Atlantean 571
by Chris Gaskin:
Trent 571 (ONN 571P) was one of a batch of 7 ECW bodied Atlanteans bought by Trent in 1976.
Just after it had entered service, it was damaged in the July 1976 Meadow Road depot fire along
with two others of the batch, 573 (ONN 573P) and 577 (ORB
577P) which had not even entered
service. These 2 were beyond repair but the chassis of 571 was sent to the Willowbrook factory
at Loughborough for rebodying and it emerged with its new body in 1977.
After spending most
of its life working from Melbourne Trent depot, it was transfered to the then newly acquired
Barton fleet in 1990 where it became the first double decker with Barton for many years.
It was based at Melton Mowbray where it did school contracts.
After being replaced there by
Olympians in around 1997, it was sent to Langley Mill for repainting into red and cream and
spent its last few years working from Meadow Road where it did a regular school run, but
appeared in normal service from time to time, including a turn on
route 13, Derby-Ockbrook-Borrowash. It was withdrawn in about 2000 and sold for preservation.
It is currently at the museum at Wythall, Birmingham.
Here is 571 at Derby Bus Station in the 1990s, on route 19 to Ilkeston. photo (C) Simon Hussey.
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