Leyland Lynx

C920FMP

The first Leyland Lynx to be operated by Midland Red West was a demonstrator that was loaned to them by Leyland Buses Limited between 16th April and 5th May 1987. The vehicle was a very early Leyland Lynx being the 4th to be built as part of an initial batch of vehicles which included the 6 C61-66HOM. These six vehicles were delivered to the West Midlands PTE as demonstrators to evaluate there potential as  replacement buses for the Leyland Nationals. Like Midland Red West they went onto purchasing production vehicles from Leyland Bus during 1989 and 1990. The demonstration vehicle C920FMP was operated from Redditch Garage and spent most of it's time operating either on the service 318 which at the time still ran from Redditch to Stourbridge and the X8 from Redditch to Birmingham via Wythall. The vehicle also saw service on the town's 57 and 58 bus routes. Unlike the eventual production vehicles C920FMP was fitted with a Gardner 6LXCT engine and Leyland Fluid Hydracyclic gearbox and as such was mechanically very similar to many Mark II Leyland Nationals

62701-50    G101-50HNP

As part of a much larger Badgerline Group order Midland Red West received 50 Leyland Lynx’s in 1990. The vehicles 1101-50 (G101-50HNP) were delivered during February and March 1990. 1101 and 1102 were registered ahead of the rest in the February for driver and engineering training. All 50 entered service at Digbeth Garage on Sunday 1st April 1990. A launch of the vehicles was staged on Monday 2nd April at the former Hams Hall Power Station where the vehicles had been stored prior to their entry into service. From Sunday 26th April 1990 the last six vehicles 1144-50 were transferred to Redditch for use on the 57 and 58 where the Company was at the time in competition with the Kingfisher Bus and Coach Company. Over the next few years as the bus operation running out of Digbeth Garage began to reduce more and more vehicles were transferred to Redditch until by the mid 1992 1139-50 were at Redditch. Following service changes in late 1992 1145-50 moved to Kidderminster. With the introduction of the first batch of Dennis Lance’s in April/May 1992 (L201-221/322/223-37AAB 201-37) at Digbeth 1101-8 moved to Kidderminster with the balance of Leyland Lynx vehicles moving to Redditch to allow the majority of the Leyland Nationals at Redditch Garage to be withdrawn. With the introduction of the Dennis Darts (301-13) at Kidderminster in September 1995 1107/8 moved to Redditch. On 27th April 1997 when the Digbeth operation closed all 50 Leyland Lynx’s were concentrated at Redditch. Some of the vehicles soon found use at Evesham Garage on a floating allocation from Redditch. In February 1999 1101/2 were actually reallocated to Evesham but following service changes in June 2000 they moved back to Redditch.  1108 and 1130 were withdrawn in June 2003 and transferred to Eastern Counties with one vehicle allocated to Norwich and the other to Great Yarmouth Garages. The vehicles saw little if no use with First Eastern Counties and returned back to First Wyvern in early September 2003. 1148 was taken out of service in the early part of 2003 with mechanical problems and was finally withdrawn in June 2003. However, both 1145 and 1148 were repaired in August 2003 and put back into service due to a vehicle shortage. 1130 was put back into service at Redditch during Christmas week. Since the middle of 2003 the Company has gone through of a process of taking Lynx vehicles out of service for short periods of time before reinstating them at a latter date. From October 2003 a number of the Barbie2 livered vehicles have been taken out of service and sold other First Group Companies as the requirement for the vehicles has reduced in the First Wyvern fleet. With the introduction of the national vehicle numbering scheme 627xx was added to all fleet numbers. Following the mass withdrawal of Leyland Lynx vehicles in the early part of 2005 a number where put into storage at First Leicester (on behalf of First Midland Red) as there is not enough secure storage available at the various First Wyvern garages. A number of the vehicles are likely to be converted to driver trainers for various First Group companies around the country (see section at the bottom). 62707 (G107HNP) was withdrawn in January 2005 following an accident involving Arriva vehicle 4607 (P607CAY) when the former vehicle was pushed into a bus shelter. G107HNP was sold for scrap in July 2005.  During April and May 2005 First Wyvern sold the following lynx vehicles 62703/5/8/9/11/37/40/8 to the First Group Central Engineering unit at Rotherham for conversion into driver training vehicles    

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Body Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Date Withdrawn

Current Situation

Livery

G101HNP

62701

LX1679

B49F

Feb-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Leicester 12/04 - then to PVS Charlton for scrap 10/05

Red & Cream

G102HNP

62702

LX1696

B49F

Feb-90

10-Jun-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 8/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G103HNP

62703

LX1697

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G104HNP

62704

LX1698

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Was in store at Leicester - now sold for scrap

Red & Cream

G105HNP

62705

LX1699

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G106HNP

62706

LX1704

B49F

Apr-90

10-Jun-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 10/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G107HNP

62707

LX1705

B49F

Apr-90

Oct-03

Sold to First Leicester - withdrawn 1/05 after an accident - sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Barbie 2 (11/01)

G108HNP

62708

LX1706

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G109HNP

62709

LX1707

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G110HNP

62710

LX1708

B49F

Apr-90

July-04

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Red & Cream

G111HNP

62711

LX1709

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G112HNP

62712

LX1710

B49F

Apr-90

July-03

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Red & Cream

G113HNP

62713

LX1711

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Leicester 8/1/05 - to service 4/05 

Barbie3 (10/04)

G114HNP

62714

LX1719

B49F

Apr-90

N/A

Worcester - in use as a driver trainer (see below)

Barbie2 (6/04)

G115HNP

62715

LX1720

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Was in store at Leicester - damaged in a fire 24/2/04 - now sold for scrap

Red & Cream

G116HNP

62716

LX1721

B49F

Apr-90

May-05

Sold to First Leicester 5/04

Barbie 2 (1/03)

G117HNP

62717

LX1722

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 10/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G118HNP

62718

LX1723

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Was in store at Leicester - now sold for scrap

Red & Cream

G119HNP

62719

LX1724

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-04

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Red & Cream

G120HNP

62720

LX1734

B49F

Apr-90

Oct-04

Sold to First Avon and Somerset - 10/04 - now withdrawn

Barbie 2 (6/02)

G121HNP

62721

LX1735

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Was in store at Leicester - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap by 6/06

Red & Cream

G122HNP

62722

LX1736

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 8/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G123HNP

62723

LX1737

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Leicester 2/05

Barbie2 (8/04)

G124HNP

62724

LX1738

B49F

Apr-90

Nov-03

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Barbie 2 (2/03)

G125HNP

62725

LX1739

B49F

Apr-90

June-04

Sold to First Avon and Somerset - 6/04- Now in use as a driver trainer at First York (from 4/05) - sold to PVS Carlton 8/07

Barbie 2 (12/02)

G126HNP

62726

LX1740

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 10/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G127HNP

62727

LX1741

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 8/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G128HNP

62728

LX1745

B49F

Apr-90

Oct-04

Sold to First Avon and Somerset - 10/04 withdrawn 6/05 (see below)

Barbie 2 (6/02)

G129HNP

62729

LX1746

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 10/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G130HNP

62730

LX1747

B49F

Apr-90

10-Jun-05

Was in store at Leicester - now sold for scrap

Red & Cream

G131HNP

62731

LX1748

B49F

Apr-90

May-05

Sold to First Leicester 5/04 - now sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 11/06

Barbie 2 (10/01)

G132HNP

62732

LX1749

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Was in store at Leicester - now sold for scrap

Red & Cream

G133HNP

62733

LX1750

B49F

Apr-90

Oct-03

Sold to First Leicester 10/03

Barbie 2 (11/02)

G134HNP

62734

LX1762

B49F

Apr-90

Nov-04

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05

Red & Cream

G135HNP

62735

LX1763

B49F

Apr-90

Nov-04

Sold to First Leicester 11/04 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08

Barbie 3 (10/04)

G136HNP

62736

LX1764

B49F

Apr-90

Nov-04

Sold to First Leicester 12/04 - Withdrawn Sold for scrap 12/07

Barbie 3 (12/04)

G137HNP

62737

LX1765

B49F

Apr-90

March-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 4/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G138HNP

62738

LX1766

B49F

Apr-90

Nov-04

Sold to First Leicester 12/04 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08

Barbie 3 (12/04)

G139HNP

62739

LX1767

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 6/05 (been unallocated since 11/04 and in store at First Leicester since 1/05)

Red & Cream

G140HNP

62740

LX1768

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 5/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G141HNP

62741

LX1771

B49F

Apr-90

July-04

Sold to First Avon and Somerset - 8/04 - now withdrawn and exported to Southern Ireland 10/06 and re-registered 90-LK-5381 - Now preserved at Kell's Transport Museum

Barbie 2 (1/02)

G142HNP

62742

LX1772

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Leicester 2/05 - Withdrawn - sold on 6/2/08 to Steve Peters for preservation

Barbie 3 (9/04)

G143HNP

62743

LX1773

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Was in store at Leicester - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap by 6/06

Red & Cream

G144HNP

62744

LX1774

B49F

Apr-90

Apr-04

Sold to First Leicester 4/04 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08

Barbie 2 (11/02)

G145HNP

62745

LX1775

B49F

Apr-90

10-Jun-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 8/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G146HNP

62746

LX1776

B49F

Apr-90

June-04

Sold to First Avon and Somerset - 6/04 then to Munden, Bristol 4/06 - Sold to DRM Coaches at Bromyard 9/07 and re-registered PJI9172 - Sold for scrap 5/12

Barbie 2 (3/03)

G147HNP

62747

LX1778

B49F

Apr-90

June-04

Sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 7/05 - Had been stored at Worcester with mechanical problems since 6/04

Red & Cream

G148HNP

62748

LX1779

B49F

Apr-90

Feb-05

Sold to First Group Central Engineering unit 5/05 (see below)

Red & Cream

G149HNP

62749

LX1780

B49F

Apr-90

Jan-05

Sold to First Leicester 1/05 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 10/08

Barbie 3 (11/04)

G150HNP

62750

LX1781

B49F

Apr-90

29-Apr-04

Sold to First Leicester 4/04  sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 2/07

Barbie 2 (11/02)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2"  & Barbie 3 - is the new corporate Firstgroup livery for all vehicles which is a modified version of the original Barbie livery (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)  

1161-3  F601-3FTC  

During the summer of 2000 First Bristol replaced a number of their full sized single deck vehicles with new low floor buses. This resulted in a number of the Leyland Lynx vehicles from their first batch F600-32RTC (1600-34) becoming surplus. These surplus vehicles were cascaded to a number of other Firstgroup subsidiary Companies such as Badgerline and Southern National. Three of the vehicles F601-3FTC (1161-3) found there way to First Wyvern. The vehicles were pressed into service still in their red, blue and yellow Bristol Cityline livery at Evesham Garage. Union agreements at Redditch prevented their use at that Garage as they lacked anti-attack screens on the cab door (A driver at Redditch can insist on a vehicle with an anti-attack screen whilst operating an evening service after 1900). The vehicles were soon repainted into the then standard red and cream livery and the vehicles acquired the required modified cab doors to allow operation at Redditch Garage. As the vehicles had just been painted they were selected for Circle Line branding for the routes 57/8 in November 2000. The vehicles remained at Redditch until the summer of 2002 when all three were withdrawn and were to be transferred back to Bristol. However, First Wyvern decided they still required them even though 1161 and 1162 had already been repainted into the new Barbie2 corporate livery by First Bristol and had received modified wheel arches to remove the fiberglass skirt panels. 1163 was also repainted into the Barbie2 livery but as the vehicle was to be retained by First Wyvern the wheel arch modifications made to 1161/2 were not made. All three re-entered service at Redditch Garage during January/February 2003 to replace the three low floor Darts 327/9/30, which had been reallocated to Worcester Garage.  During October 2003 all three were withdrawn once again but this time they were sold for further use with First Leicester.      

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Body Type

Seating Capacity

Date into Service

Allocation

Livery

F601RTC

1161

LX1444

B49F

May-00

Sold to First Leicester 10/03 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/07

Barbie 2 (10/02)

F602RTC

1162

LX1445

B49F

May-00

Sold to First Leicester 10/03 - withdrawn 11/08 and sold for scrap

Barbie 2 (11/02)

F603RTC

1163

LX1446

B49F

May-00

Sold to First Leicester 10/03 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08

Barbie 2 (11/02)

Livery Key :  Barbie 2 - Non low floor corporate Firstgroup livery known as "Barbie2" (The dates in brackets are when the vehicle was last repainted)  

1101,1104,1105,1111,1115,1119,1126,1142,1147,1161/2/3

Over the weekend of 25th and 26th November 2000 12 Leyland Lynx vehicles (listed above) at Redditch Garage were given "Circle Line" branding. From this date until 22nd September 2002 the services 57 and 58 were marketed as the Circle Line. The Lynx's were picked at random as those having the best paint work and also lacking external advertising. 1142 and 1147 were first to lose their branding in May 2002 on transfer to Evesham Garage when Low Floor Darts 329/30 were allocated to Redditch Garage. 1161-3 lost their branding on repainting in November/December 2002. All of the remainder apart from 1104/11/15 lost their branding during February 2003. Vehicles 1111 and 1115 lost their branding during March 2003 leaving just 1104 which was finally done in April 2003.

F609/12/22RTC & H660YHT

During the Summer of 2001 First Wyvern was experiencing extreme driver shortages at Redditch Garage which by October 2001 led to the withdrawal of services 61/2/177/8/9. Rather bizarrely, the First Wyvern took on extra school services from the beginning of September 2001, which meant the company had a vehicle shortage. To cover for this three Leyland Lynx vehicles were borrowed from First Badgerline. The first two were  F609RTC and F612RTC which were put into service at Evesham depot running with First Wyvern fleet numbers 1169 and 1172. They returned south to First Badgerline on 28th September and 1st October 2001 respectively. The third vehicle H660YHT was allocated at Kidderminster depot and took the First Wyvern fleet number 1160. The vehicle was used on the NEW College contract service C31 that runs between the Redditch and Bromsgrove campuses. H660YHT was returned to First Bristol on the 27th September 2001. None of the three First Bristol Lynxes could operate from Redditch depot as they are not fitted with anti-attack screens for the drivers. Union agreements at Redditch require all vehicles operated from that depot to be fitted with such screens. On 22nd January 2002, First Wyvern acquired F622RTC from First Bristol for conversion to a driver-training vehicle to replace Leyland National HHA101L. Problems were found when F622RTC was sent away to have dual control brakes fitted and the work was not completed, even though other operators such as Travel West Midlands have successfully carried out similar conversions on Leyland Lynx vehicles. F622RTC was stored at Worcester depot for several months before returning south to First Bristol where it was put back into service and allocated to Hengrove depot after it was repainted into "Barbie2" livery.

Driver Trainers

With the introduction of new low floor vehicles First has taken a policy to replace all of the Leyland Lynx vehicles they were operating in passenger service many are now 14 to15 years old. Using the commercial vehicle works arm of First South Yorkshire at Rotherham a number of former First Wyvern Leyland Lynx vehicles are being converted to permanent driver trainers. Storage of the withdrawn vehicles had been a problem at First Wyvern depots so many of the vehicles have gone to the First Leicester depot for initial storage pending conversion to driver trainers. Work involves the removal of most of the driver cab surround and the installation of an additional seat for the driving instructor to sit on which is located just behind the drivers seat in the space between the front wheel arches. Additionally a secondary driver parking break has been added next to the instructors seat. The follow shows the vehicles that were converted.

Registration Number

Fleet Number

Seating Capacity

Date Withdrawn from FMR Service

What then happened to the vehicle

G102HNP

62702

B49F

10-Jun-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh 12/05 - Withdrawn 4/06 and sold for scrap

G103HNP

62703

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 8/05 - Withdrawn 4/06  sold to PVS Charlton for scrap 3/07

G105HNP

62705

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 9/05 - sold for scrap 3/07

G106HNP

62706

B49F

Jun-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Aberdeen 11/05 moved to First South Yorkshire 5/06 - sold for scrap 8/08

G108HNP

62708

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh 7/05 - Sold for scrap with Dunsmore 11/06

G109HNP

62709

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at Midland Bluebird 10/05

G111HNP

62711

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at Midland Bluebird 9/05 - Sold for scrap with Dunsmore 2/10

G114HNP

62714

B49F

N/A

Used as a driver trainer at First Wyvern at Worcester - - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 4/09

G117HNP

62717

B49F

Feb-05

Used as a driver trainer at First South Yorkshire as a 2/06 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 7/08

G122HNP

62722

B49F

Feb-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 9/05 - withdrawn 7/07

G125HNP

62725

B49F

June-04

Used as a driver trainer at First York - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 8/07

G126HNP

62726

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a driver trainer at First South Yorkshire 3/06 - donated to SOS Charity 7/08

G127HNP

62727

B49F

Jan-05

Used as a  driver trainer at First Edinburgh 12/05 - Sold for scrap with Dunsmore 11/06

G128HNP

62728

B49F

Oct-04

Used as a driver trainer at First South Yorkshire 3/05  sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 5/07

G129HNP

62729

B49F

Feb-05

Used as a driver trainer at First South Yorkshire 1/06 - Withdrawn 8/06

G140HNP

62740

B49F

Feb-05

Used as a driver trainer at First South Yorkshire  9/05 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08

G137HNP

62737

B49F

March-05

Used as a driver trainer at First West Yorkshire 7/05 - Withdrawn 8/07 and sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 8/07

G145HNP

62745

B49F

10-Jun-05

Used as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 12/05 - withdrawn 7/07

G148HNP

62748

B49F

Oct-04

Used as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh gone by 9/08