Passenger recreates first Leyland National bus journey 50 years on

The first journey for the 05 Town Service at West Cumberland Hospital in March 1972

One of the first passengers onboard a "game-changing" fleet of buses in Cumbria has taken the same journey 50 years on.

The Leyland National buses entered service in March 1972 and were the first "revolutionary" form of public transport seen on the county's roads.

Half a century later, the first trip from Workington to Whitehaven has been recreated with passenger June Begg.

She said it felt "really special" to bring back "so many memories".

The Cumberland 350 was the very first Leyland National to enter public service in 1972

The fleet was a collaboration between British Leyland and Cumberland Motor Services and the buses were built at a factory at Lillyhall, near Workington.

It was the first time motor car production line techniques were applied to buses.

Mike Morton, from the Workington Transport Heritage Trust, said: "The bus was both loved and hated.

"On one side it represented standardisation and a lack of diversity, on the other it was a step forward in passenger comfort, efficiency and ease to drive."

More than 7,700 Leyland Nationals were made over the following 13 years. The final one rolled off the production line in 1985.

A fleet of historic buses will gather in Whitehaven over the bank holiday, along with a Leyland National 50 exhibition in the Beacon Museum

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Leyland National, Mr Morton went on BBC Radio Cumbria to try to track down the very first passenger, Jessie Boyd.

Mrs Boyd died in 1993, but on that journey with her had been her two daughters, four-year-old June and two-year-old Julie.

'Arrival of a spaceship'

June Begg said: "I can remember it quite clearly. We actually lived at Common End in Distington and Mum would go into Workington to get some shopping and then we'd go on the bus to Lowca to visit my Auntie Yvonne.

"When the bus pulled in, it was very, very shiny. I suppose to a four-year-old it was like the arrival of a spaceship or something, it was really, really beautiful."

June Begg said recreating the bus journey she took as a child has been a reminder of a "lovely family memory"

On Thursday, as part of the anniversary events, June took the same route she did in 1972 on the oldest Cumberland Leyland National bus that exists.

Mrs Begg said: "She [mum] talked about it because we had the newspaper clipping, so there was a photo of mum, Julie and I in the paper. I think that's one of the reasons why it remained so strong in our memories because of that.

"It feels really, really special [the journey]. It's brought back so many memories and there are so many details that I'd forgotten about.

"I just wish my mum was here."