Photo: Paul Salmon 2003
Technical details;
Chassis - Guy Wulfrunian FDW 74902
Body - Charles H Roe of Leeds GO5267
Power - Gardner 6LX with Guy mid mounted 4 speed semi automatic gearbox
Click on the image above to see more photographs of UCX275
West Riding 995 (UCX 275)
generous donation from a member of the public to fund the purchase of new tyres and with the help of fellow member Colin Poole, (custodian of West Riding Wulfrunian number 970) 995 passed her MOT on 8th November 2012. Meanwhile, WHL 970 continued to be restored by Colin Poole and Stuart Goldthorpe within the Museum building.
995 was eventually laid up again in 2016 due to three minor MOT failures and other priorities within WROPS. With the planned Golden Jubilee celebrations of WROPS in 2021, a decision was made to ensure 995 was tidied up and made roadworthy once more. She will therefore be treated to some repanelling, a full repaint and mechanical overhaul and interior deep clean during 2020 and early 2021 and will return to active service once more for the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
West Riding Automobile Company had been the main user of the Wulfrunian and some would say that the it was ahead of its time with innovative features. Whilst other “modern” looking front entrance buses such as the Fleetline and Atlantean featured a rear engine, the Wulfrunian had a front engine, a mid mounted underfloor gearbox and a passenger door at the front. As a result of this, the staircase was situated off the front platform on the nearside of the bus. Despite having a front-entrance they operated with a traditional conductor on board collecting fares and issuing tickets. The Wulfrunian fleet was used widely throughout the West Riding Automobile Company network throughout the 60’s and will be remembered by passengers for the comfortable ride they delivered.
Several batches of the vehicles were painted in the red and cream livery for operation on former tram routes, such as Leeds - Kettlethorpe (10) and Ossett - Wakefield (20) and thus it is fitting that the other Wulfrunian in the WROPS collection has been returned to as delivered condition in red and cream livery.
995 was then garaged on the premises of West Riding Automobile Company whilst restoration was completed, including a strip down and re-paint. There then followed a long period of active rally attendance before she was finally taken off the road several years ago.
When a second Wulfrunian, WHL 970, was added to the WROPS collection, it was felt necessary to ensure that the two buses were not garaged together and thus 995 spent several years on loan to Lathalmond Museum and then the Black Country Museum.
Eventually 995 returned and found its way back home into long term storage at a Yorkshire location with the help of Ian Hunter and Neil Halliday. Still in the ownership of WROPS, it languished under cover for some time whilst other vehicles received attention until March 2012 when Andrew Beever and Mark Byard took on joint custodianship of the vehicle with a view to putting it back on the road. After receiving a
West Riding 995 is a 1961 Guy Wulfrunian and carries registration number UCX 275. It was originally delivered to County Motors of Lepton Huddersfield as number 99 and moved to West Riding Automobile Company in May 1963 where it gained fame as being the last Wulfrunian in West Riding service, being finally withdrawn on 25th March 1972. It made a final appearance at the closure of the Bradford Trolleybus system a couple of weeks later and was then was immediately acquired for preservation by a band of enthusiasts that had formed the West Riding Wulfrunian Preservation Society, this eventually becoming the West Riding Omnibus Preservation Society. (WROPS)
