Pat1105
Member
For me, the Optare Versa. Just looks more interesting with its curved front.
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In your opinion, what are the most beautiful buses ever made?
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Around here, always felt the Series 1 Paramount 3200, Verde and Robin Hood bodied Mercedes 608s were as elegant and well proportioned as they could be.
I’ve also got a bit of a soft spot for the Lex Maxeta as something a little bit different but I suspect many will disagree!
I’ve also got a bit of a soft spot for the Lex Maxeta as something a little bit different but I suspect many will disagree!
Jordan Adam
Established Member
The ones with the vertical headlights look especially stylish.
I’ve also got a bit of a soft spot for the Lex Maxeta as something a little bit different but I suspect many will disagree!
I think that was meant for the "ugliest buses thread"!
ChilternTurbo
Member
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- 316
Three nineties products that I think still look modern today and could get away with wearing '20' registration plates are the Optare Spectra, Plaxton Premiere and Plaxton Excalibur. The Carlyle bodied Dart was a nice piece of design in my opinion.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
The Lex Maxeta......????? Not for me not when you can have this https://flic.kr/p/dAWSRMAround here, always felt the Series 1 Paramount 3200, Verde and Robin Hood bodied Mercedes 608s were as elegant and well proportioned as they could be.
I’ve also got a bit of a soft spot for the Lex Maxeta as something a little bit different but I suspect many will disagree!
E400 City.
www.flickr.com
Nottingham City Transport ADL Enviro 400 City (Scania N280UD) 463 YN19 EEW
Explore Mana Transport Photography's 16902 photos on Flickr!
www.flickr.com
Another vote for the Optare Delta...
also the Optare Spectra.
flic.kr
also the Optare Spectra.
Ipswich Buses X152LBJ Whitehouse Asda 040306-1
The crisp lines of the traditional livery look superb on this Spectra. 52 is unusually on route 8, usually the preserve of Darts and Excels.
flic.kr
scotrail158713
Established Member
After reading other posts I’ll attach a picture
(Taken from article at https://www.alexander-dennis.com/me...three-axle-adl-enviro400xlb-on-volvo-chassis/)
I do like the Optare Delta. But I a really like the Volvo single decks that East Coast Buses run in and out of Edinburgh. The interior is beautiful too
www.flickr.com
East Coast Buses 10060 SF17VMJ
SF17 VMJ is a Volvo B8RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban new as East Coast Buses 10060 in April 2017. It is seen here in Edinburgh on service X7 from Dunbar.
www.flickr.com
It certainly is beautiful. The owner, a good friend of ours, has a website here for 'Ruby'.
OAX 9F 1968 Bristol RELH Leyland O.600, Eastern Coach Works
The story of Red & White Services and one of their classic British built coaches. A 1968 Bristol RELH chassis with Leyland O.600 diesel engine and Eastern Coach Works body. We call her Ruby, her registration is OAX 9F and fleet number RC.968.www.redandwhitebus.uk
Had the privilege of travelling on it a few times at various events etc, it's a wonderful vehicle and a credit to it's owners.
scotrail158713
Established Member
I have to say they have some of the comfiest seats I’ve ever had on a busI do like the Optare Delta. But I a really like the Volvo single decks that East Coast Buses run in and out of Edinburgh. The interior is beautiful too
East Coast Buses 10060 SF17VMJ
SF17 VMJ is a Volvo B8RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban new as East Coast Buses 10060 in April 2017. It is seen here in Edinburgh on service X7 from Dunbar.
GusB
Established Member
Whether or not the E400MMC design was stolen, discussion of this is off-topic for this thread.
randyrippley
Established Member
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- 5,383
You're not looking broadly enough. To me the Lancaster battery buses purchased in 1916 are beautiful not just for their looks, but for what the represent: one of the earliest examples of non-polluting public transport.
Not only were they some of the earliest electric buses, they were also among the first OMO designs, and among the first correct-fare-only buses.
![image[1].jpg](https://www.railforums.co.uk/data/attachments/77/77561-d292d442bd7affa507cc3d3eb2913b82.jpg "image[1].jpg")
This photo shows munition workers in Lancaster Market Square boarding battery buses to the National Projectile Factory shell filling site on Caton Road
.
If you want more background read http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-january-1926/21/bus-transport-in-an-old-world-town
though be careful of spelling mistakes due to errors in the OCR scanning.
Lancaster had a fleet of non-polluting battery buses running frequent town services in 1916. Why has it taken 100 years to get to where we are now?
Not only were they some of the earliest electric buses, they were also among the first OMO designs, and among the first correct-fare-only buses.
This photo shows munition workers in Lancaster Market Square boarding battery buses to the National Projectile Factory shell filling site on Caton Road
.
If you want more background read http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-january-1926/21/bus-transport-in-an-old-world-town
though be careful of spelling mistakes due to errors in the OCR scanning.
Lancaster had a fleet of non-polluting battery buses running frequent town services in 1916. Why has it taken 100 years to get to where we are now?
Jordan Adam
Established Member
Hadn't seen those before, quite ahead of their time in terms of layout, especially being OMO. Although the 'non-polluting' argument is debatable even with modern battery-electric buses, although that's perhaps a topic for another thread.
Romsey
Member
Thankfully several people have already come up with the correct answer so I'll just offer another picture and a website:
View attachment 81876
www.bristol-re.co.uk
Lovely, I can hear them ticking over...
Romsey
Member
TechDan2002
Member
My personal favourite decker body is the Plaxton President with boded glazing. Looks much smarter than the ALX400 of the time and more professional than the quirky ELC examples of the late 1990’s to mid 2000’s. Gasket Glased Presidents don’t look anywhere near as smart in my opinion though.
Geordie driver
Member
Good to see the love for the RE, fine vehicles I only just got to drive in service. VRs are another fave, nowt like a decent pair of Bristols.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Fnarr Fnarr!
Mitchell Hurd
On Moderation
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- 28 Oct 2017
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- 1,708
Although way before my time, I think this is the most elegant body built - the ECW coach body for the RE.
I've been on that coach a few times - much smarter than many early low-floor buses. Very well looked after as well. Even has table seats!
My first trip on it was on like Sunday 20th October 2013. That was my last vintage bus trip which was on the X90 farewell event in Oxford on Saturday 4th January over 6 months ago now!
Busaholic
Veteran Member
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- 14,671
A Leyland Titan TD with a Leyland body is double deck perfection in my view, though an AEC Regent RT type with Craven bodywork runs it a close second. A shame that Leyland never got to body some of their RTLs for London with Craven's, then that fantasy bus would win. Oh, and with a roof box for good measure!
Jordan Adam
Established Member
E400 City.
Nottingham City Transport ADL Enviro 400 City (Scania N280UD) 463 YN19 EEW
Explore Mana Transport Photography's 16902 photos on Flickr!
The E400City is a stunning bus but the NCT liveries look awful on them.
First new Excel E400City's are probably the smartest deckers currently on the road.
First Excel 36905 YN69XZJ @ Kings Lynn
Today (17/02/2020) saw the introduction into service of 19 brand new Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Enviro400 City H42/30F buses on the First Eastern Counties Excel services A-D between Norwich and Peterborough. Numbered 36901-19, the batch is registered YN69XZD/E/G/H/J-M/O/P/R-Z. I purchased...
www.flickr.com
GusB
Established Member
I don't think I could ever use the word "beautiful" to describe a bus or a coach, especially within the current crop of designs. As far as modern designs go, there are a few that I consider to be quite eye-catching:
Going back to my teens and living near a couple of towns which have German twins, there would be a regular summer influx of Neoplans and Setras with their stunning liveries (compared to our more restrained offerings at the time). British coaches didn't really have the same "wow" factor, although I rather liked the Duple/Plaxton 425, perhaps because there weren't all that many around and it was nice to see something different. I thought the Plaxton Excalibur with its raked front looked quite good, although again it was the first of a new generation.
Now to the more mundane. The ubiquitous Y-type has already been mentioned - I preferred the AY with the narrower door and parallelogram windows, and was clearly a successful design having lasted in production for so long. The Alexander AT was another good-looking design that was useful for either longer distance stage services or hires, and the TC derivative was quite striking at the time with its bonded glazing.
Prior to the Paramount range, I didn't really think much of Plaxton bodies. I did however have a soft spot for the Duple Dominant/Goldliner, provided that they left the brightwork intact and had a suitable livery. I was looking through a Flickr group dedicated to the MkIII and there were some absolute howlers, especially as they reached the end of their lives. The "Scottish" liveried Tigers (and indeed their M-type predecessors) looked especially good to me.
And finally, going back before my time, the Harrington Cavalier/Grenadier, the Burlingham Seagull and the Duple Viceroy/Commander were coaches that looked quite good, although they could look quite weird depending on the chassis they were built on.
- VanHool TX series
- VDL Futura (I like the FDD2)
- Anything in the Setra range
Going back to my teens and living near a couple of towns which have German twins, there would be a regular summer influx of Neoplans and Setras with their stunning liveries (compared to our more restrained offerings at the time). British coaches didn't really have the same "wow" factor, although I rather liked the Duple/Plaxton 425, perhaps because there weren't all that many around and it was nice to see something different. I thought the Plaxton Excalibur with its raked front looked quite good, although again it was the first of a new generation.
Now to the more mundane. The ubiquitous Y-type has already been mentioned - I preferred the AY with the narrower door and parallelogram windows, and was clearly a successful design having lasted in production for so long. The Alexander AT was another good-looking design that was useful for either longer distance stage services or hires, and the TC derivative was quite striking at the time with its bonded glazing.
Prior to the Paramount range, I didn't really think much of Plaxton bodies. I did however have a soft spot for the Duple Dominant/Goldliner, provided that they left the brightwork intact and had a suitable livery. I was looking through a Flickr group dedicated to the MkIII and there were some absolute howlers, especially as they reached the end of their lives. The "Scottish" liveried Tigers (and indeed their M-type predecessors) looked especially good to me.
And finally, going back before my time, the Harrington Cavalier/Grenadier, the Burlingham Seagull and the Duple Viceroy/Commander were coaches that looked quite good, although they could look quite weird depending on the chassis they were built on.
cnjb8
Established Member
I think they suit their NCT livery very well!The E400City is a stunning bus but the NCT liveries look awful on them.
First new Excel E400City's are probably the smartest deckers currently on the road.
First Excel 36905 YN69XZJ @ Kings Lynn
Today (17/02/2020) saw the introduction into service of 19 brand new Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Enviro400 City H42/30F buses on the First Eastern Counties Excel services A-D between Norwich and Peterborough. Numbered 36901-19, the batch is registered YN69XZD/E/G/H/J-M/O/P/R-Z. I purchased...
I don't think the NCT liveries look great on any bus, to be honest!
Agreed on the Excel E400's - they are beautiful buses indeed.
Plymouth Citybus livery also looks amazing on them:
Plymouth Citybus 550 WA17 FSU
Plymouth Citybus 550 - WA17 FSU Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City. Derrys Cross, Plymouth.
www.flickr.com
and I also particularly like the Bluestar livery:
Bluestar 1240 HF68 DYG
Bluestar 1240 - HF68 DYG Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City. Above Bar Street, Southampton.
www.flickr.com
Jordan Adam
Established Member
I don't think the NCT liveries look great on any bus, to be honest!
Agreed on the Excel E400's - they are beautiful buses indeed.
Plymouth Citybus livery also looks amazing on them:
Plymouth Citybus 550 WA17 FSU
Plymouth Citybus 550 - WA17 FSU Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City. Derrys Cross, Plymouth.
and I also particularly like the Bluestar livery:
Bluestar 1240 HF68 DYG
Bluestar 1240 - HF68 DYG Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City. Above Bar Street, Southampton.
Agree, NCT are a good operator but their liveries are so dismal and make a stunning body design like the E400City look "meh".
Plymouth Citybus is smart, but i'm always reminded that it's just a rehashed version of the Transdev 36. Bluestar is very smart too, one of the few single colour liveries that truly works.
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