Throwback Thursday – The Leyland Beadle Finds Its Final Home (6th March 2025)
Throwback to this time last year when the Leyland Beadle arrived at the Museum…
How It All Began – The Unlikely Birth of This Leyland Beadle…
Originally, this bus began life as a Leyland TD5 double-decker bus, dating from November 1938.
Following the end of World War II there was an increasing demand for single decker coaches, but orders for new vehicles were met with long delivery times. To ease the problem, the bodies were removed from pre-war double-decker buses and new integral single-deck bodies were built and installed on the original chassis. The entire TD5 chassis is incorporated, but with the front and rear halves moved apart by approximately 3’6” and a third section of propeller shaft added. The gap is bridged by massive aluminium extrusions that integrate the body and the sub frames. The new body was constructed by J C Beadle Coaches of Dartford.
Today the Beadle Group successfully operates with multi-franchise car distributors. After retirement from service the coach was maintained and used by the M&D East Kent Bus Club.
A Reliable Runner – Inside the Working Life of the Beadle…
During its early years this Leyland Beadle served with East Kent where it provided an Express Service between Kent and London’s Victoria Coach Station. It also operated along Britain’s coast to Bournemouth, but later in life it was used mostly for private hire and excursions. In June 1972 it was acquired for preservation by Richard Perry, it subsequently changed ownership several times before being reacquired by Mr Perry in November 1988.
From Service to Showcase…
The Leyland Beadle arrived at its final home on the 4th March 2024, having travelled 300 miles to get here.
Although still in full working condition, the coach has a top speed of 40mph, so it was given a sedate but speedy ride to Lancashire on a specialist vehicle operated by Rochester based Neil Yates Recovery.
It now proudly resides at the Museum alongside many rare and famous vehicles including the Popemobile used by Pope John-Paul II during his 1982 visit to the UK, a Thornycroft Gun Tractor used during World War I and a large abnormal load Scammell.
The Leyland Beadle was very kindly bequeathed to the Museum by Mr Perry in 2024, following his passing.
