Friends of the East Kent (FotEK)

1178 is a 1973 Leyland National 11.3 metre vehicle owned by Friends of the East Kent. Shares are available in her for just £25.00 one off payment per share and £18.00 per year per share towards running and maintanance costs. For more information please contact US HERE. 

1178 was delivered in March 1973 (which means she just misses the historic vehicle free tax!) and served at Herne Bay garage all her life. She was later sold to a dealer who in turn passed her to a Nottingham based operator who converted her to carry wheelchairs. She later passed to the Ribble Historic Vehicle Preservation Trust for spares but due to her good condition they resold her to FotEK member Carl Underwood. He carried out the superb restoration but due to other commitments decided to donate her to The Friends of the East Kent Road Car Company Limited (FotEK) . Carl has several other preservation projects (including another East Kent National) and, and had his hands full but didn’t want 1178 passing out of the collection. Since then she has been out a few times but not as much to do her justice. There are a few little jobs left to do on her, such as replacing the door amidships where the disabled lift was fitted with her previous PCV owner, we have a standard National window bay put by especially for this. As you can imagine running a preserved bus can be expensive, especially when you consider insurance, road tax, fuel, MOT fee’s and maintenance. We are looking to spread the cost of running this restored bus and think that the shares option is the best way. It also means that people like you have an opportunity to part own an historic vehicle without experiencing the huge costs singularly, you also get a chance to muck in and help if you require, and as a big bonus you can tell everyone you part own a bus! To safeguard 1178’s future and to ensure she stays in preservation in her home county anyone purchasing shares in 1178 will automatically become special members of FotEK. This means that you will receive a membership card and will be invited to join us at special events throughout the year from our successful running day to our AGM and ‘Christmas dinner’. We are aiming for 40 share holders to take charge and assist with 1178. This may seem a high figure but our AEC Regent V/ Park Royal already has 48 shares and it keeps costs down for you. Any excess monies generated from monthly payments or fees will be placed into a special account for this vehicle and, if the worst thing happened and she needed spares, this would contribute towards it. In the majority we hope the monies raised will be enough to keep her on the road and serviced.