1291 was delivered to Southern National in Royal Blue livery and entered service from Bournemouth depot on 22 August 1952.

 

The bodywork renovated at ECW in Lowestoft in March 1960, with ECW rebuild No R749.

 

The coach was withdrawn from Royal Blue service in spring of 1968 following delivery of the first batch of semi-automatic Bristol RELH coaches, and sold

to North (dealer) along with 7 other identical coaches in July 1968. 1291 was then sold to Emmerson of Immingham who operated her until April 1969, when she was sold on to Rennison of Stockton on Tees, remaining in service until January 1972.

 

1291 was then sold to Beeline of West Hartlepool in a part exchange

deal where she languished until acquired by the North East Preservation

Group in April 1976.  By December of that year 1291 had again been

sold,  this time to Eastern National Preservation Group at Chelmsford.

She was sold on again in 1983 and in the last quarter of a century has

passed through the hands of several "enthusiasts" during which time

little restoration work appears to have been undertaken and little has

been seen of the coach on the rally circuit.

 

Any information which you may have concerning 1291's depot allocations

during her Royal Blue service years or any other details will be gratefully

received at webmaster@bvbg.org.uk.

 

1291 was purchased by Group member John Grigg in October 2007, and moved to Maidenhead by low loader on 11 November 2007, so that work on the Gardner 6HLW engine, the cooling system, and rewiring the electrical system can commence.

 

It is hoped that sufficient progress can be made to enable 1291 to be moved closer to Bristol during 2008, when the extensive work necessary on both the body and the interior can be commenced.

 

The objective is to ensure 1291's return to full roadworthy and rallyable

condition in her original livery well in time for the celebration of her 60th

Anniversary season in 2012 .