This April Whitehaven will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Leyland National bus being produced by Cumberland Motor Services.

Their factory opened in March 1972 and was deemed to be the most highly automated manufacturing plant in Europe, with more than 7,700 Nationals rolling off the production line over the next fourteen years.

Workington Transport Heritage Trust has organised a special event to mark the anniversary which will be free to the public on the April bank holiday. Around fifty heritage buses are set to be displayed around the town's harbour and elsewhere available for a park and ride service.

Local businessman and past festival organiser Gerard Richardson said: "This has all the promise of a fabulous weekend for all the family. Vintage buses and stalls all along Whitehaven's wonderful Marina is a wonderful idea and a completely new one for the town so well done to the organisers for coming up with the idea."

Buses will be lined up along the harbour front with some providing free town tours and runs to Lillyhall where there will be a line up. A photo call for owners will also take place here on the final afternoon.

In The Beacon Museum there will be a Leyland National 50 exhibition accompanied by trade stands and continental markets on the Sugar Tongue, which is the oldest of the Quays.

A number of Leyland National buses will be there along with other Workington built vehicles and contemporary buses in the liveries of former National Bus Company and Scottish Bus Group subsidiaries, and the Passenger Transport Executives.

This will be the biggest gathering of Leyland National buses since the factory closed.

Michael Morton, who has helped to organise the event has thanked numerous organisations for their support. Mr Morton said: "This event has been made possible by the invaluable co-operation of local organisations including Copeland Borough Council, Whitehaven Harbour Commission, The Beacon Museum, Lakes College, Britain’s Energy Coast, Eddie Stobart and Stagecoach."

The organisers have created a 'Leyland National 50' Facebook page that provides information about the event and regular updates. To access the page please visit: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076576722867.