No. 97 has the distinction of not only being Lancashire United Transport's first rear engined "Fleetline" to be delivered and the last of its type to remain in service, but also the oldest-surviving Daimler Fleetline.

Delivered in July 1962, No. 97 operated from LUT's Atherton Depot and was painted in the company's red and cream livery when new, though the cream band was later replaced by grey in the 1970s.

When the company was sold to Greater Manchester Transport (GMT) in 1976, LUT buses soon started to adopt a version of the GMT orange and white livery. Despite being amongst the oldest buses in the fleet, three Fleetlines including No. 97, were overhauled and repainted in orange and white in 1979.

After a working life of over 20 years, No. 97 was withdrawn in October 1982 and passed to the Lancastrian Transport Group in April of the following year.

After a ghostly existence away from the public eye it emerged in 1991 looking resplendent in former LUT red and cream. In 1999 a sponsorship deal was agreed with the soap powder brand 'Fairy' and advertising has been applied to the vehicle that suits the period of the vehicle's restoration.

During 1999, 97 developed an electrical fault and was stored until 2006 when efforts were made to rectify the faults and allow it to attend the LUT100 events in Manchester. Now that 97 is a 'runner' once more further work is planned to return the bus to the operational fleet.