LEV2 (R3) (Scrapped)

Last Location

Oversees: Connecticut Trolley Museum

Location History

Steamtown Museum ?-?

Current Status

Scrapped at some point before Aug 2021

Cheat River Railroad (Virginia) ?-?

Last Livery

White

Connecticut Trolley Museum ?-21

Record Last Updated

13 August 2021

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
Experimental railbus with a body based on the Leyland National bus. Used for trials and exported in 1980 as there were hopes to expand into the USA market. Unsurprisingly this did not materialise and the vehicle remained in the USA.

Little is known about the LEV2's preservation career, indeed we currently have no research as to when it even entered "preservation". Is is thought that the vehicle had been at a few different sites and operated sporadically in its earlier retirement years.

Its final home was at the Connecticut Trolley Museum but it is not known whether LEV2 operated at the site. What is known is that the vehicle was stored out of use there for a prolongued period of time, during which its condition deteriorated markedly.

Throughout the 2010's the (UK based) Railbus Trust led limited interest in repatriating LEV2, appealing for funds to aid the costs of transportation. The Connecticut Trolley Museum had reportedly offered LEV2 for sale to interested parties in the past which gave hope to a brighter future for the vehicle.

Sadly however these hopes did not come to fruition and LEV2 was reported as having been scrapped in August 2021. Note that the date of scrapping is also unknown, August 21 being the time at which the report was received. The rather illusive history of the vehicle remained so including the details of its demise!

LEV2 stored out of use at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, 11/4/09. Peter Wreford

LEV2 stored out of use at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, 11/4/09. Peter Wreford

A view of the single passenger saloon inside LEV2, 11/4/09. Peter Wreford