(28/3/2016) Midland Red West 544 Leyland National Mk1 NOE544R - Wythall Easter Running Day

[@nickharding91]

The 510 noise is embedded in my subconscious ☺️ travelled on the 144 from Bromsgrove to Northfield as a boy to have weekends at grandparents, watching these vids invokes the same emotional response and excitement. Even though I didn’t know the reason why at the time, I knew there was something ‘wrong’ with the later DAF/Volvo engine’d Nationals.

[@LawnMowersThingsThatMakeNoise]

I Remember these in Evesham (Worcestershire) They were head and shoulders above the rest ;)

[@johnking2180]

Just love that leyland 510 engine sound great stuff

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

OMG I remember these buses when I was a kid. I thought they were really modern looking when they first came out. But wow, that engine sound as it accelerated and the whining noise it made through the gears. It was like I was suddenly transported back to 1982. I remember they were so smooth to ride on - and possibly smoother than more modern buses.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Noisy as they were, they were very smooth running. They even have Mercedes and Man from the same era beat in that aspect.

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

@@jamesfrench7299 It would have been better if they'd invested in some noise reduction or insulation of the engine area. But yes, they were very smooth if I remember.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@TheGramophoneGirl The noise is what makes it, but thinking in a pragmatic way, totally!!

[@jamieramsden921]

Sampled many of these living in Sheffield due to south riding and Yorkshire terrier. Loved every single one. Fond memories

[@Squiz1971]

To me this is the classic sound of a mk1 Leyland National from the 70's & 80's in the midlands I loved the engine sounds either on a MRW or WMPTE/WMT version. Wasn't so keen when they were re-engined to DAF or Volvo as it changed the sounds completely. Have rode on a few MRW nationals from Northfield to Rubery where I lived for a number of years

[@nickharding91]

Squiz1971 Used to catch the 144 from Bromsgrove to Rubery as a kid to then jump on the 47 over to my Nan's in Northfield. The sound of that engine - some of my strongest childhood memories from the 80's.

[@markhyde1714]

I remember going to college on that bus in Shrewsbury many years ago

[@jamesfrench7299]

Trust the British to make such a quirky sounding modern bus like this.I remember thinking how radical they looked and sounded in the early 1980s when I was a child and I noticed the jet of black exhaust shooting out the side when I sat up back one time.I wasn't too know at the time that the handful I experienced here in Oz were the tip of the iceberg compared to the sheer number in Britain at the time.

[@1100HondaCB]

I use to sit up on the back seat to listen to the engine and it was great when I noticed the black exhaust smoke, especially when pulling away.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Haha yes, even if they were, in reality, considered underpowered, it felt really powerful because they were so noisy and screamed along. In one of my last rides in route service in Sydney's outlying suburbs, the screaming National turned a few heads as it roared through residential neighborhoods lol. I put up a video of one if these ex Canberra 10.9m examples ( unique to Australian market).

[@andystaffyman3711]

one of the first buses i drove in service for midland red .

[@michaelsmith-sk2zq]

Brilliant video

[@alanwatkins4584]

As a coach builder they were one of the easiest buses to work on and drive for the National Welsh Bus Company

[@ivancarter7564]

this bus clearly drive alot better than when i drove it

[@cidertom5140]

Nicely driven

[@christopherlloyd1725]

Sounds awesome

[@VICTOR-pf9eg]

Birmingham bus station to blackwell Worcestershire

[@ivancarter9456]

My diary sez i drove this bus ... 1991

[@ICBMPIRATE2]

415 tribe

[@kevywevvy8833]

Awful buses! Noisy and smoky. The only bus I've been on that ever broke down was a National Mk1 and it was only on a 3 mile trip from school to home! That was also gear trouble. It would not engage the low gears and the driver stalled it several times trying to pull off in 3rd. We made it home eventually. They were usually badly driven and you'd get thrown around as they leaned badly into corners and head-jerking fast gear changes. Oh and sometimes the doors would stick shut, with a loud clicking noise as the driver repeatedly stabbed the open button. I always breathed a sigh of relief when a Bristol RE turned up for the school run. I remember the RE had a little black and chrome lever/knob for the doors that you pushed forward or back just on the right.

[@1100HondaCB]

A lot of the National's problems were bad drivers and poor maintenance. We had Nationals on my school run back in 1994 and never had a single one break down and they were 22 years old then. Most of the drivers knew how to drive them correctly.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I read that Surfside's on Queensland's Gold Coast who ran 40 odd in daily service for quite a few years, never seemed to break down on the road. I think a lot of their bad reputation is undeserved. They just needed a certain standard of particular care and they did alright. I think their internal amenity and smart looks helped make up for their finnicky nature.