The Leyland Cub CU series was a midibus manufactured by Leyland between 1979 and 1987. It was derived from the Terrier truck chassis and was originally built at Leyland’s Scottish plant in Bathgate. An earlier Leyland Cub, the K series, had been built at Leyland’s Ham factory between 1931 and 1939.
Leyland Cub at a glance
| Maker | Leyland |
|---|---|
| Type | midibus |
| Production | 1979–1987 |
| Chassis | derived from the Leyland Terrier truck |
| Built at | Bathgate, Scotland |
| Variants | CU335, CU385 and CU435 |
| Wheelbases | 335, 385 and 435 cm |
| Engine | 5.7-litre Leyland 6.98NV |
| Engine option | derated 6.98DV |
| Bodybuilders | Wadham Stringer, Reeve Burgess, Duple Dominant, Optare |
| Lothian order | 18 CU435s with Duple Dominant bodies, 1981 |
| West Yorkshire order | 15 with Optare bodies, 1986 |
| Superseded by | Leyland Swift, 1987 |
| Earlier Cub | K series, 1931–1939 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Leyland Cub.
History of the Leyland Cub
The CU series
The Cub CU series was a midibus built by Leyland from 1979 to 1987. It used a chassis derived from the Terrier truck and was first built at Bathgate in Scotland. Three variants were offered, CU335, CU385 and CU435, the number giving the wheelbase in centimetres. The usual engine was Leyland’s 5.7-litre 6.98NV, with the derated 6.98DV as an option.
Bodywork and operators
Most Cubs were built for local authorities and the welfare sector and carried bodywork by Wadham Stringer of Hampshire or Reeve Burgess of Derbyshire. Lothian Region Transport took 18 CU435s with Duple Dominant bodies in 1981, and the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive bought 15 with Optare bodies in 1986. Southdown Motor Services had four Reeve Burgess-bodied Cubs in 1983 and 1984, and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive had two in 1985, first used on services in Wythenshawe and based at Northenden.
The end and the survivors
The Cub was replaced in 1987 by another truck-derived midibus, the Leyland Swift. Surviving vehicles include one West Yorkshire example and one Greater Manchester example, as well as a number of non-PSV Cubs, mostly used as campers. The preserved West Yorkshire vehicle appeared in an episode of Vera, taking miners to a colliery in a 1980s flashback.
Design and features
- Truck-derived chassis: the Cub used the Terrier lorry’s underpinnings.
- Three wheelbases: CU335, CU385 and CU435, named after their length in centimetres.
- Leyland 6.98NV: a 5.7-litre engine, with the derated 6.98DV as an alternative.
- Small-scale bodies: Wadham Stringer, Reeve Burgess, Duple and Optare supplied most bodywork.
Leyland Cub versions
- CU335: the shortest wheelbase, 335 cm.
- CU385: the middle version, 385 cm.
- CU435: the longest, 435 cm, bought by Lothian Region Transport with Duple Dominant bodies.
- Earlier K-series Cub: a completely different midibus built at Ham from 1931 to 1939.
The Cub was a midibus alongside the larger Leyland National and the Leyland Tiger coach. More Leyland vehicles are in the Leyland collection.
Sources
- Leyland Cub, English Wikipedia: variants, engine, operators, survivors
