Forum | Merseyside Dennis Dart Website

so am I right in thinking that in some way ownership of 3275, 3291, 3299, 3301 and 0302 is linked to Presidential. We know about the two preserved buses, but are the three others still in service?

All of them are owned by presidential just 0302 is semi preserved

Anybody know what happened to the winsford batch I.E. 3351/52/53 & 3346/3348/3349?

Also are the ex merseyside olympians still living or have these all died, referring to:

3329
3330
3331
3331

Also is 3360 still alive anywhere or did psv barnsley break it up? Wouldn't be suprised if they did as it was deffo on its v v very last legs when winsford waved goodbye to it. Outta the bunch, 3311/3331 were the best of the ex merseyside gang, thoughts on this folks???

I had a ride on 3330 while Winsford had it. Absolutely terrible it was, with no working heaters upstairs and gaps between the opening windows letting the winter air in. A rough rider as well, so that was one of the worst R-WVRs for me. Fond memories of 3309 and 3315 while they were at Bootle though, with 3334 my personal favourite of the Speke ones.

Generally speaking though, the R-WVRs were a nasty old batch of buses and to me the DLAs, even allowing for their shortcomings, were a huge improvement. The age difference between the two types seemed a lot more than just a year!

Must admit I kind of agree, I hadn't ridden one for ages last time I rode one and I thought it seemed quite old compared to the DLA's. But then now I think the DLA's seem old compared to the VLW's recently brought up. As for the R-WVR's, when the were new they were quite nice buses but compared to the cross-river ones they were weren't in the same class. PLastic seats on the back upstairs were like a throw back to what some BKC-K's received after vandalism back in the day and it was quite a shock to find buses new in 1998 with such seats.

The WVrs were terrible compared to the CKB/CLVs. Cheap and nasty!

(16/04/2014 09:31)2829 Wrote: [ -> ]The WVrs were terrible compared to the CKB/CLVs. Cheap and nasty!

Cant agree more loved 0271-0308 haterd the rest just ashame Birkenhead dont still have 0271-0308 brilliant buses with better engines (Cummins L10 in the 0271-0308 batch - Volvo in 0309-0336 batch) just glad some are still on Merseyside and 0302 is preserved

(16/04/2014 09:44)E208 WBG Wrote: [ -> ]Cant agree more loved 0271-0308 haterd the rest just ashame Birkenhead dont still have 0271-0308 brilliant buses with better engines (Cummins L10 in the 0271-0308 batch - Volvo in 0309-0336 batch) just glad some are still on Merseyside and 0302 is preserved

Technically "0302" is only Semi-preserved as is used on school services and private hire.

We all know why the 1995 batch was 'better' than the 1998. The engines were needed for climbing through the tunnel with ease all day, and the interiors were to encourage people to use the bus through the tunnel instead of the ferry and trains following buses being allowed to travel in mainstream service through the tunnel 24/7.
MTL had money in 1995, it didn't come the later 90's.

If the 1998 batch were ordered a year or two later they probably would have been Marshall Capitals also.

(07/04/2014 14:38)mathias Wrote: [ -> ]Bad news I'm afraid.
Another big, beautiful Olympian/Palatine has bitten the dust.
Yep, 3273 is no more.
Pictured in Barnsley, March 2014.....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61188429@N06/13238909835/
(Photo Credit; STAN-BUTLER).

0273 is still at PVS' yard and is reasonably intact, and from the looks of it could probably be resurrected with suitably deep pockets. It also looks to have many original seats still in it.

Also there are several ex-NW DLAs, one of the DAF high floor deckers (3606?), and a couple of Marshall Darts including 7642. They seem in no rush to cut the deckers and there are some others present which have been there for many years.

Glad 3273 is still intact as that was my favourite of the N-CKB/CLV batch. If I had the funds to save it, I would.