2220 (RNA 220J)

With the three Mancunians so far preserved by The SELNEC Preservation Society, we had each of the three different staircase variations, but when these vehicles are restored, we would have a red/white Atlantean and a red/white Fleetline in 1142 and 2130, plus a sunglow orange/off white SELNEC Mancunian Atlantean in 1177, but no SELNEC coloured Mancunian Fleetline. Therefore, because it was known that one of these was still in operation, being 2220, we attempted to discover its availability and condition.

We found that the vehicle was sold by Greater Manchester Transport on 5th June 1984 to a dealer, Lonsdale, who sold it on to William Charles Richardson in Truro on 26th February 1985. He kept the bus for three years and sold it to Truronian Ltd on 1st January 1988.

Consequently, we went to visit the vehicle on 2nd October 1992, to inspect its condition, and kept in touch with Truronian thereafter, until they took it out of service in March 1996. It is the last Mancunian operated in revenue-earning service, and has seen 12 years life beyond the operation of Mancunians by SELNEC/GMT in Manchester.

The vehicle was purchased and collected on 28th July 1996 and covered the 330 mile-trip from Truro to Leigh, Greater Manchester, without any difficulty. It seemed to use very little fuel, oil or water, and was mechanically very sound, perhaps because it had only recently come out of service.

Unfortunately, the bodywork does require some attention, as many of the panels are dented, but some of the bodyparts will be supplied from the scrap Mancunian 1186 (ONF 874H) that the SELNEC Preservation Society managed to acquire on 14th November 1992, and dismantled before disposing of the shell on 16th June 1998.

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