Chatham Steam & Transport 20th, 21st April 2003

D101 NDW

This bus was new to Merthyr Tydfil Transport as their #101 and as a 51 seater in April 1987, the first of a batch of twelve such vehicles.

In December 1989 it was bought by Grey-Green Coaches as their #801 and allocated to their Strood depot in Kent. There it worked a variety of routes including 113/4, 130, 123/4/6/7, 148, 150, 185, 209. Grey-Green was bought by the Pullmans Group on 1st May 1996 and this bus passed into London Coaches Kent ownership retaining its fleetnumber #801 but losing its Grey-Green fleetnames over night, gaining LCK legal lettering at the same time.

London Coaches Kent sold its Kent bus operations including both vehicles and routes to Maidstone & District at the end of May 1996. This bus became their #3038 and was allocated for its short stay to their Gillingham depot for use on the ex Grey-Green bus routes.

Three months later on 5th August 1996 it was sold to LondonLinks, as their #399 where it was used on service 259. It gained LondonLinks livery. In April 1998 ownership of the company and vehicle passed to Arriva West Sussex.

In December 1999 it was sold to S. Boxall of West Wickham for preservation. By June 2000 It was painted into London Transport red and white livery and given fleetnumber #LX1, obviously not the real #LX1. It appeared at a few rallies in this guise.

It was loaned by its owner to Camden Coaches in Kent from November 2000 and was used on their service 222 in Tonbridge. before being loaned to Southlands Travel of Swanley.

In May 2001 it was sold to Ensign (Dealer) in Purfleet and was loaned from June 2001 to Essex Buses to cover for refurbishment of their own fleet of Leyland Lynxs it was allocated to (HH) and operated in its red and white livery. It returned to Ensign in July 2001.

During October 2001 it was acquired by White Rose Travel of Thorpe as their #LX1. It was withdrawn by White Rose shortly before they ceased trading and went to Metropolitan omnibus of Harlesden on loan, it saw use on service 487 whilst it was there. It later arrived at Nu-Venture's Aylesford depot on 6th April 2002. It was later transferred into store at the Hoo Marina depot. where it spent the next few months.

In January 2003 it was transferred to Aylesford and work began getting the vehicle roadworthy. From February 2003 it was transferred into Nu-Venture ownership its 9th owner from new. On 21st February 2003 it was taken to South Benfleet for repaint into fleet livery. After arriving back with Blue wheels (as a trial) it quickly had them painted silver.