Great Harwood heritage bus projects near completion

Two historic buses are edging closer to returning to the road thanks to the dedication of volunteers at the Town & District Transport Trust and the charity is now calling on more people to get involved and help preserve Lancashire's transport heritage.

Based in Great Harwood, the Trust is restoring two iconic heritage buses, with both projects expected to make significant progress ahead of the annual Great Harwood Transport Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 5 and 6 September.

One of the vehicles is ex-Ribble Leyland Olympian C173 ECK (fleet number 2173), a 1984 bus with ECW coachwork owned by volunteer Jonathan Graham.

Originally built for Ribble to operate the popular X43 express service between Burnley and Manchester, the bus later served with Stagecoach and Transdev before ending its working life as a school bus. Jonathan acquired the vehicle from another preservationist around five years ago and has since been meticulously restoring it, carrying out extensive bodywork and repainting almost the entire bus himself.

Supported and encouraged by fellow volunteers at the Trust, he has made remarkable progress in recent months and hopes the bus will make an appearance at the Great Harwood Transport Weekend.

Also nearing completion is a 1973 Leyland Atlantean with Park Royal bodywork, XJA 534L, owned by Matthew Hunt.

Originally delivered new to SELNEC before spending its entire service life with Greater Manchester Transport in Stockport, the vehicle later became part of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive's promotional fleet before falling into disrepair after years in storage.

Matthew acquired the bus in 2024 and has rebuilt the steel frame and structural panels, replaced much of the outer aluminium bodywork, completely overhauled the braking system, serviced and repainted the chassis, installed new flooring and is currently having the interior seating professionally re-trimmed in its original-style moquette.

After hearing Matthew's story, HMG Paints supplied the paint for the project free of charge and continues to support the Town & District Transport Trust by providing paint at discounted prices to help restore more heritage vehicles.

The Trust hopes both buses will soon be displayed as part of its growing collection of preserved vehicles.

Ian Amarnani of Town & District Transport Trust said: “These buses represent an important part of our transport history, but they also show the positive impact restoration projects can have on people's lives. The workshop isn't just about preserving vehicles, it's about bringing people together, building friendships and giving volunteers something rewarding to focus on.”

Volunteer Jonathan Graham said: "We're always looking for more volunteers. Restoring these vehicles is incredibly time-consuming and, with so few people working here, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you have practical skills or simply want to lend a hand and meet new people, everyone is welcome."