BTS and Sovereign Leyland Olympians

This page created 8th August 2002, updated 31st January 2013 by Ian Smith

Bus histories

These histories are far from complete. They are being assembled as I gather information from a variety of sources (that don't always agree with each other).

Particularly useful have been:

• Company transfers from Buses magazine, LOTS
• Late ownerships from Busspotter

Note: Sovereign also operated ECW-bodied Olympians, mainly in the Stevenage area, but at times on its Edgware operations. These were ex-London Country LR Class Olympians and are on the LR pages.

Sovereign also operated ECW-bodied Olympians at Huntingdon. Some of these came from Keighley & District (part of the Blazefield Holdings group), but as far as I know never operated in the Edgware or Stevenage areas. So I have not included them. If you know differently, please let me know!

BTS

      H139 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
L139            4/97 BT used on 114
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
29              5/99 EW repainted blue/cream
                8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                2/01 EW Sovereign London 
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2939 (Blackburn)
                5/02 HU transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon) 
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon)  
                2/09    sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet) 
               10/09    bought by AM/PM Travel, Birmingham
             by 6/12    bought by Voel Coaches, Dyserth      

      H140 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
30              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                9/99 EW repainted blue/cream
               10/99 EW used on 114
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2940 (Blackburn)
                5/02 HU transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon)  
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon)
                2/09    sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet)
                7/10    bought by Mr D.Michael, Stroud 

      H141 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
41              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                1999 EW repainted blue/cream: used on 114
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2941 (Blackburn)
                9/02    Lancashire United (Blackburn) 
                        Keighley & District 

      H142 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
42              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                     EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2942 (Blackburn)
                9/02    Lancashire United (Blackburn)
                        Keighley & District  

      H143 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
43              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                4/00 EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2943 (Bolton)
                9/02    transfer to Keighley & District, #943
                8/03    Keighley & District

      H144 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
44              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                8/00 EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2944 (Blackburn)
                5/02 HU transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon)
                        Keighley & District 

      H145 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
45              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                     EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2945 (Bolton)
                9/02    transfer to Keighley & District..
                9/02 HU ..transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon)
                        Keighley & District  

      H146 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
46              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                8/00 EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2946 (Bolton)
                9/02 HU transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon) 
                        Keighley & District 

      H147 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
47              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                     EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2947 (Bolton) 
                9/02 HU transfer to Sovereign (Huntingdon) 
                9/02 HU accident damaged, withdrawn..
                9/02    transfer to Keighley for repair: K&D #947
                8/03    Keighley & District
               10/07    Keighley & District: used on B91, Ilkley

Keighley & District 947 at Ilkley Station, 31st October 2007

      H148 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
48              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                2/01 EW Sovereign London: BTS poppy red
                5/01 EW repainted LT red, black skirt, yellow fleetname: used on 114
               11/01 EW used on 114
                3/02 EW 
               11/02 EW loan to London United
               12/02    transfer to Harrogate & District

      H149 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                2/91 BT used on 114
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
49              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                8/00 EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
               11/01 EW used on 114
               12/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2949 (Bolton) 
                9/02 HU return to Sovereign (Huntingdon)
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon) 
                2/09    sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet) 
               10/09    loan to Halifax Joint Committee
                3/11    Ensign Bus: schoolbus yellow
               12/11    bought by Countryliner, Guildford: yellow
                5/12    in service on 256 (Wadhurst-Tonbridge)

      H150 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
50              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                     EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
               11/01 EW used on 114
                1/02 EW repainted London red, black skirt, yellow fleetname
                3/02 EW 
               11/02 EW loan to London United
               11/02 EW used on 13
                1/03    return to Blazefield Holdings, Harrogate 
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon)
            by 10/09    sold to Fleetlink
            by 10/09    bought by Tanat Valley

      H151 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                1/91 BT used on 114
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
51              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                9/00 EW repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
                9/01    transfer to Lancashire United, #2951 (Bolton) 
                8/02 EW back at Edgware, in store
                     EW repainted LRT red, black skirt
                9/02 EW return to service on 114
               11/02 EW loan to London United: into store at Edgware
                1/03    return to Blazefield Holdings, Harrogate 
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon) 
                2/09    sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet)
                        converted to open top
 351            7/09    City Sightseeing Windsor
                3/11    transfer to City Sightseeing, Cyprus

      H152 GGS 12/90    Leyland Olympian ONCL10/1RZ, Northern Counties H47/30F
               12/90 BT new to BTS (Borehamwood) for 114: red, yellow band
                8/94 BT taken over by Sovereign
                9/96 BT rebranded from BTS to Sovereign
                5/99 EW moved to Edgware garage
52              8/99 EW to Sovereign Buses (London) Ltd
                4/00 BT repainted blue/cream
                2/01 EW Sovereign London
               11/01 EW used on 114
               c1/02    transfer to Coastliner, Malton..
               c2/02    transfer to Harrogate - but not used..
                2/02    transfer to Lancashire United, #2952
                8/02 EW back at Edgware, in store
                     EW repainted LRT red, black skirt
                9/02 EW return to service
               11/02 EW loan to London United
                1/03    return to Blazefield Holdings, Harrogate
               11/03 HU transfer to Cavalier Contracts (Huntingdon) 
                2/09    sold to Ensign Bus (Purfleet) 
                2/10    bought by Brylaine Coaches, Boston

Bus Stop BTS Olympians bus histories photo refs Capital Citybus Olympians