Trivia: Preserved Buses which were scrapped

[busesrusuk]

Add to this list a few Metropolitans. A WYPTE example met its maker having been preserved; there are apparently a few lingering in sheds/barns but I think we are down to two actual runners at the mo (London MD60 and Leicester 301) with one other being worked on which is a Tyne & Wear example..

 

[jammy36]

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

RNA220J wasn't purchased as a source of spares, it was purchased for preservation. The SELNEC preservation society had originally intended it to be preserved into SELNEC livery (to complement the three other Mancunians they already had) - so that between the four vehicles they could have a Fleetline and Atlantean in red/white livery plus a Fleetline and Atlantean in SELNEC orange/off white livery. It was scrap Mancunian 1186 (ONF 874H) that was purchased for spares.

RNA220J wasn't in appalling state when acquired in 1996 - yes, the bodywork had become tatty (putting it politely) and the front dash panel rebuilt (including a new grill that I think came from a British Leyland stable car). Mechanically however it was in excellent condition having come straight from service with Truronian in Cornwall.

As a PS - there's nothing like making you feel old when you find your regular school bus has entered into and subsequently fallen out of preservation!

 

[Leyland Bus]

RNA220J wasn't purchased as a source of spares, it was purchased for preservation. The SELNEC preservation society had originally intended it to be preserved into SELNEC livery (to complement the three other Mancunians they already had) - so that between the four vehicles they could have a Fleetline and Atlantean in red/white livery plus a Fleetline and Atlantean in SELNEC orange/off white livery. It was scrap Mancunian 1186 (ONF 874H) that was purchased for spares.

RNA220J wasn't in appalling state when acquired in 1996 - yes, the bodywork had become tatty (putting it politely) and the front dash panel rebuilt (including a new grill that I think came from a British Leyland stable car). Mechanically however it was in excellent condition having come straight from service with Truronian in Cornwall.

As a PS - there's nothing like making you feel old when you find your regular school bus has entered into and subsequently fallen out of preservation!

You're a bodywork expert are you? It was absolutely rotten from the moment it arrived. Panels could be removed simply by pulling on them, pillars simply didn't exist. .. It was purchased for spares and spares it has been used for. The engine and box were in good condition and have also been salvaged. With 1001, 1066, 1142, 1177, 2130 and 2236 I think that is a very broad selection of Mancunians and the preservation scene is very lucky to have those.

 

[jammy36]

You're a bodywork expert are you? It was absolutely rotten from the moment it arrived. Panels could be removed simply by pulling on them, pillars simply didn't exist. .. It was purchased for spares and spares it has been used for. The engine and box were in good condition and have also been salvaged. With 1001, 1066, 1142, 1177, 2130 and 2236 I think that is a very broad selection of Mancunians and the preservation scene is very lucky to have those.

Sorry, if I'm misreading your post, but your tone is coming across somewhat rude. No, I'm not purporting to be a bodywork expert - just correcting the erroneous statement that it was purchased for spares. This wasn't the intention. Indeed, the SELNEC Preservation Trust confirm this on their website http://www.selnec.org.uk/2220.htm.

With the three Mancunians so far preserved by The SELNEC Preservation Society, we had each of the three different staircase variations, but when these vehicles are restored, we would have a red/white Atlantean and a red/white Fleetline in 1142 and 2130, plus a sunglow orange/off white SELNEC Mancunian Atlantean in 1177, but no SELNEC coloured Mancunian Fleetline. Therefore, because it was known that one of these was still in operation, being 2220, we attempted to discover its availability and condition.

We found that the vehicle was sold by Greater Manchester Transport on 5th June 1984 to a dealer, Lonsdale, who sold it on to William Charles Richardson in Truro on 26th February 1985. He kept the bus for three years and sold it to Truronian Ltd on 1st January 1988.

Consequently, we went to visit the vehicle on 2nd October 1992, to inspect its condition, and kept in touch with Truronian thereafter, until they took it out of service in March 1996. It is the last Mancunian operated in revenue-earning service, and has seen 12 years life beyond the operation of Mancunians by SELNEC/GMT in Manchester.

The vehicle was purchased and collected on 28th July 1996 and covered the 330 mile-trip from Truro to Leigh, Greater Manchester, without any difficulty. It seemed to use very little fuel, oil or water, and was mechanically very sound, perhaps because it had only recently come out of service.

Unfortunately, the bodywork does require some attention, as many of the panels are dented, but some of the bodyparts will be supplied from the scrap Mancunian 1186 (ONF 874H) that the SELNEC Preservation Society managed to acquire on 14th November 1992, and dismantled before disposing of the shell on 16th June 1998.

That it was subsequently deemed unviable for preservation is the way of things sometimes. Better to use resources on battles that can be won. Accepting that a vehicle's best use is as a source of spares is a sensible one... but that wasn't the original intention for the vehicle, contrary to your posts.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Sorry, if I'm misreading your post, but your tone is coming across somewhat rude. No, I'm not purporting to be a bodywork expert - just correcting the erroneous statement that it was purchased for spares. This wasn't the intention. Indeed, the SELNEC Preservation Trust confirm this on their website http://www.selnec.org.uk/2220.htm.



That it was subsequently deemed unviable for preservation is the way of things sometimes. Better to use resources on battles that can be won. Accepting that a vehicle's best use is as a source of spares is a sensible one... but that wasn't the original intention for the vehicle, contrary to your posts.

To be genuinely honest, you shouldn't really pass comment on something you have no involvement in bar a few rides on a bus in service but I know it is easy to do. The website you link to is written in a certain way which i will now try to explain.

Unfortunately, a lot of folks who like buses have a very limited idea of what it takes to own and restore buses. They also tend to get rather upset when vehicles aren't restored quick enough, in a certain way or indeed if a vehicle gets used for parts. We made the mistake of publicising our use of a previous Mancunian for spare parts, which even pre social media etc generated a lot of negativity and ill feeling by people who couldn't see the bigger picture. Most old bus parts aren't made anymore and are rather thin on the ground as spares. When you have lots of buses you need lots of spares.
Anyway, when 2220 came up, we just said we might restore it one day to placate those who complain, which in itself was wrong but far better than the alternative at the time, it saved a lot of flak. Nowadays we don't really care, we just get on with it and do what we have to do to keep these buses on the road and indeed to restore others. Now none of that is aimed at you but hopefully it gives you an insight to what we've had to put up over the years.

And some folk who own buses can be just as bad at times too. It isn't always a nice hobby to be in. Hope this helps.

 

[LT02 NVV]

To be genuinely honest, you shouldn't really pass comment on something you have no involvement in bar a few rides on a bus in service but I know it is easy to do. The website you link to is written in a certain way which i will now try to explain.

Unfortunately, a lot of folks who like buses have a very limited idea of what it takes to own and restore buses. They also tend to get rather upset when vehicles aren't restored quick enough, in a certain way or indeed if a vehicle gets used for parts. We made the mistake of publicising our use of a previous Mancunian for spare parts, which even pre social media etc generated a lot of negativity and ill feeling by people who couldn't see the bigger picture. Most old bus parts aren't made anymore and are rather thin on the ground as spares. When you have lots of buses you need lots of spares.
Anyway, when 2220 came up, we just said we might restore it one day to placate those who complain, which in itself was wrong but far better than the alternative at the time, it saved a lot of flak. Nowadays we don't really care, we just get on with it and do what we have to do to keep these buses on the road and indeed to restore others. Now none of that is aimed at you but hopefully it gives you an insight to what we've had to put up over the years.

And some folk who own buses can be just as bad at times too. It isn't always a nice hobby to be in. Hope this helps.

Thanks for telling us this helpful knowhow about some of the difficulties preservation has, as I think a few of us here have had ideas of possibly preserving a bus before (I have ideas of doing it a few times if I‘m honest).

 

[Fletcj10]

I'm not sure if its already been said, but a bus I know of was YJ51ZVE, a DAF DB250/Optare Spectra that was brought into preservation but proved to have to many issues and moved on again; it was later scrapped. It was one of the first low floor Spectras that Reading Buses had and also one of a few with ZF transmission.

 

[ChrisPJ]

To be genuinely honest, you shouldn't really pass comment on something you have no involvement in bar a few rides on a bus in service but I know it is easy to do. The website you link to is written in a certain way which i will now try to explain.

Unfortunately, a lot of folks who like buses have a very limited idea of what it takes to own and restore buses. They also tend to get rather upset when vehicles aren't restored quick enough, in a certain way or indeed if a vehicle gets used for parts. We made the mistake of publicising our use of a previous Mancunian for spare parts, which even pre social media etc generated a lot of negativity and ill feeling by people who couldn't see the bigger picture. Most old bus parts aren't made anymore and are rather thin on the ground as spares. When you have lots of buses you need lots of spares.
Anyway, when 2220 came up, we just said we might restore it one day to placate those who complain, which in itself was wrong but far better than the alternative at the time, it saved a lot of flak. Nowadays we don't really care, we just get on with it and do what we have to do to keep these buses on the road and indeed to restore others. Now none of that is aimed at you but hopefully it gives you an insight to what we've had to put up over the years.

And some folk who own buses can be just as bad at times too. It isn't always a nice hobby to be in. Hope this helps.

Really informative reply, thank you. Trouble is, I the world of bus enthusiasts there is a big risk of faulty information becoming gospel, depending on who said it and how loudly. Then repeated ad infinitum, and not always accurately, by some who think they are some kind of oracle. There's a particularly notorious one in Scotland whose memory isnt as good as they think it is, and will constantly refer back to something they overheard a charge hand say in the nineties but with the context missing and some facts conveniently modified to pad out the story they want you to hear. Social media has made this ten times worse of course.

Back on topic.. do we include the Harry Potter RT in this ?

 

[37114]

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.

DAE510W was another sadly lost due to rear end corrosion and thus no ex Bristol Omnibus Co Metrobuses survived.

 

[lloyd.penfold@]

There was an immaculate Southdown Leyland PD2, JCD 81 (or similar) that was always a prize winner. Changed hands, was badly vandalised and scrapped. A couple of Midland Red buses (one was a D7, the other possibly a D9) bought by a chap in Warrington which were later abandoned & scrapped. Dozens of RTs and RMs, as mentioned above. Some ex failed preservation projects get broken for spares to keep others running - Transport Museum Wythall has acquired at least 3 BMMO D9s and several BMMO saloons of varying types for the same reason, and a Lytham PD2, a Chesterfield PS1 and a London RT all to keep others alive for as long as possible. Better than total losses.

 

[507021]

A preserved Wirral Peninsula Volvo Olympian was scrapped, but I can't remember which one.

 

[Wyrleybart]

There was an immaculate Southdown Leyland PD2, JCD 81 (or similar) that was always a prize winner. Changed hands, was badly vandalised and scrapped. A couple of Midland Red buses (one was a D7, the other possibly a D9) bought by a chap in Warrington which were later abandoned & scrapped. Dozens of RTs and RMs, as mentioned above. Some ex failed preservation projects get broken for spares to keep others running - Transport Museum Wythall has acquired at least 3 BMMO D9s and several BMMO saloons of varying types for the same reason, and a Lytham PD2, a Chesterfield PS1 and a London RT all to keep others alive for as long as possible. Better than total losses.

Talking of Wythall I noticed last month that the "other" Spectra 4005 seems to have been uncovered and dusted off, but as I understand it, the vehicle is purely for spares to keep the other one (4001) on the road.