which is currently a runner but stored outdoors in wet West Cumbria. The group's secretary, Alistair Grey, owns ex-Chesterfield Leyland National Mk.1 VKU 78S; this is in dry store but is currently missing a few minor parts which were donated to KHH 378W. VKU 78S will run again soon!

The Webmaster would like to thank Alistair Grey for providing the vehicle history and photos.

5 Preserved KHH 378W

KHH 378W is pictured at Lillyhall in as acquired livery during 2003.

© Photograph by Alistair Grey.

5 Preserved KHH 378W

KHH 378W is pictured in Washington Street, Workington in cms Cumberland livery on the 29th May 2005.

© Photograph by Alistair Grey.