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.
72 Morecambe AEC Regent
Reg: MTC 540
Chassis: AEC Regent 111
Body: Park Royal H33/26R
Built: 1950
Morecambe & Heysham Corporation standardised on AEC chassis after the war until 1960.
72 entered service in October 1950 after being exhibited at the Commercial Motor Show in
September. It has a 9.6 litre engine and preselect gears. Originally a 56 seater it was
modified to 59 seats in the late 1950s.
Following local government reorganisation in 1974 the Lancaster and Morecambe fleets
were merged although 72 continued to work in Morecambe. It was withdrawn in December
1975 and sold to local preservationists. It was used for various trips and then ‘retired’ for
many years. Restoration work got underway in the late 2010s and was completed in time for
our event at Morecambe in May 2023. It now works in service at our Morecambe event.
Although our collection comprises mainly Ribble group vehicles we also have buses from
operators who had joint routes with Ribble. Morecambe & Heysham and Ribble jointly
operated a service from Morecambe to Carnforth, often worked by 72