TRIVIA : Unusual modifications to PSV's

[MotCO]

There was a London Country Atlantean reroofed with a DMS roof, but can't recall which one.

Also Metrobus added a standard ECW Olympian front to a former Thamesway Olympian double deck coach, for, I believe, consistency reasons rather than any accident damage. https://www.flickr.com/photos/68359129@N02/50136661806/in/photostream/
(Apologies for poor photo; photo shows B688BPU, a Leyland Olympian ONTL11/2R5P ECW CH45/28F purchased from Thamesway for private hire work parked up amongst other buses at the Green Street Green depot)

 

[randyrippley]

I've mentioned this freak before.......Lancaster City Transport purchased a small fleet of Bedfords with Duple Dominant bus bodies, which had had the rear end cut off immediately behind the rear axle when in service with Cleveland Transport. But one went even further and had a replacement Plaxton front.
They were purchased to use in the tight streets of Kendal, to compete with Stagecoach's minibuses

Before and after photos (not mine)

https://live.staticflickr.com/5667/23789575101_332d60ede2_b.jpg

https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/image/catalog/M/8/C/-/M8C-102.jpg

Note the replacement windscreen was too big so the destination blind had to be removed

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

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.

Grey Green had a batch of B10M coaches rebodied as double decker buses.

Halifax was home to an open top Transit in use with TJ Walsh.

RM1357 had an interior refit to show off life on a submarine. It is now back to a more conventional version ( https://www.rogerbusby.com/seacadets_routemaster_bus_rm1357/)

 

[kez19]

No, it's not a photoshop!

Some sort of err.. route master?

 

[hst43102]

Grey Green had a batch of B10M coaches rebodied as double decker buses.

Ah, these beasts. I forgot they existed! I saw one once, with a private operator. I can't remember where, but they are certainly rather ugly in design!

Not my photo.

 

[kez19]

Quite a few of the NXWM President's got ALX400 headlights upon refurbishment. I have no idea why, and it really ruins the great design of the President.

I thought when I seen them appear in Dundee, I thought companies like Go North East or First did it to their vehicles but of course not they kept the headlights the same.

I agree the headlights stick out like a sore thumb

What about an open top of a different kind?

Dublin bus 'DF781' # 2

Flickr album : Bus Átha Cliath - 25th Anniversary set. What may well go down as one of the most unusual, and temporary open tops was used by Dublin Bus for one journey only in 1987. With an almost non existent fleet available as open tops a major requirement in July of that year took place...

www.flickr.com

Dublin Bus 'DF781' #1

Flickr album : Bus Átha Cliath - 25th Anniversary set. What may well go down as one of the most unusual, and temporary open tops was used by Dublin Bus for one journey only in 1987. With an almost non existent fleet available as open tops a major requirement in July of that year took place...

www.flickr.com

All postings credit to photographers

 

[DunsBus]

When South Yorkshire Road Transport replaced the Lucas rear lights on several of its Olympians with BMAC ones, these were of the earlier coffin style. To meet legislation there was a supplementary foglight fitted beneath the offside light cluster.

 

[Strathclyder]

Over in Hong Kong Alexander fronts were favoured for updating some Citybus Atlanteans: http://www.orientalmodelbuses.co.uk/Leyland/Atlantean/44603.htm

Am glad you brought up Citybus of Hong Kong, as it's fleet history contains more than one example of this.

The above was done to both unify Citybus' company image (the company had standardized on Alexander R Type-bodied Leyland/Volvo Olympians) and, more importantly, to reduce the number of different types of spare body parts on their books and by extension the associated costs. This is why the 120 Dennis Dragons CTB placed into service from 1994 to 1997 (40 10.3 metre examples & 80 12 metre examples) had Alexander fronts with the standard (for Dragons & Condors) Duple Metsec bodywork.

 

[robertclark125]

Moffat and williamson had in the late 1990s an ex Midland Scottish leopard with an Alexander p.s. front. From the side it was unusual.

Speaking of interiors, an arriva operation placed some coca cola vending machines in several vehicles.

 

[DunsBus]

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.

With seven of the eight Strathclyde Atlantean single-deck conversions, it was due to structural issues. The eighth conversion, plus the Ailsa, were both as a result of bridge strikes.

There was a London Country Atlantean reroofed with a DMS roof, but can't recall which one.

That was AN270 (KPJ270W), after hitting a low bridge in Northfleet. Its driver was initially sacked but subsequently reinstated, after it was established that control were to blame for allocating an Atlantean to a service which could only use single deckers due to the aforementioned bridge.

 

[kez19]

Maybe not unusual either but found this... Optare Solo running on gas, I thought they had to be scrapped (per se) similar to the wright reowns etc due to DDA or something?, regarding Optare Solos, I only see Stagecoach in my area running them, Xplore Dundee got rid of them quick similar to the Wright buses too

Question: is it down to costs with bus operators if they wish to convert vehicles or modify them to updated standards?

Reading Buses 182 (RG54 BUS) || Gas Optare Solo || Leopard 10a || Reading Station-Ducketts Farm, Thames Valley Science Park

At the moment, the 10a route seems a little pointless as it merely shadows the more prolific route 3, being timetabled to follow it two minutes behind and essentially pick up no passengers. Additionally, it doesn't even go as far, making the effort of running these Optare vehicles on the 10a...

www.flickr.com

A Wright bus in London:

London Central WHY 2 in Lupus Street, Pimlico

Here Wright Electrocity WHY 2 dating from 2006 is seen at the western end of Lupus Street at the junction with Grosvenor Road in Pimlico on its westbound journey on route 360. Originally plagued by many problems with their electrical transmission and associated equipment when they were new in...

www.flickr.com

 

[DunsBus]

Go North East fitted a Volvo D10A engine into one of their Metrobuses from the 3779-3789 batch - 3787, C787OCN. This was the batch which were powered by Gardner 6LXDT engines, instead of the more common 6LXCT, and was done as a trial as parts for the engines were becoming difficult to obtain. However, the fitting of the Volvo lump required many bespoke parts to be made and the conversion remained a one-off - though it seemed to perform well. I remember 3787 was the last of this batch to leave Go North East service.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Lancaster City Transport purchased a small fleet of Bedfords with Duple Dominant bus bodies, which had had the rear end cut off immediately behind the rear axle when in service with Cleveland Transport.

In a similar vein, this former Megabus has had rear end surgery. Andrews took it from Plaxtons who were using it a demonstrator to sell large numbers of this batch. They found it too long for the Peak District roads so sent it back. After lanquishing in Plaxton's yard a deal was cut (pun intended) to remove a section of the rear, graft the back end on and use it for schools work. With 3+2 seating it carries an impressive 83 passengers. Seen here at Ilam Hall YHA in July 2018.

 

[kez19]

Go North East fitted a Volvo D10A engine into one of their Metrobuses from the 3779-3789 batch - 3787, C787OCN. This was the batch which were powered by Gardner 6LXDT engines, instead of the more common 6LXCT, and was done as a trial as parts for the engines were becoming difficult to obtain. However, the fitting of the Volvo lump required many bespoke parts to be made and the conversion remained a one-off - though it seemed to perform well. I remember 3787 was the last of this batch to leave Go North East service.

Go Ahead Wear Buses 3787, C787OCN.

Explore EYBusman's 14967 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

I see

 

[Pacerman99]

Edward Thomas' B10M/Premiere EAZ2576 had one of the reading light covers replaced with a milk bottle top if that counts as modification

 

[rcro]

First Midland Red did a fairly tidy job rebuilding the back ends of their Wright Pathfinders with Plaxton parts back in 2007. Sadly the budget didn't allow for one to get new seats so that the old seats could fill in the door-hole on the rest of the single door conversions, or replace the single-track number blind mechanisms, so most of them remained unsuited for almost any purpose. I don't think they were very popular.

Photograph: First Midland Red Buses Dennis Lance 67322 (ODZ8922)

Being from a world where literally every bus was a rebody or oddball nothing really stands our as "unusual"!

 

[DunsBus]

Go Ahead Wear Buses 3787, C787OCN.

Explore EYBusman's 14967 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

I see

That's the one. It was fitted with the Volvo lump in 1998 and lasted with Go North East until late-2000. I often wondered if GNE wanted to recoup some of the expense incurred in fitting it first, before selling the bus on. Mix a Volvo Olympian with a Metrobus clunky gearchange and wheezy retarder, and that describes 3787's performance.

 

[awsnews]

This Leyland National Mk1 had been retrofitted with the radiator arrangement from the Mk2, resulting in a snout below the windscreen. See here in later life with John Morrow in Clydebank

John Morrow Coaches OVV 517R

John Morrow Coaches previously on fotopic. These are all scans and until i find the originals are the best I can put together. Details will appear in due course

flic.kr

I am sure they also acquired another example which only had the centre radiator section added but I can't find a view of that one.

 

[Zamracene749]

Does this count as a modification?

 

[robertclark125]

Lothian put a Cummins m11 engine into a Volvo Olympian, despite Volvo saying it wouldn't fit. Vehicle later worked with stagecoach fife at rennie.

 

[JonathanH]

This Leyland National Mk1 had been retrofitted with the radiator arrangement from the Mk2, resulting in a snout below the windscreen. See here in later life with John Morrow in Clydebank

I am sure they also acquired another example which only had the centre radiator section added but I can't find a view of that one.

Are you thinking of something like this? The particular vehicle later got a conventional mk2 front.

ECOC LG781 DPW781T Anglia Square Norwich

Explore colinsbuses' 1771 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

EASTERN COUNTIES LG781 DPW781T KINGS LYNN 240393 - a photo on Flickriver

Flickriver - view images as a 'river of photos' and more...

www.flickriver.com

 

[Qwerty133]

This picture looks like the front has been haphazardly stuck on despite not quite fitting so I imagine it must be a replacement https://wmbusphotos.com/Arriva/2100.html

 

[CN04NRJ]

This picture looks like the front has been haphazardly stuck on despite not quite fitting so I imagine it must be a replacement https://wmbusphotos.com/Arriva/2100.html

Looks like an East Lancs front?

 

[hst43102]

This picture looks like the front has been haphazardly stuck on despite not quite fitting so I imagine it must be a replacement https://wmbusphotos.com/Arriva/2100.html

Indeed, this was the original Wadham Stringer front:

For some reason (parts standardisation?) it looks like it later gained an East Lancs EL2000 front end. A shame, the original Wadham Stringer body looks very handsome in my opinion.

 

[mainframe444]

This Leyland National Mk1 had been retrofitted with the radiator arrangement from the Mk2, resulting in a snout below the windscreen. See here in later life with John Morrow in Clydebank

John Morrow Coaches OVV 517R

John Morrow Coaches previously on fotopic. These are all scans and until i find the originals are the best I can put together. Details will appear in due course

flic.kr

I am sure they also acquired another example which only had the centre radiator section added but I can't find a view of that one.

This conversion was done whilst the bus was with its first operator, United Counties. It also carried its front registration plate where the “pay as you enter” sign was normally carried to the side of the destination.

United Counties NBC No 517, Leyland National (2?), OVV517R

This is a mystery. I thought the National 2 was from V Reg onwards yet this is R reg and the registration is in the nearside roof panel. Im unsure where I photographed it so I would guess at Luton or Bedford? Anybody tell me more?

flic.kr

 

[Strathclyder]

Lothian put a Cummins m11 engine into a Volvo Olympian, despite Volvo saying it wouldn't fit. Vehicle later worked with stagecoach fife at rennie.

That would have been L964 MSC (Lothian's 964 and Stagecoach/Rennies' 16894), the additional vents on the offside rear are the biggest external clues as to it's unique status. The story goes that it was converted in light of Volvo dropping the L10 as a engine option for the Olympian and LRT wanted the M11 for their incoming Royale-bodied VOs. The results of the trial with 964 were negligible however (differences in fuel consumption levels, ease of maintenance et al not warranting the cost of the conversion), so it remained unique and all of Lothan's Royale-bodied VOs were fitted with Volvo's own powerplant.

It was last noted as a playbus in Bradford (as of the back half of 2015). It apparently was earmarked for the SVBM when with it's then-last owner (Irvine's of Law), but I can't find any concrete evidence of this being the case. So one can then reasonably assume it's either still in limited use, stuffed in a shed somewhere or has long since passed away to the scrapyard.

 

[hst43102]

It also carried its front registration plate where the “pay as you enter” sign was normally carried to the side of the destination.

United Counties NBC No 517, Leyland National (2?), OVV517R

This is a mystery. I thought the National 2 was from V Reg onwards yet this is R reg and the registration is in the nearside roof panel. Im unsure where I photographed it so I would guess at Luton or Bedford? Anybody tell me more?

flic.kr

Now THAT certainly is unusual! Do you know why it had it's registration in such a peculiar place?

 

[MotCO]

Now THAT certainly is unusual! Do you know why it had it's registration in such a peculiar place?

The Flickr comments attached to the photo suggested that the new radiator at the front needed more airflow, but in later life the reg plate was put in its usual place, so obviously it didn't block too much air!

 

[CBlue]

Are you thinking of something like this? The particular vehicle later got a conventional mk2 front.

ECOC LG781 DPW781T Anglia Square Norwich

Explore colinsbuses' 1771 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

EASTERN COUNTIES LG781 DPW781T KINGS LYNN 240393 - a photo on Flickriver

Flickriver - view images as a 'river of photos' and more...

www.flickriver.com

DPW781T was the prototype Gardner engine conversion hence the front mounted radiator. Leyland at the time only offered their 500 series engine in the National.

Later Gardner engined Mk1's had a rear mounted radiator as normal.

 

[Richard Scott]

DPW781T was the prototype Gardner engine conversion hence the front mounted radiator. Leyland at the time only offered their 500 series engine in the National.

Later Gardner engined Mk1's had a rear mounted radiator as normal.

Is it still around or has it long departed? Looked for some history on it but couldn't find anything.