John Bull Bus

In 1910 Maurice Reeson introduced the first full- sized motor bus to Leicester from Anstey, which was given the nickname ‘John Bull’.

The vehicle was an old London bus. On its first journey to Leicester, John Bull stalled on one of the hills and the passengers had to get out and push.

The bus only ran for a short time and by 1911 ‘John Bull’ had been sold and was believed to have been destroyed.

However, in 1984 its body was discovered by the late Greg Duffin of Stonehurst Farm, Mountsorrel. Over the years Greg and his son Tom restored the bus to its former glory.

In 2019, Channel 4 featured ‘John Bull’ on its programme ‘Great British Car Journeys’, presented by Peter Davidson and Christopher Timothy.

The bus still operates today, giving people the chance to experience riding on an early 20th century bus.