83C

Its funny how theoretically identical vehicles can behave so differently, and other vehicles just be total problem children. 
 
Swanbrook-T35CNN-Cheltenham-081204a by Michael Wadman, on Flickr
 
The most memorable problem child that I know of was a Scania L94IB/Irizar InterCentury - T35 CNN. If it could go wrong, it did. It only stayed at Swanbrook for a couple of years (2004-07), they offloaded it after replacing the gearbox, engine, turbo, a/c (twice!), had the roof resealed, and numerous other smaller things. When it worked it went like hell, but it frequently spent time awaiting parts. It went from there to Liddells, Auchinleck, who apparently don't usually sell anything but sold this in 2011 to a firm in Builth Wells who didn't keep it long, then it went in early 2012 to Invincible Coaches in Tamworth, then to Murgatroyd Coaches in Harrogate before it went to Keith Jones in South Wales in mid 2013. At some point it was taken off the road but has recently been acquired by CT Coaches in Bath and is now back in use. 
 
The batch of 60-odd Varios at Western Greyhound were good examples of how vehicles age differently - certain ones were known 'good' vehicles - 500 and 522 immediately spring to mind as good motors, 500 was withdrawn 5 times but kept getting re-instated - each time after a load of new parts were fitted due to it being cannibalised to keep the rest of the fleet going. There were also known 'bad' vehicles such as 560 which was an absolute HOS, not unreliable as such but it rattled like a skeleton wanking in a biscuit tin whilst having all the get up and go of a heavily drugged sloth. 

Stage One complete. Arrived at Nooton Stabbot.

Sustenance: bacon, brie and sweet chilli baguette and Jockanese Ginger Juice.
 

Snap decision!

Probably the best way to buy a car like this....

Sustenance: bacon, brie and sweet chilli baguette and Jockanese Ginger Juice.
 

Snap decision!

Probably the best way to buy a car like this....

Snap decision!

Probably the best way to buy a car like this....

Snap decision!

Probably the best way to buy a car like this....

Snap decision!

Probably the best way to buy a car like this....

Today I was driving this:
 

 
R900 DTT is a Volvo Olympian with Northern Counties Palatine bodywork. Collected from West Kent Buses in Wrotham and delivered to Winkleigh. Not a bad old steer for a 6hr drive, the D10A Volvo lump and ZF gearbox are just right.

Today I was driving this:
 

 
R900 DTT is a Volvo Olympian with Northern Counties Palatine bodywork. Collected from West Kent Buses in Wrotham and delivered to Winkleigh. Not a bad old steer for a 6hr drive, the D10A Volvo lump and ZF gearbox are just right.

Here's a nice tale of a later rebuild that actually made it into preservation.

 
Starting out as CHE297C, this leopard was rebuilt by the Yorkshire Traction workshops from 1977-1979. All new mechanicals were fitted including adding power steering, current spec(at the time) braking systems and a fresh 0.680 engine. The body was then rebuilt as new with new framing and panels. The resultant bus was in effect a new one so gained a new registration, hence the V plate on what was a 1965 bus. It also received a new chassis number - YTC3 - the previous two numbers being carried by rebuilt leopard coaches rebodied by Plaxton of Scarborough.
One of the features of the rebuild was the fitting of rear air suspension, instead of the regular leaf springs. This, however didn't end well as it shed its rear axle in Doncaster, demolishing several bollards in the process and so was dragged back and re-converted back to leaf springs once again. During his time it's front panels were modernised using mouldings and bumper from the ECW Olympian body making it into, in my opinion anyway, a rather handsome beast. It lasted in this form until the late 80s when it was withdrawn (at around the same time as its non-rebuilt cousins) and sold to a scout troup and then onto preservation.
It has now gained its original registration again (probably to help get its free RFL) and roumors have it that it is or has been rebuilt to look like it did originally. I for one hope it hasn't as the re-re-built will have erased what was quite a facinating snippet of history when operators took time and effort to extend the lives of their vehicles in the best way they could.

Indeed there were some weird and wonderful creations, still goes on in some small ways today. My Tiger is an East Lancs rebody, and countless 80's & 90's coaches have been buggered about with new lower fronts, rear panels, etc. 
 

 
Swanbrook owned 3 former COMS Volvo B10M/Plaxton Paramount III's and all were given a serious body overhaul and restyling by Blackpool Coach Services in 2004/5. UJI 1761 was the first done, and was my usual motor on the 53/853 Gloucester-Cheltenham-Oxford service. Some people weren't keen on the looks but I thought the conversion suited them. 1761 is still around somewhere I think, 1762 has disappeared and 1763 had a very short post-refurbishment life, suffering an internal fire in the yard at Staverton in 2006.
 
BCS also did restyle kits for Duple 425s, and probably anything else if it was asked for! 
 
The last UK rebodies that I'm aware of were these:
 
Preserved: MUI808 by Daniel Graham, on Flickr
 
Strathtay had 6 Leyland Tigers rebodied in 2000 with East Lancs Myllennium Hyline bodies, which were sold on when Stagecoach took over the business.
 
Rebodying was also a work-around for council rules in some areas - minimum ages being specified for the body of a vehicle but not the chassis. 

Having had a bit of a minor financial win, the budget has increased a little. This is dangerous because I'm now looking at P38 Range Rovers   

Alexander Royale-bodied Olympian in the background?

My old S124:
 

 
Much more class and grace than the W220 S-class it shared driveway space with, even if the S was by far the better car.

Decker Dave Fowler's ex Citybus Olympian 143. 
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

THE FINAL FINAL* UPDATE 19th July 2018
 
Literally nothing from any of the five or six places it's currently up at. I may as well be selling the bubonic plague.
£Insult me £8.50 per ticket? BULLET POINTZ:
2005 ('55) Volvo S60 2.0T SE 5spd manual 'box Owned since November 2015 121000 miles MOT June 2019 Full service history (stamps and invoices) - no need for another for 10k Cambelt sorted Since November 2015: new front brake flexi hose, new off-side CV joint, two new front tyres, near-side rear brake calipers and brake pads, front wheel bearing and anti-roll bar linkage Strong engine with five cylinder warble Bodywork and interior both superb Working cruise control Can do 40mpg Has tow-bar Slight flywheel rattle - no clutch slippage or imminent failure likely Air con cold but noisy compressor - best not to use it unless you like a possible auxiliary belt roulette A couple of advisories on MOT Alloy wheels (particularly fronts) would benefit from being refurbished  











[

Sold this evening to someone orf faceache who remarkably just turned up, paid the asking and didn’t mess me around!

Sold this evening to someone orf faceache who remarkably just turned up, paid the asking and didn’t mess me around!

Sold this evening to someone orf faceache who remarkably just turned up, paid the asking and didn’t mess me around!

PM’d.

Had a little run out with a couple of ex Southampton Regents this evening.

 
When people use the phrase 'looks like the back end of a bus' they obviously haven't seen these as I think they are rather attractive.

 
This is near the old Floating Bridge terminus. The bridge in the background opened in 1977. Before that buses terminated both sides of the river with a pair of chain ferries (hence, floating bridge) going back and forth.

Not a great picture as it was almost into the sun, and ideally we'd have liked to have parked where the lorries were as there you can frame the buses in one of the arches of the Itchen Bridge but it wasn't to be.

Bah. Tried to avoid this, don't need, can't justify it.
 
34 & 43 please.

A couple of months ago I went to Shropshire and retrieved a Mini Cooper for Mrs 83C. The plan was to fix it up and for her to use it, but time has conspired against repairing it.
 
It’s a 2002 Cooper in Yellow, standard bits including central locking, leccy windows and alloys.
 
The issues: the gearbox makes a clicking noise in 1st gear, otherwise it drives well. The Body Control Module has failed due to water ingress (TADTS), replacements can be had for £50. An exhaust rubber has perished somewhere, causing a clonk from underneath over speed bumps.
 
The good - it has test until late September, still drives (I drove it back from Shropshire), and the body is fairly clean now I’ve removed all the tar spots.
 
Pictures:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Shiters’ price - £425, collection from TR4 9PU
 
EDIT: The spare gearbox has sold separately, so this is now £300! Come and get a mahoosive barg!
 
SOLD!!!!