Could this be ex-Stagecoach East Kent?

[tjwpsv]

I am reposting a request for information, previously posted to the British Buses Abroad in North America Yahoo Group, with permission of Bob Martin, to whom the attached photographs are © .

 "Help required - this is a photo of a Northern Counties Leyland Olympian which was used by Los Angeles City Hopper Fleet No 210. It had no builders plate or internal fleet numbers it did have this MCW plate SMCDR102HAJ09771 on it which does not seem to relate to this vehicle. I could not find any operators whose vehicles had the very small front destination blind."

The bus is believed to have been in LA 'by 12/13', probably arriving in the US via British Bus Company, San Diego. This, in turn, makes it quite possible that it was exported via Bristol Bus & Coach Sales / Munden, Bristol.

There is a Stagecoach sticker visible in the rear window - and it has been suggested that the blind layout and highbridge-looking body suggest that it could be ex East Kent. I'm no expert on Northern Counties bodies, nor is the age of the vehicle ?1989? a period when I am over-familiar with the SEK fleet, so any further observations would be welcomed, please.. How many possible candidates were operated, and are any unaccounted for from before the quoted date?

Thanks.

Tim

[Darryl Meades]

Could be one from 7811-7814 or 7821-7830. Doesn't look like one of the long wheelbase batch, and I can just about make out some brown interior panelling and orange grabrails, which I think the East Kent examples had.

D.

[Matt Wheeler]

If the front marker lights either side of the destination display are anything to go by, it would narrow the possibilities down to the 7811-14 batch, as they had low lights.
The 7821-30 batches had them slightly higher up in line with middle of destination display.

Matt W.

[tjwpsv]

Thank, Darryl & Matt.

As far as I can trace, 7811 appears to have been scrapped, while 7812/3 are confirmed with UK owners post the sighting date in LA.

7814 was with A-Bus, Bristol, in 2011, so would be a prime candidate for subsequent export by the associated Bristol Bus Sales. I've then compared photographs of 7814 in Bristol with those taken in LA and there appear to be a number of bodywork detail consistencies to suggest that it is the same vehicle.