Type History: The MCW/Optare MetroRider

[Strathclyder]

Quite a number of those Northumbria MCWs started life as ‘Wee Happy Buses’ with Strathclyde Buses.

Speaking of SBL's Metroriders, 5 of them were lost in the Larkfield Depot fire in May 1992. These were: M42/51/61/101/113. A sixth example (M72) was one of 3 vehicles to be damaged in the fire, but would wind up being repaired.

 

[Mr Mean]

I remember using the Yorkshire Traction "TownLink" branded metroriders on the 262 from Huddersfield to Dewsbury. They seemed to be used on the Wakefield Road corridor quite extensively.

Im sure Yorkshire Travel had a few knackered smaller metroriders then used in competition with Yorkshire Traction.

West Riding had loads, a few of which moved to Dewsbury Arriva depot towards the end of their lives. I remember using one on the 201/2/3 route from Leeds at rush hour. Very cosy to say the least!

I think Black Prince had at least one of these buses at some point too.

 

[Swanny200]

I lived in Rochester and was used to the M&D reeve burgess built Merc breadvans before they were ousted for the Varios, but my Nan used to live in Gravesend, just off Valley Drive and many a weekend was spent heading to Gravesend by train (and always freaking out when we went over the points at hoo junction because it seemed too fast) getting off and getting on a Metrorider to my Nans, compared to the M&D breadvans they seemed to a young kid a different world, shame the corrosion got most of them in the end. ot sure how many of the Kentish Bus Metroriders ended up in Arriva ownership or whether they had been moved on by then.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not sure how many of the Kentish Bus Metroriders ended up in Arriva ownership or whether they had been moved on by then.

Certainly, a number of Optare examples ended up with Arriva. A batch of 15 rather mature examples was then shifted to Arriva North East which had a substantial fleet of Metroriders of short and long wheelbases. The Kent ones were not good, as they moved when they were c.9/10 years old; I'm fairly certain a number never saw service and were simply used for spares

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I seem to remember that Strathtay used to have a love affair with them.

When Stagecoach bought them over a couple got transferred to Perth and they were absolutely horrible things. They just seemed slow and sluggish.

 

[CBlue]

My three memories of driving the Cambus ones are:
1. They were really hot in summer, due to the engine position
2. Winding the destination blind was difficult if you liked keeping the skin on your hands intact
3. The accelerators were quite stiff, except on 962 which I had the pleasure of using on an X64 to Guilden Morden and back one Saturday.

Cambus seemed to have a bit of a thing for them at one time, with the D-reg ex West Midlands MCW MetroRiders being joined by J and M reg fleets of the Optare version. Tidy little things to ride on... although there is also the story of one operating the Cambridge-Kings Lynn leg (and the return working the following morning) on National Express service 010...

Honourable mention to the gas powered pair also operated, appropriately registered GAZ 4381/2 which were used on a free city centre shuttle for a number of years.

 

[Brooke]

Cambus seemed to have a bit of a thing for them at one time, with the D-reg ex West Midlands MCW MetroRiders being joined by J and M reg fleets of the Optare version. Tidy little things to ride on... although there is also the story of one operating the Cambridge-Kings Lynn leg (and the return working the following morning) on National Express service 010...

Honourable mention to the gas powered pair also operated, appropriately registered GAZ 4381/2 which were used on a free city centre shuttle for a number of years.

Am I right in remembering those two gas-powered examples as being pretty unreliable? Certainly they were often substituted by other fleet for whatever reason.

Another random reflection: were there not some of these in London? Surprised they’ve not come up yet on the thread.

 

[MotCO]

Am I right in remembering those two gas-powered examples as being pretty unreliable? Certainly they were often substituted by other fleet for whatever reason.

Another random reflection: were there not some of these in London? Surprised they’ve not come up yet on the thread.

Normal diesel versions, yes; not gas powered. Westlink had some, London General had some, and Metrobus had some.

 

[Brooke]

Normal diesel versions, yes; not gas powered. Westlink had some, London General had some, and Metrobus had some.

Ah yes, I meant diesel ones - badly phrased on my part!

 

[asb]

Am I right in remembering those two gas-powered examples as being pretty unreliable? Certainly they were often substituted by other fleet for whatever reason.

Yes they were very unreliable, not helped by them being a bit fumey in the saloon and repeated driving of the route driving you nuts, so there was less incentive than normal for drivers to keep going to the end of their stint without parking up.

I seem to remember that one shift basically drove it all day bar a lunch break. They also drove a 7 one way or the other with the gas bus.

 

[A0]

I seem to remember that Strathtay used to have a love affair with them.

When Stagecoach bought them over a couple got transferred to Perth and they were absolutely horrible things. They just seemed slow and sluggish.

See my bolding - compared to what?

The MCWs always felt, from a passenger perspective, quicker than the "breadvan" minibuses of the time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2022 ==

Normal diesel versions, yes; not gas powered. Westlink had some, London General had some, and Metrobus had some.

Also Harrow Buses had Metroriders.

 

[DunsBus]

Quite a number of those Northumbria MCWs started life as ‘Wee Happy Buses’ with Strathclyde Buses.

A couple of Northumbria's Metroriders didn't make it to their second birthday, both being written off during the first half of 1989. One was rear-ended by a lorry whilst with Kentish Bus (thankfully, it was running light at the time) while another one perished in an arson attack at Wooler depot which also destroyed two Bristol VRs and a Bristol LH.

 

[Non Multi]

My recollection of them is very limited, I travelled on one once in the early/mid 1990s that was a substitute for the usual Mk1 Leyland National. I couldn't recall anything memorable about them at all to be honest. I'd even forgotten they were front engined!

Q Drive - The Bee Line 'Busy Bee' at Heathrow [Photo - M. Wadman]:

QDriveBuses-112-E982DNK-Heathrow-180593b

Q Drive Buses (Bee Line / London Bus Lines) no 112 (E982 DNK) Former London Country North West MCW Metrorider, acquired from Luton & District with the latter’s Slough area operations Route 526 Heathrow Central 18th May 1993

www.flickr.com

Luton & District 'Slough Bus' Livery [Photo - J. Carter]:

1991-09-06 E983 DNK MCW Metrorider MCW13 of Luton & District, Slough

Explore John Carter 1962's 79561 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

When Len Wright's Q-Drive business acquired the Luton & District (former London Country North West) 'Slough Bus' operations they retained their small fleet of MCW Metroriders. These were repainted from LCNW green/grey into 'Busy Bee' branding for Bee Line's fleet of smaller buses. Very much a sign of things to come at Slough, as Centrewest would dump their ex-London hoppa Renault/Dodge RW S75s on us not long after.

 

[Strathclyder]

A quick question I meant to ask earlier: who were the last major operators of both versions of the MetroRider (MCW and Optare) in passenger-carrying service?

 

[90sWereBetter]

A quick question I meant to ask earlier: who were the last major operators of both versions of the MetroRider (MCW and Optare) in passenger-carrying service?

I think Blackpool and Warrington had some very late model Optares on S and T registrations, which lasted into the early 2010s.

Not sure about MCW versions though, there seems to have been a wholesale bonfire of them across the country during the late 1990s.

 

[Strathclyder]

I think Blackpool and Warrington had some very late model Optares on S and T registrations, which lasted into the early 2010s.

Not sure about MCW versions though, there seems to have been a wholesale bonfire of them across the country during the late 1990s.

I did suspect Blackpool & Warrington would be prime candidates for the Optares in this respect, the former hung onto Atlanteans for the longest time after all.

Indeed, comparatively few MCWs made it into the 21st century, now-preserved E186 BNS (new to Strathclyde's Buses as their M89 in June 1988) lasted until at least June 2005 in service with Strathtay, after a spell with Yorkshire Traction.

 

[M803UYA]

I did suspect Blackpool & Warrington would be prime candidates for the Optares in this respect, the former hung onto Atlanteans for the longest time after all.

Indeed, comparatively few MCWs made it into the 21st century, now-preserved E186 BNS (new to Strathclyde's Buses as their M89 in June 1988) lasted until at least June 2005 in service with Strathtay, after a spell with Yorkshire Traction.

There was a Blackpool Optare Metrorider which made it into preservation with Lancastrian Transport Trust, then it was repainted red and used by Classic Bus. So, they've had somewhat of a hard time getting vehicles out of Blackpool Transport subsequently for preservation. I suspect relations are somewhat improved between the two these days?

Not sure if any other Metroriders from Blackpool are preserved, I'm sure someone will correct me!

 

[Strathclyder]

There was a Blackpool Optare Metrorider which made it into preservation with Lancastrian Transport Trust, then it was repainted red and used by Classic Bus. So, they've had somewhat of a hard time getting vehicles out of Blackpool Transport subsequently for preservation. I suspect relations are somewhat improved between the two these days?

Not sure if any other Metroriders from Blackpool are preserved, I'm sure someone will correct me!

Off the top of my head, I've been aware of at least two ex-Blackpool Optare MetroRiders that made it into preservation, but I'll be darned if I can remember their IDs.

 

[busesrusuk]

Normal diesel versions, yes; not gas powered. Westlink had some, London General had some, and Metrobus had some.

Bexleybus, Roundabout, Harrow Buses, Kentish Bus and Capital Citybus also used them in London. Here is one of my pics of one of the Citybus examples:

Capital Citybus 630

Southgate Station

www.flickr.com

 

[Flange Squeal]

There was a Blackpool Optare Metrorider which made it into preservation with Lancastrian Transport Trust, then it was repainted red and used by Classic Bus. So, they've had somewhat of a hard time getting vehicles out of Blackpool Transport subsequently for preservation. I suspect relations are somewhat improved between the two these days?

Not sure if any other Metroriders from Blackpool are preserved, I'm sure someone will correct me!

Optare N589 GRN (589) is preserved in black and yellow Blackpool 'Handy Bus' livery. Not sure who actually owns it.

The Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust have MCW E186 BNS in Strathtay white, orange and blue.

I think I read recently that Poole Port's Optare T272 EWW has also been acquired for preservation.

 

[Strathclyder]

Optare N589 GRN (589) is preserved in black and yellow Blackpool 'Handy Bus' livery. Not sure who actually owns it.

That's one of the Blackpool examples I was thinking of. I could swear there was another one though.

 

[Geordie driver]

We had quite a few of these new at Northumbria, they had a radio/cassette fitted!

Great when new, smooth, quiet, quick. Bit warm in the summer but nice to have in the winter.

I was told ( this might be rubbish mind) that they removed the sound insulation round the engine, they certainly became noisier after a couple of years, the throttle seemed to be cut back too, they became much slower.

I used to see one parked up near me being used as a mobile cafe now.