Join us for a nostalgic journey through the history of Leeds transport! Part of the Leeds400 celebrations, this event is a unique opportunity to discover the city’s history and the development of our transport, all while travelling aboard a vintage 1962 Leeds Daimler Double Decker bus.
Saturday 13 June. 10:30 / 13:30
Last year, we celebrated our 60th birthday with a special heritage bus tour. Due to its success, we’re bringing it back one more time as part of Leeds400!
Join us for a unique journey through 400 years of transport in Leeds, travelling aboard a 1962 Leeds Daimler Double Decker bus to explore how the city has moved and evolved over the centuries.
The tour will last for two hours and cover key locations, including Hunslet, Temple Newsam and York Road, each highlighting a different chapter in Leeds’ transport story.
In Hunslet, we’ll explore the legacy of the steam engine and the area’s industrial heritage, including the story of engineer Matthew Murray, marking 200 years since his death in 1826 and his huge contribution to early steam power and engineering in Leeds.
We’ll also visit Temple Newsam. This is a chance to hop off and stretch your legs. Temple Newsam is a large stately home owned by Leeds City Council and often jokingly referred to as “the largest council house in Leeds”. Here we will discuss its wider local history and role in the city.
From there, we’ll head along York Road following the route of Leeds’ last tram in November 1959. We’ll also look ahead and discuss the future of transport in Leeds.
The tour will be led by the brilliant Clifford Stead (aka the “Biro Guy”, @biroguy on Instagram), a Leeds Civic Trust trustee and volunteer. Cliff will bring his expert knowledge and storytelling to the experience.
If you joined us last year, you may remember our 1960s-themed packed lunch. This year, we won’t be providing lunch, so please do bring your own snacks for our stop-off at Temple Newsam House.
Useful Information:
Date: Saturday 13 June 2026
Times: There are two tours: one at 10:30 and one at 13:30
Meeting point: The bus will pick up attendees at 4 High Court, Leeds LS2 7ES, just across the road from the Leeds Civic Trust office.
Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled departure to find your seat. If you are seated on the top deck of the bus you will receive sound equipment to listen to the tour along the route. The bus will depart promptly at the designated start time and will not be able to wait for latecomers.
Accessibility: The bus we are riding is a vintage bus that unfortunately has no wheelchair access. To access the bus, there is a large step up and three more steps to get on. Seats are small with little leg room.
There is no space to store pushchairs or wheelchairs, but if arranged in advance we can store these at the Leeds Civic Trust office just over the road.
Arrivals: Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled departure to find your seat. Please queue on the pavement. If you are seated on the top deck of the bus, you will receive sound equipment to listen to the tour along the route. The bus will depart promptly at the designated start time and will not be able to wait for latecomers.
Tickets: £13 for Leeds Civic Trust members, £16 for non-members
Booking link: There are two booking links, one for the 10:30 tour and one for the 13:30 tour. Please only book on the tour you wish to attend. Tickets are non transferrable between the two tours.
