Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 11th January 2019.

Excel/TGM MAN/MCV buses

The new trio: 561-563

Stansted MAN sketch 561-563 were 10.2m MAN 12.220s with MCV eVolution bodywork bought by Excel Stansted in February 2006 for their flagship service 308 between the Stansted Airport and Bishops Stortford. They were in a pale green livery with a superimposed green design, and green route-branding along the cantrails. They stayed fairly route-bound until autumn 2013. 561 and 562 then moved to Arriva the Shires for route one at High Wycombe, and 563 was sold.

Two secondhand buses: 564 and 565

564 and 565 had been leased new in February 2006 to National Car Parks, MEV 1 and 2, for airport work. After return to Dawson Rentals they came to Excel at Stansted, at first on loan in June/July 2009 for use on Excel/TGM's local routes, in particular the 392 between Harlow Town Station and Rye House. In August 2009 they were acquired by TGM at Stansted/Harlow, but retained their dealer white livery. 564 also retained its airside orange light on the cab roof. They stayed until TGM's clear-out in September 2013, when 564 disappeared and 565 went to Autocar for use around Tunbridge Wells.

Short term, from Surrey Connect: 560

560 came later than the other five. A 10.8m MAN 14.220, it was new in August 2006 to Flights Hallmark, who operated a number of hotel services around Gatwick as well as bus services under contract to Surrey County Council: school services and some bus routes such as the 236 (East Grinstead - Westerham), and now the 540 (Woldingham - Caterham - Redhill - East Surrey Hospital). Livery for the new MAN was red with blue skirt and cant-rail branding for route 540. The trading name was Surrey Connect. It retained its livery, Surrey Connect name and 540 route branding when it was taken over by Tellings-Golden Miller in 2008, and stayed on the route until the contract was lost to Metrobus in September 2011.

It was then moved to TGM Group's operation at Stansted, for use on the 308 (Stansted Airport - Bishops Stortford) where, initially at least, it operated in Surrey Connect 540 red/blue, numbered 560. Sometime in 2012 TGM moved it away to Gatwick for its hotel-airport shuttles. It was downseated to make more luggage space, and painted white with blue skirt and rear uplift, with hotel by bus fleetmames. Before long it moved to Arriva Southern Counties as 3602 at Tunbridge Wells for bus work, still in white and blue but without the hotelbybus fleetnames, for a month or two before its repaint to Arriva livery and move to High Wycombe for use on route one.


Ian's Bus Stop MAN index. Excel main text. bus histories. photos.