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Optare built over 600 examples of the Excel between 1995 and 2004 (inc), sandwiched between the Sigma on 'step entrance' Dennis Lance chassis and the Tempo.
Reading Buses was a major customer, taking 48 (numbered 901-45 & 961-3) between 1997 and 2000, split over several batches. The first 45 were 11.5m examples, whilst the final three were 11.8m. When the batch of seven delivered in Autumn 1998 (925-31) came up for withdrawal and sale in late 2009, five found their way to South Wales operators. New Adventure Travel purchased S925/9/31 LBL and South Wales Transport received S926/30 LBL.
Those with New Adventure Travel entered service in early 2010 at Pontypridd depot on Service 102 (Glyncoch-Pontypridd-Rhydyfelin), for which they received branding, though lasted for less than two years.
This shot of S925 LBL was taken in August 2011 as she was passing along Gelliwasted Road in the town centre when heading for Glyncoch. Unfortunately the LED displays fitted by the company seldom yielded a destination at a fast shutter speed.
She was subsequently exported to Turin and by early 2024 was in use as a 'Discobus'.
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The Type 89 Lotus Excel, built from 1982 to 1992, is a front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car designed and built by Lotus. It was based on the design of the earlier Lotus Eclat, which itself was based on the earlier Lotus Elite II.
Toyota engaged Lotus to assist with engineering work on the Supra. During this period, Toyota became a major shareholder in Lotus, later giving up their holding when General Motors bought Lotus.
Part of the deal between Lotus and Toyota included the use of many Toyota mechanical components in Lotus' cars. The original Excel (aka the Éclat Excel) used the W58 manual transmission, driveshafts, rear differential, 14x7 in alloy wheels, and door handles from the Supra Mk II, which was made from 1982 to 1986. The engine was the familiar all-aluminium, DOHC 2.2 L Lotus 912 Slant Four (which was used in the Lotus Esprit S3). During its lifetime, the Excel received two major upgrades with the introduction of the Excel SE (a 180 bhp/134 kW engine vs the standard 160 bhp/119 kW engined car) in 1985 and the Excel SA with automatic gearbox in 1986. Further facelifts in 1989 saw Citroen-derived mirrors, as featured on the Esprit, and 15 inch OZ alloy wheels to a similar pattern as the Esprit's.
According to Lotus records, only 1 Excel was manufactured to USA specification. The lack of release in the USA was due to the high emission regulations (which would hinder the car's performance), and poor sales of the car in Europe.
(Wikipedia)
Trent Barton Optare Excel 264 - Y264 DRC departs Victoria bus station on the Centrelink to Broadmarsh bus station. This free service operates at 10 minute intervals and links Nottingham's two bus stations with the City Centre. 264 is covering for one of the four electric Solos allocated to the service and is my favourite Excel in the fleet.
As from Monday 4th September 2017, operation of former Stagecoach service 37 King’s Lynn - Southery/Ten Mile Bank passed to Lynxbus and here we see their Optare Excel type number 21 Y251 DRC arriving at the Downham Market Morrisons bus stop with the above journey. Originally new to Trent Barton in April 2001, this vehicle still carries the colours of previous owner, Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire. If my memory serves me correctly, service 37 was inherited by Go West Travel t/a Norfolk Green when they acquired the original Haynes of Ringstead Norfolk Green operation in January 1996.
Now at the very end of its life and about to donate some of its mechanicals to keep 693 running, TWM Excel 687 nears completion at Optare, 12 November 1998.
If there was ever a livery that was expected for me to put on an Optare Excel... this is not it. This is absolutely not it, but I did it anyway.
A thought I had before I remade the Excel drawing was what one would look like in the current 'Mango spare' TrentBarton livery. I think it looks quite good actually, which is a credit to the Excel for still looking modern, despite being about 25 years old. It's on the Skylink Express because there's always a spare on the Skylink Express.
Given TrentBarton's current vehicle shortage, they could probably do with a few of these. Though also given their current vehicle shortage, why did they keep withdrawing Solars and transferring Eclipses to Kinchbus and Solos to TM Travel when they knew they had nothing to replace them? Now they've run out of buses and I don't see anything from N&D/TM/Kinch going back the other way on loan.
Who cares? I made a thing.
McKindless YBZ1462 (R278EKH)
Optare Excel L1150 / Optare
Photo Date :- 09/2007
Photo Location :- McKindless depot, Bogside, Newmains, Lanarkshire.
Notes :-
New to EYMS as their 278 (R278EKH) 08/1997. Most likely McKindless would be its last owner.
The TWM Excel was manufactured by Terry Wren Motors and is thought to be one of about 70 made. They were produced during the late 50s and early 60s. The firm went on to produce fibreglass housings for radar installations.
As is tradition, with each new 'blank' bus drawing I do, I also do a liveried up version to go along with it. There were so many choices for the Excel I could've spent hours making different liveries for it and another hour choosing which one to pick for upload. However, I didn't have hours to spare, so I did Rainbow 3 because it was basic and I could quickly and easily make all the branding parts. The red/yellow and rainbow coloured 'bow' logos I both made fairly recently, so I could use them on OMSI repaints, and they certainly came in handy here.
I have vague recollections of seeing these in town when I was taken there as a child, although as they only dipped into Victoria bus station and then left again they were never a major part of my observations, unlike NCT's which were everywhere. The one which made the biggest impact on me was when one must've been on its way to/from Manvers Street for whatever reason, and I saw it go along Parliament Street from a distance. I thought it was some kind of weird, all-orange 36 or something.
No steal plz.
KaBoogie Optare Excel 2 L1180 NY03 JJF Seen at Grainger Street in the evening, working as a “Party Bus”. This particular Excel was new to Middlesbrough Council as a playbus in 2003 and has remained in the region ever since, passing onto KaBoogie in 2015 where it was converted into a “Party Bus” by Blackpool Design Coachbuilders. An article on this bus can be read here: bdc-uk.co.uk/party-bus/
08/07/2023
This is the eastern end of London's ExCeL Arena. To the right of the red cladding is an enormous sliding door. It was designed in Biggleswade to a high acoustic standard, to keep out the noise from City Airport. It is tall, so that boats for the London Boat Show can be taken in and out.
Trent Barton Optare Excel 264 - Y264 DRC, one of only a handful remaining in the fleet, finds itself in Nottingham City Centre substituting for a Volvo B10M coach on the peak hours limited stop 'Club Class' service to Sandiacre. In the background may be seen the iconic Council House building.
FLEAS, BOATS & GUNS ~ Saint Joseph, Missouri ~ Copyright ©2014 Bob Travaglione ~ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ~ www.FoToEdge.com
C-GCGU - Cessna C-560XL Citation Excel -
Chartright Air (untitled)
at Toronto Lester B. Pearson Airport (YYZ)
c/n 560-5247 - built in 2002 -
operated by Chartright Air since 02/2021
Thought I'd go and investigate the special service between Canning Town and Excel today, this being provided due to the DLR strike. Ensigns turned out much of their fleet, old and new(ish). For my first trip from Canning Town I had the Trident in the centre (now numbered 159, ex Stagecoach 18229) to Excel for M1 back. The bus on the left is Regal Busways ex Metroline TP64, parked up between peak workings supplementing the 474. 3/11/15.
This Optare Excel was new to Ipswich Buses as P194 SGV. It is seen here in the yard of Xidias Coaches, Larnaca, Cyprus
First West of England 33506 (LK08FKY) is seen at Portishead, Combe Road on "Excel" route X4.
Formerly First London DN33506 and First Leicester 33506.
Another look at some gorgeous new buses now in service in Norfolk.
The introduction into service of 19 brand new Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Enviro400 City H42/30F buses on the First Eastern Counties Excel services A-D between Norwich and Peterborough prompted a big day out to go and see, ride and photograph them. Numbered 36901-19, the batch is registered YN69XZD/E/G/H/J-M/O/P/R-Z.
I purchased an excel day ticket for £11 on the launch day (17/02/2020) and started my journey at Peterborough Station hopping off for some photos at Wisbech, Kings Lynn, Swaffham and Dereham before finishing up at Norwich Bus Station.
1108 had arrived via the take over of Williamsons service work,one of those was the 576 route to Oswestry where i had taken this photograph on my last day at Arriva 27/3/02.1108 was later transfered to Swanlincote together with 1109
Former Nottingham City Transport Optare Excel FD51 EYY number 772 with Centrebus leaves St Margarets Bus Station in Leicester on 15-04-15.
Love Open Water London Royal Docks and the ExCeL Exhibition Centre located at Custom House and the 4 star Sunborn Yacht Hotel in East London
The LT Museum have equipped their Optare Excel bus as a display for Year of the Bus. This is the interior view. It was not exactly busy when at the Alperton Garage Open Day.
New and improved Excel drawing now available:
www.flickr.com/photos/108834608@N06/52678961915/in/datepo...
Joining the E400 City in the 'buses from the 36 club' is the Optare Excel, the initial vehicle type used to start off the service in 2001.
I don't really know much about the orange line Excels' fleet history with NCT, as there seemed to be two Y reg buses, then two for yellow line, then 51 plates numbered 549-556, with 557 coming in later off green line, and 557 being an 02 plate.
The bus which I traced this over is Andrew's Y546 DTO, the same Y546 DTO which was one of the two Y regs mentioned above.
A look back at some more bus shots from a family holiday taken in North Wales in May 2013.
Here, Stena Line of Holyhead 3-door Optare Excel L1150 2 T783KNW works an internal service at the Holyhead ferry port. This bus, one of a pair operated by Stena Line, was new to Concorde Express of Heathrow in 1999.