New To: Trent Buses

Chassis: Volvo D10M-50 YV31MGC18JA018748

Body: Alexander RV38/2088/1 H47/37F

Status: Undergoing Restoration

History

600 was delivered to Trent Buses at the end of 1988, as part of a batch of 12 similar buses, These represented the first investment by the newly privatised company. 600 was actually new to Hucknall Garage.

600 is fitted with an Alexander R type Double Deck body, seating 47 passengers upstairs and 37 in the lower saloon. The chassis was a reworked version of Volvo’s successful B10M coach chassis, which featured uprated suspension and low profile tyres enabling the chassis to have a double deck body fitted. The fact the engine was under the floor, enabled all the lower deck space to be used for passenger accommodation therefore increasing the seating capacity.

In 1987, Trent was sold to Wellglade. Wellglade is a company formed in 1987 by the then directors of Trent to buy it from the National Bus Company and run it as an independent company. Wellglade now own Barton Buses, Trent Motor Traction Co Ltd, TM Travel of Sheffield, Notts & Derby and Kinchbus of Loughborough. Barton Buses and Trent Motor Traction Co Ltd run under Trentbarton nowadays.

600 entered service at Hucknall and spent its working life with Trent based here and also at Sutton Junction, working routes between Mansfield and Nottingham. When new, 600 was in a Silver, Red and Black livery. This was later repainted into the Red and Cream livery and the seats were re-trimmed into the standard Alexander trim rather than the brown trim in place. 

Upon withdrawal, 600 and other members of the batch passed to Plymouth City’s, then Preston Bus before being acquired by Wigan Coachways. It was bought for preservation at the end of 2016 by Mark Butler who kindly donated it to Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity. 600 has so far had some mechanical work done, including renewal of the rear brake drums and linings. It is currently undergoing restoration and will eventually be repainted into the livery which it was first delivered to Trent in 1988. 

Relevance To The Collection

This was the first bus bought by Trent after privatisation