New To: Midland General Omnibus Company

Chassis: Bristol RELL6G RELL-3-1083

Body: Eastern Coach Works B44D 18522

Status: Awaiting Restoration

History

146 was delivered new to The Midland General Omnibus Company in 1970 as part of a batch of four similar vehicles. It has a Bristol RELL chassis, with bodywork built by Eastern Coach Works of Lowestoft. It seats 44 passengers and features dual doors, designed to speed up boarding and alighting on busy town routes. 

It was delivered in MGOs bus livery of Black and Cream as fleet number 146, allocated to Mansfield depot. In 1972, as part of the National Bus Companies review of its operations, the Midland General fleet was taken over by Trent Motor Traction Company Ltd. Around this time, 146 was painted into the standard NBC livery of Poppy Red, with a white relief band, carrying Midland General fleet names. As part of the renumbering of the MGO fleet to avoid duplication with the Trent fleet, 146 was renumbered to 356. In 1977, 356 received Trent fleet names as the Midland General Company was wound up and all MGO vehicles were given Trent fleet names.

146 spent the first part of its operational life at Mansfield Depot before withdrawal and storage in 1982. The bus along with z number of similar stored Bristol REs were chosen for reinstatement a year or so later and repainted, without the white band this time. The operational life of this bus came to an end in 1984 when it was withdrawn from passenger service and converted into a mobile information and exhibition centre. This involved the removal of all the bus seats, an office being created at the rear and the rest of the bus being fitted out for its new role. Trent used it like this until they finally withdrew it in 1986. 146 now 356 was sold to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council for continued use as an exhibition centre. 

356 passed into preservation in 2000 and much work took place converting back into a bus once again. 356 had a few owners prior to NHVC buying it in 2017. Since then it remained operational for a couple of years before being moved down to our storage compound where it can be seen today. 

Relevance To The Collection

There is only a few Midland General REs in preservation and there is only a few dual door REs left in preservation