File:Preserved West Midlands PTE bus 4738 (JOV 738P) 1976 Volvo Ailsa B55 Alexander AV, 2008 Wirral Bus and Tram Show.jpg

English: Preserved West Midlands PTE bus 4738 (reg JOV 738P), a 1976 Volvo Ailsa B55 double-decker with Alexander AV bodywork, pictured at the 2008 Wirral Bus and Tram Show.

It was one of the batch of 50 such vehicles bought by WMPTE. They had taken delivery of the first 3 production examples, numbered 4527 to 4529 (TOE 527-529N), built in late 1974. The 50 strong batch followed shortly after, being built between January and May 1976 in one continuous batch, numbered by WMPTE as fleet no.s 4738 to 4787 (JOV 738-787P). (While this bus was the numerically first of the WMPTE numbering scheme, the batch were not numbered according to their production order - 4759 was the first of the batch by chassis number - no. 75072, which designated it as the 72nd production B55 of 1975).

In 1987 the entire batch of 50 were purchased by London Buses Ltd for service in London, being numbered in their V-class series, from V16 to V65 (LBL had purchased V1-3 new in 1984, and V4-15 second hand from South Yorkshire PTE also in 1987).

4738 was allocated the number V38, entering service first with the London Northern post-deregulation London Buses division out of Potters Bar garage (code PB), then with the Harrow Buses unit set up by London Buses as a low cost unit out of Harrow garage (code HD), and finally back with London Northern at Potters Bar.

With the exception of the newer V1-3, the V-class didn't last long (as tender requirements began to trend to specifying new buses), going on to pastures new after just 2 or 3 years service in London.

Instead of going into service with a third operator, having been latterly stored at Holloway garage V38 was bought for preservation by the 4738 group. It was repaired and initially rallied in London Northern livery, before being restored to original WMPTE condition by 2000.