(03 Jan 2023, 8:04 am)Storx wrote High Floor Darts, SPD Darts, Tridents, Volvo Olympians. I believe all 3 had them at the same time.
There were Darts everywhere at one point.
I'm trying to reckon back on those examples and although they had them, I'm sure that there were similar vehicles, I'm sure they were bodied by different coachbuilders.
As an example, I remember Arriva getting a load of Northern Counties Olympians after the first Hartlepool Tall Ships. But hadn't the SNE ones gone by then?
I can't remember SNE or ANE having ELC Tridents like GNE had. Nor the ANE having Alexander bodied high floor Darts that the other two did.
Ditto, I can't remember the ANE SPD's.
(03 Jan 2023, 12:42 pm)Chris 1 wrote Waiting times, maybe? Some operators actively dual sourced vehicles as policy.
I believe The Northern were unusual in being an NBC company buying both Metrobuses and VRs/Olympians due to the reasons you mention above.
Quite possibly! Tory Government + poor industrial relations = potential strikes (and subsequent delays).
It's almost as if we've gone back to the future!
Dunno if Leyland or ECW were on strike in 83/84 when the TWPTE got their Olys, but if I was to take a guess...
Edit: https://archive.commercialmotor.com/arti...-bus-share just found this from 1982. Could have had an impact on those C-reg Olys.