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Double Deckers

VOLVO AILSA

AV AILSA MK 1. All of these buses, except for YMS714R, were delivered new to W. Alexander (Fife) and survived well into SBG days. They were built on an Ailsa B55 chassis and seated 79 passengers (H44/35F). The driver entered the cab via an off side door due to a small powerful turbo charged engine layout at the front. The 'N' and 'P' reg buses are from 1975 and the 'R' reg buses are 1977 deliveries. FRA1 - FRA10 went to Highland Omnibuses about 1980 and returned to Fife in 1991. My thanks go to fellow Stagecoach Fife driver Malcolm Nicholson (owner of LSX16P) for a lot of the Ailsa information.

Did you know....

....that the Volvo Ailsa's were nicknamed 'Chip Cutters' due to the unique appearance of the front grille.

*KSF8N - FRA8 Destroyed by fire when with Highland Omnibuses in 1984.

**LSX9P - FRA9 never re-entered service when it returned in 1991, instead, being cannibalised for spares.

***YMS714R was new to Alexander (Midland) in 1977 as MRA14. Was acquired by Highland (PHOTO HERE) as a replacement for KSF8N as mentioned above. Came to Fife in 1991 in place of KSF8N.

#NSP334R & NSP336R - Thanks to information from Robert Clark, I now know that these buses came to Fife from A1 Service in 1995.

##LSX25P seemed to be a jinxed bus. It had it's roof ripped off at the rail bridge at the west end of Woodmill Road in Dunfermline in the late 1970's (See the photos in the 'accidents will happen' section). This was the bridge that carried the line into Dunfermline Lower rail station from the Rosyth direction. The bus was rebuilt then caught fire whilst in Dunfermline depot sheds. It was repaired again before being written off in an accident. (This information was supplied by Malcolm Nicholson. Many thanks.)

AV AILSA MK 2. This batch of 20 buses are 1979 deliveries, and the only visual difference from the MK 1's is the higher driver position. They are built on a Volvo Ailsa B55 chassis and have the same seating arrangement as the MK 1.

#OSC52V - 852 WAS APPARENTLY WRITTEN OFF FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT IN GUARDBRIDGE (EXACT YEAR UNKNOWN)

RV AILSA MK 3. These 1984 buses had the new 'R' type bodywork which squared the design up a bit - no more peaked domes on the roof. The windows were bigger, but the first 8 buses still had the same seating arrangement in the upper saloon. They had 2 extra seats on the lower saloon by altering the seats over the rear wheel arch to forward facing. They still had the bulky turbo area at the front, so these 8 buses still had an off side drivers door. They were early leaving Fife, all ending up with Cardiff Bus. They were built on a Volvo B55 chassis and seated 81 passengers (H44/37F). I have emailed Cardiff bus on several occasions with a view to preserving one of these buses, unfortunately, they don't seem to want to reply to me.

VOLVO CITYBUS. The next batch of  buses - 10 in 1985 and 21 in 1986 - were again on a Volvo B55 chassis, but did away with the bulky turbo area. This resulted in the driver being able to enter cab via internal door. The upper saloon bus seats were altered to do away with the single rows at the front, to a more conventional layout and increase passenger capacity to 84 (H47/37F). The 'B' reg vehicles were ordered by Alexander (Fife), whilst the 'C' reg vehicles were ordered by Fife Scottish. After FRA93, the re-numbering system, which seemed so easy to understand, became a bit of a 'spiders web' and didn't seem to make a lot of sense. They were great buses to drive if you were tall like me as they offered great leg room

*****FRA108 WAS NEW TO VOLVO IN 1985 AS A DEMONSTRATOR. IT HAD COACH SEATS AND A RECTANGLE SHAPED DESTINATION DISPLAY.

We next have 2 coaches in the RV category that were transferred from a Western Scottish order in 1987. They have a CH47/23F layout seating 70 passengers. They were built on a Volvo B10M chassis.

RVC CITYBUS COACH. These 2 vehicles were coach versions of the 'R' type body. They seated 70 with a CH42/28F layout, and were built on the Volvo B10M chassis. They were ordered in 1984 for Alexander (Fife) and were primarily used on express or 'Citylink' duties.

NORTHERN COUNTIES bodywork with a DPH43/33F layout. Came to Fife from SOUTHDOWN in 1991.

WHERE DID THEY GO AFTER FIFE ?

FRA1 - KSF1N:- SEEN HERE ON LOAN TO HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES. NOW PRESERVED. LAST NOTED AT BUSWORLD, HILLINGTON IN 2006.

FRA2 - KSF2N:- SEEN HERE ON LOAN TO HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES.

FRA4 - KSF4N:- SEEN HERE AND HERE ON LOAN TO HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES. WENT TO FIFE COUNCIL IN 1991 WHEN IT RETURNED FROM HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES AS SEEN HERE. WAS SCRAPPED AT DUNSMORES, LARKHALL.

FRA6 - KSF6N:- CAME BACK FROM HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES IN AN OVERALL BLUE ADVERT FOR P&O FERRIES. BECAME LAST BUS IN FIFE FLEET TO BE REPAINTED INTO AYRES RED AND CREAM LIVERY BEFORE STAGECOACH TOOK CONTROL. RECEIVED STAGECOACH STRIPES BEFORE BEING SCRAPPED IN 1996.

FRA8 - KSF8N:- SEEN HERE WITH HIGHLAND. DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1984 WHILST WITH HIGHLAND OMNIBUSES.

FRA9 - LSX9P:- CANNIBALISED FOR SPARES ON RETURN TO FIFE IN 1991.

FRA10 - LSX10P:- SEEN HERE WHEN WITH HIGHLAND. BROKEN UP BY THE COMPANY IN 1995/96. MANY PARTS USED TO HELP IN THE PRESERVATION OF FRA1.

FRA14 - LSX14P:- WENT TO KELVIN CENTRAL OMNIBUSES.

FRA15 - LSX15P:- WENT TO LAWMAN AND BULL, KETTERING, IN 1993. WAS SOLD, ONLY TO APPEAR IN BELFAST IN 1996. LAST SEEN IN USE AS A STATIC RESTAURANT IN BELFAST IN 1999.

FRA16 - LSX16P:- PRESERVED AT SVBM. OWNED BY MALCOLM NICHOLSON. PHOTOGRAPH HERE

FRA17 - LSX17P:- SCRAPPED AT DUNSMORES, LARKHALL. PHOTOGRAPHS HERE, HERE AND HERE.

FRA18 - LSX18P:- FORMER FIFE COUNCIL ARTBUS, WAS BROKEN UP AT MARBILL, BEITH.

FRA25 - LSX25P:- WENT TO LAWMAN AND BULL, KETTERING, IN 1993. SCRAPPED IN 1995/96.

FRA27 - LSX27P:- SCRAPPED AT PVS' IN 1993 AS SHOWN HERE.

FRA32 - LSX32P:- SCRAPPED AT TIGER COACHES, SALSBURGH.

FRA34 - LSX34P:- SCRAPPED AT PVS' IN 1993 AS SHOWN HERE.

FRA42 - UFS875R:- SCRAPPED AT TIGER COACHES, SALSBURGH.

FRA43 - UFS876R:- SCRAPPED AT TIGER COACHES, SALSBURGH.

FRA45 - UFS878R:- CURRENTLY (2007) AT PRENTICE, WEST CALDER - PARTLY CANNIBALISED.

FRA47 - OSC47V:- LAST REPORTED WITH 'SILVER FOX'.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE. CURRENTLY AT SVBM FOR PRESERVATION. PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND HERE

FRA50 - OSC50V:- BEING BROKEN FOR SPARES AT GVVT.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND HERE. GONE BY MID 2006.

FRA51 - OSC51V:- WENT TO STUART OF CARLUKE IN 1998. APPARENTLY, WAS BROKEN FOR SPARES AT GVVT, BRIDGETON CIRCA 2002.

FRA52 - OSC52V:- WAS APPARENTLY WRITTEN OFF FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT IN GUARDBRIDGE. YEAR UNKNOWN BUT POSSIBLY IN EARLY STAGECOACH ERA AS NUMBER WAS 852 AT THE TIME.

FRA54 - OSC54V:- WITH JAY COACH TRAVEL, GREENGAIRS - CURRENTLY FOR SALE. GONE BY APRIL 2007. AT SVBM FOR PRESERVATION? AS SEEN HERE.

FRA56 - OSC56V:- SCRAPPED AT DUNSMORES, LARKHALL.

FRA61 - OSC61V:- SCRAPPED AT END OF LIFE VEHICLES, RUTHERGLEN EARLY 2007.

FRA62 - OSC62V:- WITH JAY COACH TRAVEL, GREENGAIRS. UPDATE 1:- NOW BOUGHT, POSSIBLY (OR HOPEFULLY) FOR PRESERVATION. UPDATE 2:- BOUGHT BY KENNY BARCLAY, EWAN GRAY AND JAMES DUNCAN. IT IS CURRENTLY AT BEITH AND IS HOPEFULLY TO BE RESTORED OVER THE WINTER TO 'LARGE LOGO' FIFE LIVERY. PHOTOGRAPH HERE OF BUS AS PURCHASED.

FRA63 - OSC63V:- SCRAPPED AT HENRY GRAYS, KIRKCALDY, FOLLOWING ACCIDENT DAMAGE IN LEVEN IN 1998.

FRA66 - OSC66V:- AT SCRAP YARD IN BARNSLEY ON 22/09/05.  PHOTOGRAPHS HERE AND HERE

FRA67 - A967YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS. PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND HERE.

FRA68 - A968YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE

FRA69 - A969YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE.  HERE AND HERE

FRA70 - A970YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA71 - A971YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE  HERE AND HERE

FRA72 - A972YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND HERE

FRA73 - A973YSX;- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS. NOW BOUGHT PRIVATELY - PRESERVATION?.  PHOTOGRAPHS HERE ,  HERE AND HERE AND HERE

FRA74 - A974YSX:- WAS WITH CARDIFF BUS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA75 - B175FFS:- WENT TO WESTERN SCOTTISH OMNIBUSES IN 1987.

FRA76 - B176FFS:- WENT TO WESTERN SCOTTISH OMNIBUSES IN 1987.

FRA77 - B177FFS:- PRESERVED BY FIFE BUS CLUB AT GVVT.

FRA80 - B180FFS:- LAST SEEN BEING USED BY STAGECOACH WESTERN ON SCHOOL WORK. PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA83 - B183FFS:- LAST SEEN BEING USED BY STAGECOACH WESTERN ON SCHOOL WORK. PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA84 - B184FFS:- LAST SEEN BEING USED BY STAGECOACH WESTERN ON SCHOOL WORK. PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA85 - B185FFS:- LAST SEEN BEING USED BY STAGECOACH WESTERN ON SCHOOL WORK. PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA88 - C788USG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES AUG 2005.

FRA90 - C790USG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES SEPT 2005.

FRA91 - C791USG:- WITH WEST COAST MOTORS.  PHOTOGRAPH HERE, HERE AND HERE.

FRA93 - C793USG:- WITH AYRWAYS OF AYR (2006).  PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA94 - C794USG:- WITH WEST COAST MOTORS. PHOTOGRAPH HERE, HERE AND HERE.

FRA95 - C795USG:- SEEN HERE AS 'DUNFERMLINE EAST CHURCH SPACE MOBILE' AT DUNFERMLINE CHILDREN'S GALA PROCESSION ON SATURDAY 30/06/07.

FRA96 - C796USG:- WAS WITH JAY COACHES. PHOTOGRAPH HERE. ALSO PICTURED HERE WITH MAGICBUS.

FRA99 - C799USG:- PICTURED HERE (ON THE LEFT) WITH MAGICBUS.

FRA100 - C800USG:- PHOTO HERE WITH 'HERBERTS'. CURRENTLY WITH RED KITE OF LEIGHTON BUZZARD. THANKS TO CALUM AIKMAN FOR THE INFO.

FRA101 - C801USG:- WITH AYRWAYS OF AYR (2006).  PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

FRA104 - C804USG:- PHOTOGRAPHED HERE IN NON PSV USE AT WESTERN AYR DEPOT.

FRA105 - C805USG:- WAS WITH JAY COACHES. PHOTOGRAPH HERE. PICTURED HERE WITH MAGICBUS.

FRA106 - C806USG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES SEPT 2005.

FRA107 - C807USG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES SEPT 2005.

FRA108 - B108CCS:- WITH WEST COAST MOTORS. PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND HERE.

FRA109 - E909KSG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES 9/03 AND RE-REGISTERED AS 128ASV.

FRA110 - E910KSG:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES 11/04 AND RE-REGISTERED AS 127ASV.

15250 - E867RCS:- WENT TO BLUEBIRD BUSES 9/03 AND RE-REGISTERED AS 126ASV.

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