758 In Bradford

In the late 1940s Bradford ordered eight trolleybuses from British United Traction (BUT) for the Undercliffe tramway conversion. In the event, it became a motorbus route and when finally delivered with Weymann bodies they were allocated to support the cross-city extension of the Crossflatts route through to Bradford Moor.

758 entered service on New Year’s Day 1951 and, as one of the most modern vehicles, it was selected for the first ever annual enthusiasts’ tour. It became a “guinea pig” in May 1952 when fitted with flashing indicators; the first bus to legally carry ‘winkers’ in place of traditional semaphore arms.

It was withdrawn when the Bankfoot-Bolton route closed in 1964 and kept in storage before emerging for a second spell in service from 1966 to 1971, finally participating in the Diamond Jubilee tours. After further storage 758 was spruced-up for the system’s closure in March 1972 and stood on public display on Thornbury Depot forecourt in use as a West Riding Transport Society sales stall.