Marshall bodied Olympian alongside M5 near Taunton

[37114]

Hi, was driving North on M5 yesterday and saw what looks to be a Marshall bodied Olympian in a field alongside the M5 just north of the Taunton junction, any ideas which bus it is please?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Marshall never bodied any Olympians. I'd assume it was either an Alexander Royale or a Northern Counties Palatine 2 you saw.

 

[83G/84D]

That will possibly be the red decker in the compound just off the A361 north of Taunton. Been there for many years and visible from the M5 but don’t have any details on it.

 

[michael Bell]

Marshall never bodied any Olympians. I'd assume it was either an Alexander Royale or a Northern Counties Palatine 2 you saw.

Marshall bodied 20 Olympians for Bournmouth transport 180 TJT180X to 199 TJT199X and 1 Has been in a yard near the M5 for years last time I noticed it it was still In Bournmouth yellow I do not know which one it is

 

[Jordan Adam]

Marshall bodied 20 Olympians for Bournmouth transport 180 TJT180X to 199 TJT199X and 1 Has been in a yard near the M5 for years last time I noticed it it was still In Bournmouth yellow I do not know which one it is

Interesting... Wasn't aware of those!

 

[iantherev]

TJT195X Bournemouth 195.

 

[37114]

Marshall bodied 20 Olympians for Bournmouth transport 180 TJT180X to 199 TJT199X and 1 Has been in a yard near the M5 for years last time I noticed it it was still In Bournmouth yellow I do not know which one it is

Thanks it is red and blue now. My wife used to be part of a charity that had a similar ex Bournemouth Olympian so was pretty sure it was a Marshall bodied one.

 

[37114]

TJT195X Bournemouth 195.

Thanks.

For info the bus my wife was involved in was TJT186X, it was with them until 2014 but they sold it on and now use a Volvo Olympian Stagecoach gave them.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It is indeed that ex Bournemouth example. Believe it was in non-PCV use and failed on the M5 and was dragged in there. Must’ve been there for >15 years.

Those Marshall bodied Olympians were a curious confection with the dash being similar to the Camair 80 Lancets that Blackpool got but with old style (1960s) Camair windscreens and some austere top deck front dome/windows, none of which suited the rest of a reasonably competent body.

 

[madannie77]

A rather dodgy scanned shot of a Marshall bodied Olympian taken by me on 5th August 1986. I don't think it occurred to me at the that these were the only examples, despite never seeing any elsewhere. Not that I was particularly well-travelled at that time.

 

[ChrisPJ]

I thought those looked perfectly alright to be honest, maybe they are seen as being a bit eccentric because the ECW body was so ubiquitous but the Marshall product was arguably more coherent than anything East Lancs were knocking out around this time.


Also the body appeared on other chassis, Derby had some on Citybus underframes I think?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I thought those looked perfectly alright to be honest, maybe they are seen as being a bit eccentric because the ECW body was so ubiquitous but the Marshall product was arguably more coherent than anything East Lancs were knocking out around this time.


Also the body appeared on other chassis, Derby had some on Citybus underframes I think?

Comparing with East Lancs is a low bar. The Marshall body was ok except the front and it looked better with the flat windscreen (not the Bournemouth version or Leicester examples).

Marshall did supply on Citybus chassis to Derby and Strathclyde, on Dominators to Leicester, and Atlanteans to SYPTE.

 

[CM]

The Marshalls look very odd. Some of East Lancs stuff actually looks half decent whilst some of their other stuff like the NCT specced Atlanteans etc were god awful looking things.

 

[GusB]

Strathclyde also had one Ailsa bodied by Marshall, and I think there were some on Scania chassis too - Newport?

 

[CM]

Strathclyde also had one Ailsa bodied by Marshall, and I think there were some on Scania chassis too - Newport?

There was 2 Marshall bodied Ailsas at Strathclyde and one Citybus. IIRC the Ailsas lasted until early First ownership with at least one of them being painted allover red. Not sure about the Citybus or other Ailsa. Strathclyde also had a one off Single Decker Ailsa with a Marshall body.

 

[GusB]

There was 2 Marshall bodied Ailsas at Strathclyde and one Citybus. IIRC the Ailsas lasted until early First ownership with at least one of them being painted allover red. Not sure about the Citybus or other Ailsa. Strathclyde also had a one off Single Decker Ailsa with a Marshall body.

Ah, I got them mixed up. I knew it was two of one model and one of the other. Regarding the single deck (AS1), wasn't that one destroyed at Larkfield?

 

[CM]

Ah, I got them mixed up. I knew it was two of one model and one of the other. Regarding the single deck (AS1), wasn't that one destroyed at Larkfield?

AS1 was indeed cremated in the Larkfield Fire, I believe AH1 was also lost/badly damaged as well though I'm not 100% certain.

 

[Stan Drews]

AS1 was indeed cremated in the Larkfield Fire, I believe AH1 was also lost/badly damaged as well though I'm not 100% certain.

AH1 was damaged, but not lost, as it was repaired.
https://flic.kr/p/aNFJHk

 

[DunsBus]

AH1 was damaged, but not lost, as it was repaired.
https://flic.kr/p/aNFJHk

IIRC, it was driven out of the fire with the back end alight. Talk about a lucky escape.

 

[CM]

IIRC, it was driven out of the fire with the back end alight. Talk about a lucky escape.

Does anyone remember how long AH1 actually lasted after the fire though? I'm pretty sure both Ailsas lasted until First days with one being painted red but I'm not sure if AH1 lasted that long as First quite aggressively replaced non-standard/knackered stuff with various Volvo and Scania singles and Olympians.

 

[DunsBus]

Does anyone remember how long AH1 actually lasted after the fire though? I'm pretty sure both Ailsas lasted until First days with one being painted red but I'm not sure if AH1 lasted that long as First quite aggressively replaced non-standard/knackered stuff with various Volvo and Scania singles and Olympians.

It lasted another five-and-a-half years after the fire, going for scrap in November 1997.

 

[83G/84D]

I photographed said bus over the weekend. The yard was closed so it was taken from outside near the road.

 

[pieguyrob]

Cool. There is a classic 2 door Range Rover tow truck in the yard as well, can I have that please?