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9 HISTORY
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9's story began in 1971 as part of the last batch of 15 Atlantean PDR2s numbered 1-15 NDR 501-15J.
The first vehicle was 221 which arrived in Nov 1968 with the rest of that batch arriving in April 1969 with 222-244, JJY 622-44G. These had narrower front windscreens. 221 was in fact shown at the 1968 motor show with automatic gearbox. this was changed to the standard semi automatic system on arrival at Milehouse. 1970 saw 245-263, MCO 245-63H arrive with the more stylish remodelled deeper front windscreen, with power assisted steering.
Number 9 entered service in April 1971, working on a crew operated route 36/37 circular service between city centre and Beacon Park Rd. A route hat included some very tight turns of Portland square, Endsleigh Place, Trelawney Rd and Barn Park Rd. 1972 saw 9 working on the trunk route of 43/44 service to Ernesettle / City Centre / Whitleigh along with vehicles 7/8 10/14. This continued for the next decade. Then being used as a spare bus.
The life span of the Leyland PDR2s lasted until 1986 with the 9 being withdrawn in October, making way for the new era of the dodge minibuses, 81 in total. This was for the Citybus minibus network, deregulation 26TH Oct 1986. Surprisingly 221 lasted until the last day along with 230 and 231.
9 carried a variety of liveries, arriving with the "Orient red" with broken white band around the middle and carried this livery for a long time, only being repainted into the cream around the lower deck window in January 1978. This was short lived as in Feb 1980 the revised livery of cream around the top deck was added. Then in Sept 1982 it received the Citybus livery with cream below the lower deck windows and new company branding. 9 carried this until withdrawal.
Stored until Jan 1987, 9 was brought by a Preservationist in Torquay, though this would have to wait as it was being used as a mobile advert for " Mr Video" a video shop in Torquay. Its next stop was Bristol in Jan 1992 where it was brought by Crown Coaches and loaned to A-BUS of Brislington, running from Keynsham to Bristol city centre on the intensive A48 route. At some point after, It then ended up as a mobile church group youth club in Chepstow, South Wales. Stripped of all interior seats and fittings and converted into a meeting room upstairs and a kitchen downstairs.
In 2012 a group from P.C.T.P.G brought it. Having had the internal furnishings removed it was towed back to Plymouth so restoration could start.
NDR 509J is the only Plymouth PDR2 left in the U.k, and the only NDR batch left in the world.
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