The longest lived of Portsmouth's 1956 Metro Cammell bodied Leyland PD2/12s was LRV992, seen here in open top form at The Hard still in Portsmouth service in April 1971.
Although it is an Orion, it is difficult to find anything not to like about this bus (except perhaps for the platform height as I have had both knees replaced this year). It looks quite attractive to me. It was new as no 100 in 4/56 and rebuilt to open top in 1971 (renumbered 2 as seen here) and remained in service when the other 5 LRV open toppers were withdrawn in January 1980. It survived the demise of Portsmouth; part ownership by Southampton then on to Stagecoach in the form of Southdown, then Blue Admiral and to Thames Transit, Oxford before finshing up with Devon General where it was when I last saw it, sporting Devon General livery.

Photographer unknown (the late Roger Janes Collection), April 1971, The Hard, Portsmouth

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