401 becomes a Classic Bus

Olympian 401 in Busworks yard on 15 April with newly repainted Routemaster RM1568 behind.

Olympian 401 (XAU701Y) has been acquired by Classic Bus North West for use as a back up bus for contract work. New to Trent in 1983 it was purchased by Blackpool to replace ex Fylde Atlanteans arriving on 11 December 1996. After a repaint into green and cream, 401 entered service on route 22 on 5 February 1997. December 1999 saw a full repaint in green/cream while January 2002 saw it uniquely but briefly receive the olive/grey/yellow pool livery. It was not to operate so attired and within days returned to the paint shop for the olive and grey to be overpainted with Line 11 turquoise. February 2004 saw it repainted into lilac and yellow for Line 20 and March 2007 saw it gain Line 1 orange/yellow. It was withdrawn in October 2010 and is the first closed top Olympian to be sold.

It joins Volvo Olympians N324/5NHG (new to Dublin Bus) and P269PSX (new to Lothian Buses), Routemasters CUV290C, SMK734F and BNK324A, Leyland National 2 GCK428W, Bristol VR WTG360T and MCW Metrobus A945SUL in the Classic Bus North West fleet.