Ex-Ribble VRT 1997 (OCK997K) achieved celebrity status after clocking up 29 years passenger service and being the oldest bus (outside London) with FirstGroup. After life with Ribble, 1997 operated with Crosville and then Devon RedBus before finally becoming part of First Western National. It was withdrawn from service, still in RedBus livery, in January 2002 and returned north in August after acquisition by the Lancastrian Transport Trust for preservation.Full restoration of 1997 commenced in September 2006 by LTT volunteers and now a vacant slot in the BusWorks' paint shop has allowed repainting in cherry red to commence.
