National Bus Company Dual Purpose Vehicles

Previously unpublished photographs documenting this fascinating and overlooked part of NBC vehicle history.

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After the 1969 nationalisation, bus and coach companies had generally continued with their traditional liveries and, in 1971, it was decided the time had come to apply a corporate image to state-owned bus operations. The livery scheme would be a simplification of the colours previously used.

The livery of a bus would be one colour all over, later relieved by a central 3-inch white line, and vehicles designated as dual purpose or ‘Local Coach’ would use the base colour on the lower half and white above. The ‘dual purpose’ vehicle could be a bus fitted with comfortable seats, an older coach no longer deemed suitable for full coach duties, or a new coach fitted with bus-style doors.

With a wealth of previously unpublished images, Michael Hitchen looks at this interesting part of the NBC fleet as it journeyed between towns and cities across England and Wales, at a time when there was still plenty of variety and exceptions to the rule.