Scatmancraig1974
Solo Number One!! Wilts & Dorset Optare Solo M850 R601NFX at Salisbury Depot 28/10/2011
Although i'm not normally into photographing "modern" vehicles, this Solo was definitely worth a picture. R601NFX is an Optare Solo M850 which was new in May 1998 as fleet number 2601. What is special about this particular bus is that it was the first Optare Solo to be registered, and only the fifth to be built! This vehicle has chassis number VN6004, VN6000 & VN6001 were development chassis, and VN6002 & VN6003 were Optare demonstrators which weren't registered until several months after VN6004.
Sadly, this Solo will probably be scrapped soon. Although not apparent in this photo, the bus is currently minus most of it's interior fittings and also has no engine & gearbox. Earlier Optare Solo's suffer from corrosion of the chassis spaceframe, and this one is no exception as it has severe corrosion, which is possibly the main reason for it being withdrawn.
Coincidentally, chassis VN6003 (S794XUG, new as an Optare demonstrator in December 1998) is in a similar poor structural condition in the South West Coaches fleet in nearby Wincanton.
Solo Number One!! Wilts & Dorset Optare Solo M850 R601NFX at Salisbury Depot 28/10/2011
Although i'm not normally into photographing "modern" vehicles, this Solo was definitely worth a picture. R601NFX is an Optare Solo M850 which was new in May 1998 as fleet number 2601. What is special about this particular bus is that it was the first Optare Solo to be registered, and only the fifth to be built! This vehicle has chassis number VN6004, VN6000 & VN6001 were development chassis, and VN6002 & VN6003 were Optare demonstrators which weren't registered until several months after VN6004.
Sadly, this Solo will probably be scrapped soon. Although not apparent in this photo, the bus is currently minus most of it's interior fittings and also has no engine & gearbox. Earlier Optare Solo's suffer from corrosion of the chassis spaceframe, and this one is no exception as it has severe corrosion, which is possibly the main reason for it being withdrawn.
Coincidentally, chassis VN6003 (S794XUG, new as an Optare demonstrator in December 1998) is in a similar poor structural condition in the South West Coaches fleet in nearby Wincanton.