(01 Feb 2023, 6:36 pm)V514DFT wrote Thing is (and this may sound daft) but any vehicle can have a fire from the minute it rolls out the factory, but the older a vehicle gets, then there is a greater CHANCE of it catching fire, it could be 1 factor, 3 factors, or 10 factors and/or more as to why 8330 went up in smoke, look at 8303, that was 8 year old when that caught fire, 8330 would of been 12 this year

Since you mention it, Scania L94UB - Wright Solar number 4939 (NK51OLA) was one of those few vehicles to be destroyed by fire before entering service, hence the gap in the numbers and that 4954 or 4955 was delivered as it's replacement, it was also why GNE had a Scania Wright Solar demo YN51MGU on loan (I nicknamed it Pingu as it had cartoon Penguins on it) https://www.flickr.com/photos/thetranspo...2056141783

However it wasn't by mechanical issue that caused the fire, I believe the vehicle was displayed at one of them Bus and Coach Shows where manufactuers show off their latest vehicles, 4939 was there on display as an example of the Scania L94UB / Wright Solar on the Scania stand. Anyway it was at Hogarth Coachworks in Birtley (on behalf of Scania) when a serial arsonist struck the premises destroying several vehicles (mainly trucks) of which 4939 was amongst them. Article about fire here - https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7...ire-arson/