| Fleet No 363
Reg No DXI 3363 Company Ulsterbus Ltd Chassis No 8300697 Body No 981/3 Type Leyland Tiger TRBTL11/2RP Body Alexander (Belfast) N Type C53F+8 New 22/06/1984 Reseated 1988 to B53F+22 Enniskillen 22/06/1984 - 13/01/2006 Craigavon 13/01/2006 - 20/09/2006 Armagh 20/09/2006 - 30/09/2006 Reserve 30/09/2006 ( used By Newtownabbey Depot for about 10 days 10/2006) Acquired for preservation by Richard Shannon (Newtownards) 13/ 02 /2007 New to Ulster’s Lakeland at Enniskillen Depot in 1984, 363 was one of a batch of ten (360-369) used on the Ulsterbus Express Services network (this was before it was rebranded Goldliner). These ten were very different to the previous deliveries of the N Type body in being specified to be express coaches. Internally they had high backed coach seats and externally were outshopped in a special livery with big fleetnames either side of the bus. Another addition was the fitting to the front and rear side windows of Bristol RE rear side windows from Alexanders own X type body, this gave them a streamlined coach appearance and also accomodated the swoop that ran from the front to the rear of the bus. Spending four years on express work till 1988, working the 261 service to Belfast mostly, 363 was downgraded to a service bus and fitted out with bus seats with painting into ordinary fleet livery. (the high back Diplomat seats were reused in a batch of later express Tigers being delivered in 1988, one was of this batch was to replace 363). After this 363 led a very uneventfull life until 2006 when it was transfered to Craigavon depot, then later in the same year to Armagh depot before finally ending up in reserve in September for disposal for scrap or sale. At the time a few members of the batch were looked at for possible preservation and it was determined 363 was the best of the bunch not needing too much work to restore the interior. Work carried out so far has included a tidying up of the bus inside and out and vinyls applied to the bring the bus back to mid 90's condition, this also including a set of metal bumpers being fitted, these having been removed and replaced with fibreglass flat bumpers during mid life. Mechanically a new fuel pump has been fitted and new rubber boots on the suspension levelling valve rod's at the back fitted, these having cracked with age. It is intended eventually to return 363 to express spec as new inside an out. |
ABPG_765.jpg 2008-09-02 18:26:02 |
Irish Transport Trust Rally 2008 ABPG_419.jpg 2008-04-26 17:48:27 |
The Irish Transport Trust Rally 2008 posed along with 1878 and Ian's Flexibus 51 ABPG_418.jpg 2008-04-26 17:48:01 |
|
Irish Transport Trust Rally 2007 363a.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
Irish Transport Trust Rally 2007 with Bobby and Richard. 363_.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
In Enniskillen depot around 1995/96. 363E.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
|
Irish Transport Trust Rally 2007 2306_1999.jpg 2007-04-28 17:05:25 |
Irish Transport Trust Rally 2007 2306_1996.jpg 2007-04-28 16:43:24 |
ITT Rally 2007 2306_1995.jpg 2007-04-28 16:43:06 |
|
ITT Rally 2007 2306_1994.jpg 2007-04-28 16:42:19 |
The morning of the ITT Rally 2007 at the ABPG base. 2306_1992.jpg 2007-04-28 08:59:28 |
Original metal bumper's fitted and MK2 livery logo's starting to be applied. 2306_1906.jpg 2007-02-20 16:01:10 |
|
363 leaving Dungannon early in her career on the 261 Express . 0363a.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
363 At Gt Vic St when nearly new. 0363.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
Having the outside prepared for the 2007 Rally, the cab an saloon also got a top to bottom clean. A cashtray, Wayfarer mk2 tray and tigers head for the steering wheel were also fitted as to orig spec. 2306_1955.jpg 2007-03-31 19:14:14 |
|
Side view of windscreen removed. 2306_1933.jpg 2007-03-10 18:06:19 |
On bein acquired it was found the windscreen rubber was perished. Seen here bein replaced and bein prepared for the Itt Rally 2007. Eventually this will have to come back out again as the fibreglass dome round the windscreen has been cut wrong during her career. 2306_1932.jpg 2007-03-10 18:05:58 |
Front saloon area as acquired, all very original and in excellant condition. 2306_1894.jpg 2007-02-14 17:06:30 |
|
As acquired. All very orig and showing Enniskillen had done a superb job of looking after her. 2306_1892.jpg 2007-02-14 16:05:11 |
Interior as acquired 2306_1891.jpg 2007-02-14 16:04:23 |
Interior as acquired 2306_1890.jpg 2007-02-14 16:04:00 |
|
As acquired. A credit to Enniskillen! 2306_1889.jpg 2007-02-14 16:03:47 |
On inspection. 2306_1873.jpg 2007-02-04 14:05:51 |
On inspection in N'Abbey posed with 391. 2306_1871.jpg 2007-02-04 13:52:02 |
|
Photo-0009.jpg 2006-01-01 00:00:00 |
Original Alexander's builder badge was sourced and fitted from a Withdrawn tiger. The later Citybus and Ulsterbus tiger's had a different style of lettering to that shown here. Photo-0004_2_.jpg 2006-01-01 00:00:00 |
Translink vinyls removed looking very bare. Photo-0004.jpg 2006-01-01 00:00:00 |
|
Wheel's and bumper's painted and tidying up progressing. 2306_1919.jpg 2007-03-01 18:34:15 |
Publicity shot for Ulsterbus services and parcel's when brand new in 1984. This was taken in the Lough Erne area in County Fermanagh. Image_779.jpg 2007-02-19 00:00:00 |
Trial fitment of orig spec steel bumpers. 2306_1903.jpg 2007-02-18 22:36:21 |
|
About to go into preservation after being extracted from the many withdrawn and now scrapped early tiger's in Newtownabbey depot. 2306_1888.jpg 2007-02-13 14:56:48 |
When new 363 would have had a boot and sidelockers, these will be restored back to her. Another addition when new was a rear wiper, quite a novelty for a bus! 2306_1876.jpg 2007-02-04 14:07:03 |
Side view while on inspection showing the rubber trim and different end window's, this was to enhance the appearance of the express example's and did a very good job of it. The windows were simply Alexander x type RELL windows turned upside down. 2306_1875.jpg 2007-02-04 14:06:34 |
|
Before being acquired and on inspection in Newtownabbey. 2 example's were looked at and 363 was found to be the best example, 366 being the other example looked at. 2306_1874.jpg 2007-02-04 14:06:06 |
