| Nostalgia, thats what it's all about. This bus was a part of my early life in Bolton, Lancashire and I was taken into town on it and its brothers many times by my mother in the early-mid 60's.
I remember gleefully kneeling up on the front long seat behind the driver, watching all that he did while he was driving. The only interesting thing about school were the old buses that took us there and back and 122 was one of many that came and went. It disappeared to what I thought was a scrapyard in the early 70's and that was that I thought.......! In 1999 someone in the bus restoration world said it had been restored in the early 80's but was now down at heel, languishing at a bus depot in Wigan just a few weeks away from being chucked out for the local kids to destroy. I had to have it. So here we go; little did I know how bad the condition was.... This collection will hopefully illustrate what goes into restoring a vintage bus on a tight budget. The fact I obtained it at no cost was a good start! The restoration of Bolton 122 is funded by a little business called Boltons Bits selling 4mm scale model bus components and transfers. PLEASE NOTE.....THE PICTURES ARE NUMBERED IN HISTORICAL ORDER FROM 122#2 ONWARDS. The early pics will be scanned photos but digtal ones will appear later on. |
Tank bracket removed for de-rusting and painting. 800x600 P1020728.JPG |
Tank bracket removed for de-rusting and painting. 800x600 P1020727.JPG |
Chassis space where auxiliary air tank fits, ready for cleaning and painting. 800x600 P1020726.JPG |
Chassis space where auxiliary air tank fits, ready for cleaning and painting. 800x600 P1020725.JPG |
Chassis space where auxiliary air tank fits, ready for cleaning and painting. 800x600 P1020724.JPG |
Air tank re-fitted and auxiliary tank removed for derusting and painting. 800x600 P1020723.JPG |
Space on Chassis where main air tank fits. All cleaned up and painted, ready to receive the repainted air tank. Many thanks Geoff! 800x600 P1020722.JPG |
Pedals, floor leathers steering wheel and cab seat fitted. (Steering wheel needs a clean!) 1024x768 P1020121.JPG |
Cab floor sections now all fitted. Pedals and leather bits next. 1024x768 122_200.jpg |
Cab floor sections now all fitted. Pedals and leather bits next. 1024x768 122_199.jpg |
Yes it still exists!! Rare view of 122, exposed during an extensive depot shuntabout. 1024x768 122_198.jpg |
Bit more floor! 1024x768 122_197.jpg |
New bottom hose fitted to radiator. Pig of a job. 1024x768 122_196.jpg |
New Section of aluminium floor fabricated and fitted. 1024x768 122_195.jpg |
New Section of aluminium floor being fabricated. 1024x768 122_194.jpg |
New Section of aluminium floor being fabricated. 1024x768 122_194.jpg |
Ex Leyland Tiger cub voltage regulator fitted to replace lost original equipment. AND IT WORKS! 2048x1536 122_193.jpg |
Ex Leyland Tiger cub voltage regulator fitted to replace lost original equipment. AND IT WORKS! 1536x2048 122_192.jpg |
Ex Leyland Tiger cub voltage regulator fitted to replace lost original equipment. AND IT WORKS! 1536x2048 122_191.jpg |
Ex Leyland Tiger cub voltage regulator fitted to replace lost original equipment. AND IT WORKS! 2048x1536 122_190.jpg |
As the experiment with the alternator didn't work, the original dynamo was unearthed, serviced, tested and re-fitted. Sadly all the original voltage regulator gear had crumbled away so this is the regulator off a Tiger Cub! Works well after Graham sorted a dodgy contact for me! 2048x1536 122_189.jpg |
Last window fitted. 800x600 122_188.jpg |
Repaired cab door with all glass fitted. 600x800 122_187.jpg |
Repaired cab door with all glass fitted and primered. 600x800 122_186.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 1024x768 122_185.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 768x1024 122_184.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 768x1024 122_183.JPG.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 768x1024 122_182.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 1024x768 122_181.JPG.jpg |
Repairs to Cab door so far. Window surround straightened, new sheet aluminium on top half of door. 1024x768 122_180.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. Mudguard cleaned up and primed ready for filling and smoothing. New woodwork also primered. 800x600 122_179.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. Mudguard cleaned up and primed ready for filling and smoothing. New woodwork also primered. 600x800 122_178.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. New woodwork around cab entrance and wheel arch. 600x800 122_177.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. New woodwork around cab entrance and wheel arch. 600x800 122_176.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. New woodwork around cab entrance and wheel arch. 600x800 122_175.JPG.jpg |
Work has now re-started on the cab area. New woodwork around cab entrance and wheel arch. 600x800 122_174.JPG.jpg |
The finished lower deck ceiling (at last!) 1024x768 122_173.JPG.jpg |
The finished lower deck ceiling (at last!) Just the lights and bell pushes to fit now. 1024x768 122_172.JPG.jpg |
The finished lower deck ceiling (at last!) Just the lights and bell pushes to fit now. 1024x768 122_171.JPG.jpg |
First bits of new ali interior trim over the offside windows, ready for the plastic strip to be installed. 1024x768 122_170.JPG.jpg |
First bits of new ali interior trim over the offside windows, ready for the plastic strip to be installed. 1024x768 122_169.JPG.jpg |
Almost completed beading between the decks and front valance in position 1024x768 122_168.JPG.jpg |
Almost completed beading between the decks and front valance in position 1024x768 122_167.JPG.jpg |
Almost completed beading between the decks 1024x768 122_166.JPG.jpg |
More beading between the decks 1024x768 122_165.JPG.jpg |
New small panel sections by front window. 1024x768 122_164.JPG.jpg |
New small panel sections by front window. 1024x768 122_163.JPG.jpg |
Drilling beading for new panels over windows. 2048x1536 122_162.jpg |
Drilling beading for new panels over windows 2048x1536 122_161.jpg |
New panel sections going in over N/S lower deck windows 2048x1536 122_160.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels all glossed an waiting for the beading and trims. May 07. New lower bulkhead panels also fitted 1024x768 122_159.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels all glossed an waiting for the beading and trims. May 07 1024x768 122_158.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels being painted. March 07 1024x768 122_157.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels with cove panels glossed. May 07 1024x768 122_156.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels back in. May 07 2048x1536 122_155.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels back in. May 07 1024x768 122_154.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels back in. May07 1024x768 122_153.JPG |
Downstairs ceiling panels back in. May 07 1024x768 122_152.jpg |
Downstairs ceiling panels going back in. March 07 1024x768 122_151.JPG |
Downstairs ceiling panels going back in. March 07 1024x768 122_150.JPG |
