Students chip in with bus project

APPRENTICESHIP students from North Lancs Training Group (NLTG) and businesses have played a key role in breathing new life into a rare piece of local and national history through their work on the exciting Heritage Bus Project, led by the Accrington Heritage Trust.

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‘The project focuses on the restoration of a 1975 Leyland Leopard vintage bus - one of the last known surviving vehicles of its kind in the world.

The restoration has been made _ possible thanks to a £94,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund following a successful bid by the charity. Led by experienced NLTG tutors Graham Cornwell and _— Stuart Gower, students from the upholstery and furniture departments have been at the heart of the restoration.

After receiving the original seats and back panels from the bus, which had been stripped down, it was determined that the materials were no longer fit for use.

In response, the students replaced the components using modern fire-retardant foam, new wooden boards, and fresh upholstery fabric in a vibrant blue and green striped design.