Shorter body Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE. Which operators use them?

[stevieinselby]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

 

[Fin447]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

Arriva, Centrebus group, Sanders have some. I believe there is also a 13m variant used by First and Lothian

 

[Dfatcontroller]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

I'm sure most of the operators in Lanarkshire (Whitelaw, Stuarts, JMB) all operate the shorter model.

 

[JD2168]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

Stagecoach Yorkshire (Holbrook) have had a shorter Evora SJ24 HWX on loan from Ferrymill Motors quite often over the last year. It is currently back in Sheffield, the 6 from Sheffield Centre to Millhouses Tesco is it’s regular route.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Arriva, Centrebus group, Sanders have some. I believe there is also a 13m variant used by First and Lothian

There's a 12.9m version being used by several operators in the UK and Ireland.

 

[Flange Squeal]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

Safeguard Coaches of Guildford, Surrey, have five 10.8m examples. All were acquired new, with an initial pair arriving in October 2022 (BV72 KOD & LF72 DUV) followed by three more (BV23 NUJ/M/P) the following year.

 

[37114]

Faresaver have 10 of the shorter ones

 

[Mollman]

I know the Evora-bodied Volvo B8RLE is available in 10.8m and 12.0m variants ... but how many operators have bought the shorter models?
Up until last week, I don't think I had seen any, every one that I had seen in person or in photos looked like it was full size (although I can't be absolutely sure!), but I have now seen some that I'm sure are the smaller ones ... on the Isle of Skye!
Stagecoach SJ72HNA, SJ72HNB and SJ73HUZ – although their other buses on the island look to be larger.
Are there any other examples of 10.8m Evoras on UK roads?

Archway Travel and Vision Bus have recently acquired some for their Lancashire contracts. I am not sure what length the ones at Kirkby Lonsdale/ Lonsdale Buses and Transporabus North West are but I think at least some are the 10.8m version.

 

[ctrh136]

White Bus also have 12 or so for use on Surrey routes 446, 458 and 555.

 

[W176 XMA]

Townlynx in North Wales have one, BL24 FEG, Tanat Valley have a few too

 

[Bristol LH]

Richards Bros, Bysiau Cwm Taf, Celtic Travel and Lloyds Coaches spring to mind.

 

[Great_Western]

Edwards Coaches of Llantrisant also have four 10.8m examples, along with older full length evolutions.

I think there's a decent argument to be made that the Evora is the best diesel single deck bus made in recent years. Especially when you consider that a lot of the above operators would likely have otherwise purchased E200's, so they're a huge step up in quality.

 

[citybus2500]

Edwards Coaches of Llantrisant also have four 10.8m examples, along with older full length evolutions.

I think there's a decent argument to be made that the Evora is the best diesel single deck bus made in recent years. Especially when you consider that a lot of the above operators would likely have otherwise purchased E200's, so they're a huge step up in quality.

Sanders had the first ones. There are now around 250 of them which is actually quite a proportion of them.

If you list them on buslistsontheweb, the ones seating B37F/B38F cover most of them.

 

[dgl]

I believe South West Coaches/Beeline have a couple, BV22HCH and BP24GWO.

 

[Voyager 2953]

Edwards Coaches of Llantrisant also have four 10.8m examples, along with older full length evolutions.

I think there's a decent argument to be made that the Evora is the best diesel single deck bus made in recent years. Especially when you consider that a lot of the above operators would likely have otherwise purchased E200's, so they're a huge step up in quality.

I would say the B8RLE is what makes it as good as it is. I personally prefer the Wright bodied B8s but there weren’t many of them made.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

I would say the B8RLE is what makes it as good as it is. I personally prefer the Wright bodied B8s but there weren’t many of them made.

The MCV body is also a very good product, well built and solid and combined with the Volvo chassis produces an excellent combination - Wright were also quite good at build quality with their bodies on heavyweight chassis but if anything the MCVs are even tighter.. I prefer the MCV to the Wright because MCV appear to have raised the roof and window line with the B8, to reflect the vertical engine which causes the back seats to be quite high, which means that average height passengers sat at the back can see out which the Wright body doesn't do

 

[scosutsut]

I would say the B8RLE is what makes it as good as it is. I personally prefer the Wright bodied B8s but there weren’t many of them made.

Looks are subjective but I can confirm with East Coast Buses examples at least that they are crippled by the fact they were built right at the point that Wrightbus seemingly forgot how to screw buses together. They'd rattle driving over bubble wrap.

Lothian's Evora's by direct comparison are solid.

 

[73001]

Arriva, Centrebus group, Sanders have some. I believe there is also a 13m variant used by First and Lothian

The short Arriva Evoras at Luton for the busway are currently being replaced by new longer versions. The short versions will then move to Arriva Merseyside to join their full length versions at Bootle (to replace older Pulsars). The long ones drive really well and don't feel as long as they are... they are used on one route that used to be a Solo before it went off to Wales.