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The well-known bus operator, Devon General, began operating regular open top bus tours of the Torbay area in the summer of 1955 using vehicles converted from conventional double deckers. However, in 1961 these were replaced by a fleet of nine specially built Leyland Atlanteans with Metro-Cammell bodies, each seating 75 passengers.
The nine were named after historical naval and maritime figures such as Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins, and soon earned the nickname ‘Sea Dogs’; a term Devon General even adopted for its marketing. In their distinctive cream and red livery, they became a familiar sight on the 12A-12D routes serving Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Babbacombe and Kingswear, and carried generations of holidaymakers for the next 20 years. They were built as convertibles, with detachable roofs, meaning that they could operate as normal double deckers during the low season.
In January 1971 Devon General became part of the Western National Omnibus Company (itself part of the National Bus Company), and during the next two years the Sea Dogs were repainted into NBC poppy red and white, and also converted to one-man operation. They initially carried Devon General branding under NBC ownership, but this was later superseded by Western National and other NBC liveries as their duties took them further afield into Cornwall and Dorset.
Withdrawal commenced in 1982, and the Sea Dogs went their separate ways, finding use in places including London, Lancashire, East Yorkshire and Glasgow.
Our model depicts registration 925GTA (formerly ‘Admiral Blake’) in its post-1983 condition after transfer from Western National to North Devon Limited, a National Bus Company operator trading as Red Bus. The model is finished in NBC poppy red and white livery with Red Bus branding and full Western Counties Building Society advertising all round. The lower position route blind carries a service 301 to Westward Ho! Destination, while the later style of replacement rear engine bustle completes the model.
