New To: Felix of Stanley 

Chassis: Scania L94UB YS2L4X20001850854

Body: Wright Solar J493 B43F

Status: Awaiting Restoration

History

Delivered in March 2005 to Felix of Stanley, YN05GZB was the third of three similar vehicles delivered new to the operator in 2003/4/5 (one per year). This helped to standardise parts within the fleet. This vehicle has a Scania L94UB chassis, a very popular chassis at that time, with a Wright Solar body. This was also the body of choice for many operators at the time. One notable operator being Trent who had 92 Scania L94UBs with Wright Solar bodywork across the years. 

When new, this vehicle was branded for Felix’s Black Cat route ( Derby – Ilkeston – Derby via Chaddesden, Oakwood, Stanley and West Hallam). This was a Red & White livery with Yellow lettering. The 2003 similar vehicle carried the same livery. However, the 2004 similar vehicle carried Trent’s Ilkeston Flyer livery (at the time this was a joint service) and the interior was done to Trent specification. This involved having Yellow and Blue seat backs and bases with a blue plastic surround rather than Felix’s choice of a Red graffiti style seat backs and bases with a grey plastic surround.

In December 2011, Felix sold its bus operations to Midland General (a subsidiary of the Wellglade Group) and on the 29th January 2012, the transfer of the services and buses to Trents Meadow Road Garage in Derby took place. The three Scania vehicles then became 598, 599 and 600, this placed them just in front of the first Trent Scania of the same type in the Wellglade fleet numbering system. 

Shortly after this, 598, 599 and 600 became part of Wellglade’s Notts + Derby fleet. N+D is a low cost operations that mainly do council contracts and private hires. 600 was withdrawn in May 2022 due to the rear axle shifting. Prior to this, we had already registered our interest in this vehicle. We were contacted by Notts + Derby and we made our way to Meadow Road to inspect the vehicle on the pit. It was decided that we would take the gamble with 600 and it was collected in June 2022 by a Crouch Recovery Low Loader. 

The Low Loader took 600 down to Paul S.Winson Coaches where the mechanical work was undertaken. It turned out that it was only the pin that holds the axle in place that had snapped. The pin was simply wound out, the axle put into its original position and a new pin put in place. Due to the axle shifting, we had to replace the bump stops and the airbags at the same time. 600 returned home to Hucknall and shortly afterwards it was used at the Splendour Festival by the Confetti College as a back stage seating area. 

Relevance To The Collection

600 is now the final Felix Wright Solar left