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suzyscottdotcomPart one of a two-part series – a brief background on the significance and history of these vehicles
Originally launched by Leyland Bus in 1981, the Leyland Tiger went on to become one of the best selling coach chassis produced by the company. The model was a complete redesign of the previous Leopard chassis incorporating air suspension, a new turbocharged engine and many other refinements. The Tiger was an excellent attempt by Leyland Bus to match the strong competition from Volvo and other foreign manufacturers who had developed popular models, often coupled with attractive continental bodywork. Of particular concern to Leyland was the success of Volvo's B58 coach chassis, which was gaining an excellent reputation for reliability and attracted high values on the second hand market. In Scotland, the Scottish Bus Group were seeking more upmarket coaches, following the arrival onto the Express Service scene of a certain independent called Stagecoach (running with some new Neoplan Skyliners), as well as general competition following deregulation of long distance routes.
As has already been documented elsewhere, Strathtay was formed in May 1985, with the Tayside area bits of Northern and Midland Scottish. Alphanumeric fleet numbers were used, with ST standing for Strathtay Tiger (ST1 to ST12 at the outset). Subsequent additions got numbers from ST13 to ST26. Additional Citylink coaches were bought and the fleet was gradually upgraded. When the ten Leyland Nationals were sold to Northern Scottish, four bus bodied Leyland Tiger/Alexander P types arrived from Northern, and these were numbered SBT1-4 (the remaining six were replaced with ex-Manchester Fleetline’s from dealer stock), and were used from Perth until that depot closed, as can be seen in this picture. The ST coaches were often used for Citylink services (as can be seen in this picture here – this one is now W58), including cross-border services into England. These included some briefly branded Cordon Bleu, with onboard drinks machines and servery, with host(ess) service.
The Government had a bar on new purchases in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s in preparation for privatisation, so by the time that Yorkshire Traction had taken over the company, the coaching fleet was rather long in the tooth. Two stock Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M’s arrived in time to enter service as new frontline coaches on Citylink, as SV1/2 – the second SV series, as the previous numbers were Volvo Ailsa’s. By this time, the Citylink output from Strathtay was just a few vehicles.
In early 1993, in preparation for Wayfarer III ticket equipment arriving, the fleet was renumbered. The two Volvo coaches (SV1/2) were renumbered to 401/2. The Tigers were renumbered, with a slight quirk. ST6 to ST26 (not complete) were numbered 4xx (406 etc.), but ST3 was renumbered 416. It, and ST17, had been rebodied the previous year by East Lancashire, with new EL2000 bodywork. (A slight quirk of this was another Tiger was acquired, as a chassis only, numbered ST27. This never entered service for Strathtay, and when it was rebodied, went straight onto Lincolnshire instead). The four bus P-type Tigers (SBT1-4) which were renumbered 501-4.
Following investment in single deck and double deck buses, and the successful use of several Spryte’s and Pyoneer’s by Strathtay, the company’s mind turned to some larger buses. Low floor buses, at the time, did not have the seating capacities required by local authorities, and needed to be fitted with seatbelts for use on Angus or Perth & Kinross Council school contracts. Strathtay investigated options for acquiring five or six new Volvo B10M dual-purpose buses, to be bodied by East Lancashire. East Lancs didn’t want to build a body for the B10M on their newly launched Myllennium body in 1999, which had been sold initially on low-floor DAF SB220 chassis for London Central to use on services to the Millennium Dome (one of those was due to have a new navigational system, which never materialised… but that’s another story!). So, a compromise was reached, and the company agreed to have six Leyland Tigers rebodied with a high-floor version of the Myllenium. So as to avoid problems with step heights potentially not being compliant, Strathtay requested that the body be built directly onto the chassis.
The next issue was which buses to rebody. The last Duple Dominant in the fleet, 406, would have seemed like an ideal one to rebody (Duple bodies had a tendency to rust), but it was a shorter length, and the Myllenium was designed for 12m long buses (then the legal maximum size). 425 was down for rebodying (I don’t think it was painted out of Citylink colours on it’s Duple body, before rebodying), but 426 continued in Strathtay colours, apparently being mechanically unsuitable. Similarly, 409 was down for rebodying, but 408 and 410 carried on (all the Duple Laser’s had been refurbished inside by Yorkshire Traction by this time). Six were pieced together, and were handed over to East Lancs in September 1999. When Strathtay got the six of them back the following Summer, 425 was allocated to Arbroath, 427/8 to Dundee, 429 to Montrose, 430 to Blairgowrie, and 431 to Forfar. New Volvo Bus chassis number plates were added to the stairwells, a weird irony given what the company could have had! Registrations stayed constant, except 429/430, which lost their Northern Irish plates. Despite having a wide range of unusual “cherished” registrations over the years, Strathtay preferred not to use NI registration numbers.
The Myllennium was also offered to other operators, one being used briefly by East Lancs for demonstration purposes. The body was marketed as the Myllenium Hyline rebody for reconditioned Leyland Tiger and Volvo B10M chassis. The concept was not a great success, with most operators preferring to purchase a new chassis rather than refurbishing an old one. As a result no further orders followed, and the six Tiger/Hylines represented the end of rebodying for the UK bus market, for now.
After the Myllenium’s arrived, further used Alexander bodied Tigers were purchased to upgrade the fleet, when withdrawn by Stagecoach. 432-434 came from Stagecoach Bluebird/JW Coaches in January 2001, having been parked up at Arbroath for a little while before. 435 was a Plaxton Paramount example used as a school bus and private hire coach from Arbroath which arrived in May 2001, and Alexander bodied 436 was a further example from JW/Bluebird in the same month. Also acquired then were two Alexander bodied examples from Fife as 437/438, which had spent most of their lives in Fife, being acquired from Highland when a year old. Additional Tigers were ECW bodied vehicles from Whitelaw’s for spares, but the final serviceable Tiger to enter service with Strathtay was 404, from Barnsley & District in July 2003. Some would say it should have been 439, but the choice was made because of the Volvo engine.
This view of 431, 430 and 427 – three different depot vehicles lined up together at Dundee Bus Station, was a chance shot on 5th October 2005, in the latter days of Strathtay under Traction Group ownership. As can perhaps be identified, 431 had been working the A90 north corridor towards Forfar & Kirriemuir. 430 had parked up during the daytimes in Dundee, when being used as Blairgowrie’s bus to Dundee High School (Myllenium’s in the end were frequent choices for the contract services worked to this fee-paying school), but also did short distance contracts between the main school building and the playing fields at Mayfield. 427 of Dundee had worked the 16 from Perth, and it’s next driver was about to take it out, when this picture was snapped.
Stagecoach acquired the Traction Group in December 2005, and the authorities cleared the move in July 2006. New five-digit numbers were given to the Tigers, either in the 2xxx series (buses) or 5xxxx series (coaches). Two of the rebodies were painted into Stagecoach swoops. After the end of the Leopards and other Leyland Tigers, the Myllenium’s were on borrowed time. It had been known that Buckinghamshire independent operator Wootten’s had been interested in acquiring them, and on 22nd February 2008, word was posted to the Dundee Area Bus Forum had three had been seen driving away from Angus. They made it as far as Gretna where they stayed for the night, before continuing to Lye Green (near Chesham, Buckinghamshire) the following day.
Having heard this, I passed this news onto Malcolm Crowe of the Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page, and he called the boss of the company to ask... “MJW admitted they are indeed for Woottens of Chesham. The young man was totally flabbergasted at the way the news travels as he had tried to keep this under his hat. Michael, you need a much bigger hat...”
On April 13th 2008, the other three Myllenium’s arrived at Lye Green. As if my chance shot of three together in Dundee Bus Station at once wasn’t lucky enough, this picture (taken on 7th June by the new owners) shows all six together! From left to right – W57 (THL 290Y), W61 (DFP 492Y), W60 (MSL 469X), W58 (A12 WTN), W62 (A15 WTN), and W59 (B11 WTN).
In June 2008, the trade press were reporting news that Wootten’s newly registered bus service T1 (Hemel Hempstead – Chesham – Aylesbury) was to be launched under the brand name of Tiger Line, using the rebodied Myllenium Tigers. The route (to start on Monday 28th July 2008) is to operate hourly from Hemel Hempstead via St Johns Road, Fishery Road, London Road, then a route similar to the recently revised Arriva 52/62 (except not double-running via HMP The Mount, but serving Whelpley Hill, where Arriva have withdrawn all but school journeys) via Bovingdon village, Lye Green, Chesham, and then providing new links to Hyde End, Great Missenden, Wendover, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Aylesbury Bus Station. Three vehicles will be used to provide an hourly frequency on weekdays, with one vehicle providing a two hourly frequency on Saturdays between Bovingdon Market and Aylesbury only.
During later June and early July, the four buses intended for use on the service had fitted with Hanover LED destination displays (which none of them actually carried while with Strathtay, despite having a suitably sized blind box!), which have a fixed destination on the top line, and scrolling via points on the bottom line. These have also been fitted with ACIS live real time tracking information. The buses intended for use on this work are W58 (A12 WTN), W60 (WWW 883), and W62 (B15 WTN), with W57 (THL 290Y) being the spare vehicle. The company’s director is very pleased with the vehicles, as well as the potential for the new service. The launch of this service was also caught in time to be included in both the new Hemel Hempstead Area Travel Guide (by Herts CC/Intalink) and the Aylesbury Vale Travel Guide (by Bucks CC), both dated July 2008. Additionally, Wootten’s also had staff, timetables and brochures at an Intalink display at Hemel Hempstead town centre on the Friday before the service started. For anyone wishing to do the full 74/77 minute journey end-to-end, a Day Return fare costs £4.80, with a £27.00 adult weekly, £33.00 adult 12 journey Saverstrip. English National Concessionary Bus Passes are accepted throughout (subject to local rules and conditions), and Intalink Explorer tickets are sold and accepted throughout the Tiger Line T1 service.
A brief history of these vehicles so far is as follows…
W57 (THL 290Y)
New in March 1983 to National Travel East, THL 290Y, a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C48FT bodywork
Ended up with Andrew’s Sheffield Omnibus
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 428
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Dundee for much of it’s new life
Reregistered YSV 318 July 2000
Renumbered 25816 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Reregistered to THL 290Y February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
W58 (A12 WTN)
New in June 1984 to Midland Scottish MPT127 (A127 ESG), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RH with Duple C46FT bodywork
Became Strathtay Scottish ST9 upon company formation in May 1985
Reregistered to VLT 93 February 1988
Refurbished by Yorkshire Traction, and reseated to C55F
Renumbered to 409 in March 1993
Sold to Meffan, Kirriemuir November 1993
Reacquired by Strathtay as 409 in January 1995
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service as 431 in July 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Forfar for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25819 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Re-registered to A127 ESG February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Re-registered A12 WTN
W59 (B11 WTN)
New in May 1987 to Central Scottish C15 (D315 SGB), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ with Duple C49FT bodywork
Central Scottish later became Kelvin Central Buses, final fleetnumber 4305
Sold to Strathtay Scottish as ST25 in May 1990
Reregistered WLT 943 in November 1990
Renumbered to 425 in March 1993
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service August 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Arbroath for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25814 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Re-registered to D315 SGB February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Re-registered B11 WTN
W60 (WWW 883)
New in July 1982 to Northern Scottish NLT5 (VSS 5X), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Duple C46FT
Became Strathtay Scottish ST4 upon company formation in May 1985
Rebodied after sustaining fire damage I think, February 1987, with Duple C48FT bodywork
Reregistered WLT 921 in July 1987
Reregistered MSL 185X in November 1993
Sold to Lincolnshire RoadCar (427) in December 1993
Reregistered KIB 6527 in March 1994
Reacquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 429
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service August 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Montrose for much of it’s new life
Reregistered to VLT 217 in September 2000
Renumbered 25817 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Reregistered to MSL 469X April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Reregistered WWW 883
W61 (DFP 492Y)
New in May 1983 to Trimdon Motor Services BAJ 637Y, a Leyland TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C49FT bodywork
Reregistered 2090 VT
Reregistered DFP 492Y
Reregistered MIA 2082
Reregistered YOI 139
Reregistered DBZ 918
Ended up with Andrew’s Sheffield Omnibus
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 427
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Dundee for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25815 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
One of two to be repainted into Stagecoach livery
Reregistered to DFP 492Y April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
W62 (A15 WTN)
New in August 1983 to Yorkshire Traction 56 (A56 WDT), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C46FT bodywork
Reregistered YTC 856
Reregistered HIL 8419
Ended up with Lincolnshire RoadCar (419)
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 430
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Blairgowrie for much of it’s new life
Reregistered 670 CLT January 2001
Renumbered 25818 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
One of two to be repainted into Stagecoach livery
Reregistered to A234 USR April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Reregistered to A15 WTN
This information was taken from my own notes, Dundee Area Bus Forum, the Strathtay section of NorthernScottish.com, and Wootten’s own website. The photos linked to were taken by Donald MacRae.
As has already been documented elsewhere, Strathtay was formed in May 1985, with the Tayside area bits of Northern and Midland Scottish. Alphanumeric fleet numbers were used, with ST standing for Strathtay Tiger (ST1 to ST12 at the outset). Subsequent additions got numbers from ST13 to ST26. Additional Citylink coaches were bought and the fleet was gradually upgraded. When the ten Leyland Nationals were sold to Northern Scottish, four bus bodied Leyland Tiger/Alexander P types arrived from Northern, and these were numbered SBT1-4 (the remaining six were replaced with ex-Manchester Fleetline’s from dealer stock), and were used from Perth until that depot closed, as can be seen in this picture. The ST coaches were often used for Citylink services (as can be seen in this picture here – this one is now W58), including cross-border services into England. These included some briefly branded Cordon Bleu, with onboard drinks machines and servery, with host(ess) service.
The Government had a bar on new purchases in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s in preparation for privatisation, so by the time that Yorkshire Traction had taken over the company, the coaching fleet was rather long in the tooth. Two stock Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M’s arrived in time to enter service as new frontline coaches on Citylink, as SV1/2 – the second SV series, as the previous numbers were Volvo Ailsa’s. By this time, the Citylink output from Strathtay was just a few vehicles.
In early 1993, in preparation for Wayfarer III ticket equipment arriving, the fleet was renumbered. The two Volvo coaches (SV1/2) were renumbered to 401/2. The Tigers were renumbered, with a slight quirk. ST6 to ST26 (not complete) were numbered 4xx (406 etc.), but ST3 was renumbered 416. It, and ST17, had been rebodied the previous year by East Lancashire, with new EL2000 bodywork. (A slight quirk of this was another Tiger was acquired, as a chassis only, numbered ST27. This never entered service for Strathtay, and when it was rebodied, went straight onto Lincolnshire instead). The four bus P-type Tigers (SBT1-4) which were renumbered 501-4.
Following investment in single deck and double deck buses, and the successful use of several Spryte’s and Pyoneer’s by Strathtay, the company’s mind turned to some larger buses. Low floor buses, at the time, did not have the seating capacities required by local authorities, and needed to be fitted with seatbelts for use on Angus or Perth & Kinross Council school contracts. Strathtay investigated options for acquiring five or six new Volvo B10M dual-purpose buses, to be bodied by East Lancashire. East Lancs didn’t want to build a body for the B10M on their newly launched Myllennium body in 1999, which had been sold initially on low-floor DAF SB220 chassis for London Central to use on services to the Millennium Dome (one of those was due to have a new navigational system, which never materialised… but that’s another story!). So, a compromise was reached, and the company agreed to have six Leyland Tigers rebodied with a high-floor version of the Myllenium. So as to avoid problems with step heights potentially not being compliant, Strathtay requested that the body be built directly onto the chassis.
The next issue was which buses to rebody. The last Duple Dominant in the fleet, 406, would have seemed like an ideal one to rebody (Duple bodies had a tendency to rust), but it was a shorter length, and the Myllenium was designed for 12m long buses (then the legal maximum size). 425 was down for rebodying (I don’t think it was painted out of Citylink colours on it’s Duple body, before rebodying), but 426 continued in Strathtay colours, apparently being mechanically unsuitable. Similarly, 409 was down for rebodying, but 408 and 410 carried on (all the Duple Laser’s had been refurbished inside by Yorkshire Traction by this time). Six were pieced together, and were handed over to East Lancs in September 1999. When Strathtay got the six of them back the following Summer, 425 was allocated to Arbroath, 427/8 to Dundee, 429 to Montrose, 430 to Blairgowrie, and 431 to Forfar. New Volvo Bus chassis number plates were added to the stairwells, a weird irony given what the company could have had! Registrations stayed constant, except 429/430, which lost their Northern Irish plates. Despite having a wide range of unusual “cherished” registrations over the years, Strathtay preferred not to use NI registration numbers.
The Myllennium was also offered to other operators, one being used briefly by East Lancs for demonstration purposes. The body was marketed as the Myllenium Hyline rebody for reconditioned Leyland Tiger and Volvo B10M chassis. The concept was not a great success, with most operators preferring to purchase a new chassis rather than refurbishing an old one. As a result no further orders followed, and the six Tiger/Hylines represented the end of rebodying for the UK bus market, for now.
After the Myllenium’s arrived, further used Alexander bodied Tigers were purchased to upgrade the fleet, when withdrawn by Stagecoach. 432-434 came from Stagecoach Bluebird/JW Coaches in January 2001, having been parked up at Arbroath for a little while before. 435 was a Plaxton Paramount example used as a school bus and private hire coach from Arbroath which arrived in May 2001, and Alexander bodied 436 was a further example from JW/Bluebird in the same month. Also acquired then were two Alexander bodied examples from Fife as 437/438, which had spent most of their lives in Fife, being acquired from Highland when a year old. Additional Tigers were ECW bodied vehicles from Whitelaw’s for spares, but the final serviceable Tiger to enter service with Strathtay was 404, from Barnsley & District in July 2003. Some would say it should have been 439, but the choice was made because of the Volvo engine.
This view of 431, 430 and 427 – three different depot vehicles lined up together at Dundee Bus Station, was a chance shot on 5th October 2005, in the latter days of Strathtay under Traction Group ownership. As can perhaps be identified, 431 had been working the A90 north corridor towards Forfar & Kirriemuir. 430 had parked up during the daytimes in Dundee, when being used as Blairgowrie’s bus to Dundee High School (Myllenium’s in the end were frequent choices for the contract services worked to this fee-paying school), but also did short distance contracts between the main school building and the playing fields at Mayfield. 427 of Dundee had worked the 16 from Perth, and it’s next driver was about to take it out, when this picture was snapped.
Stagecoach acquired the Traction Group in December 2005, and the authorities cleared the move in July 2006. New five-digit numbers were given to the Tigers, either in the 2xxx series (buses) or 5xxxx series (coaches). Two of the rebodies were painted into Stagecoach swoops. After the end of the Leopards and other Leyland Tigers, the Myllenium’s were on borrowed time. It had been known that Buckinghamshire independent operator Wootten’s had been interested in acquiring them, and on 22nd February 2008, word was posted to the Dundee Area Bus Forum had three had been seen driving away from Angus. They made it as far as Gretna where they stayed for the night, before continuing to Lye Green (near Chesham, Buckinghamshire) the following day.
Having heard this, I passed this news onto Malcolm Crowe of the Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page, and he called the boss of the company to ask... “MJW admitted they are indeed for Woottens of Chesham. The young man was totally flabbergasted at the way the news travels as he had tried to keep this under his hat. Michael, you need a much bigger hat...”
On April 13th 2008, the other three Myllenium’s arrived at Lye Green. As if my chance shot of three together in Dundee Bus Station at once wasn’t lucky enough, this picture (taken on 7th June by the new owners) shows all six together! From left to right – W57 (THL 290Y), W61 (DFP 492Y), W60 (MSL 469X), W58 (A12 WTN), W62 (A15 WTN), and W59 (B11 WTN).
In June 2008, the trade press were reporting news that Wootten’s newly registered bus service T1 (Hemel Hempstead – Chesham – Aylesbury) was to be launched under the brand name of Tiger Line, using the rebodied Myllenium Tigers. The route (to start on Monday 28th July 2008) is to operate hourly from Hemel Hempstead via St Johns Road, Fishery Road, London Road, then a route similar to the recently revised Arriva 52/62 (except not double-running via HMP The Mount, but serving Whelpley Hill, where Arriva have withdrawn all but school journeys) via Bovingdon village, Lye Green, Chesham, and then providing new links to Hyde End, Great Missenden, Wendover, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Aylesbury Bus Station. Three vehicles will be used to provide an hourly frequency on weekdays, with one vehicle providing a two hourly frequency on Saturdays between Bovingdon Market and Aylesbury only.
During later June and early July, the four buses intended for use on the service had fitted with Hanover LED destination displays (which none of them actually carried while with Strathtay, despite having a suitably sized blind box!), which have a fixed destination on the top line, and scrolling via points on the bottom line. These have also been fitted with ACIS live real time tracking information. The buses intended for use on this work are W58 (A12 WTN), W60 (WWW 883), and W62 (B15 WTN), with W57 (THL 290Y) being the spare vehicle. The company’s director is very pleased with the vehicles, as well as the potential for the new service. The launch of this service was also caught in time to be included in both the new Hemel Hempstead Area Travel Guide (by Herts CC/Intalink) and the Aylesbury Vale Travel Guide (by Bucks CC), both dated July 2008. Additionally, Wootten’s also had staff, timetables and brochures at an Intalink display at Hemel Hempstead town centre on the Friday before the service started. For anyone wishing to do the full 74/77 minute journey end-to-end, a Day Return fare costs £4.80, with a £27.00 adult weekly, £33.00 adult 12 journey Saverstrip. English National Concessionary Bus Passes are accepted throughout (subject to local rules and conditions), and Intalink Explorer tickets are sold and accepted throughout the Tiger Line T1 service.
A brief history of these vehicles so far is as follows…
W57 (THL 290Y)
New in March 1983 to National Travel East, THL 290Y, a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C48FT bodywork
Ended up with Andrew’s Sheffield Omnibus
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 428
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Dundee for much of it’s new life
Reregistered YSV 318 July 2000
Renumbered 25816 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Reregistered to THL 290Y February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
W58 (A12 WTN)
New in June 1984 to Midland Scottish MPT127 (A127 ESG), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RH with Duple C46FT bodywork
Became Strathtay Scottish ST9 upon company formation in May 1985
Reregistered to VLT 93 February 1988
Refurbished by Yorkshire Traction, and reseated to C55F
Renumbered to 409 in March 1993
Sold to Meffan, Kirriemuir November 1993
Reacquired by Strathtay as 409 in January 1995
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service as 431 in July 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Forfar for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25819 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Re-registered to A127 ESG February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Re-registered A12 WTN
W59 (B11 WTN)
New in May 1987 to Central Scottish C15 (D315 SGB), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ with Duple C49FT bodywork
Central Scottish later became Kelvin Central Buses, final fleetnumber 4305
Sold to Strathtay Scottish as ST25 in May 1990
Reregistered WLT 943 in November 1990
Renumbered to 425 in March 1993
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service August 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Arbroath for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25814 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Re-registered to D315 SGB February 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Re-registered B11 WTN
W60 (WWW 883)
New in July 1982 to Northern Scottish NLT5 (VSS 5X), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Duple C46FT
Became Strathtay Scottish ST4 upon company formation in May 1985
Rebodied after sustaining fire damage I think, February 1987, with Duple C48FT bodywork
Reregistered WLT 921 in July 1987
Reregistered MSL 185X in November 1993
Sold to Lincolnshire RoadCar (427) in December 1993
Reregistered KIB 6527 in March 1994
Reacquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 429
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service August 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Montrose for much of it’s new life
Reregistered to VLT 217 in September 2000
Renumbered 25817 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
Reregistered to MSL 469X April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Reregistered WWW 883
W61 (DFP 492Y)
New in May 1983 to Trimdon Motor Services BAJ 637Y, a Leyland TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C49FT bodywork
Reregistered 2090 VT
Reregistered DFP 492Y
Reregistered MIA 2082
Reregistered YOI 139
Reregistered DBZ 918
Ended up with Andrew’s Sheffield Omnibus
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 427
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Dundee for much of it’s new life
Renumbered 25815 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
One of two to be repainted into Stagecoach livery
Reregistered to DFP 492Y April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
W62 (A15 WTN)
New in August 1983 to Yorkshire Traction 56 (A56 WDT), a Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R with Plaxton C46FT bodywork
Reregistered YTC 856
Reregistered HIL 8419
Ended up with Lincolnshire RoadCar (419)
Acquired by Strathtay September 1999, did not enter service in that configuration, renumbered 430
Rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, returned to service May 2000 with EL Myllenium DP49F bodywork
Based at Blairgowrie for much of it’s new life
Reregistered 670 CLT January 2001
Renumbered 25818 by Stagecoach in early 2006, after acquisition of the Traction Group being cleared in July 2006
One of two to be repainted into Stagecoach livery
Reregistered to A234 USR April 2008, sold to Wootten’s
Reregistered to A15 WTN
This information was taken from my own notes, Dundee Area Bus Forum, the Strathtay section of NorthernScottish.com, and Wootten’s own website. The photos linked to were taken by Donald MacRae.
