Optare MetroDeckers

40844/5 -  YJ70EWD & YJ70 EWC  

Reading Buses order fiveof these Metrodeckers for delivery during the early part of 2020. With global pandemic they cancelled the order. As the vehicles had been built Optare had to find alternative customers. The first two went to Johnson's of Henley in Arden, the third vehicle became a demonstrator and the last two vehicles eventually ended up with  Mulley Coaches. As part of the deal to purchase the bus operations of Johnson's Coaches in April 2022 two Optare double deckers joined the Diamond Bus fleet from Johnson's. These vehicles had joined the Johnson's fleeting 2020 from dealer stock to partly replace some earlier double deckers that were sold to Bournemouth Transport. The two.vehicles are built with full coach seating as Johnson's used them not only on bus services but private hire and rail replacement services. Over the Christmas 2024 period both vehicles were moved from the Redditch Depot to the Diamond North West depot at Eccles. The vehicles were required for use on TfGM school contracts that had been won in the Tranche 3  franchising tenders as well as other commercial work. As the vehicles would have acuminated more mileage at the Redditch depot two brand new Enviro 400 double deckers were acquired to replace them