Leyland Titan PD3/2

In 1959 Glasgow Corporation ordered 229 forward-entrance double decker buses to replace the last of the city’s trams, all with Alexander bodywork. L405 was one of a batch of 20 Leyland PD3/2s which entered service in November 1960 and was allocated to Parkhead garage.It remained there until the opening of Bridgeton garage, when 25 Parkhead PD3s were transferred to the new garage in June 1965, coinciding with Bridgeton taking over operation of Parkhead duties on services 18/18A and 63. During its time at Bridgeton L405 would also have been rostered on services 27, and 42.

L405 remained a Bridgeton bus until September 1969 when it was transferred to Ibrox garage. It would have been available to be rostered on the following services :- 3,4,15,26,34,36,52,53,54, and 65.

In July 1972 L405 returned to Bridgeton and remained there until July 1974 when Bridgeton Garage closed. During this time it would have worked services 18/18A, 46
and 63.

It was then transferred to Partick garage operating services 15,56,63 and 64. It was still recorded at Partick in January 1976 but it seems likely that it was taken out of service in February or March as it was recorded as sold to a dealer in May 1976. It was sold on for further service with bus operators in South Wales, and is recorded in the fleet of Morris Bros. of Swansea ( along with ex Glasgow L484) in June 1978, where it was used for school transport, and continued working until June 1985.

It was purchased for preservation, in June 1985, by Glaswegian Ross Stewart living in Essex ,who based L405 at Canvey Island Museum , remaining there until purchased by Phil Blair in July 2013, when it relocated to Eastleigh, Hants. Work quickly commenced, and soon L405 was resplendent, once again, in Glasgow Corporation livery, in which it remains today.

As well as attending various shows in southern England, L405 made the long journey north to her home city for GVVT’s “ Corpyfest” in 2014 , and following on from that event remained at Bridgeton, as a long term visitor.

Ownership of the bus passed to Alasdair McLelland, in 2020, and L405s permanent presence at Bridgeton is assured.

The only other ‘Big L’ still in existance is L446 (owned by Glasgow City Council} , and it is most fitting that both these former Bridgeton buses, have been reunited in retirement, in Bridgeton Bus Garage, home of GVVT