Dubliner Volvo/Alexanders
A Sunday line-up of Schools buses opposite the Otford garage in 2012, during an Open Day.
Go-Coachhire of Otford bought four of the ex-Dublin Volvo Olympians, primarily for their schools contracts and railway replacement work, where only large double-deckers would do. They were acquired in 2010-12. The first, S869HCG, had been Dublin RV440. It came from Happy Al's on Merseyside in April 2010, and was converted to single doorway, becoming H47/31F. It was repainted in the startling yellow and mauve company livery. L47VDM, ex Dublin RA194, came from Vale Travel, Aylesbury, in August 2011. This one stayed dual-doorwayed, H47/27D, as did the other two, L707SGW and L709SGW, bought in February 2012. All three went into yellow and mauve. All except the first were displaced by the end of 2015, when disabilities legislation limited their use. They were replaced by PVL Volvo Presidents.
M&D Volvo/N.Counties
M919 MKM came to Go-Coachlines at Otford after withdrawal by Arriva Southern Counties in June 2013. For them this Northern Counties - bodied Volvo Olympian had worked in the Maidstone and Chatham areas.
Now it was repainted in yellow and mauve, and was put to work on the schools service between Kemsing and Tunbridge Wells.
With a missing front grille it always looked slightly disfigured, like a boxer that had lost his teeth.
Ultimately the disabled persons regulations caught up with it, and it was sent for scrap at the end of 2015.
London General/Griffin Bus Volvo/N.CountiesGo-Ahead London's NV116, new in 1997, became a trainer in 2003, then entered preservation in 2010. As a relatively young bus it was hired out for use by Griffin Bus of Longfield., with whom it wore a red and white livery with prominent Griffin Bus fleetnames. It was used on the 407,408, 409, 419 services in the Wrotham - Gravesend area. But Griffin Bus did not pass the test of time, and NV116 moved on to work for Go-Coachines, initially still in red/white, and then in yellow/mauve. It continued to be available for contract work after it ceased to be eligible for use on public services.
NV116 was about at the Sevenoaks Running Day/Otford Open Day in May 2012, at this time still in red and white, but with go logos.
Bus historiesThese 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:
98-D-20440 10/98 Volvo Olympian OLY4953 29388, Alexander RH 9733/55, H47/27D
10/98 new to Dublin Bus, #RV440
4/09 withdrawn
S869 HCG converted to single doorway: H47/31F, reregistered, painted mauve/yellow
by 4/10 bought by Go-Coach, Knockholt Pound
9/10 at Showbus, Duxford: blinds for 420
3/11 at Knockholt: blinds for 413
4/11 transfer to Otford
5/12 on 413 for Dartford schools, Otford
8601 1/16 numbered
94-D-194 7/94 Volvo Olympian YN2RC16Z4 025278, Alexander RH D09.19, H47/27D
7/94 new to Dublin Bus #RA194
10/06 withdrawn
12/06 bought by Happy Al's, Birkenhead
L47 VDM 11/07 reregistered
4/11 acquired by Vale Travel, Aylesbury
8/11 bought by Go-Coach, Knockholt Pound
painted yellow/mauve
9/11 at Showbus, Duxford
9/11 in service on 409, go-Coach
11/11 on railway replacement work
2/12 in service on railway replacement work
5/12 off 402 for Tonbridge Schools, Otford
9201 by 11/15 sold
94-D-180 5/94 Volvo Olympian YN2RC16Z4 025194, Alexander RH D09.05, H47/27D
5/94 new to Dublin Bus #RH180
10/06 driver trainer
8/10 withdrawn
L707 SGW 2/12 bought by Go-Coach, Otford
2/12 painted yellow/mauve
5/12 off 412 for Dartford & Wilmington Schools, Otford
by 11/15 sold
94-D-178 Volvo Olympian, Alexander RH, H47/27D
new to Dublin Bus #RH178
L709 SGW 4/12 bought by Go-Coach, Otford
painted yellow/mauve
5/12 off 409 for Knole Academy, Otford
9102 12/15 numbered
12/15 sold as a static classroom
5919 M919 MKM 8/94 Volvo Olympian YN2RC16Z4, Northern Counties Palatine 1, SLVYNC21XRC025596, H47/30F
8/94 new to Maidstone & District
Arriva Kent & Sussex 5919
4/11 in service, AKS $
6/11 in service, Chatham, AKS $
6/13 withdrawn, in store, Maidstone: Arriva turquoise/cream $
6/13 bought by Go-Coachlines, Otford
repainted yellow/mauve
12/13 blinds for 432 $
4/14 at Detling Show, 431X to Kemsing blinds $
7/14 in service on 431X to Tunbridge Wells Schools $
3/15 off 432, Tunbridge Wells $
5/15 at Otford, off 432 $
7/15 at Farningham, 409 blinds $
12/15 sold for scrap
NV116 P916 RYO 6/97 new to London General: Volvo Olympian OLY-4953, Northern Counties H47/27D
6/97 A new into service (Sutton)
7/00 A
3/02 AF transfer (Putney)
1/03 NX transfer (New Cross)
5/03 NX trainer
7/03 AL transfer, trainer (Merton)
8/03 trainer, repainted blue, red banner
6/05 AL trainer
5/06 PL trainer
7/07 BE transfer to Blue Triangle, (Rainham)
12/08 BE
3/10 bought for working preservation: K.Griffin, Bickley & S.Boxall, Beckenham:
on loan to Griffin Bus, Longfield for contracts
5/10 in service on 408 to Borough Green Stn $
6/10 in service on 419 to Borough Green Stn $
6/10 in service on 407 to New Ash Green $
3/11 in service on 409 to Hextable $
4/11 operated by Go-Coach, Otford, on schools contracts
9/11 again on loan to Go-Coach: red, white band, Go fleetnames
11/11 on long-term loan to Go-Coach
painted red, broad white band, Go-Coach logos
5/12 active on Sevenoaks Running Day (Otford Shuttle)
repainted yellow/mauve
12/13 at Otford, awaiting blinds
7/15 still with Bromley Bus Preservation Group: occasional use by Go-Coach
P927 MKL 3/97 Volvo Olympian OLY-50 YV3YNA410VC027607, Northern Counties Palatine 1 5566, H47/30F
3/97 new to Maidstone & District, #5927
Arriva Kent & Sussex #5927
4/07 TW in service on 402
2/13 TW in service on 6A to Maidstone
8/13 repainted The Green Bus livery in Liverpool
5927 8/13 GF transfer for The Green Bus routes PT3 and PT4 (Guildford)
1/15 GF withdrawn
5/15 bought by The Bus Doctor, Otford for spares
parts to 5937 for Kent CC tree-lopper
8/15 remains sold
P937 MKL 5/97 Volvo Olympian OLY-50 YV3YNA418VC027399, Northern Counties Palatine 1 5576, H47/30F
5/97 new to Maidstone & District, #5937
SE Arriva Southend
4/09 SE in service on 7 to Shoeburyness $
9/09 SE in service on 1 to Rayleigh $
11/09 SE in service on 1 to Shoeburyness $
Arriva Southern Counties (Gillingham)
1/11 in service on 142 to Chatham $
10/11 in service on 191, Hoo $
5/12 in service on 155 to Maidstone $
3/13 in service on 701, Bluewater $
4/13 in service on 191, Hoo $
6/13 in service on 121, Chatham $
6/13 in service on 100, Chatham $
donated to Kent County Council for conversion to tree-lopper
7/14 under conversion by The Bus Doctor (Otford), using parts from 5927:
seats removed, roof removed, upper sides cut down, inter-deck hatch
6/15 at Otford: still in Arriva livery
 Bus Stop
 Volvo Olympians
 5919
bus histories
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