Scania N230UD / East Lancs Olympus
The first six Olympuses 835-40 were ordered for use on the Loddon Bridge Park and Ride service. One of these is seen below nearing competition at East Lancs on 26th June, followed by partially branded 835 in the same location on 28th June and then 838 complete on 1st July. Thanks to Alistair Liddle for these photos:
Originally ordered for May 2007, 835-40 were delayed until early July because the real time equipment sub-contractor wasn't able to deliver their equipment to the bodybuilders on time. The exact delivery dates were as follows:
- 835 - 30th June 2007
- 836 - 2nd July 2007
- 837 - 2nd July 2007
- 838 - 4th July 2007
- 839 - by 17th July 2007
- 840 - 5th July 2007
839 was due to visit Ireland on demonstration duties, however its late delivery from East Lancs meant that this never came to happen.
Following reductions to the FastTrack service from 31st March 2008 (the short lived extension to Winnersh Triangle was withdrawn, and the peak frequency was slightly reduced), 840 was repainted into generic silver livery. It is seen below pausing at the Station on 10th April 2008 prior to re-entering service after repaint, still with some of the route 500 branding on the back window and its old silver swoop instead of grey. Thanks to James Cusworth for this photo:
A further 21 examples were ordered for delivery in late November 2007 to convert routes 12/20, 31/33 and 63/65 to premier status. However, following the collapse of the East Lancs Group, and the subsequent takeover by the Darwen Group the order was delayed until February 2008. Deliveries were expected to commence in December, with arrivals continuing through January 2008 until 25th February when the buses were to be launched on a revised network of routes. In the event deliveries commenced in early February 2008 as follows:
- 841 - sometime between late on 8th and early on 11th February 2008
- 842 - sometime between 10th and early on 11th February 2008 (present outside East Lancs on 10th)
- 843 - sometime between 10th and early on 11th February 2008 (present outside East Lancs on 10th)
- 844 - sometime between late on 8th and early on 11th February 2008
- 845 - on or around 13th February 2008
- 846 - on or around 13th February 2008
- 847 - by 22nd February 2008
- 848 - by early on 18th February 2008
- 849 - 22nd February 2008
- 850 - 23rd February 2008
- 851 - by 24th February 2008
- 852 - 8th or 9th March 2008
- 853 - 8th or 9th March 2008
- 854 - 8th or 9th March 2008
- 855 - 13th March 2008
- 856 - 1st or 4th March 2008
- 857 - 28th March 2008
- 858 - 3rd April 2008
- 859 - 28th March 2008
- 860 - 31st March 2008
- 861 - 31st March 2008
Further delays were caused by the collapse of seat manufacturer MTB, meaning that the second half of the batch have Esteban seats. Following this, the well respected seat moquette supplier Holdsworth's also went into administration in late February, meaning that negotiations were required to secure moquette for the final two vehicles. The plans for the liveries also changed slightly, with the light blue examples moved to the start of the production run, and the final two which were originally to be maroon were switched to silver following the decision to use the Scania OmniDekkas from route 17 instead.
844 is below outside the East Lancs factory on 8th February 2008. Thanks to "Bunny" for this photo:
The first four entered service "early" on 15th February to cover for vehicles being repainted in readiness for the forthcoming service changes. 844 is seen below on route 37 on 16th February with its full Quality Travel lettering applied, but without the full route branding for the 15/16:
845 is seen below on its first day in service on 25th February 2008:
851 is seen below on its first day in service on 25th February 2008:
856 is seen below on route 35 on 30th March 2008:
861 is seen below on 10th April 2008 during its first week in service. Thanks to Stuart Curwen for this photo:
