Three Leopards at Barker Street, Shrewsbury

Somewhat surprisingly with it's urban operations especially around Leicester under NBC ownership Midland Red was not allowed to buy new double-deckers and was made to buy large numbers of it's state-owned flag-ship Leyland National bus instead. However the operator managed to win one useful concession as it was able to continue buying it's comfortable much liked dual-purpose bodied Leyland Leopards. These were particular useful as can be seen here at the former Barker Street Bus Station in Shrewsbury where they were ideal for it's longer runs like 1973 S27 No. 217 heading west for Oswestry and from the second batch of these Marshall bodied buses 1974 S28 No.358 travelling south to Ludlow. In the background is former National Travel ECW bodied No.1501 ANA 91Y another of the fifteen Leopards at SY in 1984.