Leyland and Volvo Olympians

[Mitchell Hurd]

Slight typo - it's C454GKE

The issue with the Leyland Olympian coaches is that they were a reaction to the new world of double deck coaches so Leyland were keen to avoid firms choosing Neoplan Skyliners etc. Hence the prototype (ADD50Y) was rather rushed into service. In the event, it was clear that it wouldn't be able to compare with Neoplans or MCW Metroliners - it was a bus chassis at heart and the lack of development was really highlighted. Therefore, it became more of a commuter coach rather than a Rapide style motorway mile muncher, explaining why it was Eastern National, M&D, Alder Valley and London Country who were the main users.

I did enjoy them when some were sent north and worked for Northumbria on their expresses from Newcastle. One run (which may have been on a former M&D machine) from Newcastle to Hexham was perhaps one of the most relaxing journeys I've ever been on.

Having said my concerns over these type of Olympians basically, I did love that TL11 engine being given some welly. I went on one in display at Alton in July 3 years ago which sadly there wasn't time to do a trip on it. However the seats were very comfortable and felt as similarly spacious as a normal single-door Scania Omnicity double-decker only slightly more!

 

[overthewater]

Most of the scottish operaters went with Volvo instead for coach type buses.

Mind you the Lion would have been a prefect coach.... Which in same part it did.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

The ones Stagecoach had in Fife R and S reg , always thought they looked older than they actually were .
Glasgow had royale up till 2012 at least .

And they had bog standard Olympian's in service right up until late 2014.

 

[Swanny200]

One Olympian I'd love to ride is a preserved ECW coach one - either C454 DKE or similar.

My opinion of the C-reg one (from listening to it on YouTube about a few times) is it's basically a bus chassis with a coach body. I say this as I don't think it was ever suited to motorway work given its gear ratios + higher revs at high-speed.

If I've missed something then apologies.

I think it was at an Oxfordshire Bus Enthusiasts Society meeting when I learnt these Olympians weren't very reliable / particularly reliable.

Would have been C454GKE, ex Maidstone and District which was one that I alluded to earlier, used to fly between Gillingham and Chatham on the 101.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

My Olympian experience involved regularly travelling to school on the London Country North West G-UMJ and H-GRO batch of Workington bodied buses which were used on tendered London routes 142 and 340. These buses were really smart when new with the grey and green livery and matching moquette inside. I think they were Cummins powered and had an impressively throaty growl when driven hard. They were also pretty long lived and ended up in Arriva national colours until late 2002 when low floor DAFs took over.
I really liked travelling on the Airbus Alexander Royale vehicles as they were such smooth powerful buses and were a major step up from the Metrobuses they replaced on the A1/A2. I did travel on one of these buses in Penzance when some finished up with First in Cornwall. Sadly they were looking pretty down at heel by then.

 

[MotCO]

. water ingress was always a problem on any Olympian I drove in the rain .
My only complaint was the noisy fan up front

Maybe that's why some were converted to open-top!

 

[MotCO]

One Olympian I'd love to ride is a preserved ECW coach one - either C454 DKE or similar.

My opinion of the C-reg one (from listening to it on YouTube about a few times) is it's basically a bus chassis with a coach body. I say this as I don't think it was ever suited to motorway work given its gear ratios + higher revs at high-speed.

I remember Metrobus had a second-hand coach ex Eastern Counties. What struck me was the low ceiling (particularly downstairs), and the engine seemed to be underpowered (this was in urban use).

 

[Busaholic]

I really liked travelling on the Airbus Alexander Royale vehicles as they were such smooth powerful buses and were a major step up from the Metrobuses they replaced on the A1/A2. I did travel on one of these buses in Penzance when some finished up with First in Cornwall. Sadly they were looking pretty down at heel by then.

I'd moved down from London, and didn't twig they were ex-Airbuses, so never got to travel on one in Penzance unfortunately.

 

[MotCO]

Surely, that shouldn't be possible ?

No Olympian will meet the DDA regulations necessary for 'stage carriage' operations.

Can they be used under the '20 days a year' rule or whatever it's called? If they have enough, they could run a whole year's service using Olympians!
(They would need 13 to run a five-day-a-week service all year, on a service requiring only one bus!)

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Coincidentally enough, passed a Volvo Olympian (P488UFM) on the M4 this morning. Ex Target Travel and in their colours without names (but looking scabby) and heading East near Swindon

 

[route101]

And they had bog standard Olympian's in service right up until late 2014.

Stagecoach ? Last time for me was early 2013 on 23 from Stirling to St Andrews.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Stagecoach ? Last time for me was early 2013 on 23 from Stirling to St Andrews.

Oh aye, they were ten a penny in Perth. If the new regulations hadn't of came in, I bet you any money Perth would still be running them.

 

[route101]

Oh aye, they were ten a penny in Perth. If the new regulations hadn't of came in, I bet you any money Perth would still be running them.

First ran P reg ones in Stirling too.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

First ran P reg ones in Stirling too.

Which were Stagecoach vehicles as new...

 

[route101]

Which were Stagecoach vehicles as new...

Interesting , did not realise that.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Interesting , did not realise that.

The P-EFL batch were new to Cambus. Some went to Bluebird others went to other First operations down south.

 

[overthewater]

They were a rented batch for Cambridge for 7 years and when the lease finished First snapped them up?

 

[spuddie]

The London Country TL11 engined Roe (and later ECW) bodied ones were my favourites, great machines and they lasted for years with their successors!

I think London Transport's L1-3 were also TL11 engined but the mod's that LT did didn't quite to sit right in some places.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The London Country TL11 engined Roe (and later ECW) bodied ones were my favourites, great machines and they lasted for years with their successors!

I think London Transport's L1-3 were also TL11 engined but the mod's that LT did didn't quite to sit right in some places.

Bus Lists has L1 as a TL11 and L2/L3 as Gardner 6LXB.

Seem to think those experimental batches of Olympians, Ailsas, Dominators and Metrobus 2s had a range of engine/transmission combinations including a Maxwell gearbox on one of the Dominators, though nothing quite as special as V3. If only we had a politician who could take the failed concept of the V3...... (rolls grenade down corridor)

 

[Megafuss]

Slight typo - it's C454GKE

The issue with the Leyland Olympian coaches is that they were a reaction to the new world of double deck coaches so Leyland were keen to avoid firms choosing Neoplan Skyliners etc. Hence the prototype (ADD50Y) was rather rushed into service. In the event, it was clear that it wouldn't be able to compare with Neoplans or MCW Metroliners - it was a bus chassis at heart and the lack of development was really highlighted. Therefore, it became more of a commuter coach rather than a Rapide style motorway mile muncher, explaining why it was Eastern National, M&D, Alder Valley and London Country who were the main users.

I did enjoy them when some were sent north and worked for Northumbria on their expresses from Newcastle. One run (which may have been on a former M&D machine) from Newcastle to Hexham was perhaps one of the most relaxing journeys I've ever been on.

They were amazing vehicles to ride on. Northumbria used to put them on the 308 all the time. Prefer that than the Metro for my weekend trips from Haymarket to Whitley Bay.

The Alnwick Olympians on the old 501/505 were also quite meaty if I recall.

 

[Robertj21a]

They were amazing vehicles to ride on. Northumbria used to put them on the 308 all the time. Prefer that than the Metro for my weekend trips from Haymarket to Whitley Bay.

The Alnwick Olympians on the old 501/505 were also quite meaty if I recall.

Not only meaty but also mighty comfortable too.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

They were amazing vehicles to ride on. Northumbria used to put them on the 308 all the time. Prefer that than the Metro for my weekend trips from Haymarket to Whitley Bay.

The Alnwick Olympians on the old 501/505 were also quite meaty if I recall.

Which Alnwick Olympians?

 

[Megafuss]

Which Alnwick Olympians?

These ones

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

These ones

I wondered if you were referring to those ex West Riding TL11s. They were quite raucous though seem to recall they were a bit fragile!

United allocated a pair of Olympians (C263/4XEF) as some of their last NBC deckers. Of which the latter did 18 years on the X18/501/505 and was one of the first recipients of Northumbria livery.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Alnwick Olympians on the old 501/505 were also quite meaty if I recall.

Which type though? The later Paladin-bodied Volvo Olympians with the coach seats were glorious for a bash up the A1 to Alnwick too.

That said, nothing could beat getting the three-seat bench at the front of the ECW Olympians for comfort.

I'm from Yorkshire so my mental image of an Olympian will always be the Roe-bodied ones with the random double-height seats in front of the rear wheel arches. Just the right height for a 12-year-old me.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Which type though? The later Paladin-bodied Volvo Olympians with the coach seats were glorious for a bash up the A1 to Alnwick too.

That said, nothing could beat getting the three-seat bench at the front of the ECW Olympians for comfort.

I'm from Yorkshire so my mental image of an Olympian will always be the Roe-bodied ones with the random double-height seats in front of the rear wheel arches. Just the right height for a 12-year-old me.

Think you've missed the link he posted - it was the ex West Riding Fastaway ECW Olympians with TL11 engines.

Mind you, the M-FTY Olympians that you mention were well suited to the 602 (originally) and then the Great North Road services.

 

[spuddie]

I found the below book very good for looking at the multitude of different body types on both the Leyland and Volvo Olympian:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Bu...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1547033956&sr=8-1

 

[Beemax]

The P-EFL batch were new to Cambus. Some went to Bluebird others went to other First operations down south.

P579 EFL has only recently left service with First in Southampton and is now in preservation in the Southampton area

 

[DunsBus]

Sounds like a fair explanation.

The X and Y reg Olyms were Gardner. Then they got 10 Metrobuses, 5 Gardner (of which 3501 is expertly preserved) and 5 Cummins. That led to more Cummins engined Metrobuses and Olympians.

That said, Northern always preferred something quicker - most of their VRs were Leyland 501 engined. Surprised that they entertained Gardner Olympians!

Almost. Future Northern Metrobus orders retained the Gardner/Voith driveline. These included a batch of 11 to DP spec, powered by 6LXDT engines and were the first and only use of this unit in buses. One of the 11 was later re-engined with a Volvo D10A unit, with the intention of doing the other 10 in the batch, but a combination of the cost of the conversion and the infamous Metrobus rot starting to take hold on the others meant that no more were done.

All but one of Northern's B and C-reg Olympians had the L10/Voith driveline - the odd man out was 3674 (C674LJR), which had a Gardner 5LXCT engine.

 

[Journeyman]

Used to travel quite regularly on the London Country Olympians, and also on the London Buses ones now and again (although they didn't operate very close to where I lived). The ones I remember as being quite distinctive were a small batch operated by Yellow Buses in Bournemouth - Marshall bodywork, I think? I don't remember any other Olympians that looked like those.

I was a student at Oxford Brookes University between 1996 and 1999, and on a couple of occasions an ex-London Olympian, still painted red, showed up on the inter-site bus, much to my geeky delight.