Nick Larkin reports on a project to make a classic bus accessible for the 21st century
Beamish, the expanding ‘Living Museum of the North,’ is celebrating the launch of its new 1950s terrace, which will open with a week of activities in late February, and now has a 1933 former Crosville Leyland Cub bus rebuilt to accommodate wheelchairs in regular use.
Seb Marshall, whose Surrey based Historic Vehicle Restorations carried out much of the work, described the project as ‘a ground-breaking first in the history of bus preservation.’
Beamish, already had a 2007 Iveco with replica vintage body capable of taking wheelchairs, but another vehicle was needed. Contact was made with Seb, and the decision taken to use an original vehicle rather than a replica. Leyland Cub FM 7443 was sourced by Seb, having run for Crosville until around 1950 before being converted for use as a mobile enquiry office. In 1960 it was sold to a builder and used as a reception area cum office.
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