The Trust membership scheme currently has almost 300 members who share an interest in Ribble Motor Services and the work we do to preserve the company’s history. The annual subscription is £25 and members receive a full colour magazine four times a year as well as access to our members Facebook page and the chance to participate in our work.
You can apply for membership by completing the application form via the Contact Page
As well as supporting our overall aims members also have the chance to work directly with the Trust. A whole range of opportunities awaits – some members work regularly at our depot on vehicle preparation, regular maintenance and vehicle restoration. We have plenty of tasks for those with specific skills and those who help in a more general way. Others help out at events by conducting on the bus service, carrying out marshalling, talking to visitors. There’s plenty of enjoyment as well as hard work and a lot of satisfaction in helping a restoration project to completion or successfully delivering a major event.
If you would like to know more and possibly take a look around do get in touch.
60 Bristol VRLL / ECW
Reg: LRN 60J
Chassis: Bristol VRLL6L
Body: ECW CH60CT
Built: 1970
Ribble caused something of a sensation at the start of the motorway era by introducing the Gay Hostess double deck coaches. Having covered many miles they were replaced in 1970/71 by a new design of ECW bodied VRL coaches, sale following on from a prototype built in 1968. These were unusual in having longitudinal engines rather than transverse, Ribble choosing the Leyland 0.680 Power Plus engine for this application. Although very impressive looking vehicles they developed a reputation for unreliability and were supplanted on long distance work by Leopard coaches. In total 30 were acquired and all were in the Standerwick fleet until 1974 when coaching operations were transferred to National Travel Northwest.
60 was acquired by RVPG member Les Scott who arranged for the coach to be professionally restored and it was put back into its original cream and red livery. In 2012 a consortium of RVPT members bought it from Les (who retained a stake) and it moved into the Trust collection. It is operational and has attended a number of rallies since joining the group.