Big Bus olympians update

A view of resprayed Big Bus Olympian F90SYE and sister bus E338NUV about to be resprayed following the completion of bodywork. As part of the work the buses have been reduced in height to 4 metres, the n/s centre door has been transplanted on the offside for european use and fuel tanks have been relocated and modified. Buses are receiving internal repainting as well as a full respray in Big Bus Tours maroon and cream livery prior to export to Budapest.

Picture: David Umpleby

UCOC Lodekka 651 - painted

A view of UCOC Lodekka 651 being shunted out of the paint shop earlier this week. Its repaint had actually been completed back in October but it has been stored in the paint shop whilst other minor work was finished off. 651 now awaits a full inspection to update our client on the likely costs of mechanical and electrical work required to get 651 into running order again.

Lodekka SRU981 progresses

The restoration of Bristol Lodekka SRU981, now in the heritage bus hire fleet of Crosville Motor Services in Weston Super Mare, is progressing at the BusWorks. Extensive rot of all bodywork inserts, between the robust ECW aluminium framework, has been found and this will now result in the bus having a complete exterior repanel. Unlike later Lodekkas, even the vertical framework sections have timber inserts. Other work discovered includes rotten platform flooring, particularly under the staircase area. In this view, the window pans have been removed from SRU981 in preparation for further stripping of the exterior between deck panelling.

Crosville acquired this ex-Hants & Dorset bus during 2010 but despite its very tidy paintwork, this had merely 'papered over the cracks' of the rotten timber inserts underneath which had resulted in panelling that was insecure and causing further water ingress.

FOKAB 419 in for painting

King Alfred Panther 419 entered the paint shop last weekend following the rebuild and repanelling of its roof structure. The BusWorks has matched the interior matt plastic laminate and once the interior work and painting is completed, 419 will be delivered back home ready for the FOKAB event in Winchester.