JDC544L (544) – Daimler Fleetline Northern Counties, purchased new to Teesside Municipal Transport between 1971 and 1973, these vehicles were unique to Teesside and 76 were built, with L544 being the last survivor. By Spring 1989, we decided to purchase the last survivor JDC544L and an offer was made to purchase it from the then Cleveland Transit Bus Company. In the years since the bus was preserved, it has been used for journeys to and from displays as well as many rallies throughout the North East of England as well as Scotland and has covered a trouble free 1,125,000 miles. In late 2018 it was sent for long-term refurbishment of the chassis, the first heavy work since coming out of service. Sadly, Covid restrictions crippled progress on her rebuild but the work, perhaps inevitably, more extensive than originally envisaged, has now restarted and is moving from stripping down to reassembly, with newly manufactured parts now to hand but more still needed. The repairers are keeping in regular touch.

Specification
Chassis: Daimler Fleetline CRL6
Body: Northern Counties
Fleet Number: L544
Year New: 1972
Engine: Leyland .680
Transmission: SCG Semi-Automatic (4 Speed)