The Leyland Atlantean was a revolutionary design which not only changed the appearance of buses in most British towns and cities but prepared the way for driver only operation.
The first production Atlantean in service in Scotland, LA1 came to Glasgow direct from the 1958 Commercial Motor Show to run from Ibrox Garage. It also carries the first body to be completed at Messrs Alexander’s new works, which subsequently built well over 2,000 Atlantean bodies.
LA1 moved to Knightswood Garage in 1962 and stayed there for the rest of its working life other than a month at Partick in 1964.
LA1 ran for the Corporation until March 1973 when it was relegated to driver training duties. It entered preservation in 1974, one year after Glasgow Corporation became GGPTE.
Following the development of an improved front-end design Glasgow Corporation Transport and its successors purchased a further 1,448 Atlanteans between 1962 and 1981.
LA1 is shown in the livery carried by GCT buses between 1959 and 1973.
LA1 is on loan from the Riverside Museum. It normally resides in the Museum’s Resource Centre in Nitshill
Photographs
Do you have a memory of this vehicle?
Perhaps you travelled on it, saw it at work, or know part of its story we have not yet recorded. Use the comments section below to share what you remember – every detail helps build a richer picture of Glasgow’s transport history.
- Registration
- FYS 998
- Chassis type
- Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1
- Chassis number
- 582374
- Body type and seating
- Alexander H44/34F
- Body number
- 5595
- Date new
- December 1958
- Original operator
- Glasgow Corporation (LA1)