Created 15-Aug-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
Chesterfield Transport bought six new Leyland Lynxes which were 60-65 (E60-65 WDT). 62-65 were B49F buses new in December 1987 but 60/61 came slightly later in March 1988 and had DP47F bodies. They all had Leyland TL11 engines. Chesterfield sought buyers for all six in 1994 but only actually sold the bus versions (62-65) which came to Rhondda Buses. The two dual-purpose vehicles remained until Chesterfield Transport passed to Stagecoach.
The first two to arrive at Rhondda were 62 and 65 which were numbered 500 and 501, closely followed by 63 and 64 which Rhondda numbered 502 and 503. Hence, despite being in a contiguous block, they were not numbered in order whilst with Rhondda.
In 1996 501 and 503 (E64/65 WDT) were sold to Wilts and Dorset, with whom they entered service in their Damory Coaches subsidiary, based at Blandford, where they were numbered 5053/5054.
504 was new to long-established operator Chambers of Bures in March 1988. It was an LX112L10ZR1R model with a B52F body and therefore unique amongst Rhondda's Lynxes in having the Cummins L10 engine.
It was one of the later buses to join the Rhondda Buses fleet around the end of 1996 and it is likely that a deal was struck with Chambers as its acquisition coincided with the departure of the ex-Great Yarmouth Volvos 851/852 to Chambers. It took the number 504 in the Rhondda fleet and was the only one of the original Lynx models to receive the later livery with more cream.
500, 502 and 504 remained in service until the Stagecoach takeover, following which they were renumbered 692/693/691 respectively. They moved to Stagecoach Ribble in early 2001 in preparation for the transfer of much of the North Lancashire operation to Blazefield Holdings, Stagecoach taking advantage of the opportunity to offload some of their less-desired vehicles. (The Rhondda Buses Leyland Lynx 2s (41/42) were also caught up in the same exercise.) As a consequence former Chesterfield 62 and 63 (as 692 and 693) were briefly re-united with their dual-purpose sisters 60 and 61 transferred from Chesterfield as part of the same exercise, firstly with Stagecoach Ribble and then to Blazefield-owned Lancashire United. 692 and 693 quickly moved to the Burnley & Pendle fleet but 691 remained with Lancashire United.
Following its spell with Damory Coaches E64 WDT has entered preservation and been restored into its original Chesterfield livery.
© David Beilby
