Hence, GNF 16V and GNF 17V, which had been purchased at the time, were used on Fleetline deliveries on the basis that no more than 15 Titans were to be received and GNF 16V was applied to 8141 and GNF 17V to 8142. Hence, we thought that not only would 6912 be an interesting concept as a vehicle to be purchased for spare parts, because of its re-bodied alloy construction, so might 8141, because of its lower deck recessed windows, which had first appeared on 8116, as well as its registration GNF 16V. 

The third vehicle which we considered as a potential donor for spare parts for the future was 8017 (XBU 17S) simply because it came from the same batch of XBU-S Fleetlines as 8001 (XBU 1S) being the first 20, 8001-8020 (XBU 1S to XBU 20S). 

When we made it known to our members that one of this list of three vehicles: 6912, 8141 and 8017 was the potential source of us securing a whole vehicle for spare parts, a considerable amount of concern was raised that we might ever consider stripping 6912. It then became apparent there was a considerable amount of interest in this vehicle in that having been re-bodied it was somewhat unique. 

6912 was first registered on 17th August 1977 and was delivered to LUT in red and grey livery, albeit with orange moquette and orange PVC seats, as their number 496 with original Northern Counties steel framed body 8136. However, in August 1981, a clipper card machine on LUT dual-door Jumbo Fleetline 2413 (VTC 503M) which was parked adjacent to 6912 at the time, caught fire, engulfing the bus in flames. 

Staff at Hindley Depot tried to move all the vehicles that were parked close to 2413, but 6912 was parked next to it and would not start. As the fire raged on 2413, which was parked next to diesel tanks, these exploded and this showered 6912 with flames, seriously damaging the front of the vehicle. Eventually, both vehicles had their bodies removed by GMT and the chassis repaired. 

Some 18 months later, in early 1983, they were re-bodied by Northern Counties, quite surprisingly, as this policy had not been pursued previously by SELNEC nor even Manchester City Transport. 2413 was a 1973 'M' reg. long wheelbase dual-door Daimler Fleetline which was re-bodied with an extended Northern Counties body in the Standard design and looked unique and unusual, as because of the length of the chassis it had a sixth large window on the upper deck, being a full length bay rather than the small window depicted on most Standards and had H47/34F bodywork applied to it. 

However, despite this being 1983 and the fact that Northern Counties had moved on to alloy frame construction, this was a metal frame body. Of more interest, however, was the fact that ex-LUT Standard 6912 was also re-bodied by Northern Counties in 1983, but in their current alloy frame body which was being applied at that time, and was given Body No. 2426. 

Records secured from Northern Counties indicate that the body build sequence was as follows: 

8520-8580
3001
8581-8627
6912
3002-3006
1461-1462
8628-8633
3007
2413
8634-8650
3008-3009
8651-8657
3010 

Although the only vehicles ever re-bodied for SELNEC/GMT were 2413 and 6912 there was an adaptation undertaken to LUT Standard 522, ex-GMT 6938 (TWH 697T). This double-decker Standard, having had an accident at Wargrave Bridge in 1985 had lost most of the upper deck and was rebuilt at Northern Counties as a 28 seat single-decker and renumbered 1697 in line with its licence plate designation. 

It was painted in the white/orange/brown later GMT livery, eventually being adapted in 1986 for the GM Buses designation. It had additional seats added where the staircase would normally be on the off-side of the lower deck behind the driver's cab and in addition had an emergency window fitted on the nearside in position 3 and engine shrouds added at the rear to tidy up its appearance and add strength.

6912 was taken out of service at deregulation with GMT, but did pass as the lowest numbered ex-LUT Standard vehicle into the GM Buses fleet, as 6901-6911 were sold. GM Buses had purchased from GMT far more vehicles than they actually needed, putting many of them in the 'moth ball' fleet for potential future use, but it was soon determined that these were unnecessary so large batches were sold off, a considerable number being sold to Yorkshire Rider, including 6912, which was purchased by them on 28th November 1987.

Consequently, it was operated longer in Halifax, for the subsequent operator of Yorkshire Rider, now First Calderline, than it had run in Greater Manchester. What was pointed out by a number of members and trustees was the fact that 6912 was an extremely rare vehicle. Not only was it the only Standard to be re-bodied as a Standard, but it was also the only alloy bodied Fleetline Standard to be delivered to GMT, as this style of body had only previously been applied to Atlanteans and Olympians.

Furthermore, alongside 2413 it was the only Fleetline to enter service in the white/orange/brown livery, which had been applied previously to Atlanteans with the livery change in 1981, from 8414 and 8417 onwards.

Consequently our contact with First Calderline changed in some respects in that we now asked them if it was possible to secure 6912 for preservation as opposed to being a donor vehicle for spare parts, which they readily agreed to. We still pursued them however with the possibility of 8141 (GNF 16V) or 8017 (XBU 17S) being the donor vehicle for spare parts, and until such time as we secured 6950 when we notified First Calderline to this effect. Hence, of the three possible operations: the securing of 6912 for preservation was to go ahead; the securing of a whole vehicle as a source for future spare parts (i.e. 8141 or 8017) was abandoned because of our acquisition of 6950, and the third element was and still is to visit when all Fleetlines have been taken out of service to remove Northern Counties body parts and Fleetline running parts.

As a consequence of our contact with First Calderline, they agreed in a document signed on 20th April 2001 to donate on permanent loan 6912 (PTD 640S) to the SELNEC Educational Trust, on the basis that it would be used for preservation and eventually would be restored, which it will be in some years to come when time and resources allow. 

The plan was that the allocation of 6912 to the SELNEC Educational Trust would take effect on the last Fleetline running day, in conjunction with the Heart of the Pennines Vintage Bus Rally at the Piece Hall in Halifax on 6th May 2001 and it would be formally handed over to the SELNEC Educational Trust on that day.