That looks very much like the original Carlyle body with added front end smileyness, to me!Not sure if this one falls into the latter category, being more of a rebody, but as far as I'm aware, this was the only ZigZag bodied Dennis Dart, RIB 7002 - originally Carlyle bodied IIRC.
RML TRAVEL ZIG ZAG BODIED DENNIS DART RIB 7220
A unique bus in the RML Travel fleet was this Dennis Dart with its unique Zig Zag body RIB 7002,seen here at Birches Headwww.flickr.com
(Not my photo)
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Trivia: Rare and unusual bus and coach types
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Central Scottish's (later Kelvin Central) Dennis Dorchester's:
DD1-5 (A101-5 RGE) with Alexander TS bodywork with bus seating
DD6-10 (A106-10 UYS) with Alexander TE bodywork with dual purpose seating
I believe these were unique combinations.
There was also C2-6 (A202-6 UYS) with Alexander TC bodywork with coach seating.
I believe Western/Clydesdale got a share of the other 6 of these making a total of 11 made.
I believe they were ordered to (later successfully) bully Leyland to add a Gardner engine option to the Tiger.
DD1-5 (A101-5 RGE) with Alexander TS bodywork with bus seating
DD6-10 (A106-10 UYS) with Alexander TE bodywork with dual purpose seating
I believe these were unique combinations.
There was also C2-6 (A202-6 UYS) with Alexander TC bodywork with coach seating.
I believe Western/Clydesdale got a share of the other 6 of these making a total of 11 made.
I believe they were ordered to (later successfully) bully Leyland to add a Gardner engine option to the Tiger.
Not sure. Maybe to make it attractive to other operators?
M803UYA
Member
Fast Starter. 12 in the UK but popular in France.
busesrusuk
Member
If we are referring to LT812 it was built to a shorter length as the standard LT, which is approx 11.3m, was much longer than a standard double decker used in London. A number of routes have restrictions because of tight turns etc. so it was seen as a response to enable more routes to be converted to the type
The end result was a bus with even fewer seats than the normal LT which also failed the "87 passenger" capacity requirement that was the TfL standard for contracts at the time.
I think its fair to say that any likelihood of sales outside of London (and outside of Bonkers Boris' head) were next to zero before the first bus rolled off the production line...
341o2
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London trolleybuses had 754 with front entrance, 1379, the prototype for the Kingsway subway, and 1671, which had two axles at the front, both part of the steering, and a single rear axle
Bournemouth had "Queenie", the Thorneycroft/Brush single deck prototype trolleybus, and the three open top conversions of its Sunbeam MS2 fleet
The Dennis Pelican 530BPG, the only member of its class to enter service
Walsall's shortened Daimler fleetlines
Bournemouth had "Queenie", the Thorneycroft/Brush single deck prototype trolleybus, and the three open top conversions of its Sunbeam MS2 fleet
The Dennis Pelican 530BPG, the only member of its class to enter service
Walsall's shortened Daimler fleetlines
Interesting! Why was it numbered randomly, rather than being in its own series?
It was just the 812th bus to be built! The RM number sequence also had RML, RCL, RMC and RMF variants numbered within a single sequence.
I can recall three Irisbus Agoras with Carousel in Wycombe couple of years ago - quite unusual sight in the UK. https://flic.kr/p/cgCNBj
And when we on Renault group I have to recall this one - if I am reading correctly on Wikipedia there were 5 ever made for the UK market.
I can also recall couple of Polish buses that were exported to the UK in minor quantities:
Solbus Soltour 10 - https://flic.kr/p/h6jZjt I actually often had seen it on my way to work couple of months ago around Wycombe.
Autosan Eagle - https://flic.kr/p/2kwRze2 - seen couple of these but not exactly sure how many were exported to UK.
Autosan A0909L Indiana https://flic.kr/p/2orM8x4 - only one was ever exported to the UK, it is a successor of popular Autosan H9 that was once a staple of local buses in Poland
And when we on Renault group I have to recall this one - if I am reading correctly on Wikipedia there were 5 ever made for the UK market.
I can also recall couple of Polish buses that were exported to the UK in minor quantities:
Solbus Soltour 10 - https://flic.kr/p/h6jZjt I actually often had seen it on my way to work couple of months ago around Wycombe.
Autosan Eagle - https://flic.kr/p/2kwRze2 - seen couple of these but not exactly sure how many were exported to UK.
Autosan A0909L Indiana https://flic.kr/p/2orM8x4 - only one was ever exported to the UK, it is a successor of popular Autosan H9 that was once a staple of local buses in Poland
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SSmith2009
Member
Arriva Midlands had the only VolvoB7RLE with Hispano Habit new as demonstrator BV03 OVZ as their 3615 in the mid 2000s - it ended up with McGill's
As seen here in 2007:
Arriva Midlands 3615
As seen here in 2007:
Arriva Midlands 3615
That’s very true, fair point! Although all the ‘Borismasters’ are LT aren’t they; might have expected a separate designation for this one?
*I can see from t’internet that it was, in fact! It’s ST812, which I presume means ‘Short’?
busesrusuk
Member
My apologies it is ST812. As an aside it was involved in a very serious accident in December 2022 and its fate is now uncertain.
There was much speculation at the time as to what both "LT" and "ST" stood for with no explanation being given by the TfL hierarchy. Not sure if any info has subsequently come to light...
Got there before you - see post#48!And when we on Renault group I have to recall this one - if I am reading correctly on Wikipedia there were 5 ever made for the UK market.
Quite surprised that isn’t in the hands of one of the big London bus preservation groups!And when we on Renault group I have to recall this one - if I am reading correctly on Wikipedia there were 5 ever made for the UK market.
Presumably “LT” was originally a homage to, well, LT! And then when they built a shorter one that sort of lent itself to “ST” for Short?!
Yes those are the vehicles I was referring about.
Other oddities:
Translink Ulsterbus I believe have a rare batch of Enviro 300 with Volvo B7 RLE chassis.
One oddity I remember seeing on Bridlington Park & Ride was a Volvo B7RLE Wright Commuter which looked very strange.
EnsignBus I believe have a rare batch of BCI Enterprise deckers on both tri axle & 2 axle variants.
Stagecoach Yorkshire for a while had a batch of East Lancs Kinetic bodied MAN single deckers, not seen many of these about.
Wright Eclipse Urban’s are very common with Volvo chassis but a type that seemed quite rare was the MAN Meridian version.
Some other oddities were in a recent thread about a batch of deckers in Walsall & the West Midlands that were originally built with only a central door.
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A few more which have come to mind:
- A462LFV, the Fishwick's Atlantean with the ECW Olympian-style body.
- The ten MCV Evolution bodies built on Mercedes OC500LE chassis in 2012.
- The 11 MCW Metrobus DPs new to Northern General in 1986 with Gardner 6LXDT engines; one of which subsequently received a Volvo engine in 1998 at the same time as Go North East were repowering their National 2s with the same units.
A worthy mention should also go to the 30 Willowbrook-bodied Atlanteans new to Tyne & Wear PTE in 1978, based loosely on the Nottingham Standard design and which were the only bodies that Willowbrook built with nearside staircases.
- A462LFV, the Fishwick's Atlantean with the ECW Olympian-style body.
- The ten MCV Evolution bodies built on Mercedes OC500LE chassis in 2012.
- The 11 MCW Metrobus DPs new to Northern General in 1986 with Gardner 6LXDT engines; one of which subsequently received a Volvo engine in 1998 at the same time as Go North East were repowering their National 2s with the same units.
A worthy mention should also go to the 30 Willowbrook-bodied Atlanteans new to Tyne & Wear PTE in 1978, based loosely on the Nottingham Standard design and which were the only bodies that Willowbrook built with nearside staircases.
Ah, sorry. I didn't notice at first glance through previous posts.
Great minds and all that?
Possibly
One more bus that came to my mind actually as I had a chance to ride on it - Arriva ''Bus of the future'' Wright Eclipse (Metro) - LF02 PVA based on a tower-drive Volvo B7L chassis with quite unusual interior with coach-like seats in the front section - on my photo still with original interior. Maybe not that different externally from any other Wright of that era, but interior and engine position in tower at the back of the bus make it quite unusual for the UK.
Volvo B7L/Wright Eclipse, 'Arriva Bus of the Future' - 3890 - LF02 PVA by K4016td, on FlickrI assume this is long gone now?One more bus that came to my mind actually as I had a chance to ride on it - Arriva ''Bus of the future'' Wright Eclipse (Metro) - LF02 PVA based on a tower-drive Volvo B7L chassis with quite unusual interior with coach-like seats in the front section - on my photo still with original interior. Maybe not that different externally from any other Wright of that era, but interior and engine position in tower at the back of the bus make it quite unusual for the UK.
Jordan Adam
Established Member
Although the specification of that particular example is unique. The Volvo B7L/Wright Eclipse Metro combination probably wouldn't be regarded as rare in itself given 259 were built.Possibly
One more bus that came to my mind actually as I had a chance to ride on it - Arriva ''Bus of the future'' Wright Eclipse (Metro) - LF02 PVA based on a tower-drive Volvo B7L chassis with quite unusual interior with coach-like seats in the front section - on my photo still with original interior. Maybe not that different externally from any other Wright of that era, but interior and engine position in tower at the back of the bus make it quite unusual for the UK.
Yes, it was send for scrap in 2019.
Ah, I assumed this was the only one built that way, I though rest of them was always built with a low entry chassis with an engine positioned horizontally (of course more suitable for one door operation) since I never seen more towerdrive versions around - always good too learn something new
Jordan Adam
Established Member
In all fairness while not rare i wouldn't say they were that common either. It really comes down to where in the country you lived.Ah, I assumed this was the only one built that way, I though rest of them was always built with a low entry chassis with an engine positioned horizontally (of course more suitable for one door operation) since I never seen more towerdrive versions around - always good too learn something new
The Volvo B7L chassis replaced the B10BLE at the turn of the century, however it never met its expected sales in part due to the interior layout but also just due to the chassis design as a whole and by 2003 Volvo introduced the B7RLE chassis on the Wright Eclipse Urban body which had a more conventional layout. The Volvo B7L Wright Eclipse Metro even later in life was never exactly popular with them being seen as smelly, rattily and loud with poor performance, many were also affected by floor rot. It perhaps speaks volumes about the design that at most operators which operated both B7Ls and the older B10BLE the latter outlived the former.
On the topic of Volvo/Wrightbus.
There are also the four Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Commuters which were Wrightbuses attempt to combat the accessibility needs of the interurban bus/coach network in the mid 2000s. Although regarded by most as a coach they were really more a high floor low entry bus. I'm not really sure why the design never took off as at least when Stagecoach Bluebird had them they were quite popular vehicles with both drivers and passengers, perhaps it was just too out there of a concept at the time. Yorkshire Coastliner did supposedly place an order for 10 but later revised the order in favour of the more conventional Eclipse Urban body. Stagecoach also took a pair for evaluation against the Plaxton Profile on the Volvo B7R chassis, notably despite there only being two the Commuters at Stagecoach outlived most of the similar in age Plaxton Profiles.
The four were as follows.
WCZ2201 / SA04AGT / 04-G-17436
ULSTERBUS 2201 WCZ2201 DERRY 250407
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West Coast Motors SA04AGT
West Coast Motor's Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Commuter SA04AGT is seen here in Gourock returning to its home base at Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula via the Western Ferry to Hunters Quay. Ironically it had been working a replacement Argyll Ferries replacement service when the ferry service had...
www.flickr.com
Time to go away..sometimes it's hard to recognise
I was very kindly given the opportunity to borrow the wright commuter from Peadar Og of Carraroe recently. A lovely bus to drive and certainly a first for me ! A good idea, ahead of its day in some respects, they are a rare buses now.
www.flickr.com
BP54WYH
SF55RKA / W17MPT
MP Travel W17MPT
MP Travel W17MPT. (SF55RKA) seen on the A561 in Cressington, Liverpool on Limited Stop X1 to Liverpool One
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SF55RKE
Stagecoach - 21202 SF55RKE - Volvo B7RLE - Wright Eclipse Commuter
This rare Wright Eclipse Commuter bodied B7RLE was the second of two, numerically, supplied to Stagecoach Western Buses, in 12/2005, for the lengthy Service 500 Dumfries - Castle Douglas - Stranraer service, the other being 21201, SF55RKA. Only four were built I believe and it was Wright's...
www.flickr.com
I believe all four still exist.
TR673
Member
Not sure how many were built, but the Leyland Comet was primarily a truck chassis that also gained a small number of coach bodies (for example https://www.flickr.com/photos/108834608@N06/20093039076/in/dateposted/)
One-offs I can think of are:
The prototype Plaxton President on Volvo B7L chassis, which never even entered service but apparently still exists
Iveco Turbocity double decker, which I know nothing about except it was unique
Walsall Fleetlines 1 UDH (extra short) and XDH 56G (extra long) - even their 'normal' Fleetlines were odd but I don't know how many they had
Bus bodied Sentinel Steam Wagon, which used to run in Whitby... does this count?!
Barton Transport's Dennis Loline III 861 HAL has a uniquely low height Northern Counties body; for a long time being the lowest double decker built
In fact speaking of Barton, some of their unusual rebodies and rebuilds must also make the cut with low numbers. There can't have been many BTS1s, BTS2s and whatever else they came up with.
One-offs I can think of are:
The prototype Plaxton President on Volvo B7L chassis, which never even entered service but apparently still exists
Iveco Turbocity double decker, which I know nothing about except it was unique
Walsall Fleetlines 1 UDH (extra short) and XDH 56G (extra long) - even their 'normal' Fleetlines were odd but I don't know how many they had
Bus bodied Sentinel Steam Wagon, which used to run in Whitby... does this count?!
Barton Transport's Dennis Loline III 861 HAL has a uniquely low height Northern Counties body; for a long time being the lowest double decker built
In fact speaking of Barton, some of their unusual rebodies and rebuilds must also make the cut with low numbers. There can't have been many BTS1s, BTS2s and whatever else they came up with.
The Turbocity decker was J227OKX and it had an Alexander R-type body, although it was far from standard, using Iveco's front cowl. The upper deck front windscreen wasn't normal either. There was a single-decker, K891XGS, that had a PS-type body and again, it looked slightly strange. There were apparently only 8 in total, with the remainder bodied by Wadham Stringer. It's definitely a type that matches the brief for this thread, though.
Another couple that I forgot to mention:
B175/6FFS - Volvo Citybus with Alexander RVC bodies, new to Alexander Fife as FRA75/6
B144/5GSC - Leyland Olympian with Alexander RLC bodies, new to Scottish Omnibuses as CLL144/5
bussnapperwm
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Would the trio of Custom Dennings Diamond SE are expecting count for the purposes of this thread?
Having had quite a large batch of these in Sheffield I was not surprised that it never took off. Noisy, quite dark & dingy at the back with an unwelcoming layout. In the summer they were absolute ovens. I remember catching one once (60888) & it went over a speed bump & the seat went one way, the bodywork the other way & you could see the rear wheel & daylight through the gap. None of the ones in Sheffield were preserved. It was a bit embarrassing for them that R784WKW was still running when most had been withdrawn. Some in Sheffield had to be replaced by rental Enviro 200’s at the end.
Statto
Established Member
Merseyside PTE brought a batch of 5 ECW (Eastern Coach Works) Leyland Olympians for evaluation, now this seems pointless posting this on this thread, as ECW Olympians were built in hundreds for NBC companies, however the Merseyside ECW Olympians were full height versions, the NBC ones were low height, got me thinking was their anymore more full height ECW Olympians that were built?
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1986-02-20 ACM 707X Leyland Olympian-ECW 0033 of Merseyside, Liverpool Pier Head
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Two that I can think of, the 263 bought by London in 1984-87, and the 128 bought by Lothian between 1982 and 1986. All were dual door and the Lothian ones were the only 10.2m examples in the UK.Merseyside PTE brought a batch of 5 ECW (Eastern Coach Works) Leyland Olympians for evaluation, now this seems pointless posting this on this thread, as ECW Olympians were built in hundreds for NBC companies, however the Merseyside ECW Olympians were full height versions, the NBC ones were low height, got me thinking was their anymore more full height ECW Olympians that were built?
1986-02-20 ACM 707X Leyland Olympian-ECW 0033 of Merseyside, Liverpool Pier Head
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The first Lothian batch were also the first ECW Olympian bodies built with glass upper-deck emergency exits.
There was also RX15 HSU which was built by a manufacturer called Frazer Nash Research and i believe Bristol Superlight was the model name. Only one was ever built. But what was ever more odd is that it never even entered passenger service. Ever since it was built it has been extremely elusive. I am not sure what happened to this vehicle but it is definitely a very rare one.