Carlisle Bus

THE F-FAO OLYMPIANS

Our bus started out as one of nine vehicles of the same type purchased by Stagecoach Cumberland for its Carlisle depot in September 1988. The batch were modern, eye-catching and new to what the passengers of Carlisle had ever seen before. Carlisle's bus revolution, in which this batch of Leyland Olympians were the first double-deckers purchased by Stagecoach Cumberland, marked the start of change for bus travel in Cumbria and a milestone for Stagecoach Group in pursuing its bus industry monopoly.


The Stagecoach North West region has evolved with the changing and challenging times of the bus industry. In keeping with passenger trends and improving its services, local depots have seen buses frequently move between local depots and regions, in relation to these evolving changes in keeping Stagecoach one step ahead of its competitors. 


Over thirty years have passed since the batch of F-FAO Olympians were delivered from the Leyland factories, all with a colourful history.

F803FAO (1003)

#1003, Preston bus station, 2004

View more photos of F803FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1003

01/1993: Transferred to Whitehaven depot

04/1993: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

06/1993: Transferred to Carlisle depot

09/1994: Transferred to Barrow depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14243 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

01/2004: Transferred to Preston depot

04/2005: Transferred to Barrow depot

02/2011: Transferred to Preston depot

03/2011: Moved to Disposals

07/2011: Sold to MD Nash (dealer), Ockley and later sold to AH Hardwick (dealer), Carlton

08/2012: Loaned to an unidentified operator in the Liverpool area

09/2012: Sold to Mortons Travel Ltd, Tadley

01/2013: Sold to JH Watts Coaches, Leicester

06/2016: Sold and exported LA Double Decker (The Big Red Bus Company), Los Angeles where it still is

View more photos of F804FAO on Flickr

F804FAO (1004)

#1004, Preston bus station, 2003

09/1998: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1004

01/1993: Transferred to Whitehaven depot

04/1993: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

05/1993: Transferred to Carlisle depot

09/1994: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

03/1997: Transferred to Lancaster depot

08/2001: Transferred to Chorley depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14244 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

07/2004: Transferred to Barrow depot

12/2010: Moved to Disposals

04/2011: Sold to T Wigley & Son Bus Ltd (dealer), Carlton for scrap

F805FAO (1005)

#1005, Cartmel, 2010

View more photos of F804FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1005

01/1993: Transferred to Whitehaven depot

04/1993: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

07/1995: Transferred to Barrow depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14245 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

05/2010: Repainted into Cumberland Motor Services Ltd Ayres red and sandstone livery

06/2010: Transferred to Kendal depot

09/2012: Moved to Disposals

10/2012: Sold to Carlisle Bus Group for preservation

F806FAO (1006)

#1006, Grizebeck, 2010

View more photos of F806FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1006

02/1993: Transferred to Whitehaven depot

04/1993: Transferred to Carlisle depot

04/1997: Transferred to Barrow depot

06/1997: Transferred to Carlisle depot

09/2000: Transferred to Barrow depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14246 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

02/2011: Transferred to Preston depot

03/2011: Moved to Disposals

05/2011: Sold to Ensign Bus Co Ltd (dealer), Purfleet

05/2011: Sold to Delta Force Paintball, Cobham (static prop) where it still is

F807FAO (1007)

#1007, Carlisle depot, 2010

View more photos of F807FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1007

06/1992: Transferred to Barrow depot

11/1992: Transferred to Carlisle depot

02/1993: Transferred to Whitehaven depot

04/1993: Transferred to Carlisle depot

07/1994: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

03/1997: Transferred to Lancaster depot

05/2000: Loaned to East Midlands (Chesterfield) for one month

08/2001: Transferred to Chorley depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14247 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

07/2004: Transferred to Barrow depot

06/2009: Transferred to Carlisle depot

02/2011: Moved to Disposals

07/2011: Sold to MD Nash (dealer), Ockley

05/2012: Sold to Village Coaches, Trimdon

07/2013: Withdrawn and believed to be scrapped

F808FAO (1008)

#1008, Carlisle, 1991

View more photos of F808FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1008

06/1992: Transferred to Kendal depot

04/1993: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

09/1999: Transferred to Kendal depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14248 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

09/2012: Moved to Disposals

04/2013: Sold to T Wigley & Son Bus Ltd (dealer), Carlton for scrap

F809FAO (1009)

#1009, Carlisle, 1992

View more photos of F809FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1009

10/2001: Transferred to Chorley depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14249 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

07/2004: Transferred to Barrow

12/2009: Transferred to Lillyhall

02/2010: Moved to Disposals

03/2011: Sold to T Wigley & Son Bus Ltd (dealer), Carlton for scrap

F810FAO (1010)

#1010, Barrow, 2009

View more photos of F810FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1010

04/1993: Transferred to Lillyhall depot

07/1994: Transferred to Carlisle depot

10/2001: Transferred to Chorley depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14250 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

07/2004: Transferred to Barrow

08/2010: Moved to Disposals

11/2010: Sold to T Wigley & Son Bus Ltd (dealer), Carlton for scrap

F811FAO (1011)

#1011, Carlisle, 1988

View more photos of F811FAO on Flickr

09/1988: New to Stagecoach Cumberland, delivered to Carlisle depot, numbered 1011

08/2002: Transferred to Kendal depot

02/2003: Renumbered to 14251 under modern Stagecoach Group numbering system

01/2005: Victim of the Carlisle Floods in 2005 (up at Carlisle repaint at the time), moved to disposals

01/2005: Sold to Jonathan Lloyd Commercial Salvage Ltd (dealer), Hixon

04/2005: Sold to Stafford Bus Centre (dealer), Cotes Heath

05/2005: Sold to GHA Coaches, Bettws Gwerfil Goch

06/2016: Sold to Shelton Motors (dealer), Huntingdon for scrap