In the Eighties Midland Red already had a large fleet of Leyland Leopards having taken it's first batch of forty-nine Duple (Northern) Commander coaches in 1965. After that the company chose the more popular Plaxton Panorama and later Panorama Elite, but the Duple Commander made a modest comeback to the fleet after Harpers of Heath Hayes who had liked that combination were taken over in 1974. The later Commanders looked a bit strange as Duple had added roof-line quarter-lights which made them look like they had been crossed with the lighter Viceroy range built at Hendon. Not the most beautiful coach ever to come out of the former Burligham factory in Blackpool the all white NBC coach livery did little to flatter it's awkward lines. Still it's styling was very much in accord with the Plastic Pig next to it at the lights which coincidentally almost carried a Midland Red bus registration as they had SHA-G's.
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