Olympians

[fleetline6477]

Where are Stagecoach still using Olympians in the Coventry / Leamington / Stratford area? Are there regular workings weekdays and Saturdays that they would be expected to appear?

[Valandil]

There's still one that regularly works on the Unibus services.
You can also catch one on the 63/64a when the schoolkids are coming home from Rugby.
You might sometimes see one on the 16.

[Justin Tyme]

Leamington have two allocated but appear to be spares.  Stratford have 5 allocated but I don't know the duties they are scheduled to do.  However, on Saturday 8 June Stratford's 16072 was on the 1143 ex-Coventry 16, and Leamington's 16617 (I think) was on the road there at lunchtime but not in service.

[mikestone]

Initially surprised to see several out today (Sat) including a Unibus one on 65 to Daventry - is this normal or is it because the l/f buses are at Silverstone?
;
In the yard at Leamington there were also four SouthWestTrains liveried Olys.

[jc]

No less that 7 deckers in service in Rugby, 5 Olympians and two Tridents on a mix of services.

[Valandil]

Initially surprised to see several out today (Sat) including a Unibus one on 65 to Daventry - is this normal or is it because the l/f buses are at Silverstone?
;
In the yard at Leamington there were also four SouthWestTrains liveried Olys.

It's not too unusual to see deckers on 65/66/67.
I've had a look back through some of my photos, and found these, one of a decker on the 65 and another of an Olympian with Unibus branding on the 66.

http://tinypic.com/r/33m0v89/5
http://tinypic.com/r/2i1ny3k/5

[Ossie]

Where are Stagecoach still using Olympians in the Coventry / Leamington / Stratford area? Are there regular workings weekdays and Saturdays that they would be expected to appear?

Potentially the X18 Stratford - Warwick - Leamington - Coventry?  I saw a couple of d/ds in Charlecote on a weekday last Autumn when visiting the Park, but couldn't identify them.

Also saw a d/d on the Kings Coughton - Studley road a couple of times last winter, on a Saturday.  Possibly route 26 Redditch - Stratford?

[Ashley 4569]

What are those four SWT liveried ollys doing in leamington depot?

[jc]

Stagecoach deckers will get just about anywhere, there are some services such as the 4 in Rugby which cant have a decker for obvious reasons.

Those Olympians may have something to do with Silverstone or will no doubt be passing through between fleets.

X15/X18 have branded Scania/E400s and 2 ALX400/Tridents.

[mikestone]

At 14.15 Sat S915ANH arrived in Stratford (I think showing X15) and may have failed as the driver was on his mobile and later came round by the coach setting down point empty.
;
At 16.37 S917ANH was loading in leamington on X18.

[jc]

S915ANH went onto the 16 and did the 16:50ish duty of Coventry and the 18:10 26 from Stratford to Redditch

[Justin Tyme]

The extra Olympian activity yesterday may well have been because newer DDs were needed for Silverstone.

As Tony has reported in fleet changes, the last two Olympians at Leamington (16516 and 16617) are now officially in reserve.  I'm sure that won't stop them being used, but they'll no doubt be a rarer sight from now on.  I had an epic ride on 16516 on the 66 from Banbury to Leamington in March - I suppose all good things must come to an end!