Bristol FS 550 109DRM at Whitehaven
Whitehaven Bus Depot
Bristol FS 550 AAO547A at Carlisle (1)
AAO547A - Carlisle Depot
Bristol FS 550 AAO547A at Carlisle (2)
AAO547A - Carlisle Depot
Bristol LH 111 XRM111J at Whitehaven
Cumberland MS operated principally in the industrial west coastal area of the county, and therefore had a relatively small requirement for what might be regarded as typical rural buses. 17 Bristol LH were purchased in the early stages of production of that model, one of which was the first with the BET curved windscreen.
Bristol RE 259 MRM259F at Whitehaven
The Bristol RELL was widely used by CMS, particularly in the late 1960s and early 1970s when no double deckers were being purchased. With the exception of the first 2 RELLS, all of the CMS REs had Leyland engines. Most (including this vehicle) were fitted with the O600 engine, but the last batch from 289, had the larger O680.
Bristol RE 273 OAO273F at Whitehaven
Whitehaven Bus Station. NBC decided that money could be saved by not painting the waistbands white - allegedly, £15 - thereby making the already dismal poppy red livery even worse. This RELL seems to have escaped that fate -most of the others at that time had lost their white bands.
Bristol RE 277 TAO277G at Whitehaven
Whitehaven Bus Station
Bristol RE 290 ARM390J at Workington
Workington Bus Station
Bristol RE 298 DAO298K at Whitehaven
Whitehaven bus depot, parking area. There is a story that Cumberland's intention was that the three dual purpose RELLs should in fact have been RELHs similar to number 600. Quite how such a mistake failed to be noticed until the three buses were completed rather taxes the imagination! Additionally, the October 1970 issue of 'Buses' lists the Cumberland order for 1971 as 14 RELLs, which would be 289-302 - i.e. exactly that which was delivered. As 296-8 were delivered in Spring 1972, it would seem to have been known in at least some quarters that they were to be RELLs!
Leyland National ERM35K at Whitehaven depot
A Tilling Red Leyland National! Almost certainly the only one, and the first to enter service. Seen here at Whitehaven depot when only a few months old.
Cumberland Motor Services Ltd traditionally served the west coast of the county of that name, which in earlier times had a lot of heavy industry. Much has changed in the last 30 years, and the successor company, part of the Stagecoach empire, serves part of the much more rural Lake District.