Car Leyland Lioness Charabanc 1929 for sale

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To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The London Auction event, 31 October 2026.
Offered Without Reserve | £30,000 - £40,000 GBP

Delivered new to the Bradford Corporation as a single-deck bus and later converted to its current “Charabanc” body style
Restored over the 1970s and 1980s and later formed part of private collections in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom
Participated in HCVS events including the Trans Pennine 2014 and London to Brighton Run 2017
Shown at the 43rd Spring Gathering at Brooklands Museum hosted by the London Bus Museum in April 2016
Charming example of early British mass-transportation

Founded in 1896 in northwestern England, the Lancashire Steam Motor Company evolved from manufacturing steam machinery into producing motorised commercial transport. The company delivered its first steam bus in 1900 and its first petrol version in 1905, before officially renaming itself Leyland Motors in 1907. Post-World War I industrial expansion catalysed the mass production of commercial buses starting in 1919. Expanding its portfolio further, the manufacturer introduced its first passenger automobile, the Leyland Eight, at the 1920 London International Motor Exhibition.

This 1929 Leyland Lioness features a "Charabanc" open-top body, believed to be a later conversion after this chassis was originally built to house single-deck bus coachwork. Derived from the French phrase char à bancs, meaning carriage with benches, these open-top buses featured rows of forward-facing seats accommodating 26 to 30 passengers. The format of the Charabanc made it a popular choice for sightseeing, touring, day trips, or even weekend excursions.

This bus is thought to have been delivered new to the Bradford Corporation. Later restored over the 1970s and 1980s, the engine was overhauled by S Brunt, the body by the coachbuilder S H Wyatt, the paint by C Simpson Coach Painters, all of Staffordshire, with the trim and upholstery completed by Stan Chilton of Derby. The body now fitted is understood to be of a replica construction. The restoration is believed to have been finished in 1981 and soon after the bus formed part of The James C Leake Collection in the United States and another private collection in Canada.

The Lioness has since enjoyed a vibrant later life at shows and tours. It participated in the HCVS Trans Pennine tour in 2014 and the HCVS London to Brighton Run in 2017. Additionally, the bus has been featured multiple times at the Brooklands Museum, first in April 2016 at the 43rd Spring Gathering at Brooklands Museum hosted by the London Bus Museum, with return exhibitions in October 2016 and October 2018.

Whether parked or on the move, this Leyland Lioness Charabanc is a charming reminder of early 20th Century travel and is sure to capture the imagination of transport enthusiasts everywhere.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/lf26/.