W. Alexander & Sons (Fife) Ltd. took delivery of 193 Leyland Leopards between 1970 and 1982 (and received one second hand from Scottish Omnibuses). FPE194 was the last delivered new to Fife and amongst the last delivered to any company. Most of the Fife deliveries were Alexander AY and AYS bodied with the exception of one batch bodied by Duple in 1978. It was only in 1982 that Fife took delivery of its first examples with the Alexander T type body, receiving two batches in that year (FPE170-179 and 190-194).
The bus was registered on 13th December 1982 but is thought to have actually entered service in early 1983. It was delivered new to Kirkcaldy depot from where it operated on long distance services from Fife to Edinburgh and Dundee. In 1988 the bus was moved to St Andrew’s depot and then Newburgh depot in March 1989. Now owned by Stagecoach the company closed Newburgh in November 1991 although it remained in use as an outstation of Glenrothes where the bus was now allocated. The bus was to remain allocated to Glenrothes until it was withdrawn in March 1999.
Stagecoach repainted the bus into the original livery now carried and it appeared on the rally circuit. After sale by Stagecoach the bus passed through several preservationists’ hands before being bought by its present owner in 2005.
Photographs
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- Registration
- RSC 194Y
- Chassis type
- Leyland Leopard PSU3G/4R
- Chassis number
- 8231150
- Body type and seating
- Alexander AT DP49F
- Body number
- 26AT/582/5
- Date new
- December 1982
- Original operator
- W. Alexander & Sons (Fife) Ltd. (FPE194)