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TRIVIA : Unusual modifications to PSV's

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hst43102

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I was looking through some old photos of Stagecoach South Wales buses on Flickr the other day, and I came across this interesting vehicle, S788NRV (33282). A Dennis Dart SLF with Caetano Compass bodywork, the front panel was replaced with one from a Plaxton Pointer, which created a very unusual and interesting-looking vehicle.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/4745947274/

I thought this could be an interesting idea for a thread - what vehicles were modified in such a way that it made them unique or unusual?
 
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CN04NRJ

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I was looking through some old photos of Stagecoach South Wales buses on Flickr the other day, and I came across this interesting vehicle, S788NRV (33282). A Dennis Dart SLF with Caetano Compass bodywork, the front panel was replaced with one from a Plaxton Pointer, which created a very unusual and interesting-looking vehicle.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/4745947274/

I thought this could be an interesting idea for a thread - what vehicles were modified in such a way that it made them unique or unusual?

A number of these former Glyn Williams darts were done (it's actually a complete Plaxton front end) - the fleet was in such poor condition when they took over that nearly every one of those required a rebuild. Someone I know who worked there at the time described them to me as the front ends "almost literally falling off". Don't quote me on this but I think only two of the darts acquired retained their original UVG front ends.
 

hst43102

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I've seen modernised Duple 425s on my late night internet jaunts. Safe to say they look a little strange. There's even one with bits of Vanhool grafted on.

That got me thinking, I've seen a few Plaxton Paramounts with similar strange front ends!
 

scosutsut

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I don't know the vehicles history and how it came to be but there is the open top B10M/PS type that I think is still with Borders Buses, pictured here when it was with sister company WCM:

 

CN04NRJ

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Rhondda Buses had these two: -

A14RBL - East Lancs rebodied from an Alexander D10M


Originally:

A13RBL Leyland Tiger


Originally carried a GCS Prison Van Body and was new to the Prison Service as G399PNN in June 1990
 
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LOL The Irony

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I've found the Vanhool 425
 

GusB

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Malta would have been the place to see many modified buses, and it seemed that it was a case of anything goes!

I've seen quite a few modifications done to Duple 425s - presumably parts are getting near impossible to find these days.

It's strange how even changing something like the headlights (without any changes to the bodywork) can change the appearance, such as swapping round lights for the lozenge type on Alexander PS Volvo B10Ms
 

cnjb8

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Would tree loppers count? If so, GoSouth Coast have two former London Presidents converted while First Kernow have a former Weymouth Olympian.
 

awsnews

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I was looking through some old photos of Stagecoach South Wales buses on Flickr the other day, and I came across this interesting vehicle, S788NRV (33282). A Dennis Dart SLF with Caetano Compass bodywork, the front panel was replaced with one from a Plaxton Pointer, which created a very unusual and interesting-looking vehicle.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/4745947274/

I thought this could be an interesting idea for a thread - what vehicles were modified in such a way that it made them unique or unusual?
This earlier generation step entrance Dart with Carlyle bodywork received a similar 'facelift' with a Pointer front.
Fairly sure others were similarly treated
 

mbonwick

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I don't know the vehicles history and how it came to be but there is the open top B10M/PS type that I think is still with Borders Buses, pictured here when it was with sister company WCM:

It's in preservation now.
 

Strathclyder

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Perhaps the most (in)famous example of this in the last 20 or so years is the First Greater Manchester (originally destined for West Yorkshire, but diverted on delivery) Alexander Royale-bodied Volvo Olympian (S660 NUG/3407/30244) that gained a East Lancs Pyoneer-style top deck after losing a argument with a low bridge in Eccles early in it's life, creating what can best be described as the East Lancs Royalneer.

It finished it's working life in it's intended operating area, being withdrawn due to a electrical fire in May 2012. As the linked image shows, the windows on the East Lancs top deck didn't align with those on the Alexander bottom deck. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it leaked like the proverbial sieve.
 
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73001

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North Western did a few strange ones.. the atlantean with a national front didn't look too bad... NWRCC hybrid and they also did a couple of odd coach 'fixes' as well...Tiger hybrid (not my pics, links to Flickriver.com)

20201105_202406.jpg20201105_202422.jpg
 

ANDREW_D_WEBB

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This is former London and Country VE612, a B10M with East Lancs body which started life registered G612BPH. Imperial Coaches of Southall took it as a spare vehicle and rebuilt the front grille using a multitude of parts, including some from a Nissan Micra! It is seen at the company's (then) depot in Southall

VE616 Imperial .JPG
Perhaps the most (in)famous example of this in the last 20 or so years is the First Greater Manchester (originally destined for West Yorkshire, but diverted on delivery) Alexander Royale-bodied Volvo Olympian (S660 NUG/3407/30244) that gained a East Lancs Pyoneer-style top deck after losing a argument with a low bridge in Eccles early in it's life,

After a similar accident this VR eschewed a top deck before having its roof replaced.Carters VR.jpg

Similar treatment was administered to Strathclyde's KSU838P and seven classmates: https://www.flickriver.com/groups/1879956@N24/pool/interesting/.

Blackpool had a number of Atlanteans which gained a much more modern Northern Counties Palatine front
Over in Hong Kong Alexander fronts were favoured for updating some Citybus Atlanteans. http://www.orientalmodelbuses.co.uk/Leyland/Atlantean/44603.htm
 

hst43102

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North Western did a few strange ones.. the atlantean with a national front didn't look too bad... NWRCC hybrid and they also did a couple of odd coach 'fixes' as well...Tiger hybrid (not my pics, links to Flickriver.com)

View attachment 85498View attachment 85499

I like that Atlanational a lot! Not so sure about the coach though!

On the subject of B10M deckers, I found this one:

35301205403_7781d210b3_z.jpg

The coach-style wing mirrors just don't look right!
 

73001

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I like that Atlanational a lot! Not so sure about the coach though!

On the subject of B10M deckers, I found this one:

35301205403_7781d210b3_z.jpg
Oh God, that's awful. It is interesting what can be done with some skillful fitters and a lot of imagination though!
 

GusB

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North Western did a few strange ones.. the atlantean with a national front didn't look too bad... NWRCC hybrid and they also did a couple of odd coach 'fixes' as well...Tiger hybrid (not my pics, links to Flickriver.com)

View attachment 85498View attachment 85499

Oh, I forgot this disaster....Tiger hybrid
View attachment 85501
My eyes! The earlier photo of the Duple Laser wasn't too bad - it looks like the front panel from an R-type and doesn't look too out of place. However, the second one is hideous! Is that an East Lancs panel at the front?
 

quarella

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ADD 50Y was the prototype ECW Coach Leyland Olympian for National Express in 1982.
1985 Transferred from Wessex to Badgerline. Painted in Swift Link livery. Luggage capacity reduced with additional seats. Plug door replaced with bus door.
1987 sold and exported to Citybus Hong Kong for Cross border work. Fitted with aircon. Luggage area totally replaced by seats
1991 Converted into an open top for The Peak Tramway Shuttle. Later fitted with an Alexander front end.
2008 scrapped.
Putting the registration into image searches brings up examples of its various incarnations
 

kez19

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For me is one of the former Tayside Public Transport buses (Tayside buses)


A new way to use a bus! :)

I am sure I read this somewhere (doubt it was Flickr), must be on one of those fan sites of bus companies (can't find) but I am sure there was something "odd" about this bus (sure it this one)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/william-walker/12320638493/ - sure I read it as the rear was different to the others in the fleet at the time but even by looking at it - the window is larger at the back bottom!


I have always thought the modification of the President Plaxtons odd - I don't see any other company that done it apart from NXWM/Xplore - the headlights

 
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DunsBus

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The Optare-bodied Olympian, E964PME, which was converted to open-top early in its life and later reroofed using the roof from London Titan T131.

And there was the Strathclyde PTE Ailsa single-deck conversion, AS2 (MGE185P), subsequently the subject of doubts over its legality following sale to Black Prince.
 

hst43102

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There's been a fair few double deck's converted to single deck for various reasons - does anyone know of any buses converted the other way? Must be a big job if it has been done.
 
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