109 DRM: One Foot in the Future on in the Past

When one thinks about it it's quite amazing how many old buses there are in preservation. Some have interesting stories but this former Cumberland Bristol was lucky for it's lowly roll as the fleet 'trainer' left it the sole reminder of the pre-NBC era and the application of a heritage livery ensured it would hopefully be cherished before going into preservation at a later date. I was lucky enough to come across Lodekka 550 109DRM still earning it's keep when I had some van trouble in 1989 and had to make a call on the edge of Carlisle and there she was at Asda together with a 1980 Atlantean whose ECW style of bodywork still bears a strong resemblance to the Fifties classic found on the old Bristol. Actually it wasn't quite as old as it looked as dating from 1961 it was an early FS delivered before the new grill was introduced.