Back to Barnstaple

After being away from Barnstaple depot for nie on 3 years, K803 ORL has recently returned to the depot in its final weeks of operation to cover for the Tridents that had been at work on the Plymouth Park and Ride. K803, along with 801 and 804 were of course based up in Barnstaple for several years prior to their move to Torpoint at the withdrawal of the C-HJN Leylands. This is why in particular that these three had been somewhat pampered with a refurbished interior and newer coat of paint than sister bus K802 ORL, which never made the move to North Devon. May well be nice for the drivers at Barnstaple to re-live a bygone era, also rekindling memories of their batch of very similar Olympians. This of course is the L-CFJ batch, of which only one now survives, this being L816 CFJ, currently based in Cornwall. She is pictured at the top in the bus station after a run to Ilfracombe, with the photo coming with thanks from Kameron Allan. The photo below coming with many thanks from Luke Farley is from her time when permanently based in Barnstaple, without the headlight surrounds fitted which I think actually detracts from the 'happy' face found on a Northern Counties bodied Olympian with round headlamps!