Former Cumberland Motor Services Fleet No 231, registration number AAO 34B, is a Bristol MW6G with an Eastern Coachworks 45 seat bus body. It was purchased in 1963, entered service at Keswick depot in 1964, and remained there throughout its life until withdrawal in 1980.
CMS ran a total of twenty five MW's between 1958 and 1980. the earliest examples had elegant coach or dual purpose type bodies, but in later life all but two were modified to ordinary bus specification . They were reliable and versatile vehicles, at varying times allocated to all Cumberland depots and they were particularly suited to operating on the many rural routes that existed in the 1960's and 1970's.
When 231 was delivered in 1963 it bore the registration 427 LAO and fleet no.229. Surplus to immediate requirements it was stored, unlicensed until put into service in May 1964. However, by that time two MW coaches dating from 1961 had been renumbered into the bus series, and this necessitated altering the numbers of four further vehicles, "229" among them. Also by May 1964 registration suffice letters had been introduced so the number was changed to AA0 34B. Luckily an early photo does exist which has the bus displaying its short lived original identity.
231's usual haunt was the scenic Keswick to Borrowdale Service 79. This route wends its way through landscape of unrivaled beauty and during the holiday periods was extremely popular with visiting walkers and campers. The bus would often carry a full load, which here had a special meaning, for as well as the passengers there were invariably as many rucksacks, many with tinkling billy cans and the like hanging off the back of them, not to mention quite a few dogs. Less demanding were the regular interworkings on the short Service 37 to Thornthwaite and the longer 71 through the wilds of John Peel Country to Wigton and Carlisle. These too could be busy especially on School journeys and market days. The trunk routes to Penrith (74) and Cockermouth, Workington and Whitehaven (34 and 35) were the preserve of double deckers, although 231 was from time to time seen on them all.
In the 1960's there were also seasonal services to Newlands (73), Buttermere via Whinlatter pass (78), and Patterdale via Aira Force (77). This last route with its commanding views of Ullswater, was resurrected after initial withdrawal and survived as a joint service with Ribble extended over Kirkstone Pass to Ambleside. Cumberland vehicles however rarely went further than Glennridding, as here they were met by the Ribble bus coming in the opposite direction. the buses were meant to swap drivers , but it was more usual for the drivers to swap passengers.Occasionally 231 would appear to be working from Wigton depot, although it was always officially allocated to Keswick. In actual fact , this only occured if it had been rostered to work the last journey the evening before on the Carlisle service (71) where there was a weekday changeover of vehicles at the Castle Inn. This pattern continued through the 1970's the only change being that 231 was now sporting the National bus red livery. It was one of the last few MW's to remain in service with Cumberland and managed to last into early 1980 before being finally withdrawn. Fortunately it was purchased for preservation and caused a bit of media interest when it was handed over to its new owner who at that time was only 15 and still at school. After attending rallies for several years in the 1980's 231 suffered very badly due to a long period in open storage due to a lack of suitable undercover accomodation. The Cumbria Omnibus Group purchased 231 in 1996 and has since been carrying out an extensive restoration
Technical specification
Chassis : Bristol MW No 213105 Body : Eastern Coach Works 45 seat bus body, No 14172 Engine : Gardner 6HLW