Leyland National II GCK 428W From the Cab

A profile of Fishwick's Leyland National II GCK 428W at the Fishwick Centenary Rally

[@heene]

I drove mk 1 & 2 Nationals when we had them in Worthing at the end of the Southdown era in the late 80's. The mk 2 engine sound was much more gutsy than the screaming mk 1. I remember the mk 2's were unbareably hot in the summer. I also remember the gear control where you could go from 5 straight to 1 & the bus would drop down the gears one at a time. If you did that in a mk 1 you would probably leave the engine in the road on fire! Take a look at my vid of a National.

[@Imatt33]

It could be a Volvo repower. Some Nationals were re engined by Volvo Truck and Bus francised dealers. If it is it will have a ZF box.

[@smiffy1071]

Back in the 1990's, I used to drive mk1 nationals, some of which had volvo B10M engines. They went like hell, but the standard gearboxes just couldn't cope with it. This 680 nat 2 sounds really nice though!

[@ChrisCooper312]

It's definitly in fully auto, since he's not touching the gear selector. The selector is the small silver lever under his right hand when the wheel is straight. It will also be able to be driven as a semi-automatic

[@AdrianFull]

Very nicely driven. I like the use of "Hold" pulling away from the traffic lights at about 6:20. I did similar with an Olympian the other weekend, but didn't time it as well as this!

[@craigybus1]

I notice towards the end he is driving it like I do Hydracyclic fully autos..As a semi auto using hold gears. Made it sing....

[@smiffy1071]

No national EVER had a manual box. They were either fully auto, or semi auto. The box itself is phisically the same, but the semi has a different gear changer. It works better as a semi, and the gearbox lasts longer, if the driver trets it properly, and doesn't slam-shift it.

[@GuyWulfrunian]

I believe it has been sold for preservation Paul

[@jaggass]

does it have two functions this semi auto transmission? auto and semi auto?

[@jaggass]

fishwicks had GCK428W from new. it would of been to gooder bus to scrap anyway

[@tribit1]

Great video. I remember in the mid 1970's, the Greenline drivers use to drive their MK1s as if they were racing cars, accelerating hard away from traffic lights, changing up through their semi-automatic boxes, suprising many car drivers with their speed, and I didn't at the time, and still don't think bad-handling. Elsewhere, the MK2s seemed more restrained, but the larger non-turbo 680 sounded right, in true Leyland fashion.

[@keef71]

@Rekku9 you don't. it's either semi- or fully auto, notice here the driver doesn't touch the gear 'stick' - presumably is in the 'drive' position

[@shadoogie555]

hi GuyWulfrunian i think the Ths bus GCK428W look a fantasic Leyland National MK 2 as i also remember these buses from the 70'S and 80's. All the best

[@Rekku9]

How do yo get the box to switch between semi-auto and auto mode?

[@Rekku9]

This gearbox must have been the sweetest of all. Is this bus a London refugee? GCK***W sounds a pre-Greenway Nat.

[@video47]

I didn't know this bus was an automatic

[@HKBusFan]

This is a semi-auto one. Need clutch for semi-auto?

[@awolwakefield]

Thought that all National 11's didn't have the bulge at the rear ? Nice film, pity about the weather.

[@jaggass]

i always thought it was a semi automatic

[@Rekku9]

And now that I've checked, the Red Arrows were mostly GUW*W. Another registration mystery for me!

[@Rekku9]

Thanks. I was never able to translate the British registration marks except for the year code.

[@MrGrumpygit488]

Looks like a mk1 & not a mk2

[@veolia215]

i belive it belongs to the south west preservation group

[@keef71]

0.09 that's the sound of a mk2 right there :)

[@iwbus]

Nope