LRT & Lothian Buses: Volvo Olympian / Alexander Royale

English: Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympian buses operated by Lothian Region Transport and its successor, Lothian Buses. A total of 67 were bought by LRT in 1996/7, with fleetnumbers matched to their registrations (Nnnn GSX & Pnnn KSX), with one number not issued (280). The majority (64) were dual doored buses, while 3 were single doored with coach seats, for use in the coach division (white livery), later cascaded to the main fleet. These were the last step entrance buses delivered new to the company (some 2nd hand Leyland Nationals were bought in 2000), and were the last to wear the traditional madder & white livery (newer, low floor buses, wore the new Harlequin livery). Buses 401 to 430 arrived from Jul to Nov 1996, followed by the three coach seaters (431-433). Numbering then reset, with buses 251 to 279 & 281 to 285 arriving from May to Jul 1997. The last ran in service on 29th August 2009 (route 23) - all then left the fleet, except 433 (retained as the boat tour bus until 2011) & 285 (kept as a preserved bus).

fleetnumbers & registrations

July 1996

No. 401 (N401 GSX)
No. 402 (N402 GSX)
No. 403 (N403 GSX)
No. 404 (N404 GSX)
No. 405 (N405 GSX)
No. 406 (N406 GSX)
No. 407 (N407 GSX)

Aug to Nov 1996

No. 408 (P408 KSX)
No. 409 (P409 KSX)
No. 410 (P410 KSX)
No. 411 (P411 KSX)
No. 412 (P412 KSX)
No. 413 (P413 KSX)
No. 414 (P414 KSX)
No. 415 (P415 KSX)
No. 416 (P416 KSX)
No. 417 (P417 KSX)
No. 418 (P418 KSX)
No. 419 (P419 KSX)
No. 420 (P420 KSX)
No. 421 (P421 KSX)
No. 422 (P422 KSX)
No. 423 (P423 KSX)
No. 424 (P424 KSX)
No. 425 (P425 KSX)
No. 426 (P426 KSX)
No. 427 (P427 KSX)
No. 428 (P428 KSX)
No. 429 (P429 KSX)
No. 430 (P430 KSX)

Nov 1996 (coach seaters)

No. 431 (P431 KSX)
No. 432 (P432 KSX)
No. 433 (P433 KSX)

May to Jul 1997

No. 251 (P251 PSX)
No. 252 (P252 PSX)
No. 253 (P253 PSX)
No. 254 (P254 PSX)
No. 255 (P255 PSX)
No. 256 (P256 PSX)
No. 257 (P257 PSX)
No. 258 (P258 PSX)
No. 259 (P259 PSX)
No. 260 (P260 PSX)
No. 261 (P261 PSX)
No. 262 (P262 PSX)
No. 263 (P263 PSX)
No. 264 (P264 PSX)
No. 265 (P265 PSX)
No. 266 (P266 PSX)
No. 267 (P267 PSX)
No. 268 (P268 PSX)
No. 269 (P269 PSX)
No. 270 (P270 PSX)
No. 271 (P271 PSX)
No. 272 (P272 PSX)
No. 273 (P273 PSX)
No. 274 (P274 PSX)
No. 275 (P275 PSX)
No. 276 (P276 PSX)
No. 277 (P277 PSX)
No. 278 (P278 PSX)
No. 279 (P279 PSX)
No. 280 - not issued
No. 281 (P281 PSX)
No. 282 (P282 PSX)
No. 283 (P283 PSX)
No. 284 (P284 PSX)
No. 285 (P285 PSX)

With Lothian Buses

When they entered service with LRT, livery for the bus seated Vehicles was the standard LRT madder/white with LRT Lothian fleetnames.

In Lothian madder/white livery

The transition from LRT to Lothian Buses saw no change to the standard bus livery, with Lothian retaining the madder & white livery for step-entrance buses. The fleetname however did change, to simply 'Lothian' (with yellow strapline).

No.s 430-432 in route 15 red/white livery

No.s 430-432 (1 bus and 2 coach seaters) were later repainted into the special route 15 red & white livery.

431 or 432
432

No. 433 as the boat tour bus

No. 285 in preservation

No. 285 was retained by Lothian as a semi-preserved vehicle, for special events. Before retiring, it was fully refurbished, repanelled, and returned to the original interior of red vinyl seat trim.

At the Eastfield terminus of route 15 on an enthusiast's tour
(3 June 2010)
At the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum
(August 2012)
At the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum
(August 2012)
At Marine garage
(24 May 2014)

With other operators

Ex-269
Classicbus North West (22 May 2013)
Ex 261 and 271
(re-registered 7105 HP and 2701HP)
Hamilton-Gray Coaches
(17 June 2015)
Ex-274
TM Travel
(16 October 2010)
Ex-406
Sharpes of Nottingham
(30 Jan 2010)
Ex-411
Sharpes of Nottingham
(Showbus 2009)
Ex-411
Sharpes of Nottingham
(Showbus 2009)
Ex-414
Fishwicks
(2009 Trans Lancs Rally)
Ex-414
Fishwicks
(2009 Trans Lancs Rally)
Ex-414
Fishwicks
(2011 Yorkshire Dales Bus & Coach Running Day)
Ex-429
Impera
(22 May 2011)
Ex-429
Impera
(29 July 2013)