Chassis: Leyland Atlantean AN68D/1R
Chassis Number: 8300316
Body: Northern Counties H43/32F
Body Number: 2433
Date of Registration: 23/06/83
Date Withdrawn: 07/01/02
4645 is a Leyland Atlantean AN68D/1R with Northern Counties Standard bodywork and was delivered new to Queens Road Depot in 1983 as 8645.
In the years between 1994 and 1995, 4645 (as it had since been renumbered) was involved in a serious RTA with a RIBBLE coach. At this time, Greater
Manchester Buses North was going through a phase whereby if a vehicle was severely damaged, it would be 'retro fitted' with a 1988 Olympian front. In the
end four Atlanteans were so treated in the GM Buses North fleet, these being: 4486 SND 486X, 4645 ANA 645Y, 4721 A721 LNC and 4753 A753 NNA. 4645
was transferred and rebuilt at Bolton Depot, where it re-entered service in full Greater Manchester Buses North livery in 1995.
4645 managed to carry two more liveries, being Greater Manchester FirstBus and First Manchester 'Tomato Soup' liveries. 4645 was one of the last eight
Atlanteans to make it to the very last day of service by the type with First Manchester on the 7th January 2002.
Its last duty was as follows:
4645 was noted driving through Leigh, displaying '25 - Contract' on its blinds. Its last scheduled journey was the 07:45 service 34 to Manchester, departing
from Leigh. Upon its arrival at Cannon Street, it returned empty to Bolton Depot where it was withdrawn. This made it the last Greater Manchester Atlantean to
operate for an ex Greater Manchester Transport company to Manchester Arndale (Cannon Street) Bus Station.
After withdrawal, 4645 sat around the back of Crook Street depot for around
four months, whilst the rest slowly disappeared. Then, 4645 was destined to go to First Huddersfield for further service, where it would have been converted
to semi automatic and repainted into 'Barbie 2' colours. However, a breakdown in communications meant that 8573 (The Atlantean repainted into Greater
Manchester Transport brown, orange and white livery for the Bolton Depot Atlantean Running Day on the 11th August 2001) was sent instead. It got as
far as the paint shops ready for a rub down when fortunately it was saved for preservation. 4645 remained in the depot for another month or so, when it
vanished overnight. This just left 4650 in the depot, with a gearbox fault. Knowledge of 4645's whereabouts was not known at this point, and it was
presumed that it had met the smae fate as the rest - Barnsley! It was eventually tracked down by Paul Hoskins as having being sold to Springfield
(Dealer). Springfield were then contacted to find out whom they had sold it too. But they couldn't remember, so we were given the number of a garage who had carried out some work on it.
4645 was eventually found to be with the Solitaire Morris Troupe and living in Liverpool. After a few phone calls, a date was arranged to go and visit the bus.
The owner explained the problems experienced with it since purchase; firstly air was getting into the fuel system which was preventing it to run properly,
vandals smashed one of the plain glass windows on the upstairs nearside, fuel was stolen out of it one night and the system was filled with rubbish (this
resulted in the whole fuel system being replaced). Electrical problems led to conversion to semi automatic transmission. Various other problems involving
the fuel system had caused the vehicle to become unreliable, and the idea of possibility swapping 4645 for another slightly newer bus was put to the owner.
The idea was met by agreement, so a replacement GM Atlantean had to be sourced. This ended up being 4737 - A737 NNA from First Calderline, who were
running GM Atlanteans at their Huddersfield outpost.
4737 was collected from First Huddersfield on Saturday 31st August 2003,
where it was driven to Penwortham to be painted into the new owner's livery of a silver and blue scheme with grey window surrounds. Several weeks later it
was collected and taken to Liverpool to be swapped for 4645 on Saturday 20th September 2003.
4645 was partly returned to Greater Manchester 'f' livery in time to be on
display at The Big Orange in October 2004, and restoration work continues.
