Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,

This page created 5th April 2012.

Optare Excels: London United


Bus Histories

These histories are incomplete. They are being assembled as I garner information from a variety of sources. Particularly useful have been:

XL1   P151 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9124, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
                        branded: "Eden Street to Paradise Road? We've created the perfect route."
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9223          reregistered
                4/04    in service, McKindless
                8/08    much cannibalised
             by 4/11    stripped and scrapped

XL2   P152 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9125, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                1/02 AV unusual on 120
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9224          reregistered
                7/05    in service, McKindless
               10/07    in service, McKindless 
             by 4/11    stripped and scrapped

XL3   P153 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9126, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
                        branded: "Going to Ham Library? We're the novel way to travel."
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                1/02 AV unusual on 81
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9225          reregistered
                8/05    cannibalised 
             by 8/08    scrapped

XL4   P154 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9127, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
                        branded: "Going to Grey Court School? Study our timetable."
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
               11/01 TV unusual on 467
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9226          reregistered
                8/05    cannibalised
                2/07    in service, McKindless
                8/08    much cannibalised
             by 4/11    scrapped

XL6   P156 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9128, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
                        branded: "The best way to Richmond Gate? It's an open and shut case."
               10/01 K  unusual on 57
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
               12/01 TV unusual on 406
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                1/02 AV unusual on 222
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9228          reregistered
                4/07    in service, McKindless
               10/07    in service, McKindless
             by 4/11    stripped and scrapped

XL7   P157 BUG  6/97    Optare Excel L1000, Optare 9129, B36F
                6/97 K  new to Stanwell Buses for 371: LU livery, route branded (Kingston)
               10/00 K  unusual on 57
                9/01 K  unusual on 57
               11/01 TV 371 moved to Tolworth
                1/02 AV transfer for 110 (Hounslow)
                1/02 AV unusual on 116
                5/03 AV withdrawn
                6/03    bought by McKindless, Wishaw
      WIL 9228          reregistered
                8/08    cannibalised
             by 4/11    stripped and scrapped

Photographic references


A key to the references is in the bibliography.

XL 1    P151 BUG  LBH98 p96   7/97    on 371 to Richmond, Ham: route branded
                  LBic2000p54 8/99    on 371 to Richmond, Kingston: route branded

XL 3    P153 BUG  LBM102 p07  1996    on 371 to Richmond, Kingston: route branded

Ian's Bus Stop London United XLs. XL histories. XL photo refs.