Ipswich Buses 115 (B115 LDX) - Oct 1987

October 1987 – Ipswich Buses 115 (B115 LDX) seen at Tower Ramparts bus station. It is an Alexander (Belfast) N type bodied Leyland B21, one of four similar buses added to the Ipswich fleet in the Spring of 1985 which were part of a cancelled export order destined for the Egged Co-operative in Israel. The four buses were registered B114-117 LDX and ran with fleet numbers 114-117 for some time although they were later renumbered to become 144-147.

The B21 was a chassis based alternative for export customers using components common with the integral Leyland National. Apparently two British Leyland factories participated in the production of the chassis. First that at Workington (the Leyland National plant) and then that at Brislington, Bristol (the former Bristol Commercial Vehicles plant). The bus carries a Bristol badge although sources quote that the DVLA records showed them as Leylands from the outset.

These were the only B21s placed in service in mainland Britain. Ulsterbus and Citybus in Northern Ireland took delivery of six B21s and in 1991 Ipswich acquired these secondhand. To operate all ten B21s in mainland Britain made Ipswich Buses unique.