On the 8th of August, my partner of 5 years married in Italy, having a UK based reception party upon our return. The reception was held at the Kings Croft Hotel in Pontefract on the 15th of August.

252 was used as guest transport, picking up friends and relatives in Knottingley, Pontefract and Featherstone.

My best man and wife helped decorate the interior with pink ribbon and bows, as well as the traditional white ribbon on the front of the bus. Driving the bus to Kings Croft from where she is kept generated many waves, light flashes and beeping of horns: even from on-duty police officers.

The day before the reception, a reporter/photographer visited us and the bus at Kings Croft for an article in our local newspaper, the Pontefract & Castleford Express. Our article was published on page 6 of the 21/08/08 edition of the 'Pont and Cas Express'.

Earlier in August I had asked if I could bring C920 FMP back to Belle Isle depot to show her to the people I'd been in contact with for years.

My best man went further, without my knowledge and got more people there - ex West Riding staff, current drivers, engineering staff plus a driving instructor dropped by too to talk. After having an hour at Belle Isle, talking to people and arranging a photo-shoot we made our way to Castleford depot.

The visits went well and the Lynx drew plenty of attention. The highlights for me were hearing stories from staff about 252, their thoughts and tales from when they drove her. Turns out that the Lynx wasn't hated as much as I'd thought, especially when a Castleford driver said that the Lynx was one of the best buses he'd driven.

After passing her MOT on Thursday the 24th of July, I was finally able to collect my Lynx from the Bus Works on Saturday the 26th of July.

A few jobs were still to be carried out before I could take her such as applying the vinyls and rear badges. I also went to a Blackpool post office to get her taxed so she would be 100% road legal. After everything was sorted, finalised we were on our way...

Here are photos from collection day. On the return journey home we called off in Wakefield through to Pontefract.

A lot has progressed since my last update.

A recent visit reveals that she is nearly complete with a few smaller jobs to be finished off, along with a check of her mechanical components. She will then be prepped and MOT'd before I collect her and bring her back to West Yorkshire.

I have ordered the West Riding fleet names and fleet numbers from the supplier who originally supplied West Riding.

Unfortunately, there won't be any photos posted here until she is finished.

Just a quick update to show further progress following Update Six. Philip Higgs sent me photos of the glass being installed to 252.

In this update there are more photos showing what she looks like all over, not just the usual rear end photos.

30th March was a superb day, the weather was excellent and may go as far as saying it was quite warm. The first port of call was The North West Museum of Road Transport in St Helens to collect some rear corner panels and original Lucas style light units. After having a good look round and meeting some of the guys there, it was on to Blackpool.

The Bus Works have recently moved locations and these photos are taken at these premises. Lucky for me, they were having a move around and with the Lynx sat at the back with nothing behind her, I asked if she could be moved outside for some better photos.

The extent of the work is visible though where all the hard work has taken place is now hidden by new panels. Sadly, the front end of G324 NUM wasn't useable. Once the glass had been removed the surrounding area had started to disintegrate and parts of it had fallen to pieces. Fortunately, they were able to fabricate a new reclining piece.

On Monday the 31st of March, the windows are due to go back in with brand new ones fitted where necessary. Then work can go ahead on sorting out the interior including cab bulkhead. As soon as I source West Riding paint codes, paint can be ordered and she can be repainted. Rainbow Paints in Wakefield should be able to supply this information as they used to supply West Riding with paint back in their day.

A quick update showing further progress on the Lynx.

Photos courtesy of the LTT.

The past few days have been hectic to get this update together. A friend and I took a van over to Llanhaeadr YM to Tanat Valley where the other Lynx (G324 NUM) is kept. It was acquired by a friend and I for spares for our preserved Lynxes.

The main objective was to get the front end and other parts from 324 to 252 in Blackpool.

Parts included the cab surround, cab door, emergency exit, bench seat and luggage rack, NBC seats, cab window, platform doors and other items.

The front end was the most troublesome. My sincere thanks to Simon Charsley and the engineering team at Tanat Valley Coaches for their help in getting this achieved. Simon had gone through numerous grinding blades and in the end, a gas axe was called upon. The front end wasn't leaving 324 without a fight. Some plastic pieces around the front of the bus caught fire and were extinguished though left the bus a bit smokey. Daylight went and we were working with limited light and the front end finally gave way and boy, it was heavy!!

We managed to get it in the van. The following day we took all the parts to Blackpool so that they could eventually be re-fitted onto 252.

Another visit over to Blackpool to see the steady progress on C920 FMP.

The offside framing is now complete and repanelling has started to take place. The upper roof panels were a 'pig' to remove as the panels had to be heated along with the use of oxy-acetelene. The panels wouldn't budge without this. The 'glue' which had been used then turned to a treacly type substance and the panels could be removed - a messy job.

The nearside framing is also just about complete, the step area needing the attention next. Polystyrene has been used as insulation between the framing and panels.

Once framing and panels are completed, the glazing will then be installed all as one.

The Bus Works are having a move around in their premises next week where they hope to obtain some photos of C920 FMP during the move-around.

Today, 19th August 2007, we had a drive over to Blackpool to see the progress on 252.

All is going well so far and I'm pleased with what has been carried out so far. The glazing and panels have been removed showing the extent of the corrosion. The majority of the offside framing has been replaced. Very few parts of the original frame have been kept.

There is one more section on the offside to replace and the frame above the windows to sort and then work on the nearside can start. It would appear the nearside is in worse condition than the offside.

The first 13 photos are courtesy of Bradley McMullan who is also having his Leeds Atlantean worked on by The Bus Works.

The last 7 photos are from today's visit - except the 4th which was supplied by Philip Higgs.

The rear end has been stripped down on C920 FMP to assess the corrosion to the body frame.

Sadly, the news wasn't good. My bus has broken it's back and the corrosion on the bodyframe is very severe in places. I have been given various options about what to do and I'm adamant I want to continue with the project as it'd be a shame to just give up after coming this far.

Hopefully the severe corrosion is limited to the rear end and not the whole of the bus.

Photos courtesy of Philip Higgs of The Bus Works.

With C920 FMP booked in to The Bus Works for restoration work, the 3rd of May saw me bring the Lynx across to Blackpool.

I'm pleased to say we made it in one piece and was a pretty uneventful drive with a stop at Bolton.

All photos are Copyright of Ian Wilson who has kindly allowed me to put these on my site.

C920 FMP is seen whilst on loan to United Autos in the North East. It spent just over a week here between the 3rd June 1986 to 12th June 1986.

Saturday 28th April saw C920 FMP back at Belle Isle to collect some NBC 'wasp' seats. A few photos of 252 back with some old friends.

In this collection you'll find various photos of C920 FMP's parts and components... up close.

March 11th saw what would be hoped the largest gathering of Leyland Lynx vehicles. This took part at Aston Manor Transport Museum in Birmingham which was excellently organised with a total of 8 Lynxes making an appearance.

C920 FMP performed well on the 3 hour journey to Birmingham, stopping for a break at Tibshelf services. Arriving in Aston at around 10.15.

A great day was had, meeting new faces and reacquainting with old faces. I was pleased my bus made it to her first event and by the overall interest she generated.

Again, it took around 3 hours to return back to Yorkshire with no problems.

[Lynxes in attendance: C920 FMP, C62 HOM, D101 NDW, F165 SMT, G111 XOW, G216 EOG, G292 EOG & J377 AWT]

Thursday 22nd February 2007 had at last arrived, the day I could collect the bus I'd been after for nearly 4 years.

Sadly, a problem with the front brakes locking on caused a delay in collecting her at 10am. We left Belle Isle depot at 11.45am to go to the MOT station in Halifax for 1pm.

Before leaving Belle Isle depot, I received 50 litres of free fuel.

Good news is that we made it in good time with no problems and she sailed through her Class V MOT.

Having handed over a deposit and received the V5 in my name on the 22nd November things had progressed well.

Having identified two things that needed repairing prior to MOT we took the opportunity to visit Belle Isle depot again one Saturday morning to work on 252.

First thing to be done was to patch up the exhaust silencer which was quite rusty. It was blowing from various holes that had developed. We used an exhaust bandage and paste, as this hardened it moulded to the silencer and sealed up the holes. The silencer no longer emitted fumes out of small holes.

The second item to see to was the small strip of metal below the entry steps. This was quite loose and was being held on with a gluey substance. We sourced some nuts and bolts and secured this piece of metal.

Arriva had also started removing the DTV controls and the replacement batteries I had requested had been installed.

Having been told that C920 FMP has been withdrawn and the purchasing process could begin, I took the opportunity to organise an inspection of the Lynx with a fitter friend.

Signs were good, engine and gearbox in good condition, a bit of rot on the body but that was expected of a 21 year old Lynx. Sadly, the batteries were flat so she needed to be boosted.

Following the inspection, my friend was pretty confident she would pass an MOT providing some aspects of maintenance were seen to.

An Arriva employee invited me to Belle Isle depot as he was due to take Arriva's Bus of the Future back to it's depot in Guildford.

This was the first chance I got of seeing C920 FMP up close having started my 'campaign' to preserve her the previous year.