Blackpool 516
Blackpool bought 90 of the longer PD3 Titans from 1962 to 1968, the latter being some of the last built. The first 20 (351-370) were longer versions of 346; the next ten had a ‘St Helens’ fibreglass front but still with a full front layout before the last 60 moved to a more conventional half cab buses. While the last ten became famed for lasting until 1988, over twenty years old, some others were withdrawn before their teenage years.
516 from batch four was new in June 1967 along with 24 sisters. Like the others it carried cream with a green central band. Its first repaint around 1970/1 saw it painted all-over cream. It had an unremarkable service life which ended in autumn 1984 when it was selected to be converted to a driver training vehicle. With top deck seats removed, a rear door added, emergency hand brake, instructor seats and an internal partition it returned to use at the end of the year. It then went on to run for 15 more years including unusual spells on hire to Stagecoach in Carlisle (1989) and London Borough of Richmond (1990). It suffered an engine failure in 1995 and was fitted with a 0.680 Atlantean engine which change its acoustics somewhat. Renumbered 916 in 1996 it was stood down in August 1999. Sold to Graham Oliver it was repainted in the overall cream livery it had carried for the last 30 years in 2001. Upper deck seats were refitted. It later passed to the Trust and in 2015 was returned to full PSV service for the first time since 1984. It was reconfigured back to bus layout and treated to the tribute 1930s livery carried by sister buses 507 and 512 plus the ex London Routemasters. It was used by Catch 22 Bus (now Transpora) for service work and weddings until around 2021.
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