Leyland National Mk1 JMY120N - The Super National (Includes cold start, on board footage & drive by)

A short video of my own Leyland National Mk1, JMY120N, otherwise known as the Super National. We see the bus being started from cold, followed by internal and external footage of the bus being driven by myself around North Lincolnshire.

The Super National was a one-off version of the Leyland National single deck bus, intended as a kind of mobile boardroom on wheels. It had many features now considered standard on modern corporate coaches, including a colour TV, video player, radio telephone, secretary's desk, servery, fridge, aircraft style seats with selectable audio, toilet compartment and wardrobe. It was first operated by National Travel (South East) out of their depot in Catford in South London, and was used on special private hires. Over the years it had several famous passengers, including Dolly Parton and Fleetwood Mac. It was also used by the BBC in connection with their Seaside Special entertainment programme, and featured in the opening credits to the programme in 1976.

Mechanically, Super National was fitted with the infamous Leyland 0.510 8.2 litre fixed head turbodiesel engine, which developed around 200bhp at 2400rpm. Unusually, this was coupled to a 2-speed ZF fully automatic torque converter transmission, and high speed differential, giving it a maximum speed of (according to the original driver) well over 70mph.

National Travel operated the bus as a working PSV until January 1980, at which point it was sold to a company called SATRA Ltd (Soviet American Trade Association). This was a company linked to the Russian government, and were involved in the import of Lada cars to the UK. As far as I can tell, SATRA used the bus to transport dignitaries to events around the country. They painted it in a distinctive red and silver livery, but kept the original interior.

In the mid 1980's, the bus appears to have ben sold to a Hull based car dealer, although for what purpose it was used for there is unclear. It's next significant move was around 1986, when it was sold to Pirelli Tyres in Derbyshire, where it was used as a mobile training unit. Pirelli had the interior refurbished and altered slightly, the most significant change they made was to replace the aircraft style front seats with an inwards facing sofa style seat. They also made some mechanical alterations, with the 2-speed ZF transmission being replaced with the more usual Leyland Pnemocyclic 5-speed semi automatic unit. Sadly, it also had the high speed diff replaced too, giving it a reduced maximum speed of around 50mph.

Pirelli kept the bus until the early 1990's, when it was then sold for preservation. It was kept at Wythall Transport Museum for many years, still in Pirelli's mainly yellow livery. It had several changes of ownership, and at some point along the way it was treated to a repaint into original National Travel livery, but this appears to have been more of a cosmetic makeover than a full restoration. After being kept in London for a while, it was sold to a church group in Burton on Trent, who intended to use the bus for storing and distributing clothes for the homeless. By their own admission, it was far too big for their needs. During this time, it was kept on a private driveway , which must have pleased the neighbours no end.

I acquired the bus in May 2018 after it had been put up for sale on Ebay. I passed my test in a Mk1 National, and I have a fascination with oddball vehicles, so it seemed to be the perfect bus for me. Although the interior is not original, it is still completely unique. Upon close inspection, the bus was in remarkable condition structurally, but had a very tired looking exterior. Since acquisition, I have carried out a full external restoration, with all external panels from the roof downwards being removed and replaced or repaired as necessary. The interior is still unrestored, and is still in the, now very tatty, 1980's refurbished condition. I do intend to reinstate as much of the original style interior as possible, however this could be difficult given the number of missing items that appear to have been unique to the bus.

So for now, I have got the bus road legal again, and I intend to take it to several events during 2022. You can follow further restoration progress by visiting my Facebook page, a link to which is below:

https://www.facebook.com/Project-Super-National-113498493697570