| The ARP601-20X batch of Olympians were the last buses purchased before the split, here are all 20 in a varity of liveries. Some were diverted from Alder Valley 601-3/9-11 and Southdown 612-6 to replace VRs 968-77 that went to Eastern Counties.
All were new between 11/81 and 1/82 and were fitted with transign blinds. Several were rebuilt as semi coaches for Coachlinks at Bedford and Kettering. 601-3 Were at Northampton 604-11 at Bedford and 612-20 to Luton and passed to L&D in 1986. A few still survive today with new owners. 603 was an early accident victim in 1990. 601-3 were delivered as fully automatic with roller blinds but were altered before entry to service these had chassis numbers 035-7 with 620 as 169, these were some of the first Olympians built. |
601 by then a Bedford vehicle at Cambridge Sept 87 this was rebuilt first of the Coachlinks vehicles and later became 14001, it passed to preservationists from UC |
602 at Kettering June 89, another coach rebuild it was broken up by the company in 2004 |
603 at Showbus sept 87, at Woburn Abbey. withdrawn after accident damage June 90 this would have become 14003 had it survived |
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604 at Bedford July 90 in Chiltern radio advert livery, the only Bedford ARP-X Olympian to wear advert livery, here on Bedford High Street. This was to be the basis of a corgi model released in stripes a few years back, Chiltern Radio has now become Heart and is nothing more than a computer controlled loop of music,or am i getting old! |
605 Duxford Sept 00. Last of the UC batch to go lasting till 2006 it passed for scrap. Only 601/6 managed to wear the new Stagecoach livery. |
606 Northampton Aug 03, with roller Blinds. One of the batch to see further service 606 passed to a Essex operator and was seen at showbus 2006/7 |
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607 Northampton Aug 03, VR lower Grille and Roller Blinds. This one passed to a London area non psv operator in 2005 |
608 Bedford Dec 84 last day of buses in Silver Street |
609 Bedford 2.84, in as delivered condition, the Bedford batch seldom ventured out of town in the early years |
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610 Duxford sept 04 VRT Grille in white and roller blind. Both 610/1 went to Cooper Killamarsh after sale by UC |
611 MK July 94, fitted with roller blinds and black grille. It was converted to open top by a later owner by sadly destroyed by fire in 2007 |
612 M1 Toddington July 84, returning to Luton after working a Hitchin - Toddington Shoppers special. |
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613 Luton Sept 97, still with brown UC Luton depot plate and awaiting repaint to red |
614 Woburn Sept 89, wrong fleetname for livery. With the arrival of Alexander Olympians most of the ARP batch went to Aylesbury. |
615 George St Luton Oct 87. Shown Luton Bus fleetnames but no NBC double N. George street no longer sees buses. |
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616 Luton March 89 it passed to a breaker in Nov 2001, |
617 Leighton Buzzard Feb 89 with nearside fleetname fitted in error. The only L&D one to pass to Ensign where 604-11 of UC all went. |
618 Luton 31 Dec 85 last day of UC operation at Luton, the fleetnames were added shortly after this shot was taken |
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619 Aylesbury Red Rover fleetname Aug 88. This became the last survivor of the L&D batch passing in 2007 to a devon operator. |
620 Bedford June 85, polybus advert. The L&D batch were renumbered from 612-20 to 5062/53-60 in 1997 |
