Content originally published by John Keene and Trevor Walton.

Livery

The companies vehicle livery had always been Black & White, although, through the years the amount of Black used had slowly been reduced. With the introduction of the standard ‘National’ coach livery from May 1972, Black had been removed completely from the livery although as can be read below it remained in the fleetname. ‘South West’ fleetnames began to be introduced in the spring of 1974, although there is photographic evidence to show that coaches could be seen in various liveries during the change over period.

Fleet numbering had started from 1 with any acquired vehicles filling in the gaps created by withdrawal of former vehicles. This remained in place through to 1973, but in 1974 the fleet was renumbered starting at 100 going throe to 346. Further changes to Fleet Numbering policies had been introduced by November 1974 and, in November 1974 National Travel (South West) vehicles allocated to Cheltenham had 100 subtracted from their existing numbers. Vehicles were renumbered over a period of six to seven months. The South West pool was made up of vehicles based in Cheltenham, Bristol, Bournemouth & Exeter

Fleetnames from the early days had been designed in the form of a winged shield in monogram style, with the words Black on a white background and white on a black background. The & was half-and-half in opposite colour to the background. These shields were located on each side of the body, one on the rear and another one situated either above the destination box or the windscreen.

Changes were made in 1962 when the shield was dropped from the sides of the vehicle bodies and the Black & White Motorways fleetname was carried on each side below window level aft of the entrance door. This fleetname was in the form of polished metal letters. 1963 saw the removal of the front monogram, although the practice of applying the monogram between the destination boxes was evident still in 1969.

By September of 1969 the livery was to be modified to white with a Black waistband on which the fleetname was carried in large white lettering. The 1971 batch of Leyland Leopard’s (YDF320-329K) were the first to be seen in the new livery in May 1970. Only Plaxton bodied vehicles were supposed to have carried this livery, but there is photographic evidence that vehicles from the 1965 batch of Duple bodied Leopards (DDG257-261C) carried this livery, as well as the batch of 4 ex Western Welsh Leyland Duple’s (140-143 DBO). In 1973 the first batch of new vehicles delivered in National Coach Livery arrived at Cheltenham, these being FDF337-346L.

Between 1972 & 1976 vehicles in all over white National livery could be found carrying different formats of fleet name. The first was Black & White in Black characters with the wording underlined in Black. The next version was Black & White in Red characters with no underlining. This was the followed by South West again in Red characters. These versions were all carried on the body sides above the front wheel arches. Eventually those vehicles left began appearing with National & National Express branding.