Not the best start to a night out. Due to the 48 I’d scheduled to get failing to turn up due to something happening on University Road, I had no choice but to go the longer way on the 47. Then of course, what doesn’t help is this guy stopping at every amber light despite being very close, hence the lunge forward at the end.
Anyway, you join me on board one of what was once upon a time Arriva Yorkshire’s unique batch of East Lancs Olympus bodied Volvo B9TLs, now in Leicester with 3 at Oswestry, 4115, new as 1815, on the 47 to Leicester.
1800-1815 were new to Wakefield in 2008 for their 110 into Leeds (I actually went there on Tuesday, nice city, and a pretty easy drive compared to other main cities), replacing East Lancs bodied Leyland Olympians, and were allocated to the route until the end of 2011 when the Gemini 2s took over. They then moved to Dewsbury for the 202 and 203, also into Leeds, replacing the Lowlanders, and remained there until those routes were converted to MAX spec in 2015, when they were split. 1800-1807 and 1815 returned to Wakefield, while 1808-1814 moved to Selby, usually for the 405 to Doncaster, though often covered for MAX Gemini 2s on the 415 to York.
The Olympuses all left Yorkshire at the end of 2020, and they were all re-united and transferred to Wigston, replacing the B7TLs and being re-numbered as 4100-4115, before moving to Thurmaston when Wigston closed in October 2021, with 4106, 4111 and 4112 going to Oswestry. 4111 now carries a heritage Crossvile livery up there. Currently, 4110 and 4113 are the only ones left in the Interurban livery.
4115 specifically carries a pride livery, as applied in 2019 for Leeds Pride. At the time of upload, it hasn’t long been back out from engine repairs. I previously had this on a late 84 in November last year, but this wasn’t as good as that. Maybe it was too powerful. This was also running late.
More Leicester news for you, the final countdown for the end of the DB250s is on. Since my last video, 4752, 4756, 4760, 4766, 4767 and 4773 have all been withdrawn, and with 28 new E400 MMCs and 8 new E200 MMCs due later this autumn, the end is inevitable. First are also due at least 140 new electric Wright vehicles, Leicester receiving the largest batch of a major network wide order, which could see out the whole current fleet as the city pushes to go electric. It might also be the end for the Pulsars, as 3770-3777 recently departed to Harlow for the 724 in exchange for a bunch of E200s, which have been re-numbered as 3137-3144, and I’ve been told they are HEAPS!! Even the drivers don’t like them.
My prediction is that when the new MMCs come in, the 47/48 and 50/51 will continue to use the Olympuses and 2014 E400s until their new electric vehicles arrive next year, after which, they’ll move on.
Finally, I may be at Showbus this Sunday, but that’s subject to nothing else coming up.
8 сен 2024
