In 1947 Northern Coachbuilders of Claremont Road, Newcastle supplied 12 buses to Blackburn Corporation Transport, which were delivered between March and May of that year. Although not a local Company, Northern Coachbuilders provided these vehicles as the body was made from an Ash frame, rather than steel which was still in short supply just after the second world war. All were built on Guy Arab chassis with the Gardner 6LW power unit, with the H30/26R bodywork and were eventually withdrawn between 1961 and 1963. These 12 vehicles (numbered 73 to 84) were part of an intake of 52 buses in 1947 for tramways replacement duties.
Built on chassis PD28338, number 74 of that batch arrived on the 28th of March and was placed on service for the first time on the following day, being withdrawn on the 31st December 1962. After storage, the bus was sold to the bus operator Grahams of Paisley, together with ACB 901 in 1963 and operated from their Hawkhead Depot. It was later withdrawn from service and operated as a towing bus until passing to Geoff Lister of Bolton in 1972 for continued use in this type of work. It was then acquired by the late Norman Myers for preservation, being firstly at the Bolton Transport Museum, then The St. Helens Transport Museum, until Norman passed away.
In 2005, it was auctioned by the Museum and purchased by Tony Blackman of Yorkshire Heritage Bus Company of Halifax for further intended restoration. Although due to other commitments it remained at his former Albert Road premises for storage. The bus (thought to be the oldest Blackburn double-deck bus in existence) was purchased by Ian Amarnani who had close ties with this vehicle and is now completing a running restoration and repaint.
