Cornwall Bus Preservation Society

Details

Registration: 

AFJ 749T

Fleet No.: 

38749

Fleet No.: 

1147

Date acquired: 

Wed, 01/08/2007

At the moment preserved in First Group's livery, Bristol VRBristol VR was Bristol's rear-engined bus chassis, designed as a competitor to the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline. 38749(AFJ 749T) was one of 10 new ‘double deckers’ delivered to Western National in Cornwall in 1979 in standard NBC green. Originally she had fleet number 1147 and was alocated to the Truro depot, then situated on Lemon Quay, along with 'sisters' 1142(AFJ 744T) and 1144(AFJ 746T). She has been painted in nearly all the liveries used and has been based at most of the depots in Cornwall and even for a short time, was stationed at both Dartmouth and Plymouth. Eventually she was re-numbered 38749 by First before being retired in June 2006 at which time she was looking in desparate need of attention (see picture below at Camborne). However, she was re-painted into 'Barbie' livery to attend with others, the Final VR Running Day held at Penzance in December 2006 as part of what was known as 'The Heritage Fleet'. In 2007, First released the bus into private ownership so that she could remain in the County she has served so well. The CBPSCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group hope to get 38749 back on the road during 2011 following a lengthy period of storage during which time,  Autumn Gold seats were fitted to the upper saloon.