Vintage Bus Guide for Bus Spotters
Old Bus Photos > 1964 Leyland Olympic - Havana, Cuba
1964 Leyland Olympic - Havana, Cuba
April 2000
The following photo(s) are © copyrighted by Jose Sanchez, (Vancouver, Canada)
Hola Bernie, this is Jose Sanchez from Havana, Cuba. When I saw your page about buses I couldn't close my mouth. Man, what a precision in your notes! Many of those buses that I saw in your pages were used in Cuba until a few years ago, mainly GM's even without any American parts since 1959!
This is a 1964 Leyland Olympic. This picture was taken by me in April of 1998 in Downtown Havana. This bus actually belongs to "Flete" (that means Charter) you can see the Cuban map Logo of "Fletes Nacionales" below the wind glasses.and it's one of few coaches (Leyland) that are still running perfectly although with several modifications and working like a slave. When I see examples like that just think of the thousands of anonymous heroes (the mechanics) that with their works they make possible these miracles.
Let me tell you more about Leyland Buses.The government purchased theses buses around 1964 with the purpose of renewing the stock of GM's (because no more parts were coming from the US), but Leyland had no better luck with replacing it's parts. That model was used between cities, although they had a urban version. Originally the intercities model had air conditioning, but I think it's engine doesn't work good enough (I don't remember any Leyland with air conditioning working) anyway, they were one of the most resistant and fighters buses that we ever had in Cuba.
Jose Sanchez
Vancouver, BC.
Canada
Bus photos submitted by: Classic Bus
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Nov 15, 2011 | 1:00 pmme encantan las guaguas leyland 1964/1970 muchas gracias por las fotos
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I LIKE THOSE PICTURES THAT JOSE SANCHEZ TOOK IN CUBA. I WAS BORN IN CUBA IN THE LATE FIFTIES. WE LEFT CUBA IN 1967. I LIVED IN GUANABACOA. WE HAD A BUS TERMINAL THERE AND I DO REMEMBER THOSE BUSES WHEN THEY WERE BRAND NEW. I HAVE LOVED BUSES EVER SINCE THEN. I DREAMT OF BEING A BUS DRIVER WHEN I GREW UP, FUNNY HOW LIFE IS. INSTEAD, I DROVE FOR UPS FOR 25 YEARS, 6 OF THOSE DRIVING A SEMI PULLING DOUBLES. I DO REMEMBER RIDING THOSE OLD GM BUSES FROM THE FIFTIES. I WOULD LIKE TO CHAT WITH JOSE SANCHEZ.