Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,

This page created 5th April 2012.

Optare Excels: Thorpe's Stationlink


Bus Histories

These histories are incomplete. They are being assembled as I garner information from a variety of sources. Particularly useful have been: 


XL100 N100 FET  6/96    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9023, B27F
                6/96    new to F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
                7/96    used on SL1
                1/97    in service on Stationlink
                9/98 FE moved to new North Wembley base
                7/03    bought by Hamilton City Bus, New Zealand

XL200 N200 FET  6/96    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9028, B27F
                6/96    new to F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
                8/96    used on SL2
                9/98 FE moved to new North Wembley base
      N608 JLY  7/02    reregistered
                        Manchester Airport
                3/09    Speedwellbus, Manchester
                9/10    overhaul, Speedwellbus
                3/11    Speedwellbus

XL300 N300 FET  6/96    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9029, B27F
                6/96    new to F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
               12/96    in service on Stationlink
                9/98 FE moved to new North Wembley base
      N643 JLY  7/02    reregistered
                9/02    used on 705
                7/03    bought by Hamilton City Bus, New Zealand

XL400 N400 FET  6/96    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9030, B27F
                6/96    new to F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
                9/98 FE moved to new North Wembley base
                4/00    used on SL2
                7/03    bought by Hamilton City Bus, New Zealand

      R845 FWW  3/98    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9219, B28F
                3/98    new to A1A, Birkenhead
XL845           7/01 FE acquired by F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
                5/02 FE unusual on 70
                7/02 FE unusual on 210
             by 4/04    Radonneur
                        Ventura
                8/08    leased by Meridian Bus, Potterpury, Northampton
               c6/09    returned to Dawson Rentals
                4/10    acquired by Meridian Bus again
               12/10    Meridian Bus
                9/11    Meridian Bus
                3/12    Meridian Bus
                7/12    Meridian Bus, Northampton

      R846 FWW  3/98    Optare Excel L960, Optare 9220, B28F
                3/98    new to A1A, Birkenhead
XL846           7/01 FE acquired by F.E.Thorpe, North Kensington, for Stationlink SL1, SL2
                7/02 FE unusual on 70
             by 4/04    Radonneur
                8/08    acquired by Meridian Line, Royston
               11/08    leased by Meridian Bus, Potterpury, Northampton
               c6/09    returned to Dawson Rentals
                4/10    acquired by Meridian Bus again
               12/10    Meridian Bus: in store

      R633 DNH 10/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9159, B30F
               10/97    new to Forrest, Bootle #88
      R88 MMS           reregistered 
                8/00    hired by Cleveland Transit, Kingston-upon-Hull
                8/02 FE hired by F.E.Thorpe for Stationlink (North Wembley)
               10/02 FE still on hire 
                4/06    Radonneur
                        sold to Stafford Bus Centre
                */09    acquired by EST Bus
                6/09    in service, EST Bus
                7/09    in service, EST Bus
               11/09    in service, EST Bus
                3/10    in service, EST Bus
                4/11    in service, EST Bus

Photographic references


A key to the references is in the bibliography. 

        N100 FET  LBH98 p160  7/96    on SL1 Stationlink, Lambeth

        N200 FET  LBH97 p01           on SL1 Stationlink
                  LBM102 p30  8/96    on SL2 Stationlink, Victoria Coach Stn

        N300 FET  LBR02 p46   4/00    on SL2 Stationlink
                  LBM160 p56          on SL1 Stationlink
        N643 JLY  TLB458 p0   9/02    on 705: Paddington & Liverpool Street

        R846 FWW  TLB448 p41  */01    on SL2 Stationlink

Ian's Bus Stop Thorpe's Stationlink XLs. XL histories. XL photo refs.