Leyland Olympian ONTL11/1R

Delivered as one of a batch of 20 vehicles – LO22-LO41 (KGG 142-61Y) in February 1983 to Strathclyde PTE – in PTE3 livery with Trans-Clyde fleet names. This vehicle was amongst the last vehicles delivered in the old Green/Yellow/Black livery as LO42-6 were subsequently delivered in Strathclyde Red livery with Strathclyde Transport fleet names.

These low height (13’ 8” high) double deckers settled down to run (mainly) Glasgow – East Kilbride routes from Larkfield Depot (26, 27 then later 66/A/B series of routes) due to a 13’ 9” low bridge situated at Busby railway station. These LO’s replaced the Leyland Nationals (including resident LN18) on the 26 and 27 services to East Kilbride.

LO22 transferred to Strathclyde’s Buses in October 1986 and ran there until September 1996 except for a spell on loan to Kelvin Central Buses from May to July 1995. In September 1996 it was a late transfer to Kelvin Central Buses keeping fleet number LO22 – unlike earlier transfers of the batch which gained 18xx fleet numbers upon transfer to Kelvin Central before subsequently reverting to their original LO fleet numbers.

Transferred to First Glasgow 29th May 1998. Finished its in-service days at Knightswood Depot and transferred from operational fleet to Ancillary fleet as T9 in June 1999 – “The Evening Times Action Bus”. Seating was noted as variable – and tax disc stated 34 seats! One fleet list shows T9 as having H18/16F seating arrangement. Spent its ancillary life back at Larkfield Depot and renumbered from T9 to 31524 in the FirstGroup national fleet numbering in May 2003.

Converted To “The Deck” 10/2004 – Kitted out with Sony Playstations and DVD players, used for visiting schools with the tagline “Stop Wreckin – Start Respectin!”

Sold to Inter City Car Auctions 06/2008, Departed Inter City Car Auction 12/2012 and advertised for sale on eBay 02/2013, after which it was stored at Polmadie Car Boot Sale undercover, unused and unloved for over 12 years.

A gentleman turned up at Bridgeton gate on 12/08/25 to ask if anyone was interested in purchasing as the owner wanted to sell it – and the rest is history!