(07 Feb 2026, 1:45 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote Optare Olympus 6970 & 6976 are the next 2 to be withdrawn this weekend. Tracking today, but won't be in service by Monday.

I went out to catch 6974 on the 56 in Newcastle for it to be terminated at Gateshead as it was operating 19 minutes late. 

I always quite liked the styling of the Optare Olympus however I am glad to see these being Withdrawn as they are way past there best years with two referenced above being the worst of the small batch we got here in the North East, 6970 does not like hills as I have had it a few times on the 53 and 93 respectively going up Bensham Bank, safe to say your life was in the drivers hands.

Wouldn't surprise me if one of the London based Preservation Groups picked one up, I do hope with B7TL Gemini's also being Withdrawn that a few of these a picked up for Preservation.