The nomadic life of PMT 759
Back in 1990, The privatised PMT Ltd, took delivery of ten Cummins L10 engined Leyland Olympians. Seven of the ten were to 'coach' specification and intended primarily, to operate the flagship Hanley to Crewe route. Their performance and high top speed also rendered them a good choice for private hire and on motorways, they were capable of the speed limit.
Eventually their time came for withdrawal as their final purpose, a multi-bus school contract in Sandbach, came to an end with 'independent' operators winning the tenders. The final Olympian on PMT's books was G755 XRE as 759 had escaped into preservation twelve months beforehand. 759's new owner was an enthusiastic First driver who also owned a pair of ex PMT Bristol REs. To help out a friend, he also drove occasionally for a local dance troupe and when they needed another bus, G597 filled the bill with a good seating capacity and a top speed which enabled distances to be covered with ease. The troupe leaders were sympathetic towards the enthusiast leanings of their driver and allowed the bus (after some re-panelling at RBW) to be painted to his specifications. The bus duly re-appeared from the paintshop wearing a ficticious, but very passible NBC style scheme and with the troup's name in NBC style with the double N logo.
Time came when the troupe wanted to up-date their bus and so they purchased (very favourably) an ex Stagecoach Volvo Olympian. The ex PMT 'decker then passed back to the ownership of the driver. He next decided that he didn't need three buses and so sold 759 again, this time it went on rather a long trip, ending up on sightseeing work in California ... but still in NBC 'Poppy Red'.
The nomadic life of PMT 759
Back in 1990, The privatised PMT Ltd, took delivery of ten Cummins L10 engined Leyland Olympians. Seven of the ten were to 'coach' specification and intended primarily, to operate the flagship Hanley to Crewe route. Their performance and high top speed also rendered them a good choice for private hire and on motorways, they were capable of the speed limit.
Eventually their time came for withdrawal as their final purpose, a multi-bus school contract in Sandbach, came to an end with 'independent' operators winning the tenders. The final Olympian on PMT's books was G755 XRE as 759 had escaped into preservation twelve months beforehand. 759's new owner was an enthusiastic First driver who also owned a pair of ex PMT Bristol REs. To help out a friend, he also drove occasionally for a local dance troupe and when they needed another bus, G597 filled the bill with a good seating capacity and a top speed which enabled distances to be covered with ease. The troupe leaders were sympathetic towards the enthusiast leanings of their driver and allowed the bus (after some re-panelling at RBW) to be painted to his specifications. The bus duly re-appeared from the paintshop wearing a ficticious, but very passible NBC style scheme and with the troup's name in NBC style with the double N logo.
Time came when the troupe wanted to up-date their bus and so they purchased (very favourably) an ex Stagecoach Volvo Olympian. The ex PMT 'decker then passed back to the ownership of the driver. He next decided that he didn't need three buses and so sold 759 again, this time it went on rather a long trip, ending up on sightseeing work in California ... but still in NBC 'Poppy Red'.