First Aberdeen

[Jordan Adam]

What were the people in North Devon used to before then that the Atlanteans replaced them. In all honesty, I loved them and thought they were good buses, but in 2001, I would have thought that they were showing their age.

The USS-Y batch were only 18-19 years old when withdrawn from Aberdeen so fairly average. Keep in mind there was only a 1 year age difference between those and the A-FSA Olympians. A few of which survived almost a decade longer!

344 actually made it in to Barbie 2 (pictured below), the bus was later returned to Aberdeen and still resides in a yard at Bridge Of Don Barracks, albeit without any engine.

First Midland 31577 (XSS344Y)

First's Scottish Atlanteans seemed to have their final fling with Midland. Seen in Falkirk Bus Station is this former Grampian Alexander bodied example, taken in 2005-ish.

flic.kr

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

What were the people in North Devon used to before then that the Atlanteans replaced them. In all honesty, I loved them and thought they were good buses, but in 2001, I would have thought that they were showing their age.

Well, it's a very good question and in that respect, they were technically an improvement! Conscious that I don't wish to go too far off topic and upset the mods!

Prior to 1999, Barnstaple and the surrounding area was Cawlett's Red Bus operation and had a real mixed bag of vehicles. The fleet was made up of

• Main routes were worked by a few Darts plus Merc 811 and 814 Varios bought new
• A smattering of Darts (plus some Varios) for specific Devon CC tenders
• The remnants of the NBC fleet inherited in 1983 including some Bristol VRs and Nationals - the former were mainly on schools and peak hour extras whilst Nationals were also still working the main route from Ilfracombe to Bideford
• Various other minibuses that they'd acquired along the way including some Merc 709s

So it's fair to say that the fleet needed some updating. Replacing 20/21 year old VRs with 19 year old Aberdonian Atlanteans was sort of improvement but only minimally.

 

[Deltic1961]

They were rattly, the steps were high from the kerb and the steps to the upper deck were tight and steep.

Total work horses though, just from a different generation.

 

[Swanny200]

They were rattly, the steps were high from the kerb and the steps to the upper deck were tight and steep.

Total work horses though, just from a different generation.

To be fair, most of Grampian/GRT/early First Aberdeen stock were workhorses, although did any of the E-DRS fleet end up in Barbie, I would have thought so seeing as the A reg olympians and atlanteans ended up in Barbie, but I cannot recall seeing any of the E reg olympians in Barbie.

 

[cnjb8]

I think it's crazy to think of Renowns being new, let alone Atlanteans!!!!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think it's crazy to think of Renowns being new, let alone Atlanteans!!!!

I can remember clambering on my first new bus delivered to my dad's depot....resplendent in NBC poppy red and with luxurious brown vinyl seating!. Also, going with my dad to another depot and getting to look at their newly delivered Olympian that seemed so different to the VRs that were commonplace...and it had Autumn Gold moquette!

Age is a double edged sword!

 

[Swanny200]

I can remember clambering on my first new bus delivered to my dad's depot....resplendent in NBC poppy red and with luxurious brown vinyl seating!. Also, going with my dad to another depot and getting to look at their newly delivered Olympian that seemed so different to the VRs that were commonplace...and it had Autumn Gold moquette!

Age is a double edged sword!

I remember the Atlanteans being fairly well looked after even though the seats got roasting hot in summer (although summer in Aberdeen can be an understatement at times), then the E reg Olympians started on the Northfield route and always seemed stuffy inside, a few years later I moved and was treated to VRs and the other oddballs of an Maidstone and District fleet where you never knew which type decker you would get on a weekday and the quirky MB midibuses, when I returned to Aberdeen it was nice to be able to catch an Atlantean, not just for nostalgia but the fact that apart from the odd pole rattle, they still seemed well built and looked after, the first time I went on one of the new fleet that Grampian got after I left (a Cityranger) it didn't have the feeling there that the Atlanteans had.

 

[GusB]

I fondly remember the Atlanteans from my student days. I lived in self-catering for two years at Hellhead of Satan and the 20 was on a 12 minute frequency during the day. I remember them being fairly well looked-after.

 

[Swanny200]

I fondly remember the Atlanteans from my student days. I lived in self-catering for two years at Hellhead of Satan and the 20 was on a 12 minute frequency during the day. I remember them being fairly well looked-after.

I lived in Altens until about 5 years old and my Gran used to live in Mastrick so used to use the 3, then moved within walking distance to her by the Forresterhill Road, right by the Multi's and Murdo's bar (if it is still there) but my Gran used to let me go on the bus on my own when I went to stay with her for the holidays, either down to meet her when she was working or just down to Union street with the holiday money she gave me, so used the 13, 22 and 23 regularly down to town, which was almost always an Atlantean especially on the 22.

 

[Deltic1961]

The E reg olympians had barbie scheme (it looked horrible compared to GRT). The Atlanteans were moved on before the barbie colour scheme was used in Aberdeen I think.

Quick question asked in another forum .... who is paying for the hydrogen used by the Streetdecks considering it comes (we assume) from an ACC owned facility?

 

[Swanny200]

The E reg olympians had barbie scheme (it looked horrible compared to GRT). The Atlanteans were moved on before the barbie colour scheme was used in Aberdeen I think.

Quick question asked in another forum .... who is paying for the hydrogen used by the Streetdecks considering it comes (we assume) from an ACC owned facility?

View attachment 90831

That looks absolutely hideous, and not in the greatest of states too.

 

[Deltic1961]

Ah, but you should see it now. Fully restored and looking like new.

 

[Swanny200]

That is exactly how I remember it, the best livery for it.

 

[PG]

Ah, but you should see it now. Fully restored and looking like new.

View attachment 90840

The E reg olympians had barbie scheme (it looked horrible compared to GRT). The Atlanteans were moved on before the barbie colour scheme was used in Aberdeen I think.

Quick question asked in another forum .... who is paying for the hydrogen used by the Streetdecks considering it comes (we assume) from an ACC owned facility?

View attachment 90831

Interesting to note that the restoration has the classic Leyland 'dustbin lid' front wheel style - looks great though I'm not sure they ever had these while in service in Aberdeen? Could be my ageing memory playing tricks on me so happy to be corrected!

 

[GusB]

Interesting to note that the restoration has the classic Leyland 'dustbin lid' front wheel style - looks great though I'm not sure they ever had these while in service in Aberdeen? Could be my ageing memory playing tricks on me so happy to be corrected!

They certainly did carry the wheel trims in service.

 

[Strathclyder]

Interesting to note that the restoration has the classic Leyland 'dustbin lid' front wheel style - looks great though I'm not sure they ever had these while in service in Aberdeen? Could be my ageing memory playing tricks on me so happy to be corrected!

They certainly had them when new. Here is 123 fresh out the box (taken July 1988) on Blackfriars St (taken by Donald McRae). They no doubt lost them as time ticked on.

Grampian Part 2 : Grampian Regional Transport Ltd into the privatised Grampian Holdings era, July 1986 - April 1995 - Victoryguy

The largest of the four galleries of scanned Grampian slides, this collection covers the period from July 1986, when the Grampian Regional Transport Limited arms length company was founded through to the formation of First Group. This was a period of operator acquisition by Grampian.....Midland...

victoryguy.smugmug.com

As for ex-Grampian Atlanteans transferring to other parts of the country in the First era as discussed upthread, the excellent Glasgow Atlanteans: 60 Years of the LA book notes that 4 examples were permanently transferred to Glasgow's Knightswood depot in 1997 after initally being sent south on hire to FiG that May. These were:

HSO 282V (LA1450; ex-282)
HSO 286V (LA1451; ex-286)
HSO 290V (LA1452; ex-290)
LRS 291W (LA1453 ex-291)

All gained the smart, if a tad bland London Imitation Red of the period, but they didn't outlast the native LAs. All were gone by November 1998, the last month of regular Atlantean service in the city.

HSO 286V in it's Glasgow guise (from the David Devoy Flickr collection):

FIRST GLASGOW LA1451 HSO286V

HSO286V was a Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R / Alexander AL Type H45/29D purchased new by Grampian Regional Transport as their fleetnumber 286 in August 1980. It became part of First Aberdeen, and later saw service with First Glasgow.

www.flickr.com

 

[PG]

They certainly had them when new. Here is 123 fresh out the box (taken July 1988) on Blackfriars St (taken by Donald McRae). They no doubt lost them as time ticked on.

Grampian Part 2 : Grampian Regional Transport Ltd into the privatised Grampian Holdings era, July 1986 - April 1995 - Victoryguy

The largest of the four galleries of scanned Grampian slides, this collection covers the period from July 1986, when the Grampian Regional Transport Limited arms length company was founded through to the formation of First Group. This was a period of operator acquisition by Grampian.....Midland...

victoryguy.smugmug.com

Thanks so much for correcting my mis-recollection and through the link you provided I've managed to find a photo of yours truly the month after I passed my test

 

[Deltic1961]

Brilliant photos. Thanks Strathclyder!

 

[Swanny200]

Did any of the Atlanteans venture south after the Larkfield depot fire on hire too?

 

[awsnews]

Did any of the Atlanteans venture south after the Larkfield depot fire on hire too?

Yes

The 1276-busstop archive/The 1276-Busstop-Features/After The Fire, Vehicles Hired After The Larkfield Fire 1991-01-01/Scbors209r01alf

ORS 209R at Clydebank Bus Station (my image)

 

[GusB]

Did any of the Atlanteans venture south after the Larkfield depot fire on hire too?

They did - victoryguy has a section devoted to it on his smugmug site:

Strathclyde Buses "After the Larkfield Fire" 1992 - 1993 - Victoryguy

Strathclyde Buses suffered a huge loss of vehicles after a massive fire at the Larkfield bus depot in May 1992. With almost sixty vehicles completely destroyed. the company had great difficulties meeting peak requirement even after reinstating several very tired Atlanteans were reinstated. Hired...

victoryguy.smugmug.com

 

[Strathclyder]

Thanks so much for correcting my mis-recollection and through the link you provided I've managed to find a photo of yours truly the month after I passed my test

Brilliant photos. Thanks Strathclyder!

Cheers gents. But in all honesty, the thanks should really go to the people who took them. Mundane, every-day scenes at the time, now treasured glimpses into a bygone age.

 

[Jordan Adam]

All B7LAs except 10163/65 have now been sold off, 10165 remains in use while 10163 is presumably for spares.
Geminis 37633/34 are due to depart south for Bath today.
Enviro500 38222 has now been repainted in to the Aberdeen Urban livery and branded for the 1/2, 38218 is current being done.
The last two Streetdecks (39704/5) are now here and being prepped for service. 39701-3/6-15 are now all in use.

 

[Deltic1961]

@Jordan Adam

Quick question asked in another forum .... who is paying for the hydrogen used by the Streetdecks considering it comes (we assume) from an ACC owned facility?

 

[Volvodart]

I do not think the cost of hydrogen is that much cheaper than diesel for the bus to run all day. Obviously the fuelling station would have to make a profit and try and recoup some of the set up costs, as BOC are also involved. It could be First pays a similar price to the diesel bus fuel cost.

 

[90sWereBetter]

Ah, but you should see it now. Fully restored and looking like new.

Am I right in saying there's a second Aberdeen Olympian still in existence? The Alford Bus Collection claims to have B121MSO awaiting restoration somewhere, but it's coming up as untaxed on DVLA rather than on SORN. No photos later than 2008 on Flickr, and it appears it was probably the only member of the first two Olympian batches to stay in Aberdeen until the end.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Am I right in saying there's a second Aberdeen Olympian still in existence? The Alford Bus Collection claims to have B121MSO awaiting restoration somewhere, but it's coming up as untaxed on DVLA rather than on SORN. No photos later than 2008 on Flickr, and it appears it was probably the only member of the first two Olympian batches to stay in Aberdeen until the end.

They do still have B121MSO, it is in storage at their second shed near Whitecairns in the condition it left service. It's one of the longer term projects having been pushed down the queue as other "rarer" types have been chosen for restoration first since they already have an Olympian.

 

[Jordan Adam]

@Jordan Adam

Quick question asked in another forum .... who is paying for the hydrogen used by the Streetdecks considering it comes (we assume) from an ACC owned facility?

I'm not too sure, as VolvoDart notes i'd imagine First pay near the equivalent diesel price and the rest is covered through grants. Although it should be noted that although Hydrogen is more expensive the costs are coming down. The point with the Streetdeck-FCEV is not to prove that Hydrogen buses in service are possible, but more to prove it's long term commercially viable and on par/better than diesel.

These Streetdecks thus far have already massively outperformed the Vanhools. All of them bar 39704/5 are out in service today with 39701/3/10/11 on the 3 while 39702/6-9/12-15 are on the 19, 39704/5 having only just arrived from Wrightbus in the last week or so.

 

[Deltic1961]

Cheers for the reply re. 121 as I was wondering tht myself. Is it going to be repainted with the airport service liivery?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Cheers for the reply re. 121 as I was wondering tht myself. Is it going to be repainted with the airport service liivery?

It'll be either that or the Farecard livery (linked below), i don't think they've finalised the plans yet and it seems to have changed a few times since 2008.

00121 19900600 B121MSO dy004

Grampian Regional Transport Ltd 121 B121 MSO Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1RV with Alexander RH H47/26D body, new April 1985. Seen in Union Street, Aberdeen in June 1990 with an all over ad for the FareCard.

www.flickr.com

* New Post *

37637/38 are now withdrawn and next to depart for Bath.

Ex-First Manchester (and latterly Diamond Bus) B7RLEs 69135/36 are due to join the fleet as driver trainers while native 69123/24 will also be coming off at some point in the near future for conversion. This means the service fleet will no longer have any Euro3 vehicles.