This was another manufacturer new to Southdown during the earlier NBC years. Issues with the supply of vehicles in the mid70s resulted in the NBC occasionally dropping out of the standardisation programme. The Ford/Duple combo was brought to Southdown and in 1974 34 vehicles arrived, with a further 3 in 1977. Rumour has it that they were not the most popular coaches on the fleet and they were spread across the operating area such that they did not see a great deal of use. Indeed, this is backed up by the fact that they were sold after as little as six years from delivery.
The changeover years….