New To: Nottingham City Transport

Chassis: Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R 8100387

Body: Northern Counties 2078 H47/31D 

Delivered in September 1981 to Nottingham City Transport as part of a batch of 20 similar vehicles, 433 is fitted with a Northern Counties double-deck body seating 78 passengers — 47 in the upper saloon and 31 in the lower saloon. It formed part of the penultimate batch of Leyland Atlantean chassis supplied new to NCT, representing the closing chapter of Atlantean operation in the city before newer integral designs became standard.

The vehicle was constructed to what became known as the “Nottingham Standard” design, the styling philosophy that defined Nottingham’s buses for many years. This design incorporated a number of distinctive and practical features, including an angled destination display for improved visibility, higher internal ceilings for enhanced passenger comfort, a substantial front bumper to reduce accident damage, curved upper deck front windows, curved windscreens, and extensive standardisation of parts between vehicles to simplify maintenance and reduce costs. Together, these features created a strong and instantly recognisable fleet identity.

During its service life with NCT, 433 was repainted twice — first in 1985 and again in November 1989 — remaining a familiar sight across the city’s network. It was withdrawn from service in December 1998 and spent approximately four months in storage at Gotham Depot before being sold in March 1999 to Kinchbus, a Wellglade subsidiary, for use on school services in the Loughborough area. Interestingly, although it carried Kinchbus fleetnames, it retained Nottingham City Transport livery throughout this period. After two and a half years, the vehicle passed to Paul S. Winson Coaches of Loughborough, where it operated from August 2001 until July 2002.

433 was acquired by Nottingham Heritage Vehicles in July 2002, ensuring its preservation as one of the final examples of the Nottingham Atlantean era. However, it remained stored from September 2002 until April 2007, when restoration work finally commenced. The project began with the removal of all outer body panels to allow full inspection of the structural framework. Unfortunately, it was discovered that the steel former anchored to the ‘T’-section framework had deteriorated extensively throughout the vehicle. This required the replacement of the pillars below the upper deck floor rail with newly fabricated sections to restore structural integrity.

Once the major structural repairs were completed, all inner panels were treated with anti-rust coatings and new outer panels fitted. The lower deck window pans were removed, with three requiring complete replacement due to aluminium corrosion. By August 2007, significant progress had been made, with all between-deck panels refitted and the lower saloon structural work completed, giving the bus a much-improved appearance.

Further restoration work included replacement of all remaining panels, fabrication of two entirely new entrance steps from framework upwards, and replacement of the rear interior panels using components sourced from sister vehicle 432. The nearside roof required complete reskinning after prolonged contact with overhanging trees had damaged every bay. Additional improvements included replacement step nosings, fitting improved door brushes, and thorough preparation of the entire vehicle ahead of testing and repainting. It was decided that 433 would be brush painted, maintaining a traditional finish. All windows were removed prior to painting and subsequently refitted using new rubber extrusions to ensure a high-quality finish.

Remarkably, despite having operated for three different bus companies, 433 has only ever carried Nottingham livery. It had not been repainted since November 1989 until its restoration repaint, meaning that throughout its operational life beyond NCT it retained its original city colours — a testament to both its heritage and the strength of the Nottingham fleet identity.

Since 2019, 433 has been off the road awaiting further mechanical and structural attention. After a sustained programme of work, it is hoped that the vehicle will return to service later this year (2026), marking an important milestone in its preservation story.