Trivia: Preserved Buses which were scrapped

[overthewater]

I've been looking at old pics from the Glasgow bus museum open day from 2006, and I notice a vehicle which was on display, so I looked around on the web and it seems it was scrapped.

The bus in question: Clydeside "Skipper" E346WYS.

Have there been other buses which were preserved but ended up being scrapped?

 

[JD2168]

Fastline Dennis Dominator D490 OWE was preserved in SYT livery but was later scrapped.

 

[DaveLondon]

I've been looking at old pics from the Glasgow bus museum open day from 2006, and I notice a vehicle which was on display, so I looked around on the web and it seems it was scrapped.

The bus in question: Clydeside "Skipper" E346WYS.

Have there been other buses which were preserved but ended up being scrapped?

Absolutely hundreds I am afraid including some real gems. Many buses bought today by people who do not have the money or the expertise to look after them.

 

[Roger1973]

There must be quite a lot.

A number of London Transport RT / RF / Routemasters (back when they weren't worth much more than scrap value) entered preservation more or less straight out of service and later fell by the wayside.

The surviving Blackwall Tunnel STL which entered preservation (after further service with an independent operator) in the 1960s but did not survive (photo in preservation on Flickr here - not my photo and not my account)

Some people buy buses without realising that buying it is the easy bit, then any combination of lack of finance, lack of suitable storage or loss of storage facility (which in turn can lead to deterioration or vandalism if bus is stored outside), major mechanical failure or accident damage can lead preservationists / groups to give up.

 

[Kaliwax]

I think one of the Blackpool Atlanteans that was preserved ended up getting scrapped eventually. I'm pretty sure it attended a Blackpool transport open day in 2009, I think, and a few other events. I can't remember which one it was now.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Another important factor is simply the tendency for preservationists themselves to age beyond the point where they are able to keep their vehicles going. As such vehicles preserved by individuals rather than museums or other organised groups are likely to have a relatively limited life expectancy in preservation. And those museums and groups are constrained by both funding and space so are unlikely to take on vehicles "abandoned" by others.

 

[ChrisPJ]

Sometimes there are operators who collect a bunch of interesting old vehicles and they become a burden. I am not sure what exactly happened to WJC Coaches but they had a whole load of rare buses and most of them if not all were lost when the company went under.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Ahem.... Kells Transport Museum in Ireland https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/kells-transport-museum-cork-city-ireland-august-2020.135281/

The story is very bizarre IIRC

 

[LT02 NVV]

I can think of two examples:

First Glasgow 61588 (SA02 BZE), a Volvo B7L/Wright Eclipse Metro which got scrapped due to the fact it was too faulty to be fixed. Some of it’s spare parts have been used for the other Eclipses at GVVT.

Citybus 143/Stagecoach 13624 (ES3771/TSU638/H987 RKG), a Alexander/Leyland Olympian that was imported from Hong Kong by Stagecoach, it was sadly gutted in an arson attack after just getting it’s MOT updated for preservation.

 

[ChrisPJ]

Ahem.... Kells Transport Museum in Ireland https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/kells-transport-museum-cork-city-ireland-august-2020.135281/

The story is very bizarre IIRC

A very loose definition of preservation, hoarding might be more appropriate. Invested all the time and money in vehicle acquisitions and transportation, but nothing in dry storage, undercover maintenance facilities, or any actual restoration work.

 

[A0wen]

Sadly a few have been lost to arson - a couple which spring to mind are ex United Counties Bristol RE coach ORP273F which was with Rushden Historic Transport Society and Ruddington which lost 6 vehicles to arson in 2007:

• SCH 117X – 1982 Daimler Fleetline – South Notts 117
• LVR 508W – 1981 Bedford / Plaxton Supreme coach – ex Lincoln
• STO 523H – 1970 Leyland Atlantean – Nottingham City Transport 523
• LNN 89E – 1967 Albion Lowlander – South Notts 89
• DAU 370C – 1965 AEC Renown – Nottingham City Transport 370

 

[Kaliwax]

Arriva Yorkshire Spectra 723 was another one. Last spectra remaining with Arriva Yorkshire, owner bought it had great plans for it, but a year later it got sent to scrap, as chassis was too far gone, much more than the bus is worth to repair it and electrics went as well.

They did salvage some parts of the bus from the spectra to other people who had buses preserved.

 

[DunsBus]

Several notables have been lost as a result of arson attacks at their bases. South Notts Fleetline SCH117X, mentioned above by @A0wen, was the the last-built Fleetline.

Leicester Titan LJF16F, Leicester's last Titan, was another one which was needlessly lost. I'm sure that the aforementioned Clydeside "Skipper" E346WYS was also lost to arson.

I also know of a bus which was lost just as its restoration was nearing completion, ex-Edinburgh Tiger Cub VSC80, after some lowlifes set fire to the shed that it was in.

A very loose definition of preservation, hoarding might be more appropriate. Invested all the time and money in vehicle acquisitions and transportation, but nothing in dry storage, undercover maintenance facilities, or any actual restoration work.

The infamous Kell's Transport Mausoleum. It may as well have been called "The Great Pretender" - the owner was a daydreamer who had little, or no, intention of working on any of the acquisitions.

 

[90sWereBetter]

The Bromley Bus Preservation Group acquired and repainted R834MFR, a Volvo Olympian new to Metrobus a few years back. It appeared at several rallies and running days throughout the 2010s. Sadly, it was riddled with the usual chassis rot which affected Volvo Olympians of this age, and the bus has now been condemned. I believe it is now a hulk at one of their compounds being stripped for spares for their other Olympians.

 

[Titfield]

I have to confess to buying a bus in the 1980s for preservation. As soon as I got it home I realised I had bitten off more than I could chew: friends who had encouraged me with offers of help then were suddenly too busy to help. After about a year, with very little progress, I sold it on to another preservationist who then discovered that the chassis had rot way beyond economic repair. It was then further sold on to travellers who, almost unbelievably, removed the body and mounted it on a replacement chassis. I dont know if it is still extant but it certainly lasted for at least 15 years after my ownership.

Preserving a bus or other large vehicle requires money and skills or if you havent the skills, either a lot of money to buy the skills in or a group of like minded friends with the skills.

 

[SCH117X]

South Notts 114 was preserved but later scrapped due to IIRC chassis rot

South Notts HNN114V

HNN114V Leyland Fleetline / Northern Counties. New 1980 South Notts 114.

www.flickr.com

Sadly a few have been lost to arson - a couple which spring to mind are ex United Counties Bristol RE coach ORP273F which was with Rushden Historic Transport Society and Ruddington which lost 6 vehicles to arson in 2007:

• SCH 117X – 1982 Daimler Fleetline – South Notts 117
• LVR 508W – 1981 Bedford / Plaxton Supreme coach – ex Lincoln
• STO 523H – 1970 Leyland Atlantean – Nottingham City Transport 523
• LNN 89E – 1967 Albion Lowlander – South Notts 89
• DAU 370C – 1965 AEC Renown – Nottingham City Transport 370

Sadly both of the South Notts vehicles were quite historic being the last of their types built. The arson was down to sheer stupidity than malicious. Some school childeren had got into the compound and as it started raining took shelter in one vehicle - feeling cold they decided to start a fire...

 

[LT02 NVV]

Sadly both of the South Notts vehicles were quite historic being the last of their types built. The arson was down to sheer stupidity than malicious. Some school childeren had got into the compound and as it started raining took shelter in one vehicle - feeling cold they decided to start a fire...

I mean, yeah, that’s a really stupid way to start a fire. Why hadn’t those kids learned about fire safety?

Furthermore, I don’t think anyone with the bare minimum of smarts would ever start a fire in their own car, let alone a bus.

 

[Statto]

Merseyside PTE Leyland Atlantean 1300, was preserved then found to have chassis rot (well at least a serious issue with the chassis) which meant it had to be scrapped, which is a shame as this was one of the first of the batch of the Atlanteans delivered to the PTE with the AN68 chassis (previous Merseyside Atlanteans were PDR chassis), the AN68 chassis was standard Merseyside PTE bus from the 70s, until the last one 1070 was delivered in 1984.

Footnote, Merseyside PTE Atlantean 1301 however, does survive in preservation.

 

[roughyed]

I've been looking at old pics from the Glasgow bus museum open day from 2006, and I notice a vehicle which was on display, so I looked around on the web and it seems it was scrapped.

The bus in question: Clydeside "Skipper" E346WYS.

Have there been other buses which were preserved but ended up being scrapped?

Hello everyone

Not a bus, but a Hebble coach ECP 500 Leyland Royal Tiger, if my memory serves me right. In the mid 1970s I was a Rail Express Parcels delivery driver in the glossop area. I noticed this vehicle when delivering to a special school. It was covered in green algae and with permission from the school I contacted the HCVC* and forgot all about it.

Many years later I discovered that it was restored by a gentleman from Huddersfield. There were some photographs of it looking in splendid condition, at a rally somewhere. Many years later again I saw another photograph and it was in a terrible state and I believe it was scrapped.
What a terrible shame, but apparently it is not an uncommon thing to happen.

Roughyed

Mod note - HCVC?

 

[jp4712]

Hello everyone

Not a bus, but a Hebble coach ECP 500 Leyland Royal Tiger, if my memory serves me right. In the mid 1970s I was a Rail Express Parcels delivery driver in the glossop area. I noticed this vehicle when delivering to a special school. It was covered in green algae and with permission from the school I contacted the HCVC* and forgot all about it.

Many years later I discovered that it was restored by a gentleman from Huddersfield. There were some photographs of it looking in splendid condition, at a rally somewhere. Many years later again I saw another photograph and it was in a terrible state and I believe it was scrapped.
What a terrible shame, but apparently it is not an uncommon thing to happen.

Roughyed

Mod note - HCVC?

HCVC = Historic Commercial Vehicle Cub. It's actually HCVS, the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society. ECP500 was broken up at least ten years ago.

 

[GusB]

HCVC = Historic Commercial Vehicle Cub. It's actually HCVS, the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society. ECP500 was broken up at least ten years ago.

That's what confused me slightly! Thanks for clarifying.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

One that survived against the odds of natural selection was VFA70X, one of the famous NBC cardboard Leopards with Willowbrook bodywork.

It had a few owners after PMT sold it and was then preserved and restored. Sadly, it was then sold onward and the new owner wanted to convert into a caravan, and think it was eventually scrapped.

 

[DunsBus]

Another bus that was preserved and now scrapped is RCU588S, one of the 30 Atlantean/Willowbrooks delivered to Tyne & Wear PTE in 1978. Sold by its owner to the mysterious "Leeds Atlantean Group" in 2011 for continued preservation, the bus was never seen again.

 

[fgwrich]

Ex Northern Ireland / Ulsterbus Bristol RE BXI 2594. Scrapped due to chassis rot beyond economical repair, but it certainly didn’t die in vein as it donated a number of parts before final disposal.

Ex Oxford Bristol RE NUD78M also suffered a similar fate, but again donated a considerable number of parts to keep other REs alive.

 

[m79900]

I saw a video on youtube a while back about a Southdown Olympian that was scrapped. I think it's reg was D186---, but I've had a look, and I can't find anything.

EDIT: Trentbarton Scania 620, FJ03VWK was preserved but when it passed to the NHVC, it was found to be rotten through, and ex Felix 600 was acquired to replace it.

 

[Ken H]

Leeds City Transport had ANW710C, an AEC Reliance coach. It got into preservation but met a sticky end. Someone here will know the details of its demise. It's a pity it's gone.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Leeds City Transport had ANW710C, an AEC Reliance coach. It got into preservation but met a sticky end. Someone here will know the details of its demise. It's a pity it's gone.

Was part of Classic Coaches in High Wycombe. They went bust and said vehicle was apparently in a compound, vandalised and then scrapped.

 

[37114]

Add Manchester Fleetline RNA220J to that list, gone for scrap recently

 

[Leyland Bus]

Add Manchester Fleetline RNA220J to that list, gone for scrap recently

That was never "preserved" as such and was only purchased as a source of spare parts due to it being in an appalling condition. It had served it's purpose.

 

[Wyrleybart]

I think several MCW metrobuses have met their maker due to rotten rear ends.

The most sad loss for me is ex WMPTEl Bristol VR 4653 which is being broken for spares.
As far as I know there are only 4413 and 4714 left in preservation.

But I realised it is impossible to save em all, and hats off to those dedicated folk who do what they do to bring us joy at places like Wythall.