Workington Transport Heritage Trust joins in
Heritage Open Days
In connection with Heritage Open Days the Trust is opening
its Lakes Road depot to the public on Saturday 11th September from 12 to
4pm. This is a rare opportunity for visitors to look behind the doors of the
town's transport preservation group. Buses and fire engines from both the
Trust's and private collections will be on show, along with displays,
refreshments and sales stand.
A free heritage bus service will link venues in town, leaving Lakes Road
every 30 minutes from 12 to 4pm, travelling via Derwent Drive, Station Rd &
Oxford St. Buses return from Helena Thompson Museum's bus layby from 12.10
to 4.10pm.
The Trust's depot is on the right just over the level crossing on Lakes
Road.
The Trust is always on the look-out for active volunteers to help it to
develop its services to the community. If you are interested in finding out
more, please come along and see what we have to offer - and not all jobs
involve getting your hands dirty!
February 2010
Community champions award
The Trust wins a community champions award for its
boxing day bus service
http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/1.665906
Leyland National factory anniverary
Saturday 20th February marks the 40th anniversary
of the start of construction of the Leyland National factory at
Lillyhall. Prime Minister Harold Wilson unveiled a commemorative
bench mark, which is still on site, to record this historic event.
The factory was set up to build a completely new type of bus. The
National was designed as a complete "integral" bus which, at the
time, was an unusual concept as chassis and body were generally
built by different makers. Learning from the production methods of
car makers, the factory was designed to produce up to 2000 buses a
year - 8 every working day - using production line techniques.
Over 7,500 Nationals were produced at the factory. A good number of
these have now been preserved, though very few now remain in
service. Other models were developed up until the collapse of the
Leyland empire and eventual closure of the factory in 1993.
Workington Transport Heritage Trust already has a collection of
three National buses, plus a Lynx, which followed after National
production ceased. One of our aims is to gather a representative
collection of vehicles built at the factory. This will help to mark
Workington's contribution to bus (and train) manufacturing, for all
the world to see.
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