CDK 409C
CDK was new to Yelloway Motor Services in 1965. bought as part of a batch of four (CDK 409-12C) with two licensed to Creams, CDK was normally used on the services to Bedford and Cambridge. 409 was sold along with the rest of the batch in 1966, not for any defect, but as part of the fleet replacement that Yelloway undertook at that time. She was bought by Bakers Coaches of Weston Super Mare and was used by them until 1983. It then spent three years as a driver trainer until in 1986 it was parked out of use at Bridgenorth. Whilst it was here it suffered at the hands of vandals who really had a go at the grill. It was then parked at the back of the depot in Weston. We acquired it in 1996 and although it has not been restored yet, we are getting bits ready for it so that the restoration will hopefully not take as long as that of JNK.
When we brought it back to the North West we suffered a tyre blow out (on the M6 just alongside Sandbach Services) But we found that Bedford had been right with their sales pitch. It was safe at speed (we were doing 55mph) if a front tyre goes. There was only a slight juddering from the steering and it was safely stopped.