AMERICAN MANCUNIANS

As well as the 492 Mancunians built between 1968 and 1972 for use within the Manchester/SELNEC area, in 1976 eight additional vehicles were made by Park Royal bodybuilders, which had a seating capacity of 45 on the upper deck and 25 on the lower deck, plus 13 standing, for the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority and had the AN68 engine.

With these eight American Mancunians taken into account and the 492 built for the home market, this makes a total of 500, and we did wonder if perhaps one day we might acquire one of the American vehicles for preservation.

We were advised they were sold by New York in 1982 to Greyline Sightseeing Tours in San Francisco, and having spoken to a number of individuals there, we learnt they were sold to Greyline Tours of Victoria in Canada, between 1987 and 1989, and they were passed to sister company Laidlaw Passenger Services.

Subsequently, having written to Laidlaw Passenger Services in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in respect of these American Mancunians, we received an extremely helpful response on 22nd June 1999, indicating that although eight American Mancunians had been built, only seven had passed into their ownership.

The one vehicle that did not transfer to Greyline Tours in Victoria was 7501974/62064.

Of the seven that did transfer to Greyline Tours in Victoria, three of these were stored in poor condition, being 7501972, 7501973 and 7501978. These have now been sold to a local charity.

The four in operating service are 7501971, 7501975, 7501976 and 7501977. We are in contact with Greyline Tours and put the proposal to them that when one of the four serviceable vehicles comes out of service, it may present itself as a potential preservation exercise, so that in addition to the five Manchester/SELNEC Mancunians we have in our ownership for preservation we might add to these, one of these rare American Leyland AN68 Mancunians. Greyline have replied indicating that they are likely to keep the vehicles in service for many years, but would consider releasing one if we exchanged it for another AN68 Atlantean, although this would incur double shipping costs, and we haven't yet funded 4708's return to Manchester.

Laidlaw Passenger Services in British Columbia, Canada actually operate over 20 double deckers which are made up of PD2's, one RT with the reminder being Atlanteans and Fleetlines, obviously incorporating the four American Mancunian Atlanteans described above.

We are advised by their local management that all these buses are a great asset to the Company, as they are a major part of the tourist industry in Victoria, in that not only do they add character to the City, they also re-enforce the 'touch of old England' that Victoria is known for.

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