Royal Blue (WNOC) 2372 (LDV 844F) in Manchester - Aug 1973

A Saturday in August 1973 – By now the National white coach livery was appearing on the coaches operated by Royal Blue. Royal Blue (Western National) 2372 (LDV 844F), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH new in June 1968, swings out of the Yelloway bay of Chorlton Street coach station, Manchester with a full load for Bournemouth on the joint Yelloway/Associated Motorways service.

The Bournemouth arrival time was scheduled for 1806 although the Royal Blue drivers were able to trim that somewhat by travelling down the A34 road through Oxfordshire rather than the official route via the M5 and Wiltshire - a route more prone to delays which would possibly have made the arrival in Bournemouth later still.