Southend Transport tried out various demonstrators over the years although not that many directly led to purchases of the relevant type. Falling into that category were the two Leyland National demonstrators tried out. Here we see the first, FBV525S, numbered E12 in Southend's temporary series for such vehicles, evaluated in July 1978.
Subsequently a mark 2 LN, WRN413V, was also tried out in September 1980. ST later ran an extensive fleet of secondhand mark 1 Nationals during the 1990s bus war, but not as a direct consequence of these demonstrators.

Photo from the Peter Cackett collection, photographer Frank Brereton, taken July 1978, Ashingdon Schools terminus