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Stevensons ECW Leyland B45 01 Olympian Q246 FVT
Having launched the rear-engined integral Leyland National city bus in 1970, British Leyland showed some sketches in 1973 of their next generation of rear-engined double-deck bus to replace the Leyland Atlantean, Daimler Fleetline and Bristol VRT, which had been in production for 15, 13 and 6 years respectively.
Leyland coded the new double-deck bus project B15, once the Government took over British Leyland in 1975, the project moved forward to running prototypes, and in late 1975, Leyland revelled the B15 to the press who had a ride on one of the prototypes. The B15 was integral and would only be available as a high-bridge double-decker. The National Bus Company made it clear that they still required low-height double-decker buses, and Leyland were forced to develop the Bristol VRT2 into the VRT3 to satisfy the NBC.
Leyland launched the B15 in 1977 and named it Titan, realising that the Titan would not meet all operators requirements, in 1978, Leyland commenced work on a project coded B45 which was a chassis to replace the Atlantean, Fleetline and VRT. The design of the B45 was done on the shop floor at Bristol and was a straight forward piece of design, done with the minimum of paperwork, and used largely existing components, although the front suspension was completely new.
The first prototype B45.01 was built within one year, and went to Eastern Coach Works on 24th April 1979 to be bodied with a new style of body looking similar to the Titan. The body coded EX14 had dual doorways and used the same lower dash as used on the body ECW built on the Bristol VRT, it was delivered to Leyland on 19th October 1979. The second prototype chassis B45.02 also went to ECW to be bodied (EX15) and had the lower dash which would be used on the production body built on the B45 chassis. Once bodied B45.02 entered service with Ribble Motor Services in July 1980 and registered DBV 100W. The B45 was formally launched in October 1980 and named Olympian. Production of the Daimler Fleetline ceased first, followed by the Bristol VRT, the last to go was the Leyland Atlantean in 1986.
The Olympian was everything operators wanted, at first the Olympian was built at Bristol, then in the summer of 1983 a second production line was set up at Leyland Bus' Workington factory ahead of the Bristol factory closing later that year, apart from the prototype B45 chassis numbered in a different system, the production chassis built at Bristol were numbered ON1-ON995. Of interest most Bristol built Olympian chassis were registered as a Bristol!
Production of the Olympian was transferred to Leyland in 1985 to fill spare capacity with production of the Atlantean ending the following year. Production of the Olympian at Leyland overlapped with production at Workington until 1986, the last built there was the last of the London Transport order for 260 ECW bodied Olympians. Production of the Olympian would return to Workington ahead of all bus and coach chassis production ending at Leyland in 1991.
Volvo Bus had bought Leyland Bus in the spring of 1988, it updated the Leyland Bus Workington plant to build chassis on the dock system like in Sweden. The Olympian was the world's top selling double-deck chassis, second to the Atlantean, but Volvo had plans to replace the Leyland Olympian with their own version, still carrying the Olympian name. The Volvo Olympian was launched in the spring of 1993 and built at Volvo's own factory at Irvine in Scotland. Production of the Leyland Olympian ceased at Workington in June 1993, with a total of 5586 Olympian chassis built at Bristol, Workington, and Leyland.
The Leyland Olympian was powered by the Leyland TL11, Gardner or Cummins engines, gearbox options: Leyland Hydracyclic, ZF or Voith. For the UK market until 1988, the Olympian was only available as two-axle models for 9.6,10.3 and 11.2-metre overall length bodywork, in 1988, Stagecoach placed an order for a trio of three-axle Olympian chassis, the only ones ever built for the UK market. For the overseas markets, the Olympian was available as a two-axle or three axle chassis for overall lengths from 9.6-metre to 12-metre.
In 1984, Stevenson's of Uttoxeter purchased the B45.01 prototype from Leyland Bus, it was registered Q246 FVT on 1st November 1984; it was converted from dual doors to single doorway and fitted out with seats 33/30F. Somebody at DVL thought it was not a bus, but a Morgan sports car, I kid you not, I have a photocopy of the registration document (log book) and it says Morgan! Stevensons were taken over by Arriva Midlands and this unique bus was sold for scrap!
My view taken in September 1984 shows B45.01 yet to be registered and parked along side an ex London Transport Daimler DMS.
Stevensons ECW Leyland B45 01 Olympian Q246 FVT
Having launched the rear-engined integral Leyland National city bus in 1970, British Leyland showed some sketches in 1973 of their next generation of rear-engined double-deck bus to replace the Leyland Atlantean, Daimler Fleetline and Bristol VRT, which had been in production for 15, 13 and 6 years respectively.
Leyland coded the new double-deck bus project B15, once the Government took over British Leyland in 1975, the project moved forward to running prototypes, and in late 1975, Leyland revelled the B15 to the press who had a ride on one of the prototypes. The B15 was integral and would only be available as a high-bridge double-decker. The National Bus Company made it clear that they still required low-height double-decker buses, and Leyland were forced to develop the Bristol VRT2 into the VRT3 to satisfy the NBC.
Leyland launched the B15 in 1977 and named it Titan, realising that the Titan would not meet all operators requirements, in 1978, Leyland commenced work on a project coded B45 which was a chassis to replace the Atlantean, Fleetline and VRT. The design of the B45 was done on the shop floor at Bristol and was a straight forward piece of design, done with the minimum of paperwork, and used largely existing components, although the front suspension was completely new.
The first prototype B45.01 was built within one year, and went to Eastern Coach Works on 24th April 1979 to be bodied with a new style of body looking similar to the Titan. The body coded EX14 had dual doorways and used the same lower dash as used on the body ECW built on the Bristol VRT, it was delivered to Leyland on 19th October 1979. The second prototype chassis B45.02 also went to ECW to be bodied (EX15) and had the lower dash which would be used on the production body built on the B45 chassis. Once bodied B45.02 entered service with Ribble Motor Services in July 1980 and registered DBV 100W. The B45 was formally launched in October 1980 and named Olympian. Production of the Daimler Fleetline ceased first, followed by the Bristol VRT, the last to go was the Leyland Atlantean in 1986.
The Olympian was everything operators wanted, at first the Olympian was built at Bristol, then in the summer of 1983 a second production line was set up at Leyland Bus' Workington factory ahead of the Bristol factory closing later that year, apart from the prototype B45 chassis numbered in a different system, the production chassis built at Bristol were numbered ON1-ON995. Of interest most Bristol built Olympian chassis were registered as a Bristol!
Production of the Olympian was transferred to Leyland in 1985 to fill spare capacity with production of the Atlantean ending the following year. Production of the Olympian at Leyland overlapped with production at Workington until 1986, the last built there was the last of the London Transport order for 260 ECW bodied Olympians. Production of the Olympian would return to Workington ahead of all bus and coach chassis production ending at Leyland in 1991.
Volvo Bus had bought Leyland Bus in the spring of 1988, it updated the Leyland Bus Workington plant to build chassis on the dock system like in Sweden. The Olympian was the world's top selling double-deck chassis, second to the Atlantean, but Volvo had plans to replace the Leyland Olympian with their own version, still carrying the Olympian name. The Volvo Olympian was launched in the spring of 1993 and built at Volvo's own factory at Irvine in Scotland. Production of the Leyland Olympian ceased at Workington in June 1993, with a total of 5586 Olympian chassis built at Bristol, Workington, and Leyland.
The Leyland Olympian was powered by the Leyland TL11, Gardner or Cummins engines, gearbox options: Leyland Hydracyclic, ZF or Voith. For the UK market until 1988, the Olympian was only available as two-axle models for 9.6,10.3 and 11.2-metre overall length bodywork, in 1988, Stagecoach placed an order for a trio of three-axle Olympian chassis, the only ones ever built for the UK market. For the overseas markets, the Olympian was available as a two-axle or three axle chassis for overall lengths from 9.6-metre to 12-metre.
In 1984, Stevenson's of Uttoxeter purchased the B45.01 prototype from Leyland Bus, it was registered Q246 FVT on 1st November 1984; it was converted from dual doors to single doorway and fitted out with seats 33/30F. Somebody at DVL thought it was not a bus, but a Morgan sports car, I kid you not, I have a photocopy of the registration document (log book) and it says Morgan! Stevensons were taken over by Arriva Midlands and this unique bus was sold for scrap!
My view taken in September 1984 shows B45.01 yet to be registered and parked along side an ex London Transport Daimler DMS.