Vehicle Background:
Leyland Motors Ltd. secured orders for several batches of double deck chassis. 203 of them were OPD2/1's, equipped with synchromesh gearboxes. They were nicknamed the "Synchros".

Commonwealth Engineering Co. Ltd. of Granville, Sydney built 93 bodies while Clyde Engineering Co. of Granville manufactured 110. All were fitted with canvas concertina doors. In 1962 the doors were bolted up to prevent them from being used. The canvas doors were then removed on all the buses at overhaul and a seat for two persons installed. Safety reasons had dictated the removal of the canvas doors as there had been accidents involving school children. The conversion resulted in the seating capacity being increased by 2 to 61.

No. 2033 was built in May 1948 and issued to traffic on 21-8-48. It was one of the replacement vehicles for the Ashfield / Burwood / Mortlake / Cabarita tramway services that had operated out of the Enfield tram depot. The bus was new to Burwood depot which initially was responsible for the replacement bus services. The bus was transferred to Newcastle in 1950 and continued in service there until transferred to Randwick depot in Sydney on 14-12-68. The bus then went to Kingsgrove depot on 16-5-70 and was withdrawn in Sept 72 after covering 585,900 miles. The bus received complete mechanical and body overhauls in 8-51, 11/55, 10/58, 4/62, 21/8/64 & 12-2-68.

2033 had a collision with a mobile crane on 11 June 1963. The accident occurred at the Nineways intersection at Broadmeadow in Newcastle, N.S.W. The protruding jib pierced the upper deck and extensive damage resulted. During the repair, the glass panels of the front destination and route number display were set in rubber. The modifications made the bus look quite different. The vehicle also had the livery modified. The black lining was changed to dark green with the lower line being upswept as it reached the front of the bus. From Feb 1966 all overhauls (both double and single deck) in Newcastle received these modifications and buses so treated were said to have been "Newcastleised".

2033 was sold to Jim Hill, bus dealer of Wollongong, N.S.W. in 12-73. The bus was resold for use as a school bus at Leeton in the Riverina district of south western, N.S.W. The Londonderry Evangelical Fellowship was next to acquire the bus. It was noted in 5-85 as being registered with the personalised plates LEF.000. Next it was purchased by a syndicate of members of the Association who in turn sold it on 22-6-92 to the State Transit Authority. The bus was then overhauled by Pressed Metal Corporation and the bus was registered m/o 8556 in 9-93. State Transit allocated the bus to Willoughby depot for vintage bus charter work along with 2186 which had been reregistered m/o 8554. 2033 was withdrawn from government operation for the second time on 27-9-97 and immediately made available to the Association on permanent loan. The State Transit Authority (S.T.A.) has since vested ownership of the bus in the name of the Association.

2033 is now one of the main work horses of the vintage double deck fleet. Ultimately it is planned to apply to it all the refinements that characterised the Newcastle fleet in the 1960's and 1970's.

SPECIFICATION

ENGINE: Six cylinder Leyland 0.600 diesel engine of 9.8 litres displacement, bore 4.8", stroke 5.5", 125 B.H.P. @ 1800 R.P.M.

TRANSMISSION: 4 speed synchromesh and a worm drive differential.

BRAKES: Vacuum operated foot brake and a mechanical hand brake.