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First Manchester Limited: N94UA Scania OmniCity 12017 (2007)
Ex-First Manchester Limited bus, 12017 (YN05 GYT). Registered on 21 April 2005 to First Manchester's Bury bus garage. 12017 was one of three unbranded Scania OmniCity artics ordered with the intention of using them on the 471 (Rochdale - Bolton) as well as the 135 (Bury - Manchester) to give some flexibility to their operations. This was also to boost capacity on the 471 which at the time was typically operated by single deck vehicles. The other 15 examples would of course be branded for the 135.
By 2007, (YN05 GYT) would receive a rear advert for 'Richard Cort Fiat'. This wouldn't be the first time a Manchester bendy carried an advert as 12016 (YN05 GYS) was the first with a full body ad for 'Huggies' back in 2005, shortly after delivery. This also wouldn't be the last, as 12007 (YN05 GYE) would carry a rear advert in 2010 for 'Bridgfords' for putting your house up for sale.
Sometime in 2008, 12017 would lose the rear ad which in turn meant it lost the rear Scania logo decal making the back on the bus look rather blank and naked. This was quite common amongst the Omnis during their career. Although most the time they would eventually get replacement decals applied.
In the intervening years, not much would change for 12017, other than a few replacement mirror. This being common place amongst the fleet. The rather expensive mirrors would of course fall victim to the rather busy and sometimes cramped Bury Old Road. This meant than they would have to use the goofy looking SPAFAX VM100 mirrors which were commonly used on Manchester's Mercedes-Benz Citaros.
First bus would change their corporate identity by 2012. This meant that all buses would be repainted into the 'new' Olympia livery, This bringing an end to the rather flashy barbie livery which 12017 was delivered in. First Manchester's Omnicity's would be repainted in two different ways. This being a variation in which the front bonnet was painted. The earlier repaints separated the lights which was the template for Olympia. Whereas the last few to get repainted retained their black strip across to each headlamp because it looked better, giving the omnicities their iconic bandit mask headlights. Another variation were the Scania's GM Skyline decals. Some were large and took up majority of the side panel between the front and middle axles, other were much smaller.
The unbranded Omnicities were repainted into Olympia first for obvious reasons. This meant they would receive the not so pretty version of the front end as well as the larger GM logos on the side. Ultimately this didn't matter too much as these buses would get their front panels swapped around during maintenance. So one week the front might look nice, the next not so much!
23 April 2017, this would be the official last day of bendy operation on 135. This was due to the closure of Bury bus depot with the operation of buses along with the vehicles themselves being dispersed between the other First Manchester depots. Queens Rd would receive the operation of the 135, whereas Bolton would acquired the bendies.
The artics would see some service up until around September of 2017 but up to that point they had been progressively withdrawn from service with only a few of them on the road. Eventually all of the Scanias would be withdrawn and placed into reserve at the back of Bolton depot with many of them having parts removed. This was essentially an attempt to lower their value so they had a reason to scrap them. Because we all know full well that Bolton don't like articulated buses. Just look at what happened to the B10LA's, Some of the bendies would be moved between depots to save space. 12001, 12012 and 12013 ended up in Oldham depot with 12006 Making it back to the closed Bury depot. None of that further storage mattered because 12017 as well as 16 other bendies would be sold to Passenger Vehicle Spares (Barnsley) Limited in July 2018 meaning 17 out of 18 of Manchester's omnicities would be erased from existence.
Fortunately, Jonny Eaves preserved former First Manchester Limited 12001 (YN05 GYA) in late 2018 saving it from the scrap heap, meaning a piece of Manchester's bendy bus history has survived.
First Manchester Limited: N94UA Scania OmniCity 12017 (2007)
Ex-First Manchester Limited bus, 12017 (YN05 GYT). Registered on 21 April 2005 to First Manchester's Bury bus garage. 12017 was one of three unbranded Scania OmniCity artics ordered with the intention of using them on the 471 (Rochdale - Bolton) as well as the 135 (Bury - Manchester) to give some flexibility to their operations. This was also to boost capacity on the 471 which at the time was typically operated by single deck vehicles. The other 15 examples would of course be branded for the 135.
By 2007, (YN05 GYT) would receive a rear advert for 'Richard Cort Fiat'. This wouldn't be the first time a Manchester bendy carried an advert as 12016 (YN05 GYS) was the first with a full body ad for 'Huggies' back in 2005, shortly after delivery. This also wouldn't be the last, as 12007 (YN05 GYE) would carry a rear advert in 2010 for 'Bridgfords' for putting your house up for sale.
Sometime in 2008, 12017 would lose the rear ad which in turn meant it lost the rear Scania logo decal making the back on the bus look rather blank and naked. This was quite common amongst the Omnis during their career. Although most the time they would eventually get replacement decals applied.
In the intervening years, not much would change for 12017, other than a few replacement mirror. This being common place amongst the fleet. The rather expensive mirrors would of course fall victim to the rather busy and sometimes cramped Bury Old Road. This meant than they would have to use the goofy looking SPAFAX VM100 mirrors which were commonly used on Manchester's Mercedes-Benz Citaros.
First bus would change their corporate identity by 2012. This meant that all buses would be repainted into the 'new' Olympia livery, This bringing an end to the rather flashy barbie livery which 12017 was delivered in. First Manchester's Omnicity's would be repainted in two different ways. This being a variation in which the front bonnet was painted. The earlier repaints separated the lights which was the template for Olympia. Whereas the last few to get repainted retained their black strip across to each headlamp because it looked better, giving the omnicities their iconic bandit mask headlights. Another variation were the Scania's GM Skyline decals. Some were large and took up majority of the side panel between the front and middle axles, other were much smaller.
The unbranded Omnicities were repainted into Olympia first for obvious reasons. This meant they would receive the not so pretty version of the front end as well as the larger GM logos on the side. Ultimately this didn't matter too much as these buses would get their front panels swapped around during maintenance. So one week the front might look nice, the next not so much!
23 April 2017, this would be the official last day of bendy operation on 135. This was due to the closure of Bury bus depot with the operation of buses along with the vehicles themselves being dispersed between the other First Manchester depots. Queens Rd would receive the operation of the 135, whereas Bolton would acquired the bendies.
The artics would see some service up until around September of 2017 but up to that point they had been progressively withdrawn from service with only a few of them on the road. Eventually all of the Scanias would be withdrawn and placed into reserve at the back of Bolton depot with many of them having parts removed. This was essentially an attempt to lower their value so they had a reason to scrap them. Because we all know full well that Bolton don't like articulated buses. Just look at what happened to the B10LA's, Some of the bendies would be moved between depots to save space. 12001, 12012 and 12013 ended up in Oldham depot with 12006 Making it back to the closed Bury depot. None of that further storage mattered because 12017 as well as 16 other bendies would be sold to Passenger Vehicle Spares (Barnsley) Limited in July 2018 meaning 17 out of 18 of Manchester's omnicities would be erased from existence.
Fortunately, Jonny Eaves preserved former First Manchester Limited 12001 (YN05 GYA) in late 2018 saving it from the scrap heap, meaning a piece of Manchester's bendy bus history has survived.