Trivia - What bus would you, or do you, preserve?

[L401CJF]

Couldn't find anything relating to this.
Please move if in the wrong place!

If you were to preserve a bus, what would it be and why?

If you already own a bus or buses, what do you have?

I had a 1994 Dennis Dart, L401 CJF. New to Kinch, Barrow, purchased from Stotts, Huddersfield. Repainted it into Kinch livery, tidied it up a bit, but then the engine needed a rebuild and couldn't carry on due to family commitments. My brother took it on, rebuilt the engine and a few other bits, its now better than ever and just waiting for a rally season to come along if one ever does!

My brother also part owns ex Brighton Dennis Lance N408 MPN and ex Arriva/MTL Volvo Olympian Palatine II N307 CLV.

 

[Arbitor5]

Without a doubt, when they are retired, one of Brighton & Hove’s Citaros. It certainly would be a challenge but worthwhile with help from friends.

 

[jp4712]

This is my ‘fleet’. The Rochdale on the left is done (as much as they ever are), the North Western on the right is work in progress.

 

[MotCO]

The Bromley Bus Preservation Group have preserved, or have as work in progress, a large number of buses, mostly with SE London connections. What appears to be missing from their collection is a Metrobus Optare Excel and Optare Metrorider.

 

[cnjb8]

I would try to preserve one of TrentBartons Scanias or a Nottingham City Transport OmniDekka

 

[L401CJF]

This is my ‘fleet’. The Rochdale on the left is done (as much as they ever are), the North Western on the right is work in progress.

Very tidy! Quite right in what you say, they're never finished.

The Bromley Bus Preservation Group have preserved, or have as work in progress, a large number of buses, mostly with SE London connections. What appears to be missing from their collection is a Metrobus Optare Excel and Optare Metrorider.

I have to say their collection is very impressive!

 

[507021]

One of Arriva's 2574-2607 batch of Wright Commanders.

Without any doubt, they are the best buses I've ever driven. I drove CX06 BJF on the 7 between Liverpool and Warrington a few years ago and it was sublime.

 

[Strathclyder]

One of the surviving East Lancs Nordic-bodied Volvo B7Ls that First Glasgow bought/leased in late 2002 (aka the VT class). Divisive like all B7Ls and one hell of a challenge, but worthy of being represented regardless. I'd gladly lend my assistance to any efforts to bring one home. Additionally, it would compliment the Eclipse Metro-bodied B7L (SA02 BZE) currently at the GVVT rather nicely.

 

[Eyersey468]

If I was in a position to have a preserved bus I would quite like an old Dennis Lancet or Bedford OB, failing that one of the EYMS Plaxton President/Volvo B7TLs

 

[High Dyke]

Bristol RELL. The one with a curved windscreen, a bit of a hassle to replace if necessary, but a wonderful vehicle.

 

[carlberry]

If I was in a position to have a preserved bus I would quite like an old Dennis Lancet or Bedford OB, failing that one of the EYMS Plaxton President/Volvo B7TLs

Do you mean the old Dennis Lancet (1940s) or the recent Dennis Lancet (the predessor to the Dennis Javelin)?

 

[scosutsut]

For me it would be a Volvo B10M/Alexander PS Type to preserve and would love to have an old coach to convert to a mobile home unfortunately I'm lacking in a few areas:

* Expertise
* License to drive them
* Finance
* Storage
* Energy
* Time

 

[Eyersey468]

Do you mean the old Dennis Lancet (1940s) or the recent Dennis Lancet (the predessor to the Dennis Javelin)?

Sorry I mean the 1940s Lancet not the more recent one

 

[Richard Scott]

This would be a difficult choice but would have to have a Leyland TL11 as like the sound. Any TL11 engined Lynxes left?

 

[GusB]

Speaking of Lancets - I'd loved to have seen XSA4Y, the only one of my local Lancets to carry an Alexander Y-type body, preserved. It would have made a good companion for XSA5Y (Volvo B57) which, thankfully, didn't make it to the scrapyard.

 

[156443]

Volvo B10BLE / Wright Renown, this is my favourite type of bus I’ve ridden on and if I could afford it and had the storage I would.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

If only I drove and drove all types of vehicles and had loads of money etc, I'd happily preserve an ex-Stagecoach Volvo B10M / Alexander PS. Rock solid vehicles from the comments I've seen and heard - on YouTube videos, they ride better on pot holes than many if not all low-floor vehicles. Bigger engines (coach ones too). I'd perhaps have coach seats.

 

[Eyersey468]

If only I drove and drove all types of vehicles and had loads of money etc, I'd happily preserve an ex-Stagecoach Volvo B10M / Alexander PS. Rock solid vehicles from the comments I've seen and heard - on YouTube videos, they ride better on pot holes than many if not all low-floor vehicles. Bigger engines (coach ones too). I'd perhaps have coach seats.

I agree about these, we had some that were inherited when Finglands bought the original Stagecoach Manchester operation and then migrated north, fantastic machines, very reliable and lovely to drive, went like stink as well due to being effectively a coach chassis with a bus body on it

 

[jp4712]

Bristol RELL. The one with a curved windscreen, a bit of a hassle to replace if necessary, but a wonderful vehicle.

Not all that much hassle. The curved glass is still available from PSV Glass as a stock item so long as you don't need the silver heating elements (my pair was something like £150 + VAT); and the rubber mounting is in stock at COH-Baines. A refit is less than a day's job for two people. The Achilles Heel on a Bristol RE is the braking system, a pain in the neck to adjust and not really powerful enough for the weight and speed of the bus (the brake system was a carry-over from the previous MW model).

The big issue for older buses is the lack of spares for things like gearboxes and, increasingly, engines; the issues on preserving newer buses are around increasing complexity, with fragile printed circuit boards and gearbox 'brains' to go wrong.