National Bus Company Dual Purpose Vehicles

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With a wealth of previously unpublished images, Michael Hitchen looks at this interesting part of the NBC fleet as it journeyed between towns and cities across England and Wales, at a time when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