XRB 415L

XRB 415L
Chassis Number:	00184
Registration:	XRB 415L
Type:	1151/2R/0403
Seating:	B44D
New:	December 1972
Original Operator and Fleet Number:	Midland General Omnibus Co Ltd 415
Current Owner:	Mick Stanton, Awsworth
Further Information: Early in 1972 the Midland General Omnibus Co Ltd (MGO) of Langley Mill, Nottinghamshire, a subsidiary of the National Bus Company (NBC), placed an order for six Leyland Nationals the first three of which were delivered in December of that year, one of them being XRB 415L (fleet number 415). At the time Leyland would only supply vehicles finished in a single colour and so in keeping with the MGO policy of cream with black relief for buses the Nationals arrived in Tilling cream. MGO had agreed to apply the black around the windows and the Midland General / Mansfield District dual fleet names in the standard gold leaf. However by the time of delivery the NBC had agreed on new corporate liveries of either red, green or blue and so the initial three Nationals (415, 416 & 417) were repainted in Trent central works into MGO Azure blue complete with a white stripe and National Bus company emblems. By February 1977, 415 had lost the MGO blue in favour of standard NBC poppy red livery and the fleet names had changed to Trent. 415 was withdrawn in 1984 and passed to East Midland Airport Authority in June 1984, being used for airside transport. It was purchased for preservation by the Notts & Derby Heritage Transport Group in April 2003. The bus was acquired for continued preservation by Mick Stanton, the current owner, in May 2005. A full refurbishment has been carried out with the bus restored and repainted back into Midland General NBC blue livery. The Webmaster would like to thank Paul Chambers for providing the vehicle history and photos.


5 Midland General 415 - XRB 415L Midland General 415 - XRB 415L is pictured in Mansfield working service B6 to Heanor. The bus carries Midland General NBC blue livery. © Photograph by Paul Chambers.

5 Mick Stanton's preserved XRB 415L XRB 415L is pictured during restoration. © Photograph by Paul Chambers.

5 Mick Stanton's preserved XRB 415L XRB 415L is pictured after restoration and repaint back into Midland General NBC blue livery. © Photograph by Paul Chambers.

5 Mick Stanton's preserved XRB 415L An offside view of XRB 415L after restoration and repaint back into Midland General NBC blue livery. © Photograph by Paul Chambers.