The ex-Ribble Titan PD3s: LR 1-20This page created 8th December 2001 by Ian Smith. Best on 800*600.
In 1975 London Country was in need of replacement trainer buses.
The remnant of RTs were now insufficient,
and all the working more-modern rolling stock was required to try to keep the services running.
Ribble disposed of a batch of elderly Leyland PD3s, built in 1957-8,
with 30ft long Burlingham full-fronted bodies without open platforms: almost ideal as trainers.
The Ribbles went to a variety of homes.
Three went for service at Southend where their sliding power-operated doors earned them the nickname of bacon slicers.
But London Country bought a total of twenty between July 1975 and May 1976,
and numbered them into a LR series (Leyland Ribble).
They had the staircases removed, so that the instructor could sit behind the learner driver
and their Ribble red was replaced by overall trainer yellow.
They were scattered around the London Country garages exclusively for training duties.
They lasted until 1979-81, when old age was catching up with them. Also, by then rear-engine buses were available second-hand, notably London Transport Fleetlines. For a fleet whose double-deckers were all Atlanteans a switch to rear-engined trainers made sense, and the Ribbles were retired, going to C.F.Booth at Rotherham, or Wombwell Diesels.
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