News

This March news update is the first since we brought together formally the members/friends of the Western National Preservation GroupWestern National Preservation Group (WNPG), which was based in Plymouth with the Cornwall Bus Preservation SocietyCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group (CBPS) so a big wecome to you all. Read more

Welcome to the news update for the Western National Preservation GroupWestern National Preservation Group (WNPG) and CBPSCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group. We are in the process of revamping the website so keep watching for some changes!

Earlier this month, we added a new bus to our collection in the form of Bristol LHSBristol LH chassis range introduced in spring 1968, 3 variants: LHS at 26' (7.9m); 12551255 was last operational vehicle of this type with Western National and ended her service where began at Penzance depot. One of 6 vehicles bodied by Marshall (1250 - 1255 VOD 120K - VOD 125K) delivered February 1972 to operate between Penzance and Mousehole replacing the Bristol SUS's VOD 125K | Bristol LHS Marshall B33F | Fleet No. 1255 | CBPG (VOD 125KDelivered February 1972 to operate between Penzance and Mousehole replacing Bristol SUS's. 1255 was last operational vehicle of type with Western National and ended her service where began at Penzance depot VOD 125K | Bristol LHS Marshall B33F | Fleet No. 1255 | CBPG) which returned to Penzance where with sister vehicles when new, they ran into Mousehole daily. We would like to have this bus working on our Running day, Sunday 17 April 2016 but this will be subject to a successful MOTMinistry of Transport test pass. Read more

Hello everyone. May I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that 2016 is good one for preservationists.

It is our intention to revamp this site to incorporate the Western National Preservation GroupWestern National Preservation Group in the coming weeks. A fleet list update of all vehicles will be published soon so please keep watching out for the changes.

A note for your diary is Sunday 17 April 2016 when we will again be holding our Running DayEach year in April CBPG holds an Annual Running Day with free bus trips around West Cornwall - check our Events for more information at Penzance.

Join us now and become a 'friend' of the CBPSCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group  Looking forward to hearing from you! Thank you.

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Welcome to WNPGWestern National Preservation Group members to the CBPSCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group website. We are looking to incorporating different ideas here for all so please stay with us. In September, we attended Kingsbridge Running day and had Bristol VRBristol VR Bristol's rear-engined bus chassis, designed as competitor to Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline. 1141(AFJ 706T), Dennis Dart 401Badgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG (L401 VCVBadgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG) and Mercedes VarioMercedes-Benz Vario (model designation W670) is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz 52529529 became 52529 in national numbering system, fitted with 27 seats and soon received her current livery; S529 RWP | Mercedes Vario | Fleet No. 52529 | CBPG(S529 RWP) in attendance. It was a fantastic day with good weather and hundreds of people riding on the free services. Read more

What a great Running DayEach year in April CBPG holds an Annual Running Day with free bus trips around West Cornwall - check our Events for more information we had in Plymouth on Saturday 5 September 2015 to mark the end of First/Western National's operations in the City. Seven vehicles took part and we had VRT 1141 and Dennis Dart 401Badgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG in attendance. Large numbers of enthusiasts turned out for free rides on a fine day. Read more

Well, the fiming of myself and the Dennis Dart 401Badgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG (L401 VCVBadgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG) by a German TV crew took place in early August at Penzance bus station and apparently will be seen by thousands of Germans when released later this year. Something to look out for on You Tube apparently!

The vehicle situation remains the same with the Dart, VR's 1141(AFJ 706T), 1147Bristol VR AFJ 749T 1147/38749(AFJ 749TBristol VR AFJ 749T 1147) and the VarioMercedes-Benz Vario (model designation W670) is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz 52529529 became 52529 in national numbering system, fitted with 27 seats and soon received her current livery; S529 RWP | Mercedes Vario | Fleet No. 52529 | CBPG(S529 JWP) being servicable and on the road. Read more

Well, I've been guilty of not updating this site fo a while so please accept my apologies but to be honest, I have not had a lot to report.

Our Bristol LHBristol Commercial Vehicles Light Horizontal engined single-decker bus chassis LH at 30' (9.1m); nearly 2,000 were built between 1967 and 1982 716Bristol LH 6L with 45 seat ECW bodywork was one of 10 new medium sized buses delivered to Western National in the summer of 1968 MUO 328F | Bristol LH | Fleet No. 716 | CBPG (MUO 328FBristol LH 6L with 45 seat ECW bodywork was one of 10 new medium sized buses delivered to Western National in the summer of 1968 MUO 328F | Bristol LH | Fleet No. 716 | CBPG) is still undergoing a repaint and our OlympianLeyland Olympian was a 2-axle and 3-axle double-decker bus chassis manufactured by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production 34754Former Western National 'Bristol' Leyland Olympian, A754 VAF in Barbie 2 livery and displaying fleet number 34754; This represents a very important 'save' for the CBPG as is last vehicle from initial batch of 8 first introduced in Plymouth in November 1983 to come out of service in Cornwall A754 VAF | Leyland Olympian | Fleet No. 34754 (ex 1807/1754) | CBPG (A754 VAFFormer Western National 'Bristol' Leyland Olympian, A754 VAF in Barbie 2 livery and displaying fleet number 34754; This represents a very important 'save' for the CBPG as is last vehicle from initial batch of 8 first introduced in Plymouth in November 1983 to come out of service in Cornwall A754 VAF | Leyland Olympian | Fleet No. 34754 (ex 1807/1754) | CBPG) is receiving major re-panelling but this work is taking a little longer than anticipated. It is hoped that the Bristol LH will be ready for the Kingsbridge Running DayFree vintage bus services on coast and country routes in South Devon usually held in September in September. Our Bristol VRT 1141 (AFJ 706T) attended the Taunton Running Day in early May which turned out to be another good event, Read more

I can report that our Running DayEach year in April CBPG holds an Annual Running Day with free bus trips around West Cornwall - check our Events for more information on the 19 April was great success. The vehicle entry went up to about 26 in the end with last minute changes being made on the day.

We managed to get MOTMinistry of Transport test's on our Dart L401 VCVBadgers and Flags Pointer Dart L401 VCV | Dennis Pointer Dart | Fleet No. 401 | CBPG, Bristol VRT AFJ 749TBristol VR AFJ 749T 1147 and our Mercedes VarioMercedes-Benz Vario (model designation W670) is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz S 529 RWP all in the preceeding week. We also managed an MOT for Lee Shephards Bristol LHBristol Commercial Vehicles Light Horizontal engined single-decker bus chassis LH at 30' (9.1m); nearly 2,000 were built between 1967 and 1982 BDV 318LRoyal Blue; BDV 318L | Bristol LH | Fleet No. 1318 | CBPG which with the Bristol RERear-engined single-decker bus or single-decker coach chassis built by Bristol Commercial Vehicles 1962 until 1982; widely considered most successful of first generation rear-engined single-decker buses OTA 632G1969 Bristol RELH6G with ECW C45F coachwork; New to Southern National March 1969, transferred to Western National, remained in service until May 1981 when became part of BaMMOTT collection at Wythall. Purchased by WHOTT May 2005 OTA 632G | Bristol RELH | Fleet No. 1460 gave us a good 'home' entry. Read more

Here's a brief update for March which has been a very busy month with Rail Replacement and the demise of Western Greyhound concentrating our minds quite a lot.

One thing we are finding out is that booking MOTMinistry of Transport test dates is now a problem with so few centres available. However we will do our best to get more of our vehcles ready for the Running DayEach year in April CBPG holds an Annual Running Day with free bus trips around West Cornwall - check our Events for more information on Sunday 19 April 2015 at Penzance. We are up to about 16 or 17 vehcles entered at the moment so we will have a good day. Read more

Welcome to my February update. The evenings are getting lighter so that means we must be getting closer to our Running DayEach year in April CBPG holds an Annual Running Day with free bus trips around West Cornwall - check our Events for more information at Penzance.

Sunday 19 April 2015 is the date that should be locked into your diary and we will be hoping to see lots of you there and that the sunny clear skies return.

We are getting the VarioMercedes-Benz Vario (model designation W670) is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz ready for an MOTMinistry of Transport test which will be followed by MOT's for the Dart and VRT 1147Bristol VR AFJ 749T 1147/38749 that will join our Bristol LHBristol Commercial Vehicles Light Horizontal engined single-decker bus chassis LH at 30' (9.1m); nearly 2,000 were built between 1967 and 1982 which received an MOT last month. Read more