Further new vehicles are also Scania / ADL combinations.
These are 236-238 (YN67 EGE/EGF/EGH), ADL Enviro 300 bodied Scania
K250UBs, with a DP43F layout.
A rather unusual acquisition for the
recovery fleet is E21 (Q157 YNC) a 1970 Mercedes Unimog 404.1 U82. It is
an ex-NATO Reserve Fire Service vehicle, and still carries that bodywork.
It has spent most of its life in storage, and has less than 20,000km on
its clock! It is the only left-hand drive vehicle in the fleet, and is
intended more for publicity than the likelihood of it actually being
needed to be used!
Withdrawn are 204-6 (Y204-6 AKN) Scania L94UB / Wright Axcess Floline
B44F dating from 2001, replaced by the E300s above. With the exception of
heritage vehicles and those carrying “cherished” plates, these were the
last vehicles carrying the old-style registrations.
The vehicles of Haven Coaches, a small Staffordshire independent on the
outskirts of Eldorado’s operating area, have been acquired when the
business closed on the retirement of the owner. Three of the acquired
vehicles have been taken into the Eldorado fleet, despite being
“non-standard” vehicles for Eldorado. They are 123 (DX62 PSW), a Volvo
B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini II H45/23D; 235 (DU10 ZYH), an ADL Enviro 200
with B35F body; and 67, a Bova Futura FHD12.340 C49Ft which keeps its
“cherished” registration DX05 HAV.
The acquisition also included several older coaches which will not be
taken into the fleet – three Volvo/Van Hool T8s and two Volvo/Plaxtons all
over 20 years old, and at the time of acquisition it was not sure how many
of these were still “runners”, and an accident damaged Volvo B9TL / Wright
Eclipse Gemini – this being an older Mk1 type. This will be given a
thorough examination to decide whether it is viable to repair it, or
whether it should be scrapped. The final vehicle, discovered in a corner
of the yard, proved to be quite a surprise! EGN 681J is an AEC Swift 4MP2R
with Metro-Cammell B46F body, which was new in 1971 to London Transport as
SMS681, and was originally B33D+34 standees. Some attempt at preservation
has already been made, and the plan is to keep this vehicle and complete
the restoration, but in its current (B46F) form, with no plans to revert
to dual door configuration.
September
2017
New is 51 (ELD 600), a Scania K410ID6X2*4 with ADL Enviro
500MMC CH59/18Dt coachwork (Photo). It would have been issued with a 67-plate, but
carries the cherished registration plate from the 1991 Olympian double
deck coach which was withdrawn in 2013. Also new is 59 (FC67 ELD), a
second Mercedes Atego 1223L with Plaxton Cheetah XL body, this time with a
rear mounted toilet, and hence a reduced seating capacity of C32Ft.
June
2017
Major revisions to the X-series of express services
created a shortage of coaches, resulting in the re-instating of Bova
Futura 62 (PH02 CDW), and the hiring of several vehicles, which included
for varying periods: from Padbus - 103 (OM13 CAC) Scania K340EB/Van Hool
Alizee C49Ft, (despite its heavy Oxford - London route branding!); from
Arden Forest - 181 (FJ11 MLU) Volvo B11R/Caetano Levante C51FLt; from
dealers - YJ06 LBL, Bova FHD12.340/Bova Futura C49Ft; YP14 PGE, Scania
K410EB/Irizar PB 14-3.7 C59Ft; and FJI 5377, Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool Alizee
C53F dating from 1997!
Second-hand acquisitions to ease the shortage of
coaches are 44 (YN09 BRE), a Scania K340EB/Irizar PB 12-3.5 C49FLt dating
from 2009, and 45 (FN59 EOR) Scania K340EB/Caetano CT650 C49FLt from 2010
which are now in full fleet livery. Also acquired are 64/65 (R4 ELD/R5 ELD
– ex-MJI 7692/3, originally T447/8 ABH) Mercedes 0404 / Mercedes Tourismo
15.RHD C49FLt, and 66 (P6 ELD – ex-V606 PCX) Bova FHD12.340 / Bova Futura
C53FL. All date from 1999, and have been painted in a simplified livery of
plain cream (without stripes or other embellishments) to keep cost to a
minimum (Photo). They will be used for contract work and private hire, releasing
more suitable vehicles for the express services.
A further TRS Slide Bed has been acquired for the specialist recovery
division. E12 (BT11 BDO) is built on a MAN TGL 12.220 chassis dating from
2011.
March
2017
The double deckers in the "specialist" fleet were
renumbered. Bristol FLFs 132 (MHN 225E), 133 (5083 HN) and 135 (316 NJO)
became 151-3 respectively, Bristol FS 136 (274 BWU) became 154, and Scania
/ Alexander 146 (350 ELD) became 155.
Second-hand acquisitions are 156/7
(YN56 FEA/FEC), Scania N94s with Optare OmniDekka bodies which were
converted to open top and fitted with wheelchair lifts to the upper deck
in the centre entrance before entering service. 156 is branded for the
Manchester Tour and 157 for the Peak Explorer.
February
2017
New vehicles are 11 (YL17 ELD), a further 14m Scania
K410EB6 with Irizar C57DLt bodywork, with the wheelchair lift incorporated
into a nearside centre door, as per last year’s deliveries, and 58 (FJ17
ELD), a Mercedes Atego 1223L / Plaxton Cheetah XL C36F, with a second,
similar, vehicle on order.
Following the success of last year’s venture,
Eldorado is again assisting Crossways (Ryan Birch) by loaning a
number of vehicles for use on the Racecourse Shuttles for the Cheltenham
Festival (14th-17th March). 8 PCVs plus a recovery
vehicle are being loaned, and a list of these can be seen
in the “Events” section.
