Grand National - 3

Happy Birthday Leyland National 1972-1985

Grand National - 1 2

The thing that struck you most the first time you ever saw the Leyland National certainly wasn’t its overall design. To be frank, the National’s external appearance, though modern in nature, wasn’t radically different from other single deck city buses of its day. Neither was it the rear roof pod that grabbed your attention. It was something that in theory should’ve been much less conspicuous but somehow caught the eye.

It was its rivets.

There were literally hundreds of them, exposed on the outer bodywork. If you’ll excuse the pun, more rivets, in fact, than an army of frogs (yes, “army” is the correct collective noun for these insectivorous amphibians). Though practical in nature in giving easily repairable sections, it gave the bus the appearance of being half-finished or somehow inside out, rather like a pullover or sweatshirt worn the wrong way round, seems on the outside. It took the edge off the bus. In spite of the millions of dollars in investment, the rivets meant that the bus didn’t look, well, a million dollars.

This rough external aspect belied the technically advanced manufacturing process, something that was developed over nearly three years to give a low overall bodyweight with maximum strength. A series of pressed steel hooped frames linked together from the floorpan with longitudinal members, bracketed at waist and roof levels. It created a sort of sectional, rigid square tube effect.

The one thing that struck you when you entered the vehicle wasn’t its utilitarian appearance, though it wasn’t long before you noticed that. It was the 10in step towards the rear, over the engine. Underfloor buses rarely had steps back then. How odd this looked on the National, till you had gotten fully used to it. It seemed cumbersome.

But it was a great idea. Not only did it give a totally horizontal floor at both the front and rear sections, it contributed to the feeling of spaciousness in the front two-thirds. Coupled with the strong design, the manufacturer was not only able to offer an exceptionally high internal ceiling able but a flat floor as well. No need for a rising floor to the rear.