VEHICLE COLLECTION

Accession 280 13/05/00

A927 MDV (Ex Devon General 7) Ford Transit D160. No 7 was widely known as Little Willie and so named to celebrate the first year of minibus operation in Exeter having entered service on 26 February 1984, the successful forerunner of nationwide minibus operation involving many thousands of similar vehicles. No 7 is in the custody of the Trust on long term loan from Harry Blundred who is credited with the idea of high frequency minibus operation reaching those parts that bigger buses cannot easily reach!

Accession 286 17/12/00

TDV 217J (Ex Exeter City Transport 217) Leyland Panther. Last of a batch of seven ordered by Exeter City Transport prior to passing to the National Bus Company. This vehicle was delivered to the Devon General fleet. On 1st January 1971 the DG fleet became absorbed into the Western National fleet. The Panther was converted to a Publicity and Promotions vehicle for the WN Group by May 80 and served in this role for no less than 20 years during which period it carried five different liveries in addition to Exeter green and Devon General poppy red. 217 was donated to WHOTT by First Western National in December 2000 and was restored by WHOTT friends to original Exeter livery. 

Accession 338 03/02/02

AFJ 727T (Ex First Southern National 3307) 1979 Bristol LH6L with Plaxton 7' 6" body was one of 24 originally supplied to Western National and Devon General, which were built to this special width for narrow roads frequently encountered in the West Country. This vehicle was one of four that had been a familiar sight in the Taunton/Minehead area for many years. In recent years, the main role has been driver training with First Southern National. The photo depicts 3307 on its final run - a Taunton to Minehead return on Sunday 3 February 2002 - near Bicknoller, Somerset. Immediately after completion of this run 3307 was donated by First Southern National to WHOTT. Following a repaint and other restoration it was returned to the road in 2009.

Accession 346 23/02/02

PFJ 850M (Ex Western National RV8) AEC Matador recovery vehicle. This type of vehicle was commonly used for recovery duties by bus companies in the post war period. Built in 1944 and thought to have originally been used by the RAF, little is known of the history of this vehicle until it came into Western National ownership and was converted for recovery with a coach built body, workshop, crane, winch and other heavy towing and lifting equipment. After sale to Torbay Borough Council the vehicle was dry stored for many years and is remarkably complete. Donated to the Trust by Colin Billington. Sponsored by Friend of WHOTT

Accession 417 05/10/03

M627 HDV (Ex Stagecoach Devon 46329) Iveco 59-12 with Wadham Stringer B21D bodywork. Also donated by Stagecoach Devon, this vehicle, originally numbered 1029 and alter 329, remained in this red and grey livery throughout its nine years operational life. 329 was handed over to WHOTT at the first Westpoint Rally which featured 40 years of preservation of Devon General vehicles. It captures the final chapter in the Devon General name and individuality before being ousted by the Stagecoach corporate livery.

Accession 419 11/10/03

L929 CTT (Ex Stagecoach Devon 46300) Iveco 59-12 with Mellor B31D bodywork. Purchased by Devon General in March 1994 and originally numbered 1000 this was the first of a large number of similar dual door vehicles which replaced Ford Transits in Transit Holdings subsidiaries in Devon, Oxford and Portsmouth. The dual door configuration was developed to aid passenger comfort, loading and unloading whilst maintaining the flexibility of small capacity and size. Restored from Stagecoach livery to original blue and grey by Friends Philip Platt and Terry Damerel. Kindly donated to WHOTT by Stagecoach Devon.

Accession 429 14/01/04

AFJ 764T (Ex First Somerset & Avon 1157/38764) Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB. This bus has a split personality sporting two fleet numbers, its original 1157 and First national number 38764, the latter being affixed after withdrawal! It is currently in the Dorset version of the Southern National livery although finishing its operational life in Somerset where it should have had a cream roof! A special VR - aren't they all - 1157 was delivered to an NBC Engineering Conference at Midland Red on 6 September 1979 and was the first VR to be fitted with the longer window hoppers and also had experimental seats with a cranked back which were believed to be a one-off. 1157 was the last standard closed top VR in operation with First Somerset and Avon and was donated to the Trust by them in January 2004 since when it has been restored to original livery. Sponsored by Friend of WHOTT

Accession 467 14/01/04

VDV 137S (Ex First Somerset & Avon 39937) Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB with ECW convertible open-top double deck body. 39937 started life as Western National (Devon General) 937,one of a batch of eleven vehicles all named after famous Royal Navy warships. 937 was named Victory and initially operated in Torbay, later being transferred to Newquay and becoming part of the Western National fleet on privatisation. In 1990 937 was transferred to Badgerline for use on Bath Tours in conjunction with Guide Friday being renumbered 8606 and renamed Minerva. Minerva carried three different liveries before being painted into Barbie 2 livery (except the roof) and renumbered yet again to 39937. This was the last VR to operate in successor companies to the Bristol Omnibus Company and the last in First Somerset & Avon who generously donated 39937 to WHOTT on 24 February 2005 appropriately joining closed top VR 1157. Since then 937 has been transferred back to original livery and renamed Victory in the bicentennial of Nelson's famous victory. 

Accession 469 01/04/05

86 GFJ (Ex Exeter City Transport 86) Leyland PD2A with Massey highbridge double deck body. New in 1963, this is one of 25 similar vehicles which were the last double deck type bought by Exeter Corporation before the undertaking was sold to Devon General in April 1970. In a general renumbering of the Exeter vehicles, 86 was then renumbered 286 to avoid clashing with a Devon General AEC Reliance. A few months later, in January 1971, Devon General, by then part of the National Bus Company, was absorbed by Western National. 286 was sold in 1980 and went through a succession of owners in preservation and as a driver trainer before being repurchased for preservation by Exeter City Council in 1996. 86 is now on long term loan from the Council to WHOTT. 

Accession 482 17/05/05

OTA 632G (Ex Southern National 1460) Bristol RELH6G with ECW C45F coachwork. New to Southern National in March 1969, transferred to Western National and remained in service until May 1981 when it became part of the BaMMOTT collection at Wythall. Purchased by WHOTT in May 2005 and since then the engine has been overhauled, the outside has been repainted in traditional Royal Blue livery, much other restoration work carried out. Sponsored by Friend of WHOTT.

Accession 499 31/08/05 and currently for disposal

C705 FFJ (Ex Devon General, Exeter Bus Co 705) Ford Transit 190D with Robin Hood B16F bodywork. This was the first Transit to go into service in Exeter, in 1986, in the silver and blue livery and was named ‘Quicksilver’ contrasting with No. 7 in the original red and yellow livery.  705 was later renumbered 91 on the takeover of Devon General by Stagecoach and was withdrawn shortly after in August 1996.  After working for Devon independent Alansway for six years, 705 entered preservation in 2002 passing to Colin Billington in 2004 and a year later was donated to WHOTT.

Accession 508 18/01/06

OTT 98 (Ex Royal Blue 1299) Bristol LS6G with ECW C39F coachwork.  New in 1953 to the Southern National Royal Blue fleet this is an example of the later body style with flat full width windscreens and a wider passenger door.  Originally with 41 seats, 1299 had an interior renovation and was reseated at ECW (rebuild R795) in October 1961.  The body retains the traditional roof mounted luggage rack and 1299 is currently restored to original livery with blue roof.  After withdrawal in 1969, 1299 worked for two North London independents before being purchased for preservation by the Dorset Transport Circle in December 1972.  After 33 years the DTC generously donated 1299 to WHOTT together with sufficient funds to completely overhaul the engine.  This work was completed in time for its first outing on the WHOTT Royal Blue Run from Cheltenham to Weymouth in June 2007. Sponsored by Friend of WHOTT.

Accession 512 12/02/06

C949 GAF (Ex Western National 106) Mercedes L608D with Reeve Burgess B20F bodywork.  106 was delivered in the ‘Hoppa’ livery depicted in the photograph. And worked for ten years in Cornwall at Camborne and Truro depots before being transferred to Plymouth for a contract with Sainsburys for which it carried its second overall advertising livery.  Do you know what the first one was?  After sale in 1999, 106 passed to the Gosport based Royal Marines Light Infantry Cadets Marching Band otherwise known as RMLICMB – try pronouncing that!  It was brought on EBay by Colin Billington in 2006 and donated to WHOTT with a view to being combined with 104 to make one good example.

Accession 529 16/08/06

K906 VDV (Ex Devon General 9403 / Stagecoach Devon 9929) Ford Transit Pick-up truck.  Based in Exeter 9403 was renumbered 9929 following the arrival of Stagecoach.  Following restoration it is based at Knowstone as an ancillary vehicle.

Accession 567 21/06/07

LTA 772 (Ex Southern National 1613) Bristol LWL5G with ECW B39R bodywork.  Originally 1613 was a Western National vehicle being transferred to SN in 1960 and allocated to Weymouth depot.  1613 was sold directly into preservation in 1968 to the Dorset Transport Circle.  In 1981 1613 was put on long term loan to the Science Museum at Wroughton and ran on open days until 1985 when it was put into deep store.  A change of policy in 2007 resulted in the DTC being asked to remove 1613 and the decision was made to donate this fine vehicle to WHOTT.  On inspection it was found that 1613 had suffered body damage through too close an encounter with the wing of a Trident airliner and serious frost damage to radiator and engine while in the ‘care’ of this august institution.  This has now been repaired and 1613 returned to the road just in time to make it to the Weymouth rally in June 2007 to be reunited with 1299 there for the first time since 1981. Sponsored by Friend of WHOTT.

Accession 618 17/01/09

EFJ 92 (Ex Taylor, Exeter) Bedford WTB with Heaver C25F bodywork. This was delivered new to Taylors' Central Garage (Exeter) Ltd in June 1938. It was sold for further service in February 1952, to Vic's Tours of St. Marys on the Scilly Isles, the very extremity of the West Country. EFJ92 operated with Vic's for a further 19 years until October 1971 when it entered preservation. It has been with The Greater Manchester Transport Society since 1985, but was purchased by WHOTT in January 2009. This vehicle is the current restoration project.

Accession 729   22/11/11

FJ6154 (ex York’s Coaches, Cogenhoe).  New to Exeter Corporation in March 1929, this Maudslay ML3 chassis with 4-cylinder petrol engine carries an original Northern Counties body with dual doors/compartments.  The present incorrect interior seating is scheduled to be replaced by a type originally fitted and the exterior repainted to original Exeter livery.  This vehicle is privately owned and has been generously placed in the hands of WHOTT for ongoing care and restoration.  [photo courtesy P Munton]

Anyone interested in acquiring the vehicles shown for disposal should email or write to the Chairman in the first instance.