NBC's new colours: Trent in Matlock

Twenty buses at Matlock and about thirty-five further afield at Buxton were transferred to Trent of Derby as their share after North Western Road Car of Stockport was wound up when their new owner's the National Bus Company made changes. One way to look at it was that Trent inherited many of North Western's former prettiest routes in the rugged and hilly Peak District. More of a problem though was that much of it was not good operating territory which probably is why Matlock was sent these redundant Leyland Tiger Cubs from the main Trent fleet, and with Alexander Y-Ttype bodies it was a combination that was rare outside Scotland. Here their coach type bodywork would be a plus but their progress would have been slow over the hills despite the low seating capacity. Still looking smart in Trent colours though we see at the bus station HRC 105C and 106 plus part of yet a third example.  This depot had previously run mostly the more powerful Royal Tiger but under North Western they were already being replaced by a new generation of Gardener engined Bristol RE's and SJA 346J No.346 a 1971 Marshall bodied example had just received in 1974 what was quickly becoming the norm the unimaginative poppy red of NBC.