412 (OF54 MAM)
Optare Solo Classic B31F
Padbus liked the practical layout of the Optare Solo but was not quite
so sure about the styling. The need for a distinctive bus of old
fashioned appearance for a tourist service led to this rebuild. The
resultant small, rear engined, half-cab single decker is reminiscent of
the pre-war London Transport CR class buses and the bonnet shape
reflects this. This 2004 bus was also the prototype for the current
metallic
green livery. By 2012 circumstances had changed and service 14B between
Woodstock and Blenheim Palace was withdrawn. A new contract for a
shuttle bus within the palace grounds needed a different type of bus so
412 became a spare vehicle covering for other minibuses undergoing
maintenance. It was finally withdrawn in 2020 and is now in the care of
the Padbus Preservation Partnership.
Modified Corgi OOC diecast. |
