Optare Olympus
Encyclopedia
Optare
Optare plc is a bus manufacturer and importer based in Leeds and Blackburn, UK. The company operates from three main business units, Bus Manufacturing, Coach Sales and Unitec....
Olympus (introduced in 2006 as the East Lancs Olympus, and sold as the Darwen Olympus between 2007 and 2008) is a double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
built by Optare. It could be built as a complete bus with Optare's own chassis, or as a body
Coachwork
Coachwork is the body of a horse-drawn coach or carriage, a motor vehicle , a railroad car or railway carriage. Usually reserved for bodies built on a separate chassis, rather than being of unitary or monocoque construction...
available on Alexander Dennis Enviro400, Volvo B9TL
Volvo B9TL
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo Buses since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL and the Volvo B7TL.-Chassis:...
or Scania N230UD/N270UD
Scania N-series
Scania N-series is a series of city bus with straight-up, transversely mounted Euro IV/Euro V engine at the rear.It is available as N230UB, N270UB as well as the N230UD and N270UD...
chassis.
It is the double-deck equivalent of the Optare Esteem
Optare Esteem
The Optare Esteem is a single-deck bus body. It has been built on Scania N94UB, Scania N230UB, Volvo B7RLE, MAN 12.240, Dennis Dart SLF, Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart and Alexander Dennis Enviro300 chassis.The Esteem was launched by East Lancashire Coachbuilders...
.
East Lancs Olympus
The Olympus was launched by East Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders
East Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
in November 2006. The first example, built on a Volvo B9TL chassis for Delaine Buses
Delaine Buses
Delaine Buses is a bus operator based in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. They operate many East Lancashire Coachbuilders buses including the first ever Olympus.-Current Bus Services:See company timetable...
, was displayed at Euro Bus Expo 2006. It had been the intention to exhibit a higher specification model for Ham's of Flimwell, but this was not ready in time for the show, meaning the bus didn't show its full potential.
The Olympus replaced the OmniDekka
Scania OmniDekka
The Scania OmniDekka is a double-decker bus built for sale in the UK...
on Scania chassis, which is 10.6 or 11.9 metres in length. On Volvo chassis, it replaced the Myllennium Vyking
East Lancs Myllennium Vyking
The East Lancs Myllennium Vyking is a type of bus body built on the Volvo B7TL chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders.-History:The Myllennium Vyking superseded the East Lancs Vyking. The Vyking was also the East Lancs body for the Volvo B7TL, but in 2000, was given a facelift with East Lancs'...
. On Alexander Dennis chassis, it replaced the Myllennium Lolyne
East Lancs Myllennium Lolyne
The East Lancs Myllennium Lolyne is a type of bus body built on the Dennis Trident 2 chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders.-History:The Myllennium Lolyne superseded the East Lancs Lolyne. The Lolyne was also the East Lancs body for the Dennis Trident 2, but in 2000, was given a facelift with...
.
At the beginning of January 2007, Reading Buses ordered six Olympus with Scania chassis for their Loddon Bridge FastTrack park and ride contract to replace Optare Excel
Optare Excel
The Optare Excel is a low-floor full-size single-decker bus manufactured by Optare.Manufactured as an integral bus, the Excel was launched in 1995 as one of the first low-floor single-deck vehicles. The styling of the body was in keeping with existing Optare products, especially at the rear...
s. They entered service in a yellow and blue livery in July 2007.
In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, some bus operators purchased Olympus with Scania chassis. Transdev London
Transdev London
London United is one of many operators of London Buses and is owned by the RATP Group, an international public transport operator owned by the government of France...
and Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
have these buses operating on routes 148 and 7 respectively. Due to problems with the new TfL
TFL
TFL may refer to:* Tasmanian Football League, an Australian rules football competition* Tensor fasciae latae muscle, a thigh/hip muscle* Transport for London, a public transport organisation in the London area* The Flaming Lips, an American rock band...
specified air-conditioning units, some buses failed the tilt test by one degree, and entered service late.
Darwen Olympus
East Lancs went into administration in August 2007 and was bought by the Darwen GroupDarwen Group
The Darwen Group was a bus manufacturer located in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. The company originated from the purchase of East Lancashire Coachbuilders who went into administration in August 2007...
. The body was therefore renamed Darwen Olympus.
The first buses to be delivered under the Darwen name were those ordered by Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. Its hub is Cardiff central bus station...
(one of which was shown at Coach and Bus live 2007) and Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and the southern areas of North Yorkshire in England.-History:Arriva Yorkshire was formed as a combination of mergers of previous...
.
Reading Transport
Reading Transport
Reading Transport Ltd is a bus operator serving the towns of Reading, Newbury and the surrounding area in the English county of Berkshire. The company is wholly owned by Reading Borough Council and operates under the brands Reading Buses, Newbury Buses and Goldline Travel...
has numerous examples bodied by Darwen, in addition to a few built by East Lancs before they went into administration.
Optare Olympus
Following the reverse takeover of Optare by Darwen Group in June 2008, the Olympus was again renamed, becoming the Optare Olympus. London GeneralLondon General
London General is a bus company operating in Surrey ang Greater London. It is owned by the Go-Ahead Group and operates most buses under contract to London Buses...
ordered the Olympus with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 chassis instead of Scania which Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
and Transdev London
Transdev London
London United is one of many operators of London Buses and is owned by the RATP Group, an international public transport operator owned by the government of France...
had inherited. Metrobus have 30 buses on Scania N230UD chassis for London routes 54
London Buses route 54
London Buses route 54 is a Transport for London bus route in the United Kingdom, it is now contracted to Metrobus.-Bases:Before 2009, when Stagecoach Selkent ran the route under tender from Transport for London, the 54 was based based at Catford garage, although other depots, notably Plumstead,...
and 75
London Buses route 75
London Buses route 75 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metrobus.-History:...
In 2009, Optare announced that it had designed its own chassis for the Optare Olympus.