First registered on May 2nd 1979, AFJ 747T (1145) was delivered new to Western Nationals Wherrytown Depot (Penzance) in June of the that year. Under the National Bus Company’s Marketing Analysis Project, localised fleet names were introduced across the groups subsidiaries. “Cornwall Fairways” was introduced for local services in West Cornwall and these fleet names were applied to 1145 by 1981. In 1982, 1145 was transferred to Plymouth and allocated to Laira Depot. Here the vehicle was repainted into ‘Joint Services’ livery for use on jointly operated services with Plymouth City Transport and latterly Plymouth City Bus. It was at this time all vehicles in the Western National fleet were to receive lower case destination blinds. Furthermore, 1145 was fitted with a side number blind to offer conformity with Plymouth City Bus Leyland Atlanteans on joint services. Although 1145s stay in Plymouth would be reasonably brief, being returned to Cornwall by 1986, 1145 would become quite a common sight around Tavistock, Callington and Saltash (it seems even while allocated to Plymouth, 1145 would spend a considerable amount of time in Cornwall!).
Upon return, 1145 was repainted into the ‘Captain Birdseye’ livery with localised “Cornwall Busways” fleet names based at St Austell. This livery was also reasonably short lived and 1145 was once again repainted, this time into the Cream, Red and Blue livery. 1145 would thus be allocated back to West Cornwall, spending time at Truro, Camborne and Penzance. By the end of 1997, 1145 was repainted yet again into the Western National First livery, a revision of the Badgerline livery with large ‘Western National F’ logos on each side with a red divider between the blue and the white. This was later revised with smaller ‘Western National f’ logos. 1145 would be renumbered 34747 in 2004 and would continue in service until October 2006. In 1145s final months, the vehicle was allocated to Newquay and was mainly used on college services.
Laid up at Plymouths Chelston Meadow depot in November, 1145 was secured for preservation by Colin Billington and departed Plymouth on December 15th 2006. Residing in undercover storage for a further 12 years, the vehicle was purchased by the current owner in June 2018 and after having been moved to the North in 2018 for MOT work, 1145 returned to Cornwall in October 2019. The vehicle is currently under extensive restoration at the groups Cornwall base.
This bus is owned by David Jory.
Why not join the buses facebook page at - https://www.facebook.com/wnoc1145
If you have any stories or photos of AFJ747T you'd like to share, please email David Jory at davidjjory@gmail.com
For photographic history visit http://bcv.robsly.com/afj747t.html