Out with a bang!

And then there was one...  K803 ORL has today most likely transported her passengers (for part of the journey at least) for the final time today. K803 this morning reportedly blew her engine while operating an X80 towards Torquay. A sorry end for a wonderful bus. Ironic that what she started her career doing some 18 years ago is what she performs for the final time. Sad to think of all the thousands of trips she's successfully completed to Torquay, and then, just months before withdrawal she finally concedes defeat. At least she died doing what she knew best! 


I'm presuming of course that she will be considered beyond economic repair, and that indeed the damage is as bad as it sounds! There may be hope for her yet, but from the description, it certainly sounds like a substantial amount of work would be needed to return her to working order. This leaves the very first (registered) Volvo Olympian, K801 ORL, to continue on as the final Olympian of the batch to still be in service. As I've mentioned before, its always been an aim of mine to try and do an X80 on one of the the K-ORL registered Olympian before she is withdrawn, although with only K801 still operating, this is becoming increasingly unlikely. This of course will also mean that the K-LAE Leylands will have to pound on for a little while longer before some more buses can filter through the system to take over their reign. These have been consistently reliable during their time in service, so no doubt that they'll be able to keep Plymouth moving until some more buses are sourced. Their role along with many of the step entrances buses may become even more important if and when buses from the area are indeed needed to be sourced for Olympic work. Rumour suggests this may happen although of course there is a very large order of brand new buses that should cover a majority of the work. A number of Stagecoach's brand new Enviro 200s in Exeter have been in London recently on Olympic test work. 


Farewell K803. 3 down, 1 to go.