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SM Coaches and Olympian Coaches are
relatively small Harlow based independents. Both are shown together
here, as besides ownership falling under the same family, operationally
the two are very closely linked and in effect both are now a joint effort.
The story started in a small way just post deregulation when as SM
Travel, route T15, then a
peak hour ECC contract linking Potter Street with the industrial area at
Templefields (omitting the town centre) was taken on. The route evolved into being a commercial operation providing an all day
service on Monday to Saturday serving the Town Centre, and has
had numerous extensions and deviations over the years. The service
is now part of a fast-changing local network. SM have also traditionally
had both private hire work and schools services, and a fair size coach
fleet was also therefore maintained.
Olympian are are more recent creation, starting their
own commercial bus routes separately in 2001. Shortly afterwards the Stort
Valley Coaches business was acquired, and with it the London commuter
services. These still exist today. Again, both coach contract and schools
services featured.
As far as vehicles are concerned, the last couple of years has seen the introduction of newer vehicles
to the front line of the operations, where historically the bus fleet at
least had a
typically older profile.
Although legally SM Coaches and Olympian Coaches (registered as either Olympus Bus and Coach or Road
Runner Coaches) are separate and there are two depots, 2008 has seen them
almost totally integrate. All bus services are now operated under the SM
Coaches name, including the former Olympian services. As part of the
change, the traditional SM fleet livery
of white with maroon
skirt and sign-writing has given way to the white with blue skirt and sign-writing
livery previously carried by Olympian. The coach fleet has largely gone
the other way, with most schools and contract services, and
the London commuter routes falling under the Olympian name. There are a
variety of coach liveries carried at present, which may be transitional.
| Alexander-Dennis Enviro200Dart The latest single-deck integral product from Alexandra Dennis has arrived, three examples taking up service in March 2008. Although these are not by any means SM's first new vehicles, they do show how significantly the operator has progressed over the years. |
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| EU08FHB EU08FHC EU08FHD |
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Seen waiting at the Bus Station on the M31 service is 'FHD. The LED display was not yet in use at this time, butr now is fully functional. (R Hudson) |
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The offside view here shows FHC on the 19, with LED working. (R Hudson) | ||
| Irisbus LoGo/Unvi Whilst the Enviro's (above) are set to be something of a standard (thee operators in Harlow alone have them) not so long ago, something quite different turned up. Representing a quantum leap forward for minibuses with this operator, they entered service in August and September 2007. One is in silver livery, whilst the others are white based. All have bus seats, and now carry company fleet names. |
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| EU07XGK EU07XGL EU07XGM |
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In plain Silver leaving the bus station in its first days in service is EU07XGM. All three now have fleet names applied. (R Hudson) |
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In white and with fleet names applied. (R Hudson) | ||
| Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton
Pointer 2 In September 2007 Olympian Coaches received these five vehicles, principally for the Sumners/Katherines services where they replaced Iveco/Marshalls. They started life with Armchair and later operated with Stansted Transit before settling here. |
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| P677RWU P678RWU P681RWU P684RWU P685RWU |
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New colours are featured on '678'. The LED says "14 TRAIN STN' (R Hudson). | |
| Dennis Dart/Plaxton
Pointer A 2007 arrival, reversing the trend for new vehicles, was rather long in the tooth high-floor 9m Dart J313WHJ. This was followed in February 2008 by longer (9.8m) K408FHJ. Both are ex-Arriva, the longer Dart ex-Harlow. The integration of the Olympian bus fleet brought a third ex-Metrobus example into the picture. |
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| J313WHJ K408FHJ K714KGU |
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K408FHJ sits just where it did for many years whilst waiting to take up service on the 510 or other Arriva services. It now carries an LED display. (R Hudson) | |
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K714KGU has been branded for the 14 shuttle service. Despite this, it is seen on the 19. (R Hudson) | ||
| Iveco 59.12/Marshall C31 SM have operated this vehicle combination for almost as long as Arriva did in the town. Olympian purchased a significant quantity themselves, no doubt with expansion in mind. A recent clear-out of surplus fleet, and the influx of newer vehicles has seen just a handful retained, and even then, usage is often now restricted to peak hours. |
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L722OVX M153RBH M733AOO |
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L722OVX is one of the ex-Arriva examples now operating with SM Coaches, seen at Harlow Town Station on the T10 service. (R Hudson) | |
| Irisbus Agora Line Following the theme of operating something different, size-wise the largest of the 2006 new vehicle intake was this less than everyday occurrence. |
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| EU06KHK |
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Seen when new outside SM's Burnt Mill premises. (R Hudson) |
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| Mercedes L811D/Dormobile These minibus examples are still hanging around, and pop up now and again. Schools services and private hires are regular stamping ground. |
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| G99NBD L192MAU |
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Parked up at the depot L192MAU shows off the new coach livery and logo. (R Hudson). | |
| Iveco EuroMidi/Vehixel
Scolabus 24 Representing the first yellow school bus in the area were two brand new vehicles and rather unusual choices. Vehixel are a French bodybuilder. |
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| FD54EOO FD54EOP |
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Seen in laying over outside SM's Harlow depot, and showing off the original looking branding is FD54EOO. (R Hudson) | |
COACHES
| Volvo B10M/Plaxton
Premiere Used primarily on London commuter routes are some second life ex Ulsterbus vehicles. |
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| EAZ2576 EAZ2588 |
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The Olympian name is still carried load and proud, even though the legal name has changed. Most passengers have alighted this journey as it emerges from the bus station. (R Hudson) | |
| Volvo B10M/Plaxton
Excalibur Olympian operate a private shuttle service between Harlow Town Centre, Station, and various sites of Glaxo Smith Kline. The present regular offering are often these two vehicles. |
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| V282SBW V283SBW |
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A livery variation once again for these latest arrivals, applied so far to "283". (R Hudson) | |
| Scania/Irizar
Century . |
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| S342SET S343SET |
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. (R Hudson) | |
| Iveco Euromidi
95/Indicar Eco-3 . |
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| N179OUT |
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. (R Hudson) | |
Details of other coaches to follow