Conversion

CONVERSION

CONVERSION of the twenty one year old ex-Isle of Man Transport Leyland National took nearly eight months, January to August 1998.

Internal works were carried out by the Isle of Man Department of Education, whilst external refurbishment and repainting was undertaken by Isle of Man Transport.

The eye-catching livery was designed by Des Clague of the Creative Studio, Douglas—based on ideas supplied by students of the Isle of Man College.

Mains wiring was by BMK electrical, alarms by Electra Systems, and telecommunications wiring was undertaken by Manx Telecom. Subsequent repairs, maintenance and garaging has been undertaken by Tours (Isle of Man).

Conversion

03/12/2001

A review published at the end of its first year, detailed the many achievements of the Island’s unique computer bus. Here for the first time is an online version of that review...

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ABOVE: As received out-of-service - No.30 complete with seats. Note the London Transport-inspired moquette and the ‘Phase 2’ black-powder-coated grab rails and rear step ‘modesty’ panels.

LEFT: Mike Dobson of the Department of Education’s Works Department was given the task of converting the interior of the bus.

Because the vehicle moved about in the wind, Mike complained he found it difficult to ‘get a level’ !

His work has stood the test of time and is still perfect 22-years later and counting!

ABOVE: Manx Telecom’s Freddie Faragher and colleague working on the patch cupboard back in 1998. As with the remainder of the ethernet this has worked flawlessly ever since.

ABOVE: Inside the paint shop at Homefield bus depot and a tin of Mason’s paint of the type used to paint the Island’s bus fleet at the time.

ABOVE: Bus 30 outside the Snugborough workshop of the Department of Education Works Department.

ABOVE: Bus 30 inside the Homefield bus works awaiting removal of seats.

ABOVE: Interior during conversion showing raised plywood floor and the folding legs on the right-hand worktops - intended to give extra space for adult use - but never used in practice.

ABOVE: Exterior inside Homefield paintshop showing replacement new and second-hand panels and the aluminium sheets used to cover the off-side windows.

LEFT: Bus during painting at Homefield depot during the early part of 1998.

ABOVE: Eric Quirk applying the finishing touches to the Manx Telecom logo. Its hard to believe that before the days of stick-on vinyl lettering, all this had to be painstakingly and expertly hand-painted and Eric was a master.

ABOVE: The completed bus pictured outside the Mount Murray Hotel in Santon during the latter part of its first year in service.