Volvo Olympian YN2RV18Z4

Alexander’s Royale body was a refreshed version of the R-type body introduced in 1981. In 1994 Kelvin Central Buses received a batch of 7 Volvo Olympians with Royale full-height bodies. Use of these was restricted by their height to certain routes, so the next batch of 16 featured a low height version of the Royale body. Some including M847 DUS were designated as “coaches” by virtue of having more comfortable seats and were put to work on the X1 express service between Glasgow and Motherwell.

M847 DUS entered service in December 1994 from Motherwell depot in X1 Gold Line livery and numbered 2847.

KCB was purchased by SB Holdings, the parent company of Strathclyde Buses, in 10/94. The KCB fleet was renumbered into the Strathclyde Buses scheme in May 1996 and M847 DUS became CO247. In 1996, SB Holdings was bought by FirstBus.

M847 DUS was re-registered WLT 677 in 1998 being painted all over red later that year. KCB was renamed First Glasgow (No.2) in May 1998. It received First corporate livery in 2001 and was renumbered 31518 in the First national scheme in May 2003. It reverted to registration M847 DUS in March 2005 prior to transfer to First Potteries. In 2007 it moved further south to First Devon & Cornwall finally being retired at the end of 2015.