Attending its first event since the late 1980s at the Browns Blue to Midland Red event in March (see last week’s Industry Heritage) was this beautifully restored 1962 Weymann-bodied Leyland PD2/37, new to Halifax. The bus has been owned for the past 22 years by Richard McAllister, who remembers it from his childhood days. “These PD2s were the backbone of the Halifax fleet during the ‘60s & ‘70s and this was the very last, staying until July 1980. It looked ancient standing next to West Yorkshire PTE Daimler Fleetlines,” said Richard. “Towards the end of its service life I remember it was on peak time workings. Another memory I have is the bus would often take me and my school class to the local baths for swimming lessons.’’
Around 1976 the PD2 received a thorough overhaul as part of a costing exercise to see if it was worth spending money on such vehicles. Apparently it was not! The bus was bought on withdrawal by a consortium of PTE inspectors who also owned two 1962 ex-Halifax Leyland Leopard L1s with Weymann bodywork, PJX 35 and PJX 232. Meanwhile Richard started work as a conductor with West Yorkshire PTE, working his way up to operations manager at First Halifax, buying a certain Leyland PD2 in 2001. “I’d always wanted that bus,” he said. ‘The Yorkshire winters had done their worst on it though.”
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