On Thursday, Workington Transport Heritage Trust will be recreating the inaugural journey of the Leyland 'Super' Bus. 

This comes ahead of the Leyland National 50 event at Whitehaven Harbour this weekend. 

On Thursday, 17 March, 1972 was an important bus driver Barry Taylor of Cleator Moor, drove the very first Leyland National ‘Super-bus’ out of Workington Bus Station on its inaugural journey to Whitehaven via Lowca.

Mr Taylor said: "It certainly was a rare moment stepping on-board to drive a strange vehicle with all the dignitaries, and members of the press analysing and photographing your every move and action.

"Having said all that, it was one of those times in my life, that I look back on with pride, and pleasure."

Asked for her impressions, the first public service passenger on the bus, Mrs Jessie Boyd of Distington, who boarded at Workington with her two children, said, “It seems okay.” 

Passengers aboard the bus will include Ken Hargreaves, former Production Superintendent at Leyland National Ltd, who was responsible for the testing and development of assembly lines and prototypes, David Quainton and other people with experience of this revolutionary vehicle.

READ MORE: Bank holiday Leyland heritage bus exhibition to take place in Whitehaven

READ MORE: Leyland National 50 event to showcase Whitehaven's transport heritage