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of Leyland Lynx vehicles moving to Redditch to allow the majority of the Leyland Nationals at Redditch Garage to be withdrawn.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	??	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 - Now with DRM Coaches at Bromyard 9/07 and re-registered PJI9172	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	Barbie 3 (11/04)
G150HNP	62750	LX1781	B49F	Apr-90	29-Apr-04	Sold to First Leicester	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	Barbie 2 (10/02)
F602RTC	1162	LX1445	B49F	May-00	Sold to First Leicester 10/03	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 know to have been converted thus far.

Registration Number	Fleet Number	Body Type	Seating Capacity	Date Withdrawn from FMR Service	Current situation
G102HNP	62702	LX1696	B49F	10-Jun-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh 12/05
G103HNP	62703	LX1697	B49F	Jan-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 8/05
G105HNP	62705	LX1699	B49F	Jan-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 9/05
G106HNP	62706	LX1704	B49F	Jun-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Aberdeen 11/05 moved to First South Yorkshire 5/06
G108HNP	62708	LX1706	B49F	Jan-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh 7/05 - Sold for scrap with Dunsmore 11/06
G109HNP	62709	LX1707	B49F	Jan-05	In use as a driver trainer at Midland Bluebird 10/05
G111HNP	62711	LX1709	B49F	Jan-05	Iin use as a driver trainer at Midland Bluebird 9/05
G114HNP	62714	LX1719	B49F	N/A	Was in use as a driver trainer at First Wyvern at Worcester - now sold for scrap
G117HNP	62717	LX1722	B49F	Feb-05	In use at First South Yorkshire as a driver trainer 2/06 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 7/08
G122HNP	62722	LX1736	B49F	Feb-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 9/05 - withdrawn 7/07
G125HNP	62725	LX1739	B49F	June-04	In use as a driver trainer at First York - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 8/07
G126HNP	62726	LX1740	B49F	Jan-05	In use at First South Yorkshire as a driver trainer 3/06 - donated to SOS Charity 7/08
G127HNP	62727	LX1741	B49F	Jan-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh 12/05 - Sold for scrap with Dunsmore 11/06
G128HNP	62728	LX1745	B49F	Oct-04	In use at First South Yorkshire as a driver trainer 3/05
G129HNP	62729	LX1746	B49F	Feb-05	In use at First South Yorkshire as a driver trainer 1/06 - Withdrawn 8/06
G140HNP	62740	LX1768	B49F	Feb-05	In use at First South Yorkshire as a driver trainer 9/05 - sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 6/08
G137HNP	62737	LX1765	B49F	March-05	Became a driver trainer at First West Yorkshire 7/05 - Withdrawn 8/07 and sold to PVS Carlton for scrap 8/07
G145HNP	62745	LX1775	B49F	10-Jun-05	In use as a driver trainer at First Eastern Counties 12/05 - withdrawn 7/07
G148HNP	62748	LX1779	B49F	Oct-04	In use as a driver trainer at First Edinburgh gone by 9/08

Leyland Lynx

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