The full story of Royal Mail's Highland Terrier

摘要

I am afraid that the 1976 item in last month's Scotland Since 1956 feature is a little bit garbled. The Royal Mail Leyland Terrier was not returned from Rugby on 5 January for the route taken over from Highland Omnibuses, nor was 1760001 (FNX 580K) ever seated B24F as a PSV. As we document in the Postbus Handbook, it was used on the Portnahaven route on Islay up to mid-September 1975, having been exchanged with Ford Transit 3750051 (UES 86K) at Rugby up to at least March 1975. It was downseated to B23F when the Scottish Postal Board converted it to a PSV by in July 1974. The duty at Rugby was taken over in the first week in July 1975 by Ford A0610/ Tricentrol B25F 5760001 (LAC 906P). After its use on Islay, we now know that it went to Dingwall workshop for the autumn where it was further downseated to B17F plus mails for use on the Laide-Achnasheen route, starting on 5 January 1976 and initially using Highland Omnibuses drivers on loan as the Post Office had difficulty in recruiting the four PSV drivers needed for the service.